Letter Re: Small Volume Water Purification with UV from Sunlight

Jim,
I recently learned about a water purification system that is being promoted by Rotary International for Third World areas without safe drinking water. Simply put: fill a plastic bottle with water, and leave it in the bright sun for six hours. The ultraviolet (UV) light kills the pathogens, and the water is safe to drink. [JWR Adds: This method only works well with fairly clear water. UV light cannot penetrate very murky water, and it will not sterilize any plant matter suspended in the water. So be sure to use a pre-filter when treating water from open sources such as ponds, lakes, or streams. ]

Sound too good to be true? The Swiss-developed system has been saving lives for 17 years. It is fastest in the tropics, where increased water temperature assists the process. Winter use in temperate zones may want to consider using solar ovens or greenhouses to achieve adequate water temperature. Even in bright cloudy weather, the process is effective after two days.

I might not want to make this my first potion, but if stranded in the wilderness, of stuck for an extended period without a reliable water supply, I’d give it serious consideration. Regards, – Ben

Letter Re: Acquiring Tire Repair Supplies and Compressors

Mr. Rawles,
After getting a flat tire recently in the back-country I decided to beef up my off-road repair kit with more than just a spare tire. I now have two spares. I’ve also added a portable 12V compressor along with a portable tire puncture repair kit like this one.

For $35 the kit includes enough plugs to repair perhaps a dozen punctures, extra valve stems and valves, valve wrench and high quality reamer and needle for applying the tire plugs. It is an excellent kit and is much higher quality than the plug kits you find in typical auto stores.

In some states it’s illegal to use tire plugs, but for an emergency situation it may be just the ticket you need to get to a tire shop and have a proper tire patch applied. – Craig R.

JWR Replies: That is good advice. I must add one proviso: The 12 VDC compressors normally sold for roadside emergencies use a very wimpy compressor that will not re-inflate a flat tire that has the weight of a car resting on in. They just don’t have the requisite oomph. Buy a proper 117 VAC compressor with a 2 gallon pressure tank. (If you are a SurvivalBlog reader, odds are that you already carry a 117 VAC inverter, anyway. These compressors can be run from a small inverter. I’ve done so many times around the ranch.) If you pay less than $50 for a new compressor, then you can be sure that it will be inadequate for anything more than adding a few pounds of pressure to a tire with a slow leak.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Thanks to Lisa for finding this gem: Blacksmith ‘a collector of forgotten trades’

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Joe H. sent us a link to an article from Permaculture magazine about self-sufficient living on the cheap (in England)

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I read that the latest movie in the Terminator franchise (Terminator 4: Salvation) is scheduled for release on May 22, 2009. Judging from the trailers, it looks like most if not all of the film takes place in the post-Skynet nuked future. This one should be good.

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The latest flurry of economic news and commentary links from The Economatrix: Bank Bailouts a Failure…And There is No Plan “B” — Frugal is Cool in Cash-Strapped US — UK $200 Billion Re-Financing Time Bomb — UK Banks on Brink of Second Bailout — UK Banks Defy Brown’s Call to Loosen Credit — BoE to Cut Interest Rates; Savers to Receive Zero Interest — Jobless in City Park Tent Village — US Manufacturing Slumps to 1980 Low — Gulf Cooperation Council to Create New Currency — Feds Sell Off Failed IndyMac for $13.9 Billion — Sanderson State Bank Latest Failed Bank — Oil Prices Rebound as Dollar Slumps — Store Bankruptcies Can Burn Shoppers — Will Your Cell Phone Crash in Emergencies?

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FloridaGuy flagged this: Newark, New Jersey bans barbed wire

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"There was no court in Holland which would enforce payment. The question was raised in Amsterdam, but the judges unanimously refused to interfere, on the ground that debts contracted in gambling were no debts in law. Thus the matter rested. To find a remedy was beyond the power of the government. Those who were unlucky enough to have had stores of tulips on hand at the time of the sudden reaction were left to bear their ruin as philosophically as they could; those who had made profits were allowed to keep them; but the commerce of the country suffered a severe shock, from which it was many years ere it recovered." – Charles Mackay, LL.D., describing the Tulipomania, in Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, first published London,1841.

