Cool thread...
I just spent the last hour or so reading this entire thread. Very cool stuff. I love the multiple interpretations for the same task.
Towards the last third the thread gets a little...uh, muddy? And I wanted to offer a little thought.
I have always been a DIY guy. I have normally found that my time/effort was easier to come by than money to buy premade stuff. At least big, new stuff. So I adopted a make do or make it myself kind of attitude. Which is fine.
But somewhere along the line I develloped a charecter flaw. From the darker regions of my noggin' I started to believe that there was something "wrong" with people that simply bought their stuff. Its an unfair bias that has been hard for me to shake. Not that I have insane talents or great skills...I just have a knack to visualize what I am after and have gathered enough tools over the years to make it easier. So I often find myself stepping back and trying to reprimand myself for being judgmental. Some folks have never learned to do what I can. Some folks have more disposable funds than I ever will. Or their time is far more important to them then that which building it themselves would require. I am slowly learning this and trying to accept it.
I think it was the reference to the XJ/junkyard scrounging thing that made me want to write this. For some if us...junkyards are a haven of discarded and unrealized bounty. For most it is a waypoint of disposable and forgettable items. I enjoy finding odd and unusual ways to accomplish something...especially if I can wander the yards and get it cheaper. Taking something that was destined for distruction and giving it a new lease (or leash?) on life makes me happy. But, that is not for everyone. To suggest that one MUST do it, or is a bad person for not doing it...well, that is as wrong as my own issue.
The other, and perhaps more relevant to this thread thought I had is something that is over looked a little. It does find some mention here and there but not much spotlight is thrown at it.
Buying used.
This comes a close second to doing it myself. To find someone that has upgraded or outgrown or has no more use for some item is a great way to acquire stuff. And often times these things are free...or dang cheap! But the best of these are the old items. At least to me. The steel Coleman cooler in the back of the flea market, built like a tank and works just fine. Someting that has already withstood the test of time and survives victoriously to camp again. Now while some aspects of camping see great improvment to weight, design, size, etc...some things are just shiney replacements for what has been around for a long time. We have just talked ouselves into the "need" to have it. I do it...sometimes. A fridge freezer. Handy. Heck, I just bought one. But that good old tank cooler with some dry ice would have done fine too. for less and for maybe longer.?. Who knows.
Ok...so I have bored many....sorry...
Tangent and rant complete. :elkgrin:
) fault for such a stupid, poorly based idea. Esp. here on the portal, the desire to buy, not build is less likely to be lack of motivation and more just to busy exploring! 
