Newbie DIY'er

- I live in Australia, so can't help with point one. However, your local phone directory should have plenty of listings for whatever you need.

- In my own experience, you save very little with DIY...usually ends up costing alot more! But, you end up with exactly what you need with regards size, shape or look. You also have the satisfaction of your friends going "You built that yourself?? That's way cool!" Some friends might say "Why not just buy one?" but they're the type that just don't get stuff.

- That really comes down to which media you are working with. Just remember that you don't have to buy absolutely every tool under the sun. There will always be someone with something you need or you can hire certain tools that you may only use once or twice...

Otto_VonBacon;2433753; said:

What materials are needed for DIY projects with both acrylic and glass, aswell as stands. building my own stuff has always been something i've wanted to do. but i don't know what i would need.

-What are the best places to get materials such as glass and acrylic?

-how much money do you save in the long run?

-which tools would be best to work with?

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-Glass and acrylic is going to vary on your location, check local shops.

-How much money you save really depends on what tools you have and how creative you are. You can have inefficient designs and spend too much. Example: People tend to way overbuild their tank stands, this is not a problem, but in several cases you can save $50 in lumber by making it twice as strong as opposed to 10 times as strong. You can also save money by having a "better" design, costing less money in "re-enforcing" lumber.
Also having tools really helps, you usually can get more creative and do more complicated cuts, joints, ect.
I would say if you are a good DIYer, you make everything for half of the "retail" value or less. Cost assessment is also a big thing. Some things you just CAN'T build for cheaper.. In this case its just more fun.

I use a miter saw, table saw, drill, and brad nailer for pretty much every project, but you could easily get away with less, and it all depends on what is available to you. Wood glue is your friend.