Letter Re: Building a Very Inexpensive 10-in-1 Machine Tool for Every Retreat

Dear Mr. Rawles
The [home-made] MultiMachine is an accurate all-purpose machine tool that can be used as a metal or wood lathe, end mill, horizontal mill, drill press, wood or metal saw or sander, surface grinder and sheet metal “spinner”. It can be built by a semi-skilled mechanic using just common hand tools. For machine construction, electricity can be replaced with “elbow grease” and all the necessary material can come from discarded vehicle parts.

If the MultiMachine builder adds just three easily-learned skills:

Making small welds with a welder made from three vehicle batteries hooked in series.
Using a flower pot furnace to make simple Zinc and Aluminum alloy castings.
Grinding lathe cutting tools. (There are many “How to” instructions on the web for all this).

…then they can then build seven additional metal bending, rolling and cutting tools that could be used to equip a small but fully functional metal working factory.
That’s about 20 serious metal working tools in a project that needs just broken engine blocks, used pipe and truck frame pieces (and lots of hacksaw blades)!

How can just one kind of machine do all this? In almost every kind of machining operation, either the work piece or the cutting tool turns. If enough flexibility is built into these functions, the resulting machine can do almost every kind of metal working operation that will physically fit.
Sounds crazy or too good to be true? The 4,600 member Yahoo news group on Multimachines doesn’t think so and are standing ready to help.
Don’t know anything about machining? Read the small book “How to Run a Lathe” available on our news group.
Every person interested in personal survival needs these free books and video in their library (at least)!
Again, no catches, no charges, no nothing! Just benefit from the seven years work spent developing machine tools for poor people in developing countries. – Pat D.

From the SurvivalBlog Archives: Survival On a Shoestring Budget

I often get e-mails from readers claiming either directly or indirectly that preparedness is “only for wealthy people”–that working class people cannot afford to prepare. That is nonsense. By simply re-prioritizing your budget and cutting out needless expenses (such as alcohol, cigarettes, convenience foods, and cable television) almost anyone can set aside enough money for a year’s worth of storage food in fairly short order.

It is amazing what can be done with hard work, ingenuity, and very little money. While I do not endorse interloping on public lands nor do I suggest that you live like a hermit, the following stories are indicative of what can be accomplished with next to no cash.

First, here is an article about about a father and daughter that lived for four years undetected in a Portland, Oregon park

Next, a news story about a hermit who secretly lived for at least three years inside the “secure” Los Alamos nuclear research reservation in New Mexico:

Next, an article about New York City’s part-legend, part-fact “Mole People”

I also vaguely recall in the 1990s reading an article about a man who secretly built an underground house in parkland abutting the suburbs somewhere on the east coast. The house went undetected for several years. Its entrance was hidden in a berry thicket. He was only discovered because neighbors saw his comings and goings. When police arrived to investigate, after much searching for the entrance, they entered the underground house just after than man had taken a shower in his underground bathroom. (Perhaps one of you readers saved the newspaper clipping or has a link to the news story.)

I recommend the book “The Last of the Mountain Men“. It is the story of Sylvan Hart (a.k.a.”Buckskin Bill”), a famous Idaho solitary who lived deep in a roadless section of the River of No Return Wilderness. His solution to his own unemployment during the Great Depression was to move to the wilderness and live self-sufficiently. The book describes how Hart lived from the 1930s to the 1970s. He mined and smelted his own copper, made his own muzzle loading rifles and pistols, and constructed his house and garden. It is a fascinating book.

And for someone with a “maxi” budget? Consider the Bear Den: [now advertised at our spin-off SurvivalReatly.com web site.]

I didn’t point out all of the preceding references because I want you to live like hermits or flee into the wilderness and live in a hollowed-out tree like the boy in My Side of the Mountain. Rather, I just want you to start thinking outside the box. Survival is 90% sweat, ingenuity, and perseverance. It is only the remaining 10% that requires cash.

Letter Re: Feed Sacks as Sandbag Substitutes

Mr. Rawles;
We came across a small discovery here on our ranch. We feed many animals and four dogs. So we go through a good deal of dog food in bags. I noticed the similarity in dog food bags to the construction of sandbags. So, I have been using , dog food bags as low cost/no cost sandbags. They work well and if you keep the weight close to the amount that came in the bag. They don’t rip. We have been using them for a year and they hold up well in our tests thus far. They have been used in areas that are under roof so they don’t get exposed to rain/moisture. They work well in areas where one would want to bag to bolster areas close to windows etc. We have also stored some without sand dirt and they hold up well and don’t seem to degrade.

I thought I would share our small discovery. Thanks for what you do and your efforts. – EG

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Releveller wrote to suggest that America’s architectural future may lie in China’s past: Fujian Tulou.

