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« Letter Re: Finding Retreat Locales in the US with the Lowest Taxes |Main| Letter Re: Advice on AR-15 Magazines » Wednesday November 12 2008Letter Re: Advice on Sources for Sandbags and Sandbag FillerMr. Rawles, You mention about mass and the wisdom in buying
sand bags stating 'they are cheap'. I guess that is relative to 'something'.
I can not find them for less then $2.50 each and that is empty. JWR Replies: In the U.S. there are several good sources for sandbags , but prices do indeed vary widely, so shop around. (From as much as $3.75 each in small quantities to as little as 38 cents each if you buy in lots of 1,000.) For example, see: If you want to buy in quantity (perhaps a group purchase that you can split several ways), it is best to order direct from a manufacturer, such as Dayton Bag, or Mutual Industries, or United Bags. (The latter charged $380 per thousand the last time I checked .) And for our readers across the pond, here is a source in England: Surplus and Adventure OBTW, be sure to buy the later variety synthetic (such as polypropylene) sand bags. The early burlap (or "Hessian") bags tend to rot and rip out too quickly. The latest and greatest mil-spec bags use Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) or Polyethylene film laminated with a third layer of molten polyethylene. These have the best UV protection (and hence the longest useful life out in the elements), but they are also the most expensive. Even the standard military polypropylene bags will last two to three years in full sun, and much longer if painted or kept in the shade. As for filler material. if sand is expensive in your area, then do some comparison pricing on "one half minus" road gravel, delivered by the dump truck load. (This is gravel that has been screened so that the largest pieces are no more than 1/2-inch in diameter.) I don't recommend using soil, since sand or gravel are superior for stopping bullets. If you must use soil, then try to get either very sandy soil or heavy clay soil. Dry loam soil is the least effective for use in sandbags. Remember: the more vegetable matter in the soil, the lower its ballistic protection.) « Letter Re: Hunt Packs Available at Cabela's |Main| Note from JWR: » Tuesday November 11 2008Letter Re: Survival is About Skills--Practice Makes Perfect
Mr Rawles,
« Letter Re: Deflation Possibly Followed by Mass Inflation? |Main| Notes from JWR: » Saturday November 8 2008Letter Re: A Suggested Checklist for Preparedness NewbiesHere's a beginner's list I made for my [elderly] father today:
JWR Adds: The following is based on the assumption that SF's father also lives in Hawaii: Because of the 10 round magazine limit for handguns, I recommend that Hawaiians purchase only large bore handguns for self defense--such as .45 ACP. Both the Springfield Armory XD .45 Compact or the Glock Model 30 would both be good choices. The "high capacity" advantage of smaller caliber handguns is not available to civilians in Hawaii, so you might as well get a more potent man stopper, given the arbitrary 10 round limitation. « Letter Re: When Unprepared Folks Show Up on Your Doorstep |Main| Notes from JWR: » Monday November 3 2008Adapt to Survive, by Elizabeth B.
You are incredibly mistaken if you think you can store up enough to see you
through bad times. You are wrong, dead wrong. When I say store up, I’m
talking, food, provisions, tools, barter equipment, and whatever. [JWR Adds: While Elizabeth has made some excellent points, she has overstated her case for adaptation. There are some critical uses for both propane tanks and rechargeable batteries that justify their inclusion in preparedness planning. Granted, they represent finite supplies. But I'd rather have them in reserve for a critical situation and not need them. The inverse is not appealing. (Needing them, but not having them.) Imagine if you needed to conduct impromptu surgery. Would you prefer to perform a surgery by the light of fat oil lamps? I disagree with her assertion about not storing extra tools. Tools will be worth their weight in gold. A lot of things can be improvised and adapted, but high quality tools--especially those with tight tolerances cannot. You can probably improvise a plow, but you cannot improvise a Unimat lathe. And consider this: With a Unimat lathe (in properly trained hands) and given enough high speed steel stock you can build just about any tool including another Unimat lathe. Thus a "stored" tool can be eminently useful for "adaptation." Lastly, keep in mind that preparing to survive in a warm southwestern climate is considerably different than in cloudy, cold northern climes. The colder the climate, the deeper the larder that you'll need. (Since growing seasons are short, and in some years with early frosts you will have hardly any garden yield. Stored fuel (firewood, coal, et cetera) is similarly important in cold climates. There may come a year when you cannot cut a fresh supply of firewood--say you break a leg or have a major illness. That is why it is very important to have several years worth of firewood on hand.] « Letter Re: The CDC's Suggestions on Preparing for Future Flu Pandemics |Main| Letter Re: When Unprepared Folks Show Up on Your Doorstep » Letter Re: Useful References on Metalworking
I recommend two books to help our readers understand metalworking. They might
never need these, but they're at least useful for understanding what's involved:. « Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Building Strength for WTSHTF Preparedness » Sunday November 2 2008Letter Re: A Useful Heated Steel Color Emission ChartDear Jim, It is actually best to use that chart on overcast days or in shadow. Bright sun will generally cause one to excessively heat in the incandescent range, leading to red-shortness, cracks, decarburizing and burning. - Michael Z. Williamson « Letter Re: Prisons and Other Institutions Amidst a Societal Collapse? |Main| Note from JWR: » Saturday November 1 2008Letter Re: A Useful Heated Steel Color Emission ChartDear James:
