Reddit | 5_Frog_Margin

39 Fascinating Design Ideas That People Made Work For Them

Although invention seems like a daunting task, we never really know what ideas we're going to have until we find ourselves in the right situation. It's for that reason that anybody I know who's invented something usually isn't doing too much bragging about it.

For instance, my grandfather apparently invented more than one piece of farm equipment and it took years before I ever found out about it. The way he saw it, he had a problem, he found a way to solve it, and that was it.

But in the moment, it's a lot easier to feel proud of what you've created and it's easier to share that pride with the world than ever. And I think it's fair to say that these people have a good reason to do that.

If there's one benefit to living in a bitterly cold place, it's apparently the ability to do this.

Reddit | Airpotbai

Yup, it seems like this guy has figured out how to make his Super Soaker shoot out snow.

Not only is it pretty cool-looking, but it's probably a lot safer than that trick where people launch a pot of boiling water into the air. If only we had seen this guy years ago.

This thing may not be the most practical creation in the world, but the uploader's dad is proud of it all the same.

Reddit | VinCactus

What he did here was 3D print a lever to replace a light switch, presumably so he could feel like Doctor Frankenstein every time he turns the lights on.

It's amazing how much two common cups can save your office a lot of headaches.

Reddit | Toytacoman

All it takes is one glance over at this little freshness indicator to save yourself from a really unpleasant surprise.

If this isn't the first time you've seen this, then that's actually a pretty good sign.

Reddit | toughsquid236

After all, as much as we might like the concept of a hotel clock that shows us the time both from the room and from our beds, it doesn't really do us much good if it doesn't catch on.

The best way to keep a secret is to make it look as boring as possible.

Reddit | Shasnas69

This store shelf doesn't look different from any of the others, but as we can see, it opens up to a secret passage.

Sure, it doesn't look like this store owner is actually using that space for anything, but maybe that's what they want us to think.

Although this can hardly be considered the work of just one person, it's an understatement to say it's coming in handy right now.

Reddit | shreddedcheese42069

As the BBC reported, the Amager Bakke energy plant in Copenhagen, Denmark not only incinerates garbage to produce heat and electricity, but is considered one of the cleanest waste-to-energy plants in the world due to the filtration technology used to build it.

And since Denmark is known to have an incredibly efficient recycling program, this plant will likely become even more successful as other nations wonder what to do with their garbage.

And if all of this weren't enough, the whole plant is housed inside a giant man-made ski slope.

The design of this Tokyo gallery might not serve any practical purpose, but it looks really awesome.

Reddit | monomotive

Not only does a building made to look like Godzilla kicked it work as an effective landmark, but I can definitely see it making younger me a little more interested in art.

And I hated art galleries as a kid.

When you're out in a remote area and there's not much around you, you have to make your own fun.

Reddit | SGTsniper87

And while I'm not sure what kind of sound this water cooler jug guitar's maker got out of this thing, they showed enough ingenuity that their creation was featured in the kids' section of the Science Museum of Oklahoma.

While it's usually an awful idea to run your sprinklers during the winter, there's a reason this ski resort in Japan does it.

Reddit | TheWolvis

In this case, it's actually to keep the road from getting icy because the water that comes out of this sprinkler has a lot of salt in it.

I mean, as a temporary fix, this is pretty clever.

Reddit | opalt777alt

But this has apparently been in place long enough for a friend to tell the person to share their "doorknob" on Reddit. At which point a temporary fix becomes a questionable, if effective, design choice.

Even though this brick is fairly large, we wouldn't think it would be large enough to fit a whole train depot.

Reddit | PresidentBirb

And yet, that's exactly what someone has painted on it.

While it's true that some people have managed to paint coherent pictures on a single grain of rice, it's not like most of us can do either of these things.

Someone obviously knows how awkward it is when their bathroom stall lock doesn't work and I salute them for it.

Reddit | BottomsOut

All of these types of locks might have their own ways to fail, but with their powers combined, I'll probably have the most secure bathroom experience of my life.

This is actually a pretty clever set-up.

Reddit | Downquark7

With a little extra work to hide the guts and power source, this is a great way to deal with a lack of air conditioning and those narrow windows.

There are a couple of design choices that make this cutting board so clever.

Reddit | iLkapiLka

For one thing, the uploader cut a notch into it that lets it dry over their sick snugly. For another, they sectioned off that rounded area in the corner for garlic.

That way, another ingredient that doesn't mix well with the garlic doesn't carry its essence. Pretty smart, huh?

This shower head hasn't sprung some kind of bizarre leak. Instead, that's tape.

Reddit

More specifically, it's a "tape luge" that lets the drippings slide down gently rather than hit the tub and keep the uploader up at night.

"I folded a lobster from a single square sheet of paper!"

Reddit | noneuclidean_

Holy cow.

This makes my basket of random cranes folded while watching TV look really sad and pathetic.

Sometimes it's not about what you made, but how you used what you already had.

Reddit | marmeylady

The uploader does a good job of explaining what they did here on their own, but I can't help but wonder how many times the little pup slipped through the fence before they figured this out.

This may not be what this scoop was made for, but its snowball-making abilities should not be underestimated.