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In the “Why am I not surprised?” Department: NASA’s Hansen to Obama: Use Global Warming to Redistribute Wealth

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Chris K. sent a linked to a Wired magazine article with lots of rookie survival comments. Chris noted: “A few sound like they may survive the first couple weeks and [then] become armed and dangerous — a good reason to move another 100 miles away from the ‘blast zone’.”

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More economic cheer from Cheryl: 2008 Humiliating Year for Investors, Outlook for 2009 Grim — Ten Major Threats Facing US Dollar in 2009 — In Gold We Trust — GMAC Bailout a Sign of the Times — Second-Hand Stores Shine in Weak Retail Market — 1940s Austerity: Make Do, Waste Not — Flawed Accounting Methods Hides True Scale of Pension Fund Losses — Microsoft Announces 15,000 Job Losses — Economists Warn of Doom and Gloom — Jobless Who Get Benefits Most Since 1982; 4.5 Million Figure Expected to Grow — Banker Buys $37 Million Apartment After Getting $25 Million Buying for Doing Virtually Nothing — How We Went from $42,000 to $6,500 and Lived to Tell About It — GMAC’s $6 Billion Deal Show Why Automakers Need to Head for Chapter 11 — Ludwig von Mises Institute: The Crisis in 10 Points

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 20 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The contest prizes include:

First Prize: The writer of the best contributed article will be awarded two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value!
Second Prize: A three day course certificate from OnPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses.
Third Prize: A copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Round 20 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival will have an advantage in the judging.

Letter Re: Inexpensive Spare Eyeglasses

Hello JWR,
Thanks for the site. Information is the best currency. I will send 10 Cent Challenge money in February.
Just wanted to give you a link to LBWEyewear.com, a site I discovered which sells [made-to-order] prescription eyeglasses. Most normal pairs are less than $25. Some less than $15.
I don’t have any connection to that site, just a satisfied customer. I’m sure there are others like it.

I have found that paying 200+ dollars for a pair of glasses is not economical because I lose them often and break them. It’s always good to have a spare pair in the car, or BOB. And even though ordering eyeglasses on a web site”sight unseen” means you have to guess as to the style / fit, it’s better to have a clunky pair in an emergency than none. Also, post-SHTF, optometrists appointments are probably low priority. I think this falls under the category of medical supplies, such as prescription medicines.

For the second time now I have ordered 4 pairs for less than 60 dollars. There is a pair in each vehicle I own, one by the television, one in the shooting bag, etc. Also, after ordering once I now know which to order that are stylish for me. This company sent both my packages snailmail within two weeks.

Here’s the catch: you have to know your prescription. That means you have to call your eye doctor and finagle this information out of their receptionist. Legally they have to give you this info, but that doesn’t mean they will. Optometrists make their money selling their ability to check your eyes. They’re selling you the eye exam, not the glasses. But they give you the exam “for free”, because you will buy the glasses for hundreds of dollars. The manufacturing itself costs only a few dollars for common glass
Also, your prescription is more than what is written on your contact lenses box. You have to know the power of your near / farsightedness, the axis of any astigmatisms, and your pupillary distance. Doctors don’t often give this information on the first try.

In support of buying local and supporting independent retailers you may want to pay your optometrist something for their service. I however cannot justify another pair of over-priced specs. Offering to “buy the exam” may be a more honorable way to go.
Hope this info is helpful! Best, – N.

Three Letters Re: The Best College Degrees for the Next Depression?

Dear Jim:
Why go to college at all? Speaking as a college graduate, unless you are getting a technical degree, you would probably learn more apprenticing in a real business that interests you, and studying on your own and taking courses part time. When you need to apply knowledge right away, motivation is high, and the lesson really sticks. Bonus – you avoid 4 years of immersion in (and contributing to) a politically correct cesspool – often intellectually dishonest to boot.

For some professions you do need a degree for technical knowledge. But most of the time a degree is just a screening device or “ticket punch” to show that you can study hard and persevere. Gary North has a whole section on his web site on how to beat the college racket, and get your ticket punched with a degree for under $25,000, and no debt.
The way things are going a highly skilled trade where you can work for yourself might be the best bet (electrician, plumber, auto mechanic, computer repair, etc., etc.). Someone who can just work like a professional in the “blue collar” trades will have such an advantage over most of the competition they will do well.
Regards, – OSOM

 

Mr. Rawles,
I wholeheartedly agree with both of the readers whose letters referenced learning a trade before attending college. My own experience, I grew up in a military family, when I graduated High School I wasn’t sure the military for me just yet and had the foresight to understand I probably wasn’t mature enough to handle college at that point in my life. I was also fortunate that in addition to a tradition of military service my family also had years of experience in the trades, one Grandfather became a boilermaker after the Navy, the other a carpenter after his stint in the Army, my Father retired after 22 years in the Air force and learned the trade of sheet metal work and HVAC repair, all of them proudly non-union. With their guidance I did some research and discovered the excellent merit shop (Non-union) apprenticeship programs offered by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). The tuition is reasonable, (roughly $200 per semester when I started in 1997) and most member companies are so thrilled to have a young worker take his career seriously that they will sponsor the cost, provided good grades are maintained.

I chose the carpentry apprenticeship program, and shortly after graduation on my 18th birthday embarked on a eye-opening and enlightening experience. One of the first things that shocked me was that at a modest sized company for our large upper midwest town, (150 field employees) there was only one other apprentice my age. We had a handful of laborers who were college dropouts, but none of them were interested in tradecraft training, preferring to remain unskilled laborers and wondering why they always got the grunt work. The fact that there wasn’t a larger group of young Americans clamoring to learn a useful trade to provide for themselves and their families was astounding to me!
After two exciting years (and two bitterly cold winters) of building everything from power plants, to hospitals, to runways I decided to return to college. At first I was planning on studying Civil Engineering, which is a fine profession but entails an inordinate amount of desk work after graduation. Again, with some guidance I stumbled upon Construction Engineering (At other universities known by the names of Construction Management, or Construction Technology).

At the University I was shocked by two things

1) College is a business! They will try to keep you in as long as they can to keep raking in the student fees, etc. My first academic “advisor” even told me that finishing a bachelors degree in four years was a pipe dream, and most students took five years these day! I promptly switched advisors. Students, don’t let anyone convince you it can’t be done in four years or less. I was far from a stellar student in high school, just barely cracked into the top 50% of my graduating class and I completed my Bachelor’s degree in four years, while working 30+ hours a week at part-time jobs. This may take a little extra “hard work” but again, nothing worth having comes easy and if you’re already a preparedness minded individual than this shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for you!

2) A surprising majority of engineering students never worked a trade, and never held a trade related internship in college! This flabbergasted me to say the least, how could someone who’s never put hands on a piece of lumber or steel expect to lead workers in a project? Needless to say, come graduation time those students who continued to work at best buy weren’t in the highest demand by employers. Conveniently enough, my trade training had an added benefit: Rather than having to work a “typical” part-time job in retail, I always found construction companies that were willing to work around my college schedule, and pay significantly above the minimum wage my friends were earning. Which offered the added benefit of leaving the nights, and most weekends free for studying or socializing.

After finishing school, I attended the Navy’s Officer Candidate School and became a Surface Officer for 5 years. Again, my trade experience gave me a valuable leg up over my peers. I finished school with no debts, having continued to work the entire four years but was again surprised to learn that some of my friends who had been [contracted cadets] in ROTC had massive debts. The ROTC is quite willing to take C students, but don’t expect to get a full ride! I knew of many officers that finished college twenty, thirty, even forty-thousand dollars in debt!

Now working as a Project Manager for a large General Contractor I am still surprised by the lack of interest shown by today’s students for the trades. To me, the work is exciting, doesn’t involve a desk, and pays extremely well. Believe me, we would love to take as many motivated young Americans as we can get our hands on! Unfortunately, many of them have been sold on the dream that college is for everyone, it’s not, and that isn’t a bad thing. I can’t say enough good things about learning a useful trade or skill, It’s a job that can never be outsourced, but unfortunately it is being “in-sourced” by immigrants who are willing to work hard, harder than most Americans these days.

