Low-cost Projects
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>Limited budget, maximum creativity, my favorite kind of projects and solve real problems in my life
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New year, new look for 2026! I apologize for the mismatched fonts and styling. This portfoilo is current in the process of getting a makeover, some pages might still have the old look and some pages are half-renovated. Again, I apologize for the eye sore, but luckily the photos are more important, and they are not changing
bike i bought from UT surplus auction for $20 turns out to be one of my favorite bike rides really smooth so i spend sometimes tuning the rear derailleur and upgrading the saddle to a more comfortable one
bike rack basket 122024
since i carry around a comically bulky toolbag occassionally, i scrambled to mount a basket onto the back from some of the most random material from storage, including the fruit crate (the basket), which has been kicking around the house for 5 years from the day we moved in
i load tested it and it seems to hold up fine but i'll have to see it in real operation on campus
bike in the "shop"
fruit crate as basket, broken initally and needed to be reinforce with metal bars
scrap metal as adapter to the rack
the "comically bulky" tool bag in question
basket one semester update (051125)
okay, it's been one semester since i put my basket into use
uhhh i can say that it has not only survived, but has became somewhat of a legendary tool for me, a driving (literally) force behind all my other projects
this might be the most "return on investment" project i did and i hope it last for the whole 4 years
below is a compliation of all the absurd cargo that the basket has carried for me through out the spring 2025 semester
(012125) not cargo, but the basket faced its first extreme weather
(031625) after an uneventful february, my bike got this close to being stolen, which was kind of scary
(032025) alright comically oversized cargo #1 - bambulab a1 mini box (with printer inside)
(032125) comically sketchy cargo - my koroon p3s (check here for updates) this might be one of the the sketchiest i have ever done
needless to say the printer was expensive, took a lot of work, heavy, oversized and so on
the fact that i was able to transport it was miracle
this is my most common use for the basket
my shoulders are finally relieved from the heavy backpack
which isn't that ridiculous, at least compare to the all cargo that i have attempted to carry
(032325) again, not cargo but...
i have never had to abandon my bike over night (at the eer) because everything flooded
it was raining heavily and the bike was in a terrible place (my fault really)
somehow my bambulab a1 mini printer is the second most common cargo
this might be the first time any 3d printer has rode a on a bike
i would argue that this isn't that ridiculous because the printer fits perfectly and will not fall out
(040425) i dont know what to even say on this one
how did i end up having to carry 3 massive pieces of (some sort of metal / fiber glass??) and a bunch of plywood
some times projects just calls for the craziest things
(041825) bike and basket also accompanies me with late nights work on projects
this is me going to sleep at 1 am (3 am the next 3 days) after spending the night working on batbot2 all alone
sometimes it feels like the bike is the only friend i have
(042825) no project cargo this time, but i do have a research report due at 12
basically a shopping cart for late night cheetos (dont judge me)
(042925) the last time the basket was used
it was to help transport my friend's backpack while he carried a guitar and amp to a conference center
origin story????
(051724) surprise! a different bike
i found this picture of archargius(tm) being hauled to school for final presentation (can't believe its been a year)
the basket was held on by to opposing cables, while being pressed against the saddle (very secure and totally won't fall)
i would say this might be the precursor to my current basket
bike rack basket - details
Materials: lumber, wood screw, fruit crate, random metal bars 10-32 screws and nut, and randomly 1 m5 screw and nut on one of the corner
Date: sometime in summer 2024
stair rebuild 123024
not really low budget this one, cost over $200 in lumber for some reason, in low-cost projects because i don't know where else to put it and we didn't have any fancy woodworking tools
our house ends 2024 with a deck stair that has crumbled away and we needed a new one for the new year, so i built the new stair, again with very little woodworking experience so didn't turn out too good, but most importantly we have a new stair...
update 052525
front stair crumbled away as well
had to rebuild it
soon, the whole deck will crumble away 😭
shoe shelf 000024
first time i have tried to do anything with lumber, i don't have woodworking equipment so it didn't turn out great.
used vinyl flooring randomly laying around to make a flat platform for shoes
shoe shelf - details
Materials: lumber, wood screw, vinyl flooring
Date: sometime in summer 2024
3d printer "enclosure" 062924
i wasn't so much concern with keeping the heat since i'm only printing PLA, but i need to contain the fumes somewhat and vent it outside
these black metal rods was just from an old furniture, i made them into a frame then enclosed with plastic wrap, even made magnetic door for simple access
but the interesting part is venting the fumes outside, i used a old laptop fan adapted to a hose into an unused hole in the wall that goes outside
3dp enclosure - details
Materials: plastic wrap, random metal rods, magnet strip from screen door, clear tape
Date: summer 2024
cardboard box table 000023
i got a bunch of long cardboard box that i don't know what to do with
so naturally i decided it would be idea to make it into a table using only tape (i ran out multiple times and keep having to switch to a different type of tape)
cardboard box table - details
Materials: box and tape
Date: sometime in summer 2023
This wood panel/plate was just sitting in storage, same with the chair in the background
Combine the wheels from the chair and the wood makes for a functional cart that can carry stuff
mooov-in cart 082324
as the name suggest, this was made for only one mission and it succeded in getting my stuff to jester west 14th floor
i was afraid that there is not going to be enough cart at moov-in, and buying one is suprisingly expensive so i made my own
mooov-in cart - details
Materials: wood(prob from a table or smth), 5 office chair wheels, eye loop and hook (for the handle)
Date: before moov-in
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