Reddit | cyXie

With how quickly this scoops up perfect snowballs, anybody who uses it will be ready to throw while their opponent is still putting theirs together.

Clearly, this isn't a regulation net, but assuming the ball actually fits through, it works.

Reddit | the_nazi_monk

That said, the fact that this was something a neighborhood park was forced to install rather than an actual net is kind of sad.

Classic neighborhood overachiever.

Reddit | Ryan-Everest

Every winter, on days with a fresh layer of packing snow, front yards get filled with wonky snowmen. And then you have that one house where there is a freaking work of art.

A major issue that we face nowadays concerns how difficult it is to get rid of all the wasted plastic we've produced.

Reddit | PastyMcBasicFace

And while this doesn't eliminate that problem, someone had the idea of weaving used grocery bags into this more permanent tote.

And yes, it's said to be made entirely of the grocery bags.

I've seen some impressive street art in my time, but this takes things to a whole new level.

Reddit | 5_Frog_Margin

Even though I know it's not possible, I'll admit to spending a moment wondering how the artist made it look like these hands were reaching across this alcove.

The answer, of course, is that there is no alcove. They're just that good.

"Found a way to bring chapstick and sunscreen into a party when I didn't have pockets (they provided drinks cups)."

Reddit | PunsAndRoses246

This is why pockets should be provided in every outfit.

And suddenly, the age-old argument over which way the toilet paper roll should face is defeated.

Reddit | jbkly

Though this may just launch Toilet Paper War 2, in which we argue over which side it should dispense from instead.

If by "fascinating" we mean "mildly upsetting", then this one fits the bill.

Reddit | WetNoodlyArms

According to the Redditor who shared the pic, this is the only wheelchair available at the maternity/pediatric clinic they volunteer at.

So good for whoever put this together for them, but it's sad that it was needed.

"My dad needed to send a video to a client."

Reddit | MEAMteamguy

I applaud the MacGyvering skills here, and this is totally something my own Dad would do.

Pro tip: he could have just sent a link to the YouTube video.

Many tourist locations with famous views can't be appreciated by the visually impaired, but some places are finding ways to help.

Reddit | sacrecoeur1206

This bench in Budapest is called 'Tactile Invisible for the Blind', and features a bronze relief panorama of the view sculpted by Adam Farkas and braille information about the location on the seat.

Certain things are difficult to make fully recyclable, such as containers of liquid.

Reddit | Odious-Unicorn

Paper and cardboard kind of suck at containing wet things, so we end up having to use waxed coatings or plastics instead.

This company has found a way to cut down on the amount of plastic needed for laundry detergent by putting a plastic bag inside a cardboard bottle. When empty, both the bag and the bottle are recyclable.

Recyclable and wholesome!

Reddit | mobius153

This box for a bean bag chair unfolds into a castle. Have children been turning cardboard boxes into castles forever? Yes, but this one has a built-in "drawbridge"!

Why build one bird house when you can build a bird town?

Reddit | scarmbledeggs

If you're biking along Spy Pond in Massachusetts, you can find this incredible little creation just off the Minute Men bike path.

When the uploader's shovel handle broke off on the job site, it didn't take them long to find a handy replacement.

Reddit | Iaintthe-1

Apparently, a 1-1/4 inch thick piece of PVC pipe fits very well with most shovel heads. It may not last for too long, but this person was able to make it work for the rest of the day and that's all they needed to do.

In these difficult times, somehow we've just got to make things work.

Reddit | usernamecloi

If it works, and you can still play video games with it, is it actually dumb?

It's damn ugly, but it'll do until a new controller can be acquired.

"My daughter devised this toothpaste squeezer using old Bobby Pins."

Reddit | bu2902

This was posted in the r/redneckengineering subreddit, but I think it belongs in a place of pride in r/lifehacks.

This homemade bidet is mildly terrifying.

Reddit | who_is_sticks

I don't think real bidets require nearly that kind of water pressure to get things clean. In fact, this might even hurt.

Palle jacks delivered on a pallet require another pallet jack to deliver.

Reddit | Jugglerguy

This is like needing a pair of scissors to open a package with new scissors inside.

"The pattern gave him a booty, so we gave him a thong."

Reddit | JiveMonkey

I mean, the alternative would have been NSFW, so I prefer this option.

And the top right looks like he's opening his coat to flash someone and it's hilarious.

It might be a little hard to tell what we're looking at, but it's both incredibly clever and super wholesome when we zoom out.

Reddit | OGSOURAV

Apparently, railway workers in Japan built special tunnels under these train tracks to ensure that little turtles like these guys don't get hit.

In WWI, armies used fake, hollow trees as observation posts so that they could look over the battlefield without being obvious targets.

Reddit | vompeii

The post with this image said that it was taken at the time, but it looks a lot like a model rather than actual people. Either way, the idea is genius and this is a great way to visualize how it works.

When you have a condition serious enough to see multiple doctors about it, it helps to have a clear way to show them what they're dealing with.

Reddit | birdfall

For example, this item was the result of a cancer patient asking her husband to 3D print this model of her thyroid so her doctors could see how severe the growth on it is.

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