Questions tagged [substitute-tool]
A tool exists but you don't have it. Use this tag when searching for a substitute for a tool you don't have.
203
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How to make a Stylus pen at home?
I was just wondering if it is possible to make a Stylus pen for myself from an ordinary pen.
If so , It would be wonderful.
3
votes
2
answers
349
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How to tally numbers without a tally counter
While performing tasks I would like to tally up a large number while not having to remember it. However the total may reach up into the hundreds, and I only have ten fingers. Also I want to count ...
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9
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Finding primary keyboard keys in the dark - alternative to purchasing adhesive dots
In a dimly lit room, I find it challenging to find some commonly used computer keyboard keys, such as F1, F5, -, and *.
As such, I was considering purchasing some adhesive stickers with little dots/...
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6
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How to grind chili peppers?
I want to buy chili peppers, dry them and grind them. I would use the powder as a spice for food, over a long(er) period of time.
Everything is simple and straightforward, except the grinding part. I ...
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1
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Has anyone tried using some custom drill bit for can openers? [closed]
Just wondering if anyone has come up with a drill bit attachment that could operate handle for can opener? Yes, I'm lazy! But on those special occasions when I have to open a bunch of veggies and ...
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5
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Salt Shaker Humidity is a big problem in the Caribbean- Any mechanism besides the rice?
Salt shaker clogging is a big problem in the Caribbean- A older friend said his mom had these little Japanese porous tiles she add to her shakers. They worked great and could be re-used over and over ...
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2
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120
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Flash card book
Good afternoon,
I wanted to make a flash card book. Has any one out there made one before?
Anyone with experience and helpful ideas are greatly appreciated.
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2
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1
answer
83
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How to test a lock&lock's air leakage with common home tools?
I bought a lock&lock to store medicines to avoid moisture. I put dryer inside and frequently and quickly the dryer is full of moisture and I have to replace it. Then I take a look at the plastic ...
- 231
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1
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Alternatives to buying new foam for the headphone and microphone?
For headphones like these:
The foam at the mic and the earphone have torn off. On searching for replacements, the cost of buying a set of replacements is almost the cost of the headphone itself.
...
- 225
2
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3
answers
3k
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E-clip (temporary) alternative?
Does anyone know a trick to replace an e-clip while waiting for the shipment of a replacement?
An e-clip is a kind of circlip
An E-Clip is a kind of shaft mounted retaining ring, which provides a ...
- 177
2
votes
4
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1k
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Simple cheap solution to plug in one pair of headphones into two audio sources (two laptops)
I have a nice comfy pair of over the ear headphones which i would like to plug in to two audio sources (two laptops or one laptop and one phone).
Are there any cheap solutions for this, like a reverse ...
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2
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139
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A better heat & fire resistant suspension hack than the looped elastic fabric I have used here?
A better heat & fire resistant suspension hack than the looped elastic fabric I have used here?
Note:
Currently in Lockdown in a condo in Asia where corona has surpassed Wuhan
Stepping out is not ...
- 350
2
votes
7
answers
347
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How can I adjust the mask to my nose if the mask doesn't have the silver adjuster?
I have masks very similar to this one It doesn't have the adjuster, like the one in the white mask or the one in the last picture. As a replacement for the silver adjuster, I've thought in using ...
- 193
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votes
1
answer
152
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How to make extender plugs neat?
At place like desk or near bad, usually lots of power plug from electronics charging, fan, lamps, laptops, like from three to ten. Using extender plug is required, but messy. Is there any way to make ...
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11
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How can I avoid losing or missing a SIM ejector tool?
A SIM ejector tool is very tiny, and it is difficult to keep it safe from losing it or missing it anywhere. How can I keep it safe?
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7
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How to make a sticky mess (a permanently sticky material like sap)?
I have some items I want to add rustic handles to by wrapping them in rope. Imagine a frying pan or feather duster. The items are slippery enough that the rope may loosen or even come off. I would ...
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5
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512
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How to secure the drill bit to the tool body?
I have two pieces set of precision hand drill. One of them had the drill bit became loose and detached, which makes it no longer usable.
Product information (copy of text in English found on the ...
user27887
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2
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3k
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What can be used ( instead of / for ) a plastic straw?
A lot of beverages are difficult to drink without a straw such as smoothies and drinks with crushed ice to name two. If you're confined to a bed, that's another accessibility issue.
Plastic straws ...
- 14.2k
3
votes
1
answer
270
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How to blow smoke rings safely? (workaround sought)
There is a vaping epidemic currently in the U.S. Along with many others, my teenage son has discovered vaping. I have explained to him why doctors don't consider this safe for teens and we're making ...
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3
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568
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How do I pull the rubber plug out of this despenser
Is it possible to pull the plug (white object in the bottle in the image) out with no special tool.
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1
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157
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stylus replacements [duplicate]
i've recently lost the stylus to my phone, and seeing as how i've got some commissions needing to be finished, i really need help on what to use for a replacement. i've tried just about everything- ...
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3
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Homebased neurofeedback therapy
I've been looking in to neurofeedback as a therapy for increasing focus, but I don't want to spend 100 dollars a session for 50 session to essentially play a video game that monitors my brain.
I ...
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2
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12k
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Substitute for mortar and pestle
Are there common household items that can serve in place of a mortar & pestle? Specifically, something with a little grit (not a porcelain / stainless steel bowl) to grind things up finely.
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4
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Unlock LED TV buttons without remote?
As I had lost my TV remote but I am operating it with side panel of LED. unfortunately I had locked keys and unable to unlock it. I can't change the channel or volume. when ever I press the side panel ...
