Tools and Crap

Sorry folks,it has been one of those 60+ hour weeks at work.When I started this job there were 6 people in the IT dept.,we are now down to 2 and they will not replace the others.GRrrrr,,there is a reason work is a four letter word.

After two divorces and being flooded out one time you think I would get used to starting over.It Sucks!! Rant today is tools,never think about them tell you need one.Building some shelves today,looked around and find I don't have what I need.When it is 80+ miles to the nearest real hardwear store that kind of bites.Here is my basic "must have tool" list.Feel free to add any I forgot.I need all the help I can get ;)

Carpenter’s hammers x2 Framming hammers 16oz and add a smaller one

Set of screwdrivers (with spares never can find the right size when you need it

Wrench set both metric and standard (open and box ended)

Ratchet sets (standard and metric,+ sets of deepwell sockets)

Allen Wrenches standard and metric

Crow bars various sizes

Nail puller/pry bar various sizes

Axes X2 and a splitting maul

Sledge hammer + wedges

Hatchet X2

Auger + bits (Brace and bits)

Hand drill + bits (not the high speed bits)

Come-a-long X2

Couple of Pulley sets

Chains and Cables assorted types and sizes

Shovels X2 (flat and pointed maybe a grain shovel too around here)

Hoes

Swing Blade and/or a sickle

Post-hole diggers

Manual fence post driver (after setting a few T-Posts you will be glad to have it)

Vices assorted types(Yea Yea I know I have lots of vices)

Spare Hafts for the ax,hatchets and mauls (don't forget the wedges for them)

Vice grips X 3-4

Pliers x3 various sizes

Needle-nose pliers atleast 2 pairs

Plumber’s wrenches x 3 sizes

Fencing pliers ! get a spare set too

Tin snips 3 depends on the angle of the cut and size

Saws (bow saw + blades,hack saw + blades,cross cut,key hole,....)

Sharpening tools steels and a few good stones

Lopping Shears/Pruning Shears

Planes,spoke shaves,& draw knives

Pick axe

Breaker bars

set of ramps

hydraulic jacks

Chain hoist

Buckets

Rope

Hoses & clamps

Assorted fasteners (screws, bolts, nails…)

Assorted O-rings

Assorted Carter pins and keys

And the ferret's rule of building,the one thing you don't have when you need it.

The Ferret

P.S. have I said how much I hate starting over?Want my old shop back ;(

Top 10 Mistakes Of Prepping

10. Following the wrong advice: Many new survivalists become fixated upon the advice given by others.They read the latest preparedness book or blog post and automatically assume the advice given is the one true way,,Ugh,I call them the true belivers,their way or noway.People it is more art than science,what works for me may not be best for someone else.Read and learn all you can,then try it out and find what works for you.

9. Not eating what they store and not storeing what they eat: Many new survivalist fill their pantry with unfamiliar foods, thinking they will adapt their diet “when they have to” good luck with that. You need to learn how to prepare and use these foods you store now, so they become a familiar food to you.

8.Relying on their food storage: When they have their one year supply of survival foods put up,they think that’s the end.They use stuff from it,then forget to replace it.LOL,or they forget to rotate it next thing you know you have 10 y/o greenbeans(you know who you are).

7. No Salt - or not enought of it.Come on people you can't live without it and it is cheap and easy to store,will not even go bad.

6. Bugging out: I’m not real big on the whole “grab a bug out bag and head for the hills thing”.A BOB should be used to get you home,that is it.Try to use it to "Live off the land"well,I got a couple of names for that moveing target and dumb are the first two that come to mind.

5. To much stuff not enough skills:Ok I love my toys any guy does,but get real folks,and don't even get me started on the gun bunnies.One guy I ran into out camping was a real winner.The guy said he was tring out his prepps,good he scores 1 point.After watching him unload his truck and try to walk with the pack -20.Had everything in that bag but water and away to make a fire (that he could use) before I showed him how to use a fire steel.Guy never could get one going.

4. Storing only one type of food: Bloody hell,you live through the shit hitting the fan only to kill yourself from only eatting wheat.After a few weeks of that I would be ready to off myself.One more time with feeling,Store what you eat and eat what you store.

3. Not taking care of pets/livestock needs: Ok,this is one that just plain pisses me off.They are your animals,you want them to protect and guard you and your goods,stock up on feed for them.Livestock even more,not going to get much out of them if you can't feed and water them.

2.More Dollars than cents - You know them,when have all drooled over new toys.There is a point to stop spending,if it is not broke dont try to fix it.You don't need the newest toy,just one that will get the job done and last.

1. No Plan B: Otherwise known has putting all your eggs in one basket.All anyone can do realy is guess at what is comeing.True anybody that looks can see something has to give,,but fingering the tipping point would just be guessing.That said nomatter what happens murphy's law will be alive and well.Don't get so locked into a place (or a idea),they just might bury you on it.Always play the "What if"game,,what if you have to run,where you going to?How are you going to move? What are you going to grab/How are you going to move your preps(if you can)?

The Ferret

Got Water

WOOPIE!!! I got water back on,they finely got the water main fixed.You have not had fun tell you try to live with no running water for 5 days in the Az. summer.Was no real danger,I have my stock pile of crap,as one of my ex's called it,and a well down the road,so water was not a problem.LOL,now keeping cool without the swamp cooler was another story.

Water Storage

You read in books and around the internet you will find most places say 1 to 2 gallons of water a day per person.I got to call B.S. on that atleast in the heat here.Call it close to 2 gallons to drink just to stay hydrated,without doing any work in the sun.Another gallon or 2 for food prep and cleaning.3 to 5 gallons a day for dog and what plants I did not want to cook.HMmmm need to up my water storage around here.I was keeping 30 days at 5 gallons per day,think I need to double that.

Some ways to store water.First is the 2 liter soda bottles,we all got them.They are cheap and easy to move,but dang you end up with alot of them around.Me I have a mixed thing going right now,kind of small space.

2-30 gallon blue food grade barrel (somebody gave them to me when they moved)
4- 5 gallon water bags from wally world (Score,,2.50 each on the clearance table)
4 or 5 cases of 1 liter bottles- Just because they are easy to handle and get cold.
4- 5 gallon blue plastic camping water totes-no idea where I got them or how much I payed,they have been around forever.
12 - 3.5 gallon water jugs - Big SCORE,OK,I have been known to dumpster dive,found over 40 of them in a dumpster behind a store still full of water.They were out of date,Ok by me,they go home with me.Folks you should have seen it,filled my car up passenger side,back seat and trunk,I still left more that I took from there.I have given may of them away over time.
I also keep all my empty canning jars full of water

Bottom line,your going to need alot more water than you think.

The Ferret

This and That......

OK off the latest screw up in the news.LOL,we all know it is going to hell in a hand basket.Back to more of a how-to kind of thing,untell another idiot pops up I can't pass up.


Digging around I found that somebody over on the Life After the Oil Crash Forum.
compile an amazingly detailed database of pre-1917 (that means no copyright) books on subjects ranging from how to make farm tools to natural health care to raising animals.

Full List: LATOC Forums  


The Ferret

Why I keep quite about my prepping,you should too

I don't know about you,but I used to spend alot of time agonizing over friends and relatives who turn a blind eye to the warning signs in the economy and general state of this world.Worrying about what will happen to them when it hits the fan and grocery store shelves are no longer stuffed with their dinner and the dollar is just good TP.I never could seem to get through to these people,and now,I would argue that it is better not even to try.I have many reasons for thinking like this and the biggest is that I am tired to hearing myself talk.But here are a few others.


They’ll think you’re nuts anyway.

You can talk all you like,but from their perspective,you are the one that is crazy,stocking up on groceries,guns,preps.and saving every penny. They are worried about getting the newest and greatest of anything and outfitting their kids with the very latest fashions and toys.I just want to scream and ask them what planet they are liveing on.


