Cuban homemade tools

[Jon]

Some interesting stuff in this article here: Photo essay: The bizarre, brilliant, and useful inventions of Cuban DIY engineers.

A couple of my favorites:

Gravity engine starter for farm equipment, plus soda bottle crop irrigation system:



Soviet washing machine motor repurposed into: coconut shredder, key duplicator, grinding wheel, "shoe repair tool" (?)


Fans blades from old vinyl records:

[Captainleeward]

Wow that's amazing stuff thanks for sharing....:O)

[Altair]

Nice article. Thanks for sharing Jon.

Going the DIY route is a matter of preference or need. With the trade embargo, they have no choice but to make do and improvise on what they have. First or third world, embargo or not, the DIY spirit is innate to humans. Just my 2c.

[DIYer]

I do know about the stories of how Cubans have kept 50s-era cars going. And their fascinating urban vegetable gardens. This article further impresses me with their creativity and ingenuity!

[Altair]

Indeed, most of them are in perfect condition. Cuba the classic car paradise.

[kbalch]

Indeed, most of them are in perfect condition. Cuba the classic car paradise.

I'm not sure about "perfect", but Cuba is primed to be a source of "barn find" classics in relatively good condition. Ten years from now, there'll be quite a few first-rate restorations on the show and auction circuits that spent their working lives on that island.

Can't wait to see them! Heck, I'm looking forward to a box of Montecristo #2s!

Ken

[DIYer]

Haha. Yes, Cuban cigars are in a league of their own. And yes, despite being hacked together to keep on running, there should be a few straight bodies over there that are worth restoring.

[Christophe Mineau]

Hi Jon,
Thanks for sharing, I love that, it's great source of inspiration.
Necessity is often the mother of creativity !
Good idea to share general tooling articles,
read you soon !
Christophe