Regards, - Mikael JWR Replies: Of course all the usual torch and metal-working shop safety rules apply. That chart, BTW, is handy companion piece to the Combustion Temperature Reference that was posted previously in SurvivalBlog. I recommend printing out hard copies of both posts for your shop reference binders. Keep in mind the standard provisos that the true measurement of the volatility of a stored material is its "flash point", which in most cases is considerably lower than the flame point figures noted in the Combustion Temperature Reference. Also, when using color as a reference for gauging the temperature, keep in mind that the ambient light available can skew the color observed. Holding up a piece of metal in the dim light of a blacksmithy will not show the same color as holding up the same piece of metal heated to the same temperature in bright daylight. This can lead to heat-treating errors. This was best illustrated in the classic book "Hatcher's Notebook." In it, Colonel Julian Hatcher recounted the story of the "Low Number Springfields", that many shooters in the current generation might not have heard: Here it is in a nutshell: The smiths at the Springfield and Rock Island Armories were manufacturing Model 1903 Springfield rifles. One of the steps in the process was heat-treating the receivers to a certain color of redness. This was before the days of precise industrial pyrometers--back when heart treating was judged "by eye".) It was found that some of those receivers failed--due to the heat treating being of insufficient hardness. The Board of Inquiry discovered that some receivers that were heat treated on overcast days, lacked sufficient heat treating (and blew up dramatically when fired), while those made on sunny days had the specified strength. This was because on overcast days, the heated receivers showed the correct "color" when they had not yet actually reached the requisite temperature. This failure in process control was of course soon corrected, but ever since, "low number Springfields" have not been trusted for full-pressure pressure .30-06 loads. (The manufacturing transition BTW, was with Springfield Armory M1903 rifles that had serial numbers below 800,000 and Rock Island M1903 rifles with serial numbers below 285,507.) Just an interesting historical tidbit... « Letter Re: The Depression of the 1930s--Why No Societal Collapse? |Main| Letter Re: Your Next Career in the New Economy » Tuesday October 28 2008Letter Re: Recommended Sources for Gardening Hand Tools?JWR, On another note: I'm looking forward to the upcoming release of "Patriots"
(with the index and glossary). My previously purchased copies seem to disappear
when
I loan them out.
Have had to become "hard core" and not loan out my last copy, that
happens to be autographed :-) JWR Replies: In recent years, the US consumer market has been flooded with a plethora of low quality, flimsy Chinese products. Sadly, this include hand tools .These have become so ubiquitous that you have to actively search for good quality gardening tools. The few American-made tools still available have had significant price increases, attributable to the recent spike in steel prices and substantially increased shipping costs. I have found that it is now better to shop for used, American-made hand tools. Ironically, many tools being sold as "antiques" are more sturdy and a have longer potential service life than the the "factory new" tools that originate in Mainland China's laogai ("Reform Through Labor") prison factories. For used tools, watch Craig's List and even eBay. Last year on eBay, I bought a lot of six "antique" hand scythes (five of which were still quite serviceable), all for $223 plus $11 postage. That same sum might have bought perhaps one or two factory new imported scythes, and I doubt that they would give me near the same service life. If you can't find a particular used tool, then one of the best mail order sources for new American, Canadian, and European tools is at Lehman's. « Letter Re: How to Handle Real Estate Holdings in a Economic Depression |Main| Note from JWR: » Monday October 27 2008Letter Re: The Depression of the 1930s--Why No Societal Collapse?Hi Jim, I've been doing a lot of thinking of our current situation in this country and it occurs to me that every generation has things going on that is very concerning. But in particular was thinking the Great Depression should have been a good example of things going to h*ll. Yet there was not this great meltdown where people needed to go to retreats and such. So I'm writing this e-mail to see if you've done any research to do comparisons with our [present-day] situation and the Great Depression situation to determine why the country did not collapse during that time period. Thanks, - Steve JWR Replies: Thanks for raising that point. It is well worth discussing. There are some substantial differences between our society in the early 21st Century, and America in the 1930s. With these differences, our society is now much more fragile and vulnerable to collapse. Here are a few that come immediately to mind: Consider the Attributes of America in the 1930s : A largely agrarian and self-sufficient society. (Now, just 1% of the population operating farms and ranches feed the other 99%.) In summary, in the 1930s it cost a lot less to live (as a percentage of income) and people were willing, able, and accustomed to "making do" without. When people lost their jobs, in many cases they didn't lose their homes because they were paid for. Many folks could simply revert to a self-sufficient lifestyle and earn enough with odd jobs to pay their property taxes. What fraction of The bottom line: If America were to experience a Second Great Depression, given the high level of debt and systems dependence, there would be enormous rates of dislocation and homelessness. And with modern-day immorality and the prevalent "me first " attitude, I have no doubt that riots and looting would absolutely explode. « Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. and Mrs. Dulce in Chile » Friday October 24 2008Three Letters Re: The Savvy Barterer
