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How to save money and the environment at the same time

N941WR

N941WR

Legacy Member
My wife is a HUGE scrapbooker and she loves to make very fancy cards. Well, this past Christmas I thought I would one up her and make a greeting card out of aluminum and draw on it with Sharpies. That way, prior to each occasion I can wipe the old greeting clean and draw a new greeting on the card.

I think there is no limit to how many times I can ?recycle? this card and at close to $5 per card, each time I do that, it is another gallon of 100LL I can put in the tanks!

2013-02-14_07-46-54_65.jpg

2013-02-14_07-47-01_190.jpg


OK, so I?m no artist.
 
Awesome! But I don't have time to make one this time around. I'll have to part with the $5 and not worry about the environment.
 
That's pretty cool, Bill!
Too late for Valentines', but I'll do it for next occasion. :D
 
Love Ya?

N941WR said:
My wife is a HUGE scrapbooker and she loves to make very fancy cards. Well, this past Christmas I thought I would one up her and make a greeting card out of aluminum and draw on it with Sharpies. That way, prior to each occasion I can wipe the old greeting clean and draw a new greeting on the card.

I think there is no limit to how many times I can ?recycle? this card and at close to $5 per card, each time I do that, it is another gallon of 100LL I can put in the tanks!

2013-02-14_07-46-54_65.jpg

2013-02-14_07-47-01_190.jpg



OK, so I?m no artist.
Click to expand...

"Love Ya?" On Valentine's day? My wife just saw this and said if I ever said anything short of "love YOU" it would be grounds for divorce.
 
Rivets

Bill
The rivet next to the heart has some deformation of the manufactured head due to a misplaced rivet gun. This could cause some loss of strength. You may want to consider drilling it out and replacing. Ultimately you should contact vans for advice.
 
ok Bill, you win!!! :)

...probly should safety that hinge pin though, eh?

maybe a Dzus fastener to close it nicely?
(most pilots wives know to carry a phillips with them at all times....just in case!):)
..
 
So much easier to wipe off your girlfriend's name and ensure the "right" one is there for Valentine's day.. easy to re-use too.. I like the versatility..
 
Beancounter said:
Bill
The rivet next to the heart has some deformation of the manufactured head due to a misplaced rivet gun. This could cause some loss of strength. You may want to consider drilling it out and replacing. Ultimately you should contact vans for advice.
Click to expand...

For about .00009th of a second I thought about drilling that out and resetting it but I felt it best to leave the flaw in there.
 
flyboy1963 said:
...probly should safety that hinge pin though, eh?

maybe a Dzus fastener to close it nicely?
(most pilots wives know to carry a phillips with them at all times....just in case!):)
..
Click to expand...

Take a close look. I crimped the ends of the hinges, no safety wire required.

Good idea, I didn't think about a fastener to close it. I do have some spare SkyBolt fastners that I could use.
 
Beancounter said:
... Ultimately you should contact vans for advice.
Click to expand...

What we need to do is have Van's come out with a pre-punched kit for these cards.

A few years back I tried to convince Van's to come out with a pre-punched briefcase kit. My thinking was it would be way cooler to make a brief case than a barely useable toolbox.
 
What a guy!

:D I like it Bill . . . Just be careful, after a few years that may get old for her and she may throw it at you.. Better round off all sharp corners and maybe put some lightening holes in it to reduce the inertia while it is airborne flying towards your noggin!:eek:
 
Bill, your the man....

N941WR said:
What we need to do is have Van's come out with a pre-punched kit for these cards.

A few years back I tried to convince Van's to come out with a pre-punched briefcase kit. My thinking was it would be way cooler to make a brief case than a barely useable toolbox.
Click to expand...

As soon as Van come out with the quick build version, I'll put in my order.:)

Kent
 
N941WR said:
A few years back I tried to convince Van's to come out with a pre-punched briefcase kit. My thinking was it would be way cooler to make a brief case than a barely useable toolbox.
Click to expand...

A briefcase kit would be COOL... if I had any need for a briefcase, which the 2 or 3 old ones gathering dust tell me I don't.

But, really - the toolbox is "barely useful"? Are you kidding? Six cans of beer and a layer of ice fit perfectly. :)
 
DaleB said:
A briefcase kit would be COOL... if I had any need for a briefcase, which the 2 or 3 old ones gathering dust tell me I don't.

But, really - the toolbox is "barely useful"? Are you kidding? Six cans of beer and a layer of ice fit perfectly. :)
Click to expand...

You mean like this?

(click to enlarge)

But just think, you could get an entire 12 pack in a briefcase!
 
Practice Project

Send it to Van's for a review. I bet after some deep analyzing they will add it to the catalog for another Practice Project
 
Last edited:
So you guys present your cards without the envelope! No wonder the divorce rate is so high for home builders...

Must have an envelope.
 
FWIW Bill, I shamelessly stole your idea and gave my wife an aluminum Valentines day card. She about lost it laughing and said it was the best card ever and posted it on FB then said she bet no one else in the whole world had a aluminum Valentines day card. I fessed up that I borrowed the idea and she still loved it. Thanks for a great idea.
 
N941WR said:
Don,

You will have to post a picture of yours on here.
Click to expand...

You have to be kidding! And endure the wrath of an unprimed, nose dragged, slider card, written on in black marker. Well maybe later, I've got a class to attend to today and a project to pick up this afternoon.
 
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