Category: Fuel Storage & Distilling

Letter: Buying Gas for Storage

Mr. Rawles, I live where they switch between winter gas (Benzine, short molecule chains) and summer gas (pure, long molecule chains). Which is the best season to buy/rotate my gas supply for storage? Also, under normal circumstances premium octane is a waist of money or even bad for my machines, but is it better for storage? God bless – B. HJL Replies: In the past, JWR recommended buying fuel for long-term storage in winter months, because it had extra butane added (for cold weather starting) and hence it had a longer shelf life. However, since 2010 he has recommended buying …


Letter: Diesel Fuel Storage

Hugh, I thought that the readership of Survivalblog would like to know that I am currently burning diesel fuel that was bought in 2005. The fuel was stored in 55-gallon drums located in a cool, dark place and treated with FPPF super fuel stabilizer. I also intentionally bought my fuel in the winter months. The fuel is being burned in Cummins 12-valve engines. The fuel is low sulfur, not ultra low sulfur, so only time will tell if the same results can be expected from the new fuel that was introduced in 2007. – sj


You Have To Start Somewhere, by Jason F.

As a blessed and married father of five, you continuously do what you can to make sure that all will go well on a daily basis.  Things like the car running, the roof not leaking, the kids having shoes on their feet, clothes on their back and family having food in their bellies.  Just recently I have been thinking more about the possibilities of a tragedy striking and the “what if” scenarios that could be involved.  You can call me crazy, concerned, or even paranoid but whatever the case may be, I want to be prepared. I’ve never considered myself …


Letter Re: Coal–The Other Black Gold

James, I was in a bad pickle this summer.  A housing opportunity came by and my family moved to a nice country home in Minnesota farm country.  It’s low traffic, well sheltered from the wind on all sides by mature trees, and safe for outside pets.  There is ample space for a large garden that will produce a surplus while feeding the entire family.  Yet there is one problem.  The house, while well kept, is a century old.  It is not very well insulated, and we knew from the previous tenant that it is difficult to heat in the winter. …


Five Letters Re: Storing Whiskey For Barter

Howdy Captain, Reading the other remarks about storing whiskey for barter made me chuckle, I’ve got a different take on this subject. We’re a dry household, always have been, just no need for that stuff. Life is pretty amazing when you’re sober, why miss a minute of it under the influence of anything. But, I’ve kept two bottles of Jack Daniels stored very prominently in our pantry for many years, and they’re located in a place that makes them impossible to overlook. We live in out in the sticks, and the idea is that if anyone breaks into the house …


Two Letters Re: Storing Whiskey For Barter

Mr. Rawles, The letter from Tom R. raised the question of stockpiling alcohol for trade.  While I have no moral opposition to alcohol consumption, and even keep a stock of wine and spirits for my own use, there are some practical drawbacks to stocking alcohol for barter.   First, unless a person has unlimited funds and storage space, it seems foolhardy to stock quantities of items which will not be used or consumed (precious metals excepted) in the normal course of daily post-SHTF activities.   A more rational course of action would be to stock quantities that would be used within the …


Letter Re: Storing Whiskey For Barter

Hi Jim, I love SurvivalBlog! I have a question: I would like to store whiskey for bartering in SHTF. I thought of taking empty 187 ML (about 6 oz) wine bottles with screw caps, washing them, refilling with whiskey, placing a short wine cork in top, then screw cap, then wrap in Saran wrap to limit evaporation loss. I would then label bottles with content and date, and store for SHTF. How does this sound to you? Thanks, – Tom R. JWR Replies: While I don’t approve of bartering whiskey, I must concede that many folks do see some utility …


Two Letters Re: Refurbishing Dead Gasoline

Jim, Here are some additional thoughts in regard to the letter, “Refurbishing Dead Gasoline”, from my perspective as an oil refinery chemist:   Gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, and there are many different flammable materials that can be blended to achieve the desired specifications.   In regard to vapor pressure of U.S. gasoline blends, a mixture resulting in about 15 psi Reid vapor pressure is ideal for winter conditions, and a mixture resulting in about 7 psi Reid vapor pressure is ideal for summer conditions.   The gasoline blend should exhibit enough vapor pressure for ignition to occur …


Letter Re: Refurbishing Dead Gasoline

JWR, The shelf life of gasoline is one of the lurking problems with the prepper community. With this short article I will show you a simple process to take that lifeless gas and make it usable again. One of the issues with very old (several years) gas is the formation of deposits and gum via oxidation. Ethanol doesn’t help either, except to line the pockets of the Ethanol Lobby. Another issue is water absorption over time. Gasoline is not one cut of hydrocarbons, but a mixture of light and heavy fuels. Over time the lighter elements [“fractions”] evaporate, leaving a …


Letter Re: Hand Wood Splitting Tools

James, I concur with your desire to purchase items made in America, but I have had some trouble finding wood splitting items made here that are of the same quality as made in Europe.  I also split my wood by hand and I have found these items very helpful:   This great maul, and   this Gränsfors splitting maul, and   The spiral twist in this wedge makes it very effective with increased mechanical advantage.   If you know of any American made wood splitting devices that are of the same quality as these, please let me know, because I …


Help for the New Prepper, by Don H.

 Many of us that have been prepping since before the Internet have welcomed all the new information, knowledge, and interaction with our fellow preppers. But for someone who is just starting out, it can all be overwhelming. So overwhelming that they don’t know where to start. The sad part is that many of them don’t start. They feel that they have to  spend so much money at one time to get all the gear that the experts say they need, that they just can’t do it. This is in large part due to shows like Doomsday Preppers. While I watch …


Letter Re: Can I Burn Home Heating Oil or Kerosene in a Diesel Engine?

Jim, I hope all is well. I noted your reply to this blog post: Letter Re: Can I Burn Home Heating Oil or Kerosene in a Diesel Engine? You mention that home heating oil is nearly identical to diesel fuel. Three additional clarifications may be useful for your readers. The first is that depending on your locale and type of heating system, “home heating oil” (HHO) may refer to a blend of different fuel oils, some of which may not be suitable for internal combustion. If you plan on using HHO in a diesel engine, ensure that it is Number …


Letter Re: Stealth Wood Cutting and Splitting with Electric Tools

James, I wanted offer some praise to J.J.S. and is thorough submission titled Heating with Wood 101. I’m following his lead and wanted to offer your readers some additional ideas on wood processing with some stealth after TSHTF. Running a 50cc chainsaw and a 34-ton log splitter is all fine and dandy when there’s no one around meaning to do you any harm but its completely inappropriate in a TEOTWAWKI situation. If you are lucky enough to have a renewable energy source its advisable to switch to electrical tools because they are so quiet. Either of the big box stores …


Heating with Wood 101, by J.J.S.

 “If I have seen for miles, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.” – Isaac Newton This line sums up SurvivalBlog and the contributing writers: it is a community of concerned preppers trying to share knowledge to help each other out.  My focus today is residential heating with wood as your fuel based on my experience heating with my airtight cast iron stove.  Pretty boring topic for the seasoned prepper, but I think there are plenty of new preppers who have recently seen the light and can feel the stuff hitting the fan and hopefully this …


Letter Re: Questions on Gardening, Livestock and Dogs in North Idaho

Dear CPT Rawles, My wife and I, along with our three teenage son’, are now eyeball deep in prepping, and have reached that stage where we pretty much have most of everybody’s personal gear needs met, with the exception of a few small items here and there.  We opted to take care of that first, as we are stuck temporarily east of the mississippi, in the southeastern US.  Our intent when we began our prepping journey a couple years ago, was first & foremost to be able to make a hasty exit from this area if the SHTF.  Thus, our …