Hi Jim: The negotiation skills I learned there have become by far my most valuable business tool. That experience really made me think. On one hobby web site where I have collected much feedback my favorite one of all is "He exhibited finely honed buying and selling skills: a pleasure to do business with." There is so much to bartering, selling, and buying skills. Part of it is even some poker skills. For the most part we in America consider haggling painful and want it over with as quickly as possible. People over there (in Marrakech) have all day to barter. I think to myself, "It's my money, I earned it. Why don't I follow their example and try my very best to get something at the lowest price and see what kind of game we can play to save some dough." Make it a game and it naturally makes people interested because of competition. But winning the game and letting them make a small profit was the part that I enjoyed. Yes, sometimes it is majoring in the minors. I don't have 15 minutes to haggle over a half a kilo of dates, but knowing the real price something should cost hastens the process. I came back home a changed person and used my newfound skills to make and save some real money here at home. When I buy a used item off, say craigslist, I don't simply make an offer out of thin air. I provide a rational, believable, supportable argument why I am offering what I am offering and why the seller should accept my offer. Cash is king right now. Not enough people have it, and many desire it more than they desire their toys. One should remember that he who has the cash, now has what everybody wants. If you won't sell it to me at the price I am offering: I'll just keep looking. And then they think you might just be the last guy who comes offering them some cash and often you get what you are after. People just need to slow down the process. I personally like to get off topic. Ask some roundabout personal background questions in friendly way. You can get some valuable insight into whether someone is being truthful or not. Sometimes based upon those answers I choose not to even bother to make an offer. But I am always polite, and respectful. Barter and haggling need not be unfriendly or acrimonious. I usually have more respect for someone who tries: much like respecting your adversary. I never show too much interest, and make it known I am looking at other similar items elsewhere. Make a point of examining faults quietly, not to annoy the buyer but simply to show those faults are mutually acknowledged. One of the most valuable things I learned in Marrakech was never offer a price. Work your way down, but don't offer a price unless you must, toward the end of the game. But, offering a price there is something you must follow thru on. Walking away from an offer you made is very bad form and considered shameful. Here in the US you almost always offer a price on the low end: from a point where you can't get hurt. Often times I will start negotiations on the phone. But I always ask the seller for his price. Never make an offer before you ask the seller for his price. I have been amazed the few times in my life where I bit my lip and asked the seller for a price, and got one that was far below what I was going to offer for it. Pleasant surprise indeed, and then you can even negotiate downwards from that point. You will get a better price from someone who realizes you are educated in their ways of haggling and you will get to that price quicker. When I have occasionally dealt with people here in the US who were from North Africa: I usually sense they feel we are fools. Fools in the sense we spend money too easily, to fast, on impulse. We rush one of the most important facets of business. Haggling is a skill most our brethren need to brush up on. Who says you have to spend your money today? Hope the insight is of some value. I appreciate your work very much. - John E.
Greetings from the Foothills of Maine: Here's a tip for our new traders: I've never encountered a fellow who wouldn't take a chance. You see, sometimes a fellow would have accepted my last offer if it weren't for the "giving in." Everyone likes to think they have the last word. So somebody pulls a quarter out. If I win he takes my price. If he wins the toss, I take his price. (Which I have already decided I would pay, but I don't want to give in either and let him have the last word.) It's all about the dance. I know people who won't trade unless they haggle-dance first. It's a contest, a game, a sport -- so to speak. I call heads because a quarter goes heads more times than tails. (It's slightly more likely than tails on a quarter.) I win, he frowns, we all have a good laugh. I pay him, load my goods, and leave. I'll be welcome back to deal with him in the future, but I'll won't be able to use the "flip" again. He won't remember most of his customers, but he'll remember me and the "flip." - CC in Maine
Dear Jim: « Four Letters Re: Currency Inflation Expectations for the US |Main| Note from JWR: » Thursday October 23 2008The Savvy Barterer--References, Skills, and Tools for TEOTWAWKI BarterOne of my long-standing Precepts is that every prepared individual should be ready for both barter and dispensing charity. Today, I'll be briefly discussing barter. Being ready to barter is not just a matter of having a pile of "stuff" to barter. While barter and charity logistics are important, what is even more important is what is between your ears. A Bazaar Experience Bartering takes practice. Dickering is an acquired skill. Short of buying yourself a plane ticket to Marrakech, I suggest that you start attending gun shows, garage sales, and flea markets. Learn how to haggle. One of my long standing Rawlesian Precepts is having the skills and material acquired to conduct barter in a post-collapse society. Much has been written about what goods to keep on hand for bartering. But precious little has been discussed in survivalist literature on the skills required to barter effectively, and how to protect yourself from fraud. I recommend that you practice bartering on a very small scale at first, to
sharpen your eye for value and your ability to dicker in a manner that will
result
in a
fair
trade.
