There, I Fixed It. A Showcase of Ugly Ingenuity

i fixed it houseboat toilet roll photo

Here is a site that champions mankind’s ingenuity. Not in creating bright, shiny new gadgets and gizmos, but in making do with what already exists. It is remarkable just what can be accomplished with a little lateral thinking and a roll (or two) or duct tape.

Although very few of the examples shown on ‘There, I Fixed it’ would win awards for their aesthetics, they do indicate just how creative people can be in when confronted with an otherwise seemingly intractable problem. Albeit with little regard to occupational health and safety standards. (More photos after the fold.)

i fixed it lock and spoon photo

Even here at TreeHugger, where we have an eye for finely designed and crafted products, we are also partial to a clever hack. That’s why we love to promote the projects on DIY sites such as Instructables - see below for a few of those that caught our eye.

In Australia, a farmer is not considered worth his salt unless he can fix anything with some fencing wire, and a length of baling twine. On seeing the ‘There, I Fixed it’ website I was reminded of a TV documentary from years ago that showcased the talents of aboriginal bush mechanics. See the first minute of this YouTube clip to get a small sense of their well developed problem solving skills, as they head off to a rock concert.

::There, I Fixed It via Earth First

Photos: via There, I Fixed It. First image - a houseboat and a toilet roll holder. Second image - a car door lock and a spoon made from a a cable tie and duct tape.

More DIY Fixes at Instructables
• Make Your Own Cardboard Furniture
• Instructables: DIY Microwavable Mitten Warmers
• Hack Your Toilet and Save Water
• Instructables, Popular Science and TreeHugger's "Go Green!" Contest
• Altoid Tin, Solar Cell, Some Time = Cool Gadget Charger
• Make a Solar Thermal Water Heater for Less Than $5