Mr. Rawles, thank you for your wonderful blog. Very Respectfully, – A Former C Student

 

Jim-
Having recently discovered the site, I am now a daily follower. I find the advice practical and in keeping with my pragmatic approach to life. The technical detail is impressive, and the topics wide ranging. There is always something surprising each day I scroll down the page. I am an architect in New York City, and find the architectural topics of great interest. The site’s take on architecture is refreshing and seldom discussed or debated elsewhere. I will plow through the archives and find out what sort of treasures lurk within.
There have been a number of recent letters discussing the issue of college education. There is a common tone to these letters that suggests that learning a trade is important, perhaps of greater importance than getting one of those pricey college degrees. I agree that having useful skills, particularly hand skills, is important. As for myself, I am a woodworker and carpenter, making and designing furniture, restoring my house in addition to my architectural “office job.”
Here’s my take- college degrees are critical in addition to “pragmatic” skills. I’m not going to suggest which degree to get, since certain degrees are “more valuable” in certain parts of the USA and world than others. Architects are useful in New York City but useless in Nebraska, for example. Two points I want to stress:

1- My degree “got me noticed” by all my employers. It “got me a foot in the door” as ridiculous as it sounds. That degree, that piece of paper, really got me ahead of the mobs on the streets. It’s a sad arrangement, expensive but necessary. Think of that piece of paper as some prized battle rifle as you soldier through life- it’s a tool like anything else.
2- My degree “expanded my mind” beyond the day-to-day, hand-to-mouth nature of existence. Religion “expanded my mind” as well, but the concepts and thinking that college introduces rounded me out even more. When we are all holed up behind steel doors clutching those riot guns, the mind needs to find release, in addition to prayer and meditation. Art, philosophy, psychology, medicine, etc. can help.

Keep up the good work! – Freakoscope

JWR Replies: The emphasis on learning a trade in many of the recent letters overlooks one key issue: At present, someone with a baccalaureate degree on average will earn $1,000,000 more in their lifetime that someone with just a high school diploma. So if you plan to work in the corporate world, then I recommend getting at least a Bachelor’s degree. Just make sure that the degree is in something useful, where there is a reasonable expectation that there will be jobs waiting. (Not “bird calling and basket weaving”–as my father dubbed the useless degrees.) Perhaps the best way to do this is to work in a skilled trade or with an IT certification, to work your way through college on a five to eight year plan. Graduating debt free at age 26 or 27 with lots of practical experience will actually make you a much more desirable job applicant than someone that graduates at age 22 or 23 with nothing other than the degree on their resume. Take as many lower division credits as possible from a community college or on-line. All that employers will consider is the degree itself, and the name of the institution that eventually grants the degree. So take your first two years “on the cheap”, and then transfer to a more prestigious school.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Blacksheep sent us this Army Times article about WoundStat: Army halts use of new anti-blood loss product. (Note: So far as I know, Celox and QuickClot (available from several of our advertisers) are still approved for use in trauma cases.)

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FloridaGuy sent this “signs of the times” piece from one of the several states teetering on the edge of bankruptcy: California Taxpayers Due Refunds May Get IOUs

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This piece by Matt Hardigree was linked once before at SurvivalBlog, but it was so entertaining that it bears repeating: And Now for Something Entirely Different – The Ten Best Post-Apocalyptic Survival Vehicles. (Thanks to Jack B. for the reminder.)

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“N” sent us the link to this essay on self defense against skyjackers aboard aircraft: Fight Back. Note that the author’s mention of carrying a carbon fiber knife would be a felony.So it is best to rely on canes, stiff combs, and ballpoint pens.

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Eric sent this: Rising desperation as China’s exports drop

 

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"If the jury feels the law is unjust, we recognize the undisputed power of the jury to acquit, even if its verdict is contrary to the law as given by a judge, and contrary to the evidence." – 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, US v. Moylan, 1969

Letter Re: Sources for Fasteners for D.I.Y. Web Gear Fabrication

Good Morning, Jim!
I am a long-time regular reader here with a question. On your blog you’ve been recently posting about various web gear, etc. I have long desired to build some of my own gear using nylon straps and high strength plastic buckles, tensioners, and adjustment components typically found on outdoor gear. The problem has been finding a source/supplier for these components. Do you have any recommendations?
Thank You, – John Geerman

JWR Replies: In my experience, piece parts for Fastex buckles and similar parts are ridiculously expensive if bought new in small quantities in a “brick and mortar” retail store. Lower prices can be found in bulk online (for example, at eBay), REI (Fastex quick release buckles and “tri-glides”) and Reef Scuba (for nylon webbing material). But I’ve found that it is often best to simply find “trashed” military surplus backpacks and well-used older generation Load Bearing Vests (LBVs), and cannibalize them for their hardware. Check around at your local surplus stores to see what they have.

The Swiss Army surplus waterproof Alpine backpack extensions, for example, have a profusion of redundant hardware–including the hardware and straps such as the extraneous