(Mutually agreeable and mutually beneficial.) The
occasional transaction where you end up slighted is hardly cause for concern.
But unless you develop the proper bartering skills, you'll end up on the weaker
side of bargains
again and again, and thus fritter away your tangible working capital. The attributes
that will put you in a superior bartering position include specific knowledge
about what is being traded, knowledge about who's sitting on the the other
side of the table, and good old-fashioned "horse trading sense". Similarly, knowing exactly how to properly gauge the condition of a used item is quite important. For example, with firearms, the percentage of original bluing remaining, cracks or wear to a gun's stock, bore condition, chamber condition, bolt face erosion, action tightness, headspace, and so forth all make a huge difference in the value of a used gun. Detailed knowledge is also crucial when determining the value of a rare coin.
(For most
of us, that knowledge is too specialized. It can take many years to develop
coin
grading skills, so a novice can get in over his head very easily. The difference
between an MS-66 coin and an MS-68 coin is very subtle, yet that difference
can mean thousands of
dollars difference in a coin's price. I therefore recommend that novices
only trade professionally graded coins that have been graded
and sealed (or "slabbed") by either PCGS or NGC.
A coin dealer Blue
Sheet is a crucial reference for measuring the
current
value of coins with particular mint marks and dates, in any given grade on
the Sheldon Scale. Even having an out-of-date Blue Sheet is better than nothing,
since it will
show relative values of coins, which change fairly
gradually. Again, this is not for a novice, or part-time
dabbler. (FWIW, even though I have been buying rare coins for more than
20 years, I still consider myself effectively a "novice" level since I don't
ge frequent coin grading practice. Hence, I only buy slabs. ("A man has got
to know his limitations.") To be ready to barter with bullion gold cons or scrap gold it is important to have a touchstone, an acid test kit, test needles, a very accurate scale, and a set of Fisch coin authenticity dimensional gauges. When bartering for canned goods it's important to have a Julian Calendar (since some packers use Julian dates) and a hard copy of this chart showing how to decipher date of pack codes from various canners and packers. For liquid fuel it's important to know if the fuel has been contaminated or adulterated. (Coincidentally, one of our newest advertisers, UR-2B-Prepared.com sells water test strips. For batteries, it's important to have a voltmeter. (For the greatest versatility, buy a Volt-Ohm meter with test probes on leads, rather than a typical tray-type home battery tester. ) For examining the the fine details of just about anything--such reading hallmarks--a jeweler's loupe (magnifying glass) is a must. For evaluating firearms,
as a minimum buy a 6 foot tape measure and a fiber optic bore inspection
light. Take your time in carefully examining any item offered to you. This accomplishes two things. Firstly, it gives you the opportunity to spot any flaws, defects or signs of wear on the item being offered. Secondly, the more time that you spend examining the item will lead the seller to subconsciously start to doubt the value of what he is offering. If you're in a flea market or gun show situation once you have an item in your hands you are essentially free to examine it without fear of someone else buying it. Take your time! If you make an offer for an item, and it is rejected or the counter offer made is ridiculously low than the very best thing you can do is put the item back down on the table. This psychologically distances you from the item, and again, makes the seller begin to doubt it's value. In the dickering process one of the most valuable phrases that you can use is "Is that the best you can do?" If the seller won't budge, and you are close to an acceptable price, the next best thing to do is to offer to sweeten the deal with additional goods offered on your side of the bargain. If you still can't reach an agreement it probably wouldn't hurt to subtly talk down the value of what's being offered to you, and talk up the value of what you are offering. "This is a mighty fine widget it's too bad about this crack and this wear... If it weren't for that, I think your asking price would be fair." The next most valuable thing you can learn to say is to say nothing. After making an offer and receiving a counter offer, silently start counting to twenty. There is something about a long pause that causes all but the most stalwart dickerer to want to fill that silence And nine times out of ten, they will fill that silence with another offer, usually one that is more agreeable. As a last resort, if you are still
at an impasse in
reaching an mutually-agreeable trade, your tool of last resort is to thank
the seller and start to walk away from the table. This will be your final gauge
of just
how anxious the seller is to move his merchandise. If you hear "Wait,
wait, wait, come back here...", then you know that the seller still has
room to negotiate on price or quantities. Keep in mind however, that this is
a dangerous
tactic. Once you walk away from a table without he seller voicing
objection, but return later, you have subconsciously boxed yourself into the
previously-offered
price.
If
you come back later for the same item, the seller will know that you are
anxious to purchase it, and did not find a better deal for a comparable item
elsewhere, so they'll probably hold to the same price. When going to attend a flea market, gun show, or horse trading session,
it is important to "dress down". If you wear a fancy Rolex watch,
or fancy designer clothes, consciously or unconsciously your counterpart will
size
you up as being made of money. So dress very casually, including your shoes.
