If you enjoy crafting and/or the grind that can come with it then get the materials and craft it yourself. Sometimes the journey is the rewarding part (does that sound as corny as I think it does?). However if you just want the gear as cheaply as possible you probably want to by it on the TP. Not only will you probably save money, but even if it is a bit more expensive, the time spent grinding could be spent doing something more fun (and you can sell the mats you get anyway).