Nice, expensive but nice.
One of the guys at work has been eyeballing a Trek Carbone Madone
Things that last
- Thread starter Dazz
- Start date
Nice, expensive but nice.
One of the guys at work has been eyeballing a Trek Carbone Madone
Gawd, imagine trying to get a BA for a stone residence today.
....or a qualified stonemason to erect it for you. Most of the building sites here in WA are so predictable, regardless of whether you are building a package 170K Dale Alcock special, or a 2m Zorzi extravaganza.
Doesn't matter....
1. Excavator in first to clear the site.
2. Mario and the boys in to lay the footings and pad.
3. Fastwall bricks for the walls.
4. A bunch of pine for the roof timbers.
It's only at this stage do the expensive houses diverge, with fancy tiles and other interior fittings.
The wife and I have commented often that every house nowadays regardless of cost is just a bunch of fastwall bricks and pine. Given the love of pine by white ants, many newer suburbs are getting eaten alive on the sand plains of Perth, despite the fancy pest protections....they simply find a way.
My love of stone buildings goes back travelling Europe and seeing buildings 3 or 4 times the age of Australian settlement which still proudly stand tall. We really have no idea how good stone buildings are.
Doesn't matter....
1. Excavator in first to clear the site.
2. Mario and the boys in to lay the footings and pad.
3. Fastwall bricks for the walls.
4. A bunch of pine for the roof timbers.
It's only at this stage do the expensive houses diverge, with fancy tiles and other interior fittings.
The wife and I have commented often that every house nowadays regardless of cost is just a bunch of fastwall bricks and pine. Given the love of pine by white ants, many newer suburbs are getting eaten alive on the sand plains of Perth, despite the fancy pest protections....they simply find a way.
My love of stone buildings goes back travelling Europe and seeing buildings 3 or 4 times the age of Australian settlement which still proudly stand tall. We really have no idea how good stone buildings are.
Hey, I'd love if we built houses that lasted 500+ years.....They'd warrant a demolition control code.
It's when they put demo restrictions on pre war wood housing commission abodes, with a truckload of asbestos, that you've got to slap yourself.
It's when they put demo restrictions on pre war wood housing commission abodes, with a truckload of asbestos, that you've got to slap yourself.
put it on freecycle instead of chucking it in a bin, some people might find use to your stuff
Some things I still have and use:
- A bicycle purchased second-hand in 1977 or 1978 (new in 1975 from memory). Paint job doesn't look so hot now, but still rides beautifully. It's a Carlton Competition touring bike with Reynolds 531 chrome-moly tubing (eh what I hear you say?). The only parts I replaced recently were the pedals, not because there was any problem with them, but because they were the old types with toe clips and I wanted newer ones with snap-in fittings (bought new cleated shoes too).
- A hand saw purchased in the late 70s. Looking a little duller than it used to, but still cuts as good as new and it's never been sharpened (but it also hasn't been used a great deal - just for odd jobs, as my father would say). Dad still has a lot of the hand tools he used to use on the farm when I was a kid (60s and early 70s), some of which were pretty old even then.
- A Seiko Quartz wristwatch bought in 1984. I'm wearing it as I type. The watch itself still works fine, but the stop-watch no longer works correctly - started playing up about a year or so ago. It's been everywhere with me, including 70 feet under the waves on the Barrier Reef.
- My Toyota Landcruiser HJ60 station wagon (diesel). A 1987 model bought second-hand in 1991 from memory. I might outlive the body (getting a tad rusty), but the engine still goes beautifully. Probably have to replace it soon, but it will be a real sad day the day I see it go.
- A ballpoint pen I was given as a present in my teens. Naturally it's had a few refills since then, but the pen itself is as good as new - just a little tarnished. And it's heading off overseas with me again tomorrow.
- A Pentel P205 clutch pencil (0.5mm leads) that I've had since my high school technical drawing days. And they still make them. A beautiful piece of equipment. Makes me want to draw just for the pleasure of using it!
And I'd like to give an honourable mention to the Nikon FM2 camera I had, first bought in the early 80s just after they came out. It was a fully mechanical and fully manual camera, with the battery only used for the light meter. Solid as a rock it was. I'm sure I would have still had it and working fine, but it got stolen a few years after I bought it, as did its replacement and its replacement's replacement. Its replacement's replacement's replacement I gave to my nephew recently, as he's studying photography and art at university. Being a film camera, I don't envisage a need for it any more since buying a digital SLR (also Nikon).
Well, that's all I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are other things I still have - especially amongst the tools (I brought a few of my old tools over from NZ years ago).
GP
- A bicycle purchased second-hand in 1977 or 1978 (new in 1975 from memory). Paint job doesn't look so hot now, but still rides beautifully. It's a Carlton Competition touring bike with Reynolds 531 chrome-moly tubing (eh what I hear you say?). The only parts I replaced recently were the pedals, not because there was any problem with them, but because they were the old types with toe clips and I wanted newer ones with snap-in fittings (bought new cleated shoes too).
