Making do...

When you have a small set up (like me) and don't have a great deal of space (like me) or a whole heap of spare cash ('cause you're not yet making any money, like me!) sometimes there is a need to make do with equipment which is not-quite-right-but-good-enough-for-now.  It can also push you to be inventive and resourceful.

One of my favourite 'inventions' is my 'drill buffer'.  It comprises of old drill bits hammered into paint rollers, to buff and polish soles and heels.

I've since seen people using sanding wheels attached to their drills as well, so I'm by no means alone in exploring the many uses of the humble drill!

I've also become quite the budding mechanic... my sander wasn't working properly (the rear drum was slipping and hitting the housing), and even though it was just a loose screw, I was still proud of myself for being able to figure it out and locate the screw.

And I replaced the clutch motor on my post machine with a servo motor, all by myself.  

And I converted my Juki to a wheel foot (I finally got my Juki!  Woo hoo!  But that's another post...). 

 

And, what I'm most proud of, I repaired my skiving machine after it went 'clunk' and everything stopped turning.  That was a very involved (and greasy) job, but after pulling most of the skiver apart I was able to not only work out what was wrong, but resolve it and put it all back together.  Correctly. ;)  Take that, unhelpful repair people who sighed and refused the job, or wanted to charge me the earth to come fix it.

Don't mean to blow my own trumpet, but life has been ever so slightly crap lately, so it's nice to remind myself I'm good at some things...