I took some junk out of my house to the local dump.
I see so much stuff in the waste metal bins. Many many old washing machines and dryers, several old refridgerators and a couple old school large chest freezers. Just sitting there. I can here them calling my name. I swear, my truck makes a snort, like an old draft horse looking forward to pulling the load.
But you can't take stuff out of the dump. Not even for good reasons. People see that old chest freezer. I see a very secure, rodent proof animal feed storage chest after a couple of small modifications. People see scrap metal. I see tinkering projects and material for home-rigged repairs.
The government complains about landfills and such. But they are charging us to take stuff away. They are charging us to drop styff off. Then they charge us to get it back in some other form. Why can't you take stuff out of the dump? Because your screwing with the their business I guess.
What's this got to do with anything? As I develop as a prepper, I look at things done in harder times. One thing was having material, in order to make something or repair something you already have. I don't necessarily think that everyone should have a scrap metal pile in their yard or anything like that. But I do think it's worth devising something out of materials at hand, and saving yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars. It doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to function.
As a suggestion, next time you really want something for your preps, take some time to try and figure out how you can do it yourself. Many many things are done like that, and it's great. I suppose I'm just saying, it may be the best way to train yourselves for hard times by actually relying on your creativity and ingeniuty in coming up with solutions out of materials scrounged or on hand.
Perhaps we could even share amongst ourselves.
Runs With Scissors
After more than 25 years, my wife has finally cured me of my "collecting habit"..... She thinks! 😀 But that is only because she doesn't know what goes on behind the scenes! I am friends with the dump guy and for the price of a coffee and 10 or 15 minutes conversation, I dump for free and also have the opportunity to have him keep an eye out for things I am looking for to do a current project I am working on. Sometimes, depending on the item, I'll also slip him a few bucks but mostly, because I also bring useful stuff to him personally, there is no charge. Pretty much just an exchange stuff. If you see something you "need" just ask! After all, all they can say is no but with a quiet cash handshake, it will probably happen! Particularly in the smaller dumps, the attendant is usually scrounging and recycling a lot of material!
Dumpster diving on a grander scale!
It doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to function.
There's the flaw in your thinking. Today, just the opposite is true.
I agree with you though and I hope things will someday change back to "the beauty is IN the function". Simple, elegant solutions.
I'm the same and have all sorts of stuff lying around as it will be good for this or that project but we're a dying breed. I'm already measuring the number of projects against the time I have left at 50. Homesteading has way too many projects.
I agree with you though and I hope things will someday change back to "the beauty is IN the function". Simple, elegant solutions.
I'm the same and have all sorts of stuff lying around as it will be good for this or that project but we're a dying breed. I'm already measuring the number of projects against the time I have left at 50. Homesteading has way too many projects.
Just don't burn the fence again. 
I am beginning to think that it is only those that are over 35 that think this way.....for most it is just a disposable life
We've got 2 old chest freezers that we use for feed, and a third just waiting. We just asked around for old ones that don't work or that people want to get rid of. Free haul away has most people sold. At least if it is scrap you should bring it to Habitat For Humanity, since they have the Re-Store, which you might be able to find some cheap, older goods. Last time I was in, they had some assorted lumber, lots of old paint, some hardware, metal, and even some toilets. Might be a good source of cheap material.
I want your relationship with your dump guy. I have friendly dump personnel, but they have regulations they have to follow 🙁
I ask for and ask around. I guess my problem is I have always tended to keep to myself. I make fun of the wife sometimes, that we pay for a phone line so that telemarketers can call us. If they didn't, I figure the phone would ring 3x a month hehe.
Runs With Scissors
I have to admin that I have been guilty of the dump runs in the last few months - 2 vans fulled to an auction house, 2 vans filled to the dump and countless car trips to the recycling part of the dump.
Sometimes you just need a new, organized space quickly to start re-using/recycling again