Every time I post up a DIY guide, I will always get the
question: “how much to do it for me?”
Well, its not like I don’t appreciate the money, but the
main reason I post up so much DIY stuff for everyone is because of something I believe
in; “if he can do it, why can’t I?” plus I'm a cheap poor bastard. Unlike what
people say, its not that hard to do certain stuff. You just need to know how. Back
in my day (as if I'm so old), we didn’t have youtube, and not all the shops are
friendly enough to teach you how to do it (what can I say.. ASIANS)…
Well, here is a little something I thought might help you
guys who want to start this DIY thing but are unsure:
Things you need:
1. Balls:
one or two doesn’t matter
3. A
friend (experience not required)
4. A
hardware store (preferably very close by) – optional
5. A
solid weekend (these are rare.. especially for those with family, BUT, if you
can obtain one.. that’s a good start)
6. The
Internet / Youtube
What to do:
Step 1:
Gather your balls and put em back in your pants.
Jokes aside, the reality is, a majority of the time, people
are afraid to do these things because they have this fear of screwing it up and
having to pay a load to fix it.
Well, my advice is start with something simple. Doesn’t have
to be something hard like reassemble a rocket. Just something simple like how
to remove your battery or how to remove your seat. The reason you do something
simple first is because you want to ease yourself into it and not frighten
yourself away with something on a difficulty scale of 10/10. Start building
your confidence with small achievements. But remember: build confidence, not
ego.
Step 2:
Do research… this is where the internet and talking to
mechanics and friends help. Send your bike or car in to the shop and watch how
they do it. If you don’t understand something, then just ask. Google is your
best friend at this point in time. Whatever you can think up, I'm very sure
someone else has thought it up and done it already.
And as I always tell people (because I'm lazy), why read
when you can watch?
Found something u wanna do but can’t really get it and
the pictures are not clear? Sometimes, some folks post whole videos on YouTube
about how it’s done.
Step 3:
Grab a friend.
It’s always handy to have a friend with you. It doesn’t matter
if he/she knows what’s going on or how to fix it. They can be there to see what
you may have missed or have a great idea in other ways to do what you want
done. Also, the friend can also be the one to help document what you did. Not just
as a guide, but to help you undo what you did if you screwed up.
Step 4:
Have a long/solid weekend.
A solid weekend is a weekend whereby you wake up on Saturday
ready to do the work and have no distractions while you are doing it so you can
complete your work by Sunday afternoon.
This is even better if you have a public holiday just
near that weekend.
This is a hard one for those who are married and/or have
kids. But make an arrangement with your wife. Check your calendar. And make
sure you are fully available a week in advanced. And make it a point for
everyone to know.
Remember, the most important is that you don’t rush the
work. You must have enough time to do your work without a tight deadline.
This also ties in to the fact that when you work, stop
and rest, get hydrated and NEVER work through the night. When you are tired,
you will make mistakes.
Step 5:
A hardware store.
Contrary to popular belief, your don’t need to stockpile
an arsenal of tools in your house to be able to do your DIYs.
That said, there also isn’t such a thing as “commonly
used tools”. You will need to buy some other tools some time. A good example of
this is that for the many years I have been doing this, I never used an 8mm
drill bit… until recently.
What you need to buy are things you only need for the DIY.
You don’t need to buy the most expensive tools but you shouldn’t buy the
cheapest ones too.
My advice (especially if you are in Malaysia) is don’t go
to those posh nice looking hardware stores, source out where constructions
workers go to buy their tools. The difference in price is huge. Also, wear some
dirty pants and a broken shirt. It helps lower the prices too.
If you are in Malaysia, Mr DIY has a lot of good tools at
a good price now. Try that
Step 6:
Elbow grease:
Put your back into it. there are times when something you
are doing is really hard or you just feel so tired you want to give up. Don’t!
Just take a break, have an isotonic drink, stand near the fan. Then get at it
again. Finish what you started, otherwise don’t bother starting. And when you
have finished, stand back, have a look at what you did and give you self a pat
on the back.
Step 7:
Welcome to the DIY club. You have taken your first step
as a handy man and you will be able to fix almost anything now.
By Vy
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