50 Times People Thought Of Stupid Solutions That Actually Work

The only limit to accomplishing anything in life is your imagination. However, creativity and inventions don’t have to be overly complicated or all that original. You can make everyone’s lives far easier with minor changes in how something is designed. Intrigued? Well then, welcome to the weird and wonderful world of ‘Redneck Engineering.’

A popular online community, r/redneckengineering is dedicated to slightly peculiar, sometimes even hilarious, but genuinely genius feats of jury-rigging. From self-feeding fires to mounts for your remote, we’ve collected some of the most incredible feats of impromptu engineering. Scroll down to check out the pics proving there’s no problem humankind can’t solve with whatever’s at hand!

01. All Terrain Wheelchair I Built For My Wife

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02. Redneck Shed Lock

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03. Self-Feeding Fire That Lasts 14 Hours

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Genius doesn’t have to be complicated. It often isn’t! Often, the very best product designs are the ones that solve the problems that consumers have, whether they’re consciously aware of them or just sure that something is wrong.

The reality is that not every product designer is in tune with what the end user needs or wants. Sometimes, their vision is at odds with practicality.

04. My Coworker Made A Magnetic Broom To Pick Up Metal From Our Parking Lot After Another Coworker Got A Nail In Her Tire. Have To Say, It Works Very Well

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05. Looks Level To Me

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06. “Huh, So This Works. Toothbrush Sander!” This Has Useful Implications For Those Hard To Reach Finishing Places

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The solutions themselves don’t have to be marvelous feats of engineering that would wow and dazzle the entire world. All it can take is a slight change to the design: altering the shape, angles, and lines of the item in question to make it more user-friendly.

At the core of ‘Redneck Engineering’ lies simplicity. Redneck engineers (who don’t have to be rednecks or engineers at all) are big fans of Occam’s razor. They take the most straightforward and obvious approach when solving a problem.

07. Wait Till Dem Kids Get A Load Of This

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08. Solo Couch Carry

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09. Cheap And Simple Mount For My Power Socket Remote Control

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Does someone keep stealing the remote at your local laundromat? Instead of stressing about how you’ll have to work years and years to change how locals approach property rights, you could weld a little soap holder over it.

Or, if you don’t have a spirit level while working on a construction project, you could use a small bottle filled with water.

10. Found At A Laundromat In Knoxville, Tn. Yes, You Can Still Press The Buttons

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11. Fortunately, They Don’t Have An Hoa To Answer To. The Ingenuity Is Next Level

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12. We Lost The Screw Cap For Our Air Mattress. This Was The Third Bottle I Tried

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Redneck engineering is about simplicity. It’s about being straightforward, thinking on your feet, and using whatever tools and materials you have to jury-rig your way out of a problem.

It’s humankind summed up incredibly well because it showcases how flexible we can all be when the circumstances demand it. Sure, it might not look pretty! But don’t knock it if it works.

13. My Local Elotero Putting A Shopping Cart To Good Use

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14. Pretty Neat

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15. That’s One Way To Make A Step

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Founded in the mid-summer of 2013, the online community has become one of the most well-known groups on Reddit. At the time of writing, the r/redneckengineering subreddit had already grown to 659k members, and there are no signs of their popularity waning any time soon.

There’s plenty of humor and quick engineering solutions to be found here.

16. Redneck Repurposing Of Kids’ Recreational Toys

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17. I Forgot To Buy A Shower Curtain For The New Apartment, And I Can’t Get One Until Tomorrow Evening. Two Trash Bags Were Cut Open, And An Amount Of Duct Tap

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18. Luggage Phone Mount

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The moderator team has the right to interpret whether or not a member’s post “fits the spirit of the sub.” They note that an engineering solution doesn’t have to be a redneck to quality, as a prime example of redneck engineering.

Meanwhile, community members should do their best to avoid reposting popular photos. Before you go ahead and share that remarkable feat of jury-rigging that you found on your social media feed, check the sub’s sidebar to see if the photo hasn’t already been posted and reposted a billion times.

19. The Base Was Broken, So Grandma Planted It

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20. I Spotted This Beauty At A Walmart

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21. That Isn’t Going Anywhere

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FBe fair to yourself and others, and give credit where it’s due. Focus on originality, not racking up karma, as much as possible. You should also avoid claiming that you made something if you didn’t.

We’re pretty big fans of r/redneckengineering here at A&D, and if you need more engi-inspiration, you can check out our earlier features.

22. I Rediscovered My First Welding Project While Cleaning My Truck

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23. Tired Of Looking For My Charger Cable

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24. Now This Is Mile High Luxury!

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The founder of the subreddit, u/flounder19, previously told us how this post inspired the community right here. A decade ago, Redditor declared they’d start the sub specifically for this funny and funky engineering content. And from those humble beginnings grew a massively popular subreddit that fascinates the internet.

25. Found While Hunting For A Road Trip Vehicle

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26. Beer Can Taco Holder

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27. Well, They Fixed Their Trunk Latch Problem

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“The things you can do with duct tape and zip ties alone are amazing. Plus, it doesn’t need to look good as long as it works right,” the founder and head moderator, u/flounder19, told us during an earlier interview. They added that no matter the type of DIY, your safety is paramount: “Don’t die, please.”

28. New Shoes? Why Should I Buy New Shoes?

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29. Free Office Chair With Busted Caster Found In Dumpster. New Ones Are Like $300. Had These Parts Lying Around

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30. Not Sure If This Fits Here, But My Neighbor Towed My Other Neighbor With A Pallet, Jack

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Which of these redneck feats of engineering impressed you the most, A&D lovers? Were there any that seriously made you think, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” Have you ever jury-rigged something with whatever you had at hand? We’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions, so scroll down to the comment section and have your say!

31. What, In West Virginia?

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32. “I Got A Heated Pool, Babe! Wanna Come Over?” The Pool:

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33. Hurricane Prep

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34. This Was In California

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35. My Grandma’s Clever Way To Keep The Squirrels From Eating The Bird Feed

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36. Good As New!

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37. Worried About Corrosion On The Salt TV Room Remote Until We Were Packing Meat…

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38. The Ultimate Redneck Engineering From Russia

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39. For Precision Hot Glueing

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40. Outlets In My Very Old Apartment Aren’t Grounded, And I Kept Getting Shocks From The Metal Laptop Case, So I Did This; it Works Perfectly. How Bad Is It?

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41. I Found This While Hiking In France

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42. Gen 2 Is In Development. Any Ideas?

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43. I Didn’t Have A Steamer For My Bao Buns

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44. Does This Qualify? My Toilet Paper Holder Broke

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45. I Made A Shield For Nerf Fights With My Sisters

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46. Barbed Wire Jumper Cables, Courtesy Of My Uncle

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47. When You Forget Your Fork

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48. Make Bolt Tight When Only Have One Wrench

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49. Spotted On The Way To Walmart

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50. Where There’s A Wheel, There’s A Way

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