Some people choose to remain dumb.

We all know some of these people,call them the ostrich people,they have their heads in the sand(or up their ass,but I'll be nice).These folks tell themselves they’re too busy liveing their lives to pay attention to what is going on,and,at any rate,the problems of the world are too confusing.They can watch hours of TV shows and can tell you every plot twist,every little thing that goes on,who is doing what with who,but can't be bothered to watch what is going on in the real world.I give up,some are just to dumb to live.



Operations Security

Not to long after I started preping,the thought came to me that letting everybody and their brother know that I had a stock of food,might not be a good idea.I will cover more on OPSEC later but for now,how many people you want showing up at your door when SHTF?



Then there are the ones I call the flower children.

The "it can't happen and if it does the government will fix it" folks.Oh boy these are the ones I would like to slap upside their heads,One guy I know went thru getting flooded out in a hurricane back in '99(so did I) after all that BS getting screwed over by FEMA and the insurance commanys he still will not even store anything for the next time.He still thinks the government will take care of him.LOL,dumb ass was me and some friends in a boat that pulled his ass out last time not the govermement.Think I'll leave him next time.


Bottom line everybody goes to hell in their own way,who am I to try and stop them?I have enought to keep me and mine safe,do my little part with this blog.But other than that I'm with  Bison  last one in the pot wins,,LOL,but I think we are going to need a bigger pot.


The Ferret

List For Beginning Preppers

Just a note first,,Looks like the spammers found the blog,so now you will have to sign in to leave a comment.And blogspot has desided to remove all comments not just the ones I removed,sorry folks maybe they will return.

People are always asking where to get started with their preps,after a few hundred e-mails over the years I have come up with a simple list.Nothing fancy and it is not the be all and end all list.Prepping is a art and a science,what works for me might not for you,you don't have to have 40 acres and 5 years of beans and bullets.


General:

• Make your first goal a 30 day supply of the "Big Four"... Food, Water, Fuel, and First Aid.
• Decide if you will BUG-OUT or BUG-IN and supply accordingly.
• Prioritize your supplies based the most likely SHTF to occur in your area...flood, blizzard, etc.
• Tell only trusted family and friends that you are prepping.(and only if you don't mind them showing up when STTF)

Food:

• Store extended shelf life foods that do not require water to prepare!
• Store What You Eat And Eat What You Store!!
• Store foods that can be easily rotated into daily use as they approach the freshness date
• Canned foods can provide meat, veggies, bread, dairy,and extra water.
• A small camp stove can be used for warming the food.

Water:

• 1 gallon per person per day just for drinking
• Don't forget the water in the water heater.(Note:you should flush out the hot water heater every year,,ever see some of the stuff that comes out of it?)
• If you have some warning, you can fill several 33 gal plastic trash cans and bathtubs for extra bathing and toilet water.
• Water can be treated by using 8 drops of bleach per gallon. Boiling is good if you have enough fuel.

Light:

• Kerosene\hurricane lamps are the best. Have one for each person with spare wicks and a gallon of fuel for each. This will be enough for the 30 day scenario.
• Small LED lanterns and flash lights can be used for personal needs or task specific lighting.(Got Batteries?)
• Generators are great,but very expensive to buy and feed! but worth it for short term IMO.

Heat:

• Do not use a camp stove for heat in an unventilated room. They do make "indoor-rated" propane heaters.Get a couple of those and enough fuel for limited use.
• Warm clothing and bedding will do for most situations
• Don't not use a charcoal grill for heating or cooking inside.
• In a pinch,a large soup pot will make an emergency fire place if you can hunker down in the garage and vent the smoke out a window.
• Having a few of those man-made fire logs on hand wouldn't hurt.

Protection:

• 12ga shotgun (I like a pump action)
• .22 LR rifle
• One heavy Caliber(won't go into the assault verses others here) I like a 30.06 model700 Remington
• pistols,well take your choice but I would not go with anything smaller than a 9mm(LOL and for you out that that know me,,Yes I still have the old 1911 .45)

Extra Stuff:

• Matches(strike anywhere)
• Disposable lighters
• Radio
• Bleach
• Toilet paper
• Waterless soap

Your mileage may vary,but get started today.