Leave your jewelry, pens, and nice watch at home. Wear your cheap plastic-cased
digital watch for these excursions. Timing and Rapport When approaching a vendors booth or table for the first time it is important
to first wait until the vendor has finished dealing with any previous customers.
Don't interrupt a man when he's making a deal! Smile and make eye contact,
and if appropriate for the venue, introduce yourself and shake hands. If you
are
a fellow vendor, it's important to wear your badge, or otherwise make it known
that you also have a table or booth. This lets the seller know that he is talking
to a wholesale rather than retail customer. This can make a tremendous
difference when negotiating price. Even if the vendor appears to have a pile
of worthless
junk on his table (with perhaps a few nice items of interest) make a point
of expressing your admiration for his merchandise. Say something like "You've
got a real nice inventory here" or "I can see that you have good
taste in widgets". This is an important step in developing rapport
with you counterpart. While it doesn't hurt to point out a defect on an individual
item
while negotiating for it, do not "run down" the
quality or condition of everything that you see. Doing so could skunk the entire
deal-making
process. OBTW, don't be shy about pointing out defects in your own merchandise.
"Oh, in case didn't noticed, there is one dent here..." That lets your customer
know that you are reputable. If you encounter a seller that has the sort of merchandise that you
think would be of future interest, then it's important to get that seller's
particulars so that you can contact him later. Take copious notes. The same
applies when you encounter a seller that has a particularly valuable area of
expertise
or a rare stock of items--especially spare parts. These are people well worth "networking" with. In closing, barter takes time to learn. Invest that time. Also invest in the proper references. Lastly, invest in a stock of top quality barter goods that you predict will be sought-after in a post collapse world. With the right goods and the requisite knowledge, you and your family will never starve. « Letter Re: Cemeteries as G.O.O.D. Overnight Bivouacs? |Main| Notes from JWR: » Friday October 17 2008Preparing for Survival Retreat Perimeter Defense, by O.F.There may come a time when a survival retreat will need to be defended, and
a properly prepared perimeter will be key to the success of the defense. While
many survival-minded
individuals and retreat groups have likely considered the possibility of a defense scenario, many are
at a loss as to how to plan for such an situation. If the time comes, a well-thought,
methodically planned perimeter defense will hold up better than simply having “a
bunch guns and ammo.” Observation and Fields of Fire – Positions need to be located so that the area outside the perimeter may be observed in all directions. Fields of fire/observation (or sectors) should overlap. For example, if one position is observing 12 o'clock to four o'clock, then the next position might observe three o'clock to seven o'clock. Other positions would cover similar sectors ensuring the entire “clock” is observed. Cover and Concealment – Cover is protection from projectiles or other forms of attack. Natural cover, such as logs, dirt berms, or stone are advantageous in a rural or remote environment since they blend in and are often readily available. Man-made cover could include vehicles, retaining walls, sand bags, furniture, or dumpsters. Concealment is protection from observation. Good positions offer defenders a place to hide to avoid being detected and blend in with their environments. Obstacles – Obstacles force attackers to slow down, stop, or change direction when trying to approach a fighting position. Some natural obstacles include downed trees, cliffs, ravines, streams, boulders, and embankments. Some man-made obstacles include fences, road barricades, concertina wire, parked vehicles, debris piles, berms, and ditches. Key terrain – Key terrain is any piece of terrain which offers a definite
advantage to whoever occupies it. For example, a hill overlooking the retreat
would provide obvious advantages for anyone wanting to defend or attack it.
Other key terrain features might include intersections of roads or paths leading
to the retreat, areas affording excellent cover or concealment, or supply storage
buildings. Equipment will also be a factor in preparing fighting positions. A backhoe
can easily dig a foxhole in mere minutes, whereas it may take an hour or more
with e-tools or spades. There may only be enough sandbags on hand to fortify a few positions. Different types of weapons
work better in some locations than in others. Don't put the only sniper rifle
on the retreat at a position that will be guarding a 100-meter approach up
a ravine if there is a position overlooking half a mile of road leading to
the driveway. Yours should balance caliber, range, and rate of fire around
the perimeter where they will be most effective. Hasty positions – These positions consist of nothing more than a shallow
trench just large enough for a defender to lay prone. The hasty offers no overhead
protection and little protection to the front or flanks, but it is the quickest
to construct. If there is plenty of time to prepare, then pick a different
option. Ideally, one position should consist of two trenches aligned in a V
so that two people may occupy it and cover a wider sector (each prone in one
leg of the V). Foxholes – Possibly the most recognized fighting positions, foxholes
are two-man pits which are the ideal choice for perimeter security. Foxholes
should be dug approximately two meters by half a meter and armpit-deep to the
tallest defender (shorter individuals will have to stand on something). This
will ensure the best cover and natural shooting positions will be afforded
to all personnel. Cover and concealment should be added to the fronts and sides
of the hole, leaving the two front corners somewhat open for observation/fire.
Tripping the line causes the spoon to be pulled out of the clothespin and the exposed wires to touch each other. This completes the circuit at the far end of the wire. This simple switch can be used to activate flares, lights, or alarms. If no alarm
circuits are available, improvised devices
like the following may be fashioned. (Check state and local laws, first!): 20 oz bottle blast alarm:
[JWR Adds: Although this improvised method will work, it is both expensive and labor intensive. I recommend stocking up on large 1960s-vintage photographic flashbulbs, such as Westinghouse M2 bulbs. These are available on eBay for as little as 40 cents each, if purchased in quantity. (One recent eBay auction was for 300 "new old stock" M2 flashbulbs and the winning bid was just $77.) You might also be able to find similar flashbulbs via Craig's List or Freecycle. BTW, if you use extreme caution (gloves, safety goggle, et cetera), a hole can be drilled into some flashbulbs, so that a pyrotechnic fuse can be inserted into the mesh core. This allows flashbulbs to double as fuse igniters. Resist the urge to trickle in blackpowder to create a blasting cap. This is far too risky!] Roman candles or other fireworks:
A standard operating procedure (SOP)
should be developed after the perimeter infrastructure is in place. The best
perimeter infrastructure in the world is useless if those defending it are
uncoordinated. The SOP should address who will occupy each fighting position
and what their areas of responsibility are. It should also specify when, how,
and who will perform other critical security tasks including patrolling the
perimeter for weak spots, checking communications equipment, re-supplying or
redistributing ammunition in the event of an active engagement, treating casualties,
rotation of challenges and passwords, length of guard shifts, and anything
else that is imperative to the specific retreat. All members of the retreat
should be familiar with the SOP, and defensive scenarios should be practiced
on a
regular basis, preferably by battle drills or at least by talking through the
process with the aid of diagrams or sand tables. « Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Finding a Like-Minded Spouse » Monday October 13 2008Letter Re: Machining--Making the Gears that Drive Industry, Agriculture, and TransportGreetings Jim and the SurvivalBlog Family, At one point in my
rather varied list of jobs to fill in while unemployed I found myself employed
in
a family owned machine shop. I reproduced drafted copies of gear drawings and
specifications from previously made orders for the guys in the shop to manufacture
the gear orders. I got a real education on just how gears and similar 'small'
parts are made and I picked up a few skills that have helped me over the years
in maintaining my own firearms and tools. This shop did not have any CNC machines
but could make any, and I mean any, size gear from less than an inch in diameter
to twelve to twenty foot diameter gears. In fact the larger gears, such as
gears for elevators of all types, was what they built their reputation on.
Can anyone think of any machine that does not have gears? They are like ball
bearings and things don't run unless the gears and ball bearings are present.
Without those two elements a society will find itself in a pre-Industrial Revolution
setting very quickly. Naturally the 'stock up on ball bearings' thought comes
to mind. But the material heart of their shop was the type of machinery they
used to manufacture the gears and the materials for their manufacture. I found
out that material for gears are as varied as you could get and some material
is down right surprising. Gears are made from steel, which comes to mind at
once, but other materials have properties that will extend the life of the
gear or of the equipment that it is used in. Gear materials range from the
obligatory stainless steel to cast iron, bronze, brass, nylon (even large nylon
gears), and some high tech polymers along with high tech alloys, aircraft grade
aluminum, Bakelite (you’d be amazed just how hard and durable this ‘primitive’ plastic
is and Masonite and compressed textile material. Each material type has it's
place as does the type of gear and usually if a Bakelite gear is replaced with
nylon or soft steel that machine that uses the gear will have it's life span
greatly diminished. The exact gear type and the material it's made from are
critical. Depending on the application of the gear there may be some 'wiggle
room' in material selection but that is the not the usual rule. To illustrate the durability of this 19th
Century equipment, the gear machines were often set up to run 24/7 to cut the
large-sized gears, which are slowly cut and often would be left cutting over
weekends. The operator only had to come in to clear away the cuttings and fill
the cutting fluid tanks to safe levels and make sure the cast metal didn't
have any voids in it which would compromise the integrity of the gear. Of course
if a void showed, which from time to time happens, the process was stopped
and a new gear blank replaced and cutting began anew. The initial construction
of these gear cutters was the most amazing quality and durability I have ever
seen. All the chassis, if that is the proper term, were huge castings, and
then the rest was machined by even larger machinery. The cutting accuracy of
the USSR-made industrial machines was only surpassed when computerized machinery
became the standard. The designers and builders had a quality control that
could rival any other country for the same type of equipment. To give a size
comparison to the scope of the gear size this equipment could cut; the company
was approached by the Department of Defense in the 1980s to manufacture the
drive sprockets for the then-new M1 Abrams tank. There were only a handful
of companies in the U.S. that had the capacity to be a subcontractor for the
making
of
the drive sprockets and maintain a high level of quality control. And even
though the company stood to make a lot of money, the owner declined the offer
