I was poking around the net a few years back browsing through some of those
sites that show you how to build something from trash, and found the
instructions on how to build a welder from microwave oven transformers.  My
grandfather had me build 3 of them, one for his "shop" (the tiniest little
room you can fit a person and a few tools in, it was more like a closet),
one he kept on his truck and the other one he gave to a friend.

It took a 4 trash days (a month) total driving around the neighborhood
gathering peoples' microwave ovens.  It probably would've taken less time if
we had gone around to different neighborhoods with different trash days.

After he passed away last year, I was told there was a big altercation
amongst my cousins because there were more cousins than there were free
welders to go around =)


-Mario

-----Original Message-----
From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of
James Newton
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 10:47 PM
To: 'Microcontroller discussion list - Public.'
Subject: [EE] scrap tech

A couple of interesting pictures showed up over at the SX forum and I
thought it might be worth discussing them here:

http://www.zen40166.zen.co.uk/image006.jpg 

http://www.zen40166.zen.co.uk/image005.jpg 

Interesting points:

A) Yes, that is unsafe compared to what a couple hundred and a copy of
"welding for dummies" will get you here in the USA. In the country where
that is being done, I doubt those supplies were available. The point is that
this is work getting done for zero dollar investment; only sweat, skill and
hope.

B) We are getting to the point in the USA where there are substantial loads
of "stuff" that are given away ( Freecycle, CraigsList, etc... ) which, in
the hands of guys like those in the pictures, could possibly be quite
productive.

Anyone here got any stories of pulling off a job with lots of balls but zero
down and zero per month?

James Newton: PICList webmaster/Admin
mailto:jamesnewton@piclist.com  1-619-652-0593 phone
http://www.piclist.com/member/JMN-EFP-786
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View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist