h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Today I was taking a pair of old bedside cabinets apart, ready to dump in the re-cycle centre which is a great place for recycling everything from glass to timber. The only thing is, if you are dumping timber you have to remove all metal parts from it first. I have always done that anyway, as its just amazing how many screws and brackets you can get from such a simple item.
In fact, I have always done that in the past and I feel well justified in doing so when I go into any DIY store and see what they are charging for screws, nails and the other components that you will need for doing the odd job around the house. I have seen a packet of around twenty screws wrapped in a plastic box with a large cardboard backing, for around £1.90, and there is no way I would ever buy them at that price.

I took eighteen of them corner brackets from those bed side cabinets, as they are great for repairing the front panels of these modern style drawers, for when the front panel come lose, as it will inevitably do, as they are not made strong enough for the job.
Yet if you go to a store to buy such brackets, you will be charged around £2.50 for them, and I had just saved eighteen of them from being dumped.

Come to think about it, I cant remember the last time I actually bought any screws or nails, as I have always removed them from any item I am throwing out, or even if I see any of my neighbours putting stuff out for special rubbish collections. I will ask them it if its OK with them, and remove all such items from them. This always leaves the item in smaller parts which makes the collection easier for who ever is doing the pick up. So the next time you are about to throw anything like that away, just have a look and see what you could recycle from it before you do, and you will soon have an ideal collection of screws etc for doing them odd jobs around the house

Smudger.

I too am enjoying recycling much of my bf's house is being recycled and I use freecycle and swap shops too.

It is an excellent way to recycle, and saves money too . I am always doing the same, but I mainly do it for safety reasons. I would hate the dustbin men, or somebody else pick up the object and get pierced by a sharp screw or nail .

Some people round my me just dump wood etc anywhere, with sharp nails and screws poking out. If someone accidently stepped on a screw/nail, it could cause a nasty injury. The same goes with the wildlife .

They usually always come in useful, and are worth keeping .

Nigel

Reminds me of the time I recycled our lads old bunk beds into a garden seat, every screw used in making that was recycled. Plus the fact that I saved around £130 as that what they were selling such seats at the garden centre?

Smudger.

Oh, Smudger, a man after my own heart! I have always done the same and my father before me, but I do get in trouble with PHM for hoarding stuff - until he wants something for a job he is doing, then I am dispatched to the shed to find said article. As you said things are so expensive, and designed to make you spend and waste more., and the packaging is ridiculous. I am sure there would be less theft of small items if people could just get a couple of screws, or whatever they wanted, instead of a whole pack.

Glad I am not on my own. I see so much stuff thrown away.

Regards to you and Mark ll

Websailor

Aye! WS, the weird thing is, folk are quite happy to pay such high prices, yet if they went to on old fashioned hardware shop they could screws and nails by weight at less than half the price.

As for finding stuff in the shed, we needed a brass rivet to repair one of Mk2s sandals, so I went up the shed, and she says, "you will never a small thing like that amongst all that" buy Hey presto, I opened up one small drawer in one fo those small storage units, and got it out! Shoe fixed,... Mk2 happy....jobs a goodun
Smudger.

That is so satisfying. I am not sure I would be that good at the moment as my shed is a shambles at the moment. I need to spend a day on it, but the weather has been so unpredictable I haven't dared to empty it out. Unfortunately it is the only place to put stuff that is really 'on it's way out' and beyond recycling, as well as useful stuff.

Websailor

sounds fun ... wish I was that handy

Its actually amazing what we are capable of doing ourselves when we cant afford to "get someone in" to do the job, as it were

My oldest daughter used to help me every time I was working about the house, in fact by the time she was 6 she could wire a plug no problem by herself.
Smudger.