because he did not want the government to come in and tell him how things were
to be done. Apparently their would have been a government bureaucrat hovering
about and sticking his nose into every aspect of the operation of the company,
even into areas not directly related to the drive sprocket manufacture. And
since the contract would have been on a defense project the security would
have been very restrictive on the movements of the employees. I thought it
would have been a real irony to have the US main battle tank components manufactured
not only on machinery from the late 19th Century but also from the Soviet Union! I asked the owner why he and the company's founder kept the belt drive systems of the equipment they got from the USSR. He said that his Dad fully expected that at some point after WWII we could face an armed conflict with Russia during the days of the Cold War and he kept it so that the equipment could be retrofitted and alternate power could keep most of the shop running. The generations that grew up during the Great Depression and the rationing of WWII had a totally different mindset than today's generation. The Russians have traditionally followed a use and reuse policy. They mothballed earlier versions of equipment as new equipment replaced the old. Firearms collectors know of the thousands of capture German weapons were sent to arsenals for rework and along with Russia’s own weapons were stored for future use in case of armed conflict with NATO forces. And when that armed conflict did not happen, yet anyway, they took their ‘obsolete’ stockpile of small arms and sold it to generate funds when the USSR ‘collapsed’. It would serve us well to examine our current philosophy on use and 'making do' and modify it accordingly before we are slapped by forces beyond our control. The U.S. has lost so much of our heavy industry through waste and political correctness and political stupidity we can no longer cast the hulls of the Abrams tank. When the last one rolled off the assembly line the molds and other specialized equipment was scrapped. At the Patton Museum there is a tank the U.S. manufactured in the late 1940s that incorporates a solid cast turret and the tank was designed to go head to head against Russia’s heaviest main battle tank should a conflict with them break out in Europe. Today we can’t even manufacture that cast turret from a late 1940s tank. Even though I have digital calipers, I have never discarded my manual dial calipers; and never will. Old does not necessarily mean obsolete. - The Rabid One « Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Buying Just One Gun? » Tuesday October 7 2008Letter Re: Becoming a Food Warrior
James: Note: Cereal: flakes come in all kinds. The food-value is
questionable. Pick a generic brand. If your family won't settle for something
different,
camouflage these flakes in the family's favorite-brand box. I've known children
that wouldn't eat anything that didn't come in some kind of familiar package.) « Letter Re: Saving Your Life and Saving Your Relationships--Don't Drive Your Loved Ones Away |Main| Note from JWR: » Saturday October 4 2008Replace Your FUD with Preparedness Action--a Pre-Crash "D" ListAll of the recent economic news may be overwhelming to some. This has left many people virtually petrified by Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD). Don't be a proverbial "deer in the headlights." I strongly encourage you get past your anxiety uncertainty and instead of sitting around glued to CNN, wringing your hands and saying "ain't it awful". Replace that angst with action. Get busy preparing. Here is my suggested Crash Countdown "D" List, for folks that are already fairly well-prepared: 1.) De-Hummelize Sell off any collectibles that are not family heirlooms. The worst offenders here are the mass produced "limited edition" Hummel figurines, Beanie Babies and those collector plates from umpteen artists. Because I've mentioned this, please don't think that I'm a misogynist. Men can be just as bad about acquiring trinkets! They are just manly trinkets. Far too many men have gun vaults chock full of "commemorative edition" guns with engraving and gold inlay that they would never dream of shOoting, for fear that their collector value would be diminished. I most strongly recommend that you sell off those guns and replace them with truly practical ones .These days, I lean toward stainless steel guns with synthetic stocks, because of their tremendous longevity.and resistance to corrosion. By selling off your toys and trinkets, you will be A.) clearing space for important logistics, and B.) generating cash to help purchase those same logistics. Trinket items have a ready market with eBay, especially this time of year, as people are shopping for Christmas gifts. Take nice crisp photos, start most of your items at a penny, and make sure that you charge enough to cover your postage and tracking costs. 2.) Dumpster Dive Watch your local Craig's List like a hawk. It is not unusual to find people giving away or selling a ridiculously low prices dozens of heavy duty canning jars, hand-crank meat grinders, chest freezers, shelving, and poultry brooder, horse tack, and so forth. I've even found running generators available free for the asking. (You haul.) Mark your calendar for both community yard sales and the next time that your garbage collection service offers an "unlimited curbside pickup" day. Hook up your trailer the evening before, and see what you can find that is free for the taking. (Consult your local ordinances first, of course.) We've found lots of practical items that were still perfectly serviceable, such as rabbit cages, brooms, canes, geriatric walkers, and galvanized wash tubs ("gut buckets") set out on the curb. It would be a shame to see useful item send up in a landfill. 3.) De-Procrastinate. If you have been putting off any dental work, elective surgery, vehicle repairs, or getting new lenses for your eyeglasses, then start making appointments! 4.) Dump Your Dollars 5.) Double-Up Your Staple Goods Shopping Double up your staple groceries shopping. By doing so consistently, you will
rapidly build up a supply of canned good. Make sure you mark the date of purchase
on the top of each can with a permanent marker (such as a Sharpie pen), and
put the most recently purchased cans at the back of the shelf . These are the
essential points of "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) rotation. Cut out needless expenses, so that you can divert that cash into preparedness. Pare down your expenditures on movies and eating out. But don't go overboard and make yourself (or your spouse and kids) miserable. OBTW, here is an example: The Memsahib's sister found that she could skip Starbucks, and make herself an awesome Vanilla Latte at a 7-11 store, for less than half the price. Do comparison pricing. Is a NetFlix subscription less expensive than a cable movie package? Do you really have the time to watch that much television, anyway? I'm not say to do without life's little pleasures. I'm just saying that there are some less expensive alternatives. 7.) Door-to-Door Introductions Get to know your neighbors. Go door to door, if need be. Remind folks who you are. Connect names to faces. Make a list of phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Without being too pushy, quiz them a bit if they are "ready fort he next big storm". Find out if any of them have prior military experience, or advanced medical skills. But of course don't volunteer too much information about yourself. It is not wise to brand yourself at he neighborhood Whackamo. 8.) Drums, Cans, and Fuel Tanks Top off your supplies of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. Add fuel stabilizer and antibacterials (such as Pri-G and Pri-D), as needed. 9.) Detailed Contingency Plans and Packing Lists Contact family and friends, and agree on contingency plans that you'll follow, even if the telephone system and e-mail become inoperative. If any relatives are planning to join you at your retreat when TSHTF, then make sure they know exactly what they will need to pack. They may be able to make only one trip there, so they'll have to make it count. (they need to have appropriate winter clothing, gloves, boots, gardening tools, bedding, and so forth to be productive at your retreat. « Letter Re: My Hurricane Ike Experience |Main| Letter Re: My Preparedness Measures Pay Off During Fuel Shortage » Wednesday September 24 2008Letter Re: Home Canning and Stocking Up
Dear Sir, « Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Observations on a Life on the Gulf Coast During the Hurricane Season » Friday September 19 2008Letter Re: Some Thoughts on Practical Preparedness -- Things That Work
Jim: Use an eyeglasses "leash" (lanyard) to prevent the loss of glasses and reduce the risk of damage. Buy janitorial-size rolls os toilet paper, without perforations. Each roll is 1,000 feet long, and a box of 12 rolls measures about two feet square. These take up just a fraction of the room required to store the same length of toilet paper in standard household rolls. Use a kiddie-type pool to collect water from rainwater downspouts. The pools with hard-plastic sides and vinyl bottoms are fairly durable. A six foot diameter pool that is 15 inches deep holds 211 gallons of water. Light-emitting diode (LED) lights are superior to traditional [filament] bulb designs. They last much longer and are much more resistant to impact. When used LEDs, batteries last much longer. LED headlights are close to ideal for doing chores, since they keep your hands free. Tactical use requires a hand-held or weapon-mounted light [with an intermittent switch.] Krazy Glue [cyanoacrylate adhesive] is great for closing small cuts [after they have been properly cleaned.] Steri-strips are the next step up in holding ability. Water Filters - Culligan's new EZ-change Level 4 [under-sink] filter [cartridge] is rated to treat 500 gallons. That is five time the volume of most compact backpacking filters. With a self-contained design, it would be easy to attach a pump. The are available for $38 through Amazon.com. Most [other] under-sink filters could be used the same way, but the Culligan design is preferable because it is fairly compact. For "ready made" backpacking filters, I prefer the First Need brand filters. These are rated to remove viruses and radioisotopes. Ball-shaped pin on magnetic compasses are compact, but they are more fragile that the type designed to clip on to a watch band, such as the Brunton and Suunto brand compasses. Dental health is very important for long-term survival. Wal-Mart now sells a dental kit including a mirror with scaling tool and pick, from Dentek. They also sell Temparin temporary filling repair kits. These come in three-application containers. Temparin is far superior to the old standby of packing a lost filling void with zinc oxide. A big part of survival is preventing injury. In a post collapse word, an injury will reduce available manpower, and something that would be considered just relatively minor in the present day could prove fatal. Proper safety equipment and training in the safe use of hand tools is crucial. Gloves, eye protection, preventing falls, fire safety, and so forth should be stressed. Hygiene and proper sanitation are equally important. I believe that a good foundation for long-term family preparedness is learning the basics of wilderness survival. Having a solid understanding of the first four critical basics--water, food heat and shelter--helps set priorities in developing a larger plan for long-term preparation. It is also the final "fall back" position [in the event that you are forced to abandon your retreat or in case you never make it there]. These basics are also foundational in making important decisions. « Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Generating Photovoltaic Power When Grid Power is Available » Sunday September 14 2008Letter Re: A Resource on Make-It-Yourself Backpacking GearHello, | ||||||||||||||||||||