- A hand saw purchased in the late 70s. Looking a little duller than it used to, but still cuts as good as new and it's never been sharpened (but it also hasn't been used a great deal - just for odd jobs, as my father would say). Dad still has a lot of the hand tools he used to use on the farm when I was a kid (60s and early 70s), some of which were pretty old even then.
- A Seiko Quartz wristwatch bought in 1984. I'm wearing it as I type. The watch itself still works fine, but the stop-watch no longer works correctly - started playing up about a year or so ago. It's been everywhere with me, including 70 feet under the waves on the Barrier Reef.
- My Toyota Landcruiser HJ60 station wagon (diesel). A 1987 model bought second-hand in 1991 from memory. I might outlive the body (getting a tad rusty), but the engine still goes beautifully. Probably have to replace it soon, but it will be a real sad day the day I see it go.
- A ballpoint pen I was given as a present in my teens. Naturally it's had a few refills since then, but the pen itself is as good as new - just a little tarnished. And it's heading off overseas with me again tomorrow.
- A Pentel P205 clutch pencil (0.5mm leads) that I've had since my high school technical drawing days. And they still make them. A beautiful piece of equipment. Makes me want to draw just for the pleasure of using it!
And I'd like to give an honourable mention to the Nikon FM2 camera I had, first bought in the early 80s just after they came out. It was a fully mechanical and fully manual camera, with the battery only used for the light meter. Solid as a rock it was. I'm sure I would have still had it and working fine, but it got stolen a few years after I bought it, as did its replacement and its replacement's replacement. Its replacement's replacement's replacement I gave to my nephew recently, as he's studying photography and art at university. Being a film camera, I don't envisage a need for it any more since buying a digital SLR (also Nikon).
Well, that's all I can think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are other things I still have - especially amongst the tools (I brought a few of my old tools over from NZ years ago).
GP
I'm also a fan of things built to last.
But good things built to last have a much higher initial price, so most people just buy cheap crap of everything.
Though the cheap crap can have a place.
I once needed a drill, so I went to bunnings bought a drill for $29 and used it a few times in one day.
Now if I was one of those people who uses power tools every weekend, I would spend a lot more for a quality item that would last the use, but $29 worked fine in that case.
Same goes for grinders, spanners etc.
But if I'm buying a fridge, dishwasher, washing machine or something I'm gonna use often, then I want one that's gonna last 20 yrs and do a great job.
The problem is'nt just the accounts dept, it's the marketing dept as well.
The crappiest items are described just as, if not better than the brand/model that costs ten times as much does a better job and lasts >20yrs.
So the expensive model is "well built & durable" while the cheap crappy model is "Professional quality, choice materials, built to last, best quality, extra super heavy duty blah blah".
But good things built to last have a much higher initial price, so most people just buy cheap crap of everything.
Though the cheap crap can have a place.
I once needed a drill, so I went to bunnings bought a drill for $29 and used it a few times in one day.
Now if I was one of those people who uses power tools every weekend, I would spend a lot more for a quality item that would last the use, but $29 worked fine in that case.
Same goes for grinders, spanners etc.
But if I'm buying a fridge, dishwasher, washing machine or something I'm gonna use often, then I want one that's gonna last 20 yrs and do a great job.
The problem is'nt just the accounts dept, it's the marketing dept as well.
The crappiest items are described just as, if not better than the brand/model that costs ten times as much does a better job and lasts >20yrs.
So the expensive model is "well built & durable" while the cheap crappy model is "Professional quality, choice materials, built to last, best quality, extra super heavy duty blah blah".
PB, I think it's confusing to know whether a product will last 20 years or not.
So many products that say they will, simply don't.....often because anything mechanical needs an expensive warehouse of spare parts maintained for the life of the item. That is if the manufacturer is still in business 20 years later.
Take cordless drills for instance. I like quality stuff and as doing the intended jobs myself was going to save me $5000 (flatpax kitchen), I spent $350 on drill and bits several years ago. But due to the proprietary and ever changing nature of designs, there's a fair chance I won't be able to get replacement batteries within 5 years.
I feel for the manufacturers of quality built to last stuff, because I think consumers just go with what is cheapest, and are suspicious that anything will last.
So many products that say they will, simply don't.....often because anything mechanical needs an expensive warehouse of spare parts maintained for the life of the item. That is if the manufacturer is still in business 20 years later.
Take cordless drills for instance. I like quality stuff and as doing the intended jobs myself was going to save me $5000 (flatpax kitchen), I spent $350 on drill and bits several years ago. But due to the proprietary and ever changing nature of designs, there's a fair chance I won't be able to get replacement batteries within 5 years.
I feel for the manufacturers of quality built to last stuff, because I think consumers just go with what is cheapest, and are suspicious that anything will last.
Some of those chateau's from the France thread have lasted quite well .... I wonder sometimes what some of our modern buildings will look like in a few hundred years ?