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2
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368
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How do I get dogs to stop chronically barking?
I have a neighbor that never shuts up their hunting dogs, and they bark constantly day and night. Is there a device or life hack to make dogs shut up?
I would like to try more passive approaches to ...
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2
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1
answer
386
views
Convert bunch of pages to book
I have around 300 A4 pages. I want to compile these into a book-like form. So I have a 3-Ring Binder. I don't have a 3-Hole Punch. I am looking for DIY method where I can do it in the smartest way ...
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24
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12
answers
18k
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I lost my closet key, how to open it?
I lost the key to a closet and I need to open it. I don't need for the lock to remain operative after the operation, so I accept "radical" solutions.
The key is of this type:
I have no experience of,...
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9
answers
374
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How to use the spare and wasted tooth brushes?
Is there any tips to reuse the wasted tooth brushes in a useful and interesting way?
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2
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836
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Cut electric switch board
I want to add a new switch and socket to a switch board. How can I cut it without using any machine? I don't know the exact material it is made up of but it can be best described as a 1mm thick sheet ...
- 241
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5
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How to unscrew a hexagonal screw without the corresponding key wrench?
Whenever I have to deal with a hexagonal screw I never have the right key wrench. So, is there a way to manage a hexagonal screw without the corresponding key wrench?
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406
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How can I add an affordable unofficial swing table to a Stressless recliner?
What can substitute the official table? It feels extortionately overpriced at $600 USD.
user1869
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3
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An alternative (cheaper) option than offering towel service at the gym
We have just got a gym facility at my work, however, we do not currently offer towel service as it is quite expensive.
Does anyone know of any alternatives to offering this service? For example, a ...
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2
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5k
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When the striking surface on box and book matches wears down with plenty of matches to spare, what do you do?
99% of the time, there will always be matches left over by the time the striking surface is completely useless. Buying strike anywhere matches is not a fix, since that's avoiding the question entirely ...
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2
answers
213
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How to quickly switch between typing and drawing?
I sometimes have to make drawings and writings very quickly in succession. For example, I will type 5 to 10 seconds, and then draw something for 5 to 10 seconds, repeatedly.
This means that I have ...
- 113
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2
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294
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How to read bar code without having bar code reader/ scanner?
As we have seen that In the digital world of today, every service is taken by machinery. You all now that in shopping malls and in almost all the shops ,seller sells their products by scanning them ...
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7
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How to weigh a small item without a scale?
I need to weigh a small item. Let's assume that it's up to 20 pounds (~9 kg).
A tabletop scale would make this really easy,
&...
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Screw hole is too deep for my screwdriver to unscrew. Help
https://sta.sh/0a47f1rqs4k
I'm trying to open my radio and my screwdriver is not narrow enough to reach the screw.
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9
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Something to keep the fizz of cola bottle
I am looking for some trick or gazzette to keep a bigger bottle of coke longer so that it doesn't lose all the fizz everytime it's opened again! Something which could keep the CO2 longer so that a ...
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3
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3
answers
191
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How to remove a strong sticker from book
I borrowed a math book from a library. And my 5-year-old cousin decides to put some Dragon Ball Z sticker on a few pages of the book. The stickers seem to be very strong. how can I remove the stickers ...
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12
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What to use as a bandage substitute?
I've always wondered what I could use In case I ran out of bandages. So, it made me wonder, what exactly could I use to complement bandages.
Note - The answers should be household items and not ...
- 265
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How can I remove the bearings from a hard drive motor?
I've dismantled many hard drives and harvested the magnets from them. I've also removed the bearings from the arm which reads the platters. I've been told and seen on youtube that it should be ...
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5
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How to dry shoes quickly after washing them?
I washed my shoes some 72 hours ago; at the moment they are still too damp for me to wear.
I know that there are shoe dryers available, but that is not what I want because I only wash my shoes ...
- 538
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1
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how to pull out shaft from pulley of wheel
I want to know if there is any way that I can pull out the old bearing from this bone saw machine. If anyone knows of any tools to be used please do send me a link of it or a photo.
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932
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How to fix zipper-pulls on back pack? Is there an effective substitute that's easy to come by?
I've had my backpack for 8 years so I guess it should come as no surprise that my zipper-pulls are finally falling apart.
However, is there an effective substitute zipper-pull I can make from ...
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1
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937
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How to activate sodium acetate hand warmer without the button?
I recently bought four hand warmers. Two work fine, but of the other two, the buttons are very difficult (or as of yet impossible) to click and don't active the solution.
Does anyone know a way to ...
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3
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2k
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What are the other substitutes for an iron?
Assuming I have a rumpled shirt and there's no electricity, how can I press the shirt instead of usual ironing?
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What household substitutes are there for cotton buds?
My ears are really itchy and there are not any cotton buds at home. I was vaguely advised to use the bottom end of my pen to scratch it, but that seems dangerous.
So are there any household ...
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3
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3k
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How to increase shoe size
I have a shoe that I've been using for close to a year now and now it feels very tight when I put it on, is there anything I can do to enlarge the size other than getting a new one?
I want to know if ...
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4
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4k
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Opening a box without a knife
Fairly often, I need to open a sealed box, but I don't have a sharp knife handy.
The box is typically sealed with packing tape or fiber tape.
My solution is typically to grab my keys and use a key ...
- 1,716
3
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2
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8k
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How do I open this watch without special tools?
I need to change the battery of this watch.
Is it a screw cover? How can I open it without any special tools?
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