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Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

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Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#321

Post by busterarm »

sixQuarks wrote: post #183
busterarm wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

War happens when one of two nations assumes that they are more capable of winning than another. If you stop spending in the US and assume that Russia and China will sit idly by without invading our allies, you are living in a land of fantasy.

This makes no sense. Using this logic, why don’t more countries attack, say Costa Rica, which doesn’t even have a military? I think the OP probably doesn’t have a problem with actual defense projects, but if you’ve been paying any attention over the last 70 years, you will know that the US has attacked many countries under the guise of “defense”.

> "This makes no sense. Using this logic" ...

I was almost-directly quoting the co-founder of Anduril.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#322

Post by evanthayer »

justinlloyd wrote: post #298

I don't know what you can do in your garage, but in my two car garage I can do: * Basic blacksmithing (small furnace & anvil) * Woodwork using power tools & manual tools (table saw, miter saw, router table, band saw, planer, etc) * Metal working * Ceramics casting * Jewelry making * 3D printing (resin and reel) * Laser cutting (48 x 24) * Vacuum forming * Robotics * Paint spraying (just bought a five stage paint blow…

my garage looks like yours. noice.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#324

Post by CallMeJim »

sliceform wrote: post #152

I used to be the education director at a makerspace and now run a 3D printing company selling small plastic parts and teaching entrepreneurs how to start small manufacturing businesses at home. Few thoughts: - Focus on your hobbies and other industries you know well. What problems exist? Where can you make things better? Are there problems people mention over and over again? - CAD modeling is often THE fundamental sk…

CNC machines for under $5k? Where might we find some of these?

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#325

Post by imtringued »

12ian34 wrote: post #182
busterarm wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

War happens when one of two nations assumes that they are more capable of winning than another. If you stop spending in the US and assume that Russia and China will sit idly by without invading our allies, you are living in a land of fantasy.

It's definitely a land of fantasy today, I agree but one can always hope that maybe one day instead of killing each other we'd learn to live together and work together. Imagine how much more productive we'd be. To be honest I nearly didn't post this message because it's a bit off topic and definitely divisive. I definitely support all the brave people fighting for me to be safe because I sure as hell wouldn't feel co…

That would require the introduction of negative interest on cash and land value taxes including a citizen's dividend.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#327

Post by ncmncm »

primax wrote: post #305
bombcar wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To expand on this, there are entire "fan clubs" around old military trucks - for example https://www.steelsoldiers.com - so you could infiltrate said groups and find what parts are starting to become rare/hard to find NOS anymore (new old/original stock) and start making replacements.

There is a big fan club for Kubota kb250 tractors on Facebook with people making custom mods and implements. I'm sure there are lots of similar things out there

This is the way in. Garden tractor enthusiasts, VW camper van enshusiasts, vintage motorcycle enthusiasts -- they all want to customize, and will spend to get it.

A trivial electronic gadget to turn an oil cooler pump on and off is a good start. Electronic assembly isn't noisy or stinky. At most you might need to bend sheet metal for a case.

Guitar players love audio processing gadgets they can turn on and off with their toes. Make something that can be adjusted to give them a unique sound. Distortion is easy to layer on.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#328

Post by minimalist »

CallMeJim wrote: post #324
sliceform wrote: post #152

I used to be the education director at a makerspace and now run a 3D printing company selling small plastic parts and teaching entrepreneurs how to start small manufacturing businesses at home. Few thoughts: - Focus on your hobbies and other industries you know well. What problems exist? Where can you make things better? Are there problems people mention over and over again? - CAD modeling is often THE fundamental sk…

CNC machines for under $5k? Where might we find some of these?

MPCNC and friends

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#329

Post by lelanthran »

12ian34 wrote: post #138
Panther34543 wrote: post #63

I've given this advice elsewhere, and I'll give it here. Go look at the small business initiatives by each branch of the U.S. military; many are now posting lists of open contracts that you can bid on for an incredible array of things. Browse through those lists and find something you can build. I really believe the U.S. military is in the midst of a large scale transfer of military spending from traditional large de…

hmm facilitating war, even if it means defence just doesn't sit quite right with me. shame we live in a world where this is even a thing

> hmm facilitating war, even if it means defence just doesn't sit quite right with me. shame we live in a world where this is even a thing

I don't know what this is supposed to even mean. Do you mean "it's a shame to live in a world where defence is necessary" or "it's a shame to live in a world where aggressors face defence"?

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#330

Post by jimnotgym »

JohnBooty wrote: post #137
northwest65 wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that's more 4 car garage than 2 or 1 car. It also has quite a tall ceiling and industrial power and ventilation hookups.

I have a workshop/gym in my 2-car garage and his space doesn't look much bigger than mine. (It is, however, infinitely cooler than mine) He's got the tall ceiling, yeah, but he wasn't using it in any way that I can see. Power hookups likely wouldn't be an obstacle if one was recreating this in a residential garage. Would just need 220V for some of the machines I bet. Key here is that for Grant's line he surely you ru…

In the UK lots of second hand industrial equipment requires 3 phase 415v. It can cost a lot to have this installed by your power company. I used a 3 phase converter.
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