The Ferret

Generator Advice

About that time of the year here,hurricane season is just around the corner.
Pulled out the generator,fired it up,changed the plug and oil ran a tank of gas.
Only thing worse than a generator that does not work when you need it,is not haveing one.
I have a old WINCO that I got in 1999 never had a problem with it(Model WC5000H if I remember).
Keeps the frezzer and a few fans running.What you need depends on what you think you can not live without.
Well you can live without it but after you lose a few frezzers full of food you get tired of it.



Sizing your System is a simple site to help you deside on what you need.


GeneratorJoe Now I have never used them but helped a friend pick one out from there last summer,he was very happy with the service.


Signs of the Stimulus

ABC News has reached out to a number of states about spending on stimulus signs and learned the state of Illinois has spent $650,000 on about 950 signs and Pennsylvania has spent $157,000 on 70 signs

Sometimes the stupity of people just boggles the mind,wonder if they counted the jobs makeing the signs as some of the jobs "Saved".

The Ferret

12/04/2009

Spent most of the day working on the new web site.More room to post and will be setting up some fourms.

I had found this awhile back,could come in handy if your caught without a sleeping bag.Now if you don't have a survival blanket ;)


This method doubles up much of the survival blanket on top of your body, but keeps only one layer beneath. Much of a blanket beneath you will be compressed by your body and loose much of its insulation (that is why thick padding underneath you is important), so it is better to put most of it on top. Doubling up the survival blanket also creates a layer of dead air between them, meaning that two blankets together are more than twice as warm as a single layer of the same material.

Especially if you are not using a firebed, be sure to place ample dry material beneath your body to serve as both padding and insulation. Many people do not realize they are sleeping cold at night because a large amount of body heat is transferred directly to the cold ground. Rather than add more insulation on top, what they really need is thicker padding underneath them.

Test the Survival Blanket
First test the length of the survival blanket. Then lay down on the survival blanket so that there is at least a foot (1/3 meter) of material sticking beyond both your head and feet.

If the survival blanket is too short, I recommend moving it up past your head so that there is about foot (1/3 meter) of material sticking out. This is because more body heat is lost through your head than from your legs and feet. To serve your lower extremities as a blanket, gather a large mass of dry insulating materials such as leaves or grass to cover your feet and lower legs to a depth of at least four to eight inches.

Steps for Making the Survival Blanket Sleeping Bag
The following directions assume your survival blanket is long enough to extend beyond both your feet and head. If not, first bury your feet in the dry insulating materials you gathered and start at step 3.

1. Lay down on the survival blanket so that your body is centered diagonally with an equal amount of blanket above your head and below your feet.

2. Sit up and grab the corner of the survival blanket at your feet and pull it up toward you as far as it will go, so that the survival blanket is snug against your feet.

3. Grab the left side of the survival blanket and in a fluid motion sweep it over your body toward your right side. The blanket should fit snugly.

4. Sweep the right side of the survival blanket over to your left side, covering the blanket you placed over your body in step 3. Notice how this effectively doubles up the survival blanket and increases the amount of insulation to keep you warm. When you sweep the survival blanket over, keep a triangular section that runs from the right side of your head across to your left armpit folded down.

5. Fold the corner of the survival blanket that is above your head down over your face.

6. Grab the triangular piece of survival blanket made in step 4 over your face and clinch the mass snugly against your shoulders and head.

Be especially careful around the head and neck area, where a majority of body heat is lost.

More Than One Survival Blanket
If you are fortunate enough to have more than one survival blanket, start the process of making your survival blanket sleeping bag by placing one on top of the other. Put the most waterproof survival blanket on the bottom and the softest blanket on top. Then when you follow the steps the waterproof layer will be on the outside protecting the inner layers from dampness.