I have some books given to me as gifts from Grandparents , friends etc that I value . Some look just like new with a lovely endearing note inside the front
I have some books given to me as gifts from Grandparents , friends etc that I value . Some look just like new with a lovely endearing note inside the front
My grandfathers hand made pitchfork, I think he replaced the handle with some steel piping, ace for turning compost, 5 tines, and really wide.
old bone handled cutlery, big old serving spoon, worn down one side from grandma's use, old mixing bowls, and a set of canisters with pictures of a white farmer harvesting Wheat for flour, an indian lady doing rice, mexican coffee, chinese tea.
I hve had some luck with cheap modern stuff, a push mower from Aldi that has lasted 3 years, a butchers block from Ikea, 4 years (oiled at least once a week)
old bone handled cutlery, big old serving spoon, worn down one side from grandma's use, old mixing bowls, and a set of canisters with pictures of a white farmer harvesting Wheat for flour, an indian lady doing rice, mexican coffee, chinese tea.
I hve had some luck with cheap modern stuff, a push mower from Aldi that has lasted 3 years, a butchers block from Ikea, 4 years (oiled at least once a week)
Our fridge. A Westinghouse.
It was a wedding present from the in-laws 16 years ago.
They bought it from a scratch and dent emporium somewhere here in Melb, but was still a lot of dough then.
Still going strong, and may outlast me.
But of course, it isn't the new shiny steel-look number with the water dispenser and ice-maker in the door, which we simply must have in the new PPoR so we can look cool, so the old girl will be relegated to the garage to hold our grog.
Try the markets...those stalls that sell wooden childrens toys...we have some that were bought at one of those stalls, they came in wooden box as well. Also got wooden animal dominoes, and those square blocks with letters of the alphabet (like I had when I was a kid)..kids have played with them for years....
Nards
Old fridges are interesting. Typically they had much bigger compressors operating for less time and working less hard as a result. The result of the over capacity was long life but at the expense of poor efficiency, although their thick insulation went some way to ameliorating that. Also, all the associated components were over engineered - another prerequisite for long life...
I forgot about our furniture! Last year we bought a heap of jarrah outdoor furniture from this mob. We know people who have had very similar stuff from the same manufacturer last over twenty years with only going grey in the sun. If you treat it regularly (once a year) with the right stuff it retains its original colour.
We started off buying just an outdoor table set but liked the product so much we also bought another as an indoor table setting, followed by an outdoor lounge set to also put indoors in our lounge, along with an outdoor rocking chair for inside.
We just couldn't find indoor hardwood furniture that was built to last at a reasonable price. All pine frames stapled together with a bit of leather on the outside to make it look good. Try lifting a Natuzzi leather lounge by one corner and watch it bend!
This jarrah stuff looks great, is made of thick hardwood, put together with large galvanised steel bolts and is obviously built to last. Still not cheap but much better value IMO than the vast majority of what's available for the indoor market. Happy to pay more for that. Any spills can just be wiped easily. And our young kids can climb all over the chairs without toppling them - the chairs weigh a fair bit... it's only when they try the same trick at restaurants that there's a problem!
We still get friends and family doing a double take at all our outdoor furniture sitting indoors but they get used to it. Should outlast us anyway...
I forgot about our furniture! Last year we bought a heap of jarrah outdoor furniture from this mob. We know people who have had very similar stuff from the same manufacturer last over twenty years with only going grey in the sun. If you treat it regularly (once a year) with the right stuff it retains its original colour.
We started off buying just an outdoor table set but liked the product so much we also bought another as an indoor table setting, followed by an outdoor lounge set to also put indoors in our lounge, along with an outdoor rocking chair for inside.
We just couldn't find indoor hardwood furniture that was built to last at a reasonable price. All pine frames stapled together with a bit of leather on the outside to make it look good. Try lifting a Natuzzi leather lounge by one corner and watch it bend!
This jarrah stuff looks great, is made of thick hardwood, put together with large galvanised steel bolts and is obviously built to last. Still not cheap but much better value IMO than the vast majority of what's available for the indoor market. Happy to pay more for that. Any spills can just be wiped easily. And our young kids can climb all over the chairs without toppling them - the chairs weigh a fair bit... it's only when they try the same trick at restaurants that there's a problem!
We still get friends and family doing a double take at all our outdoor furniture sitting indoors but they get used to it. Should outlast us anyway...
Same here....
Imagine having a top of the line $6000 mitsubishi DIVA tv from 1999 today?
It was ugly rear projector of 80cm, You can buy 81cm hd lcd slimline from coles last week for $449.
Or a Samsung 42' LCD HDTV for $900. If these last me 5 - 10 years and i throw out that means I can throw out 6 equivilants to the old bulky 1999 model and still be square.
Guess we all just need to make concious effort when aquiring tools etc...
With my toolds I have a mix, battery drill i go for mid line like makita, power tools I go cheap $20-30 jobs as I will drop it or loose it before I need another $20 job.
My Circ saw I had a $400 Stainless Steel job, and I lost it.
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