Hidden Storage For Strategic Tools and Security Items- Part 1, by Old Bobbert

The following are some hints and instructions on making a storage space for locating your backup strategic tools and varied security items within your home. This space also makes them nearly impossible to find and confiscate. While reading, please note that my strong belief that we are usually far too serious about most everything even remotely classed as preparedness activity has strongly influenced how this article has been worded. Every word has been considered both for humor potential (very subtle and low key) and for serious value.

This article, as titled above, will be presented to the readers with as much innocent humor and smiles as may be possible. Remember as you read, laugh, and smile that this is actually a very serious topic. It could very easily save a life someday, perhaps your life or that of a loved one. So let’s us start at the starting point, and the humor may well go downhill from this point.

The Location

In your bedroom in a clothing closet with double doors, empty the closet completely. Step into the now empty closet and turn to look at a side wall. It will be easy to discern which wall is the side wall as it will be one of the two shorter walls. Do not look at a side wall that is actually a side wall that is also a part of the building’s exterior wall. Go for the other side wall. It will be the side wall that you can readily see a part of something else. However, if you actually did start in the closet with your wife’s clothes, stop everything right now. Put everything back exactly where it was and never admit to anyone what you nearly did to ruin a good marriage…yours.

Pick a Spot

In the correct closet, pick a spot on the correctly chosen side wall and then use the ice pick tool you were supposed to remember to have with you to an approximate depth of two inches. If you are successful, you will be aware that you did not push the pointed end of the ice pick into a hidden wall stud. If so, move the ice pick two inches in your choice of horizontal directions and repeat the “push pick process” in a continuing manner. Your short-term goal is to locate any two adjacent hidden studs (the 2” x 4” four-sided wooden poles) hidden inside the wall. These two hidden poles should be about 16 inches apart from one another.

Pencil Draw High Security Storage Enclosure Area

Use the 12-inch level you were supposed to have handy to draw in pencil a very perfectly straight level line between the two hidden poles. Continuing your pencil line creating process, pencil in a second horizontal pencil line (18 x 36) inches above the first pencil line. Be sure that the the two ends of the second pencil line are exactly and directly above the two ends of the first pencil line you penciled on the correct side wall.

Your next step is to free-hand pencil in a vertical pencil line connecting the two left side ends of the two horizontal lines. Repeat the vertical creation line process on the two right side ends of the two horizontal lines.

Congratulations, you have successfully created a pencil outline of the high security long term storage enclosure area.

Partial Cuts of Horizontal Sides

Position the pointed sharp end of the box cutter tool you were supposed to remember to have handy at your best choice of the four corners of the outlined enclosure area and then push gently. Very slowly and carefully, cut a line on top of and only part way through the two penciled-in horizontal sides of the proposed security enclosure area. At this time, do not cut completely or all of the way through the drywall material we called the side wall. If the closet floor is carpeted, place a protective cloth or whatever will work and is readily available on top of the carpet because you are making a real home wrecker mess.

Partial Cuts of Vertical Sides

Now slowly and carefully cut all of the way through the dry wall until you meet the inner resistance caused by the hidden vertical wall stud. Start at approximately the center of one of the two horizontal pencil lines. Then, complete the same procedure cutting from the center cut line through to the other end of the pencil line, again stopping when you reach the other vertical wall stud.

Progress with Screws

Smile, you are making real progress. Next, get one of the two long wood screws and your electric drill, which you were supposed to have handy, and insert the first long wood screw and then the other into the dry wall approximately in the center area of the drywall and about 10 inches apart from one another.

Single Vertical Full Cut

Next will be your first vertical, all-the-way-through cut, on one of the two vertical pencil lines. You may find a slight resistance from a drywall screw being in the way of the cutting. (If this is your situation, stop now and gently pencil a very small curved line around the dry wall screw.) Now proceed to cut through the dry wall to the vertical wall stud starting at the other end and working your way back to the dry wall screw holding the drywall to the wall stud. Smile. No one is watching to see if you are doing it the right way, I think.

Gently Release Drywall From Screw

Take the screw driver with the tiny straight end pointing away from you. It’s the one that you were supposed to have handy, and then as carefully as you can use the screwdriver sharp end to chip away the drywall enclosing the drywall screw until you have freed the screw from the drywall at that point. Try to keep the small hole around the drywall screw as small and as neat/clean as is possible. Do not try to be fast; just be careful and be gentle. Do not remove the drywall screw from the wall stud, at least not now and not until it is time for that removal. You will need it again and soon to put back in place securely at a later point in the creation of your secure enclosure area process. (You needed to know that stuff at this point.)

Cut Through Three Sides

Now you can start to fully cut the vertical pencil line. Be sure to cut all the way through the drywall and just very slightly into the hidden wall stud. Continue working as needed on this, your first vertical final cut, completely freeing the pencil lined area of the dry wall entirely free, but only on three sides. If you cut through all four sides at this point, you will be making a much larger storage cavity, like it or not, because the smaller hunk of drywall will most likely break up when it hits bottom. A still-connected side four will hold it stationary.

The Final Cutting

Next, will be the final cutting. The two protruding wood screws will be your handles for moving the piece away from the cavity. That’s away and not down the hole or out the window. I tried that once, while doing apartment building maintenance. Once was enough and very expensive. You will most likely find a dry wall screw as you complete this final cutting through the drywall and slightly into the wall stud. This is the time when you should be most careful. Do not get frustrated and nick your pointing finger. You may need it later.

You will be freeing the dry wall section you first outlined with your penciling. Be careful cutting and handling the piece of drywall. It will be re-installed (you hope) after the cavity is filled with your items that are sorta almost correctly packaged for long-term, dry (again you hope) storage. This preparedness performance we do works well when we have hope.

My Past Experience

In my past experience, when cutting dry wall and moving a piece, the window was closed and like I said it was an expensive mishap. It was a vacant third floor apartment behind the Robert Hall store in Cheviot, Ohio around 1972, I think. Yes, I really am that old and getting older everyday. I’ve been doing preparedness stuff since 1992. That’ll make anybody get older.

You’ve Done Well and Need to Tidy Up

Getting back to your security space, you have done well so far. Relax, take a breath, and smile. It’s now time to switch priorities for a few minutes. This is a good time to lightly clean up the floor under your work area. A clean work area makes the labor easier and more efficient. Sure it does, uh huh.

Tomorrow, we’ll finish the instructions for the hidden security storage area. I’ll also share some tips for preparing for the future as well.

See Also:

• Hidden Storage For Strategic Tools and Security Items- Part 2, by Old Bobbert (Active on 9/16/17)

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

This has been another entry for Round 72 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

1. A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public.
2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value),
3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
5. An infrared sensor/imaging camouflage shelter from Snakebite Tactical in Eureka, Montana (A $350+ value),
6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
7. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
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Second Prize:

1. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
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4. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
5. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
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7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
8. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
2. A custom made Sage Grouse model utility/field knife from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
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5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a $125 Montie gear Gift certificate.,
8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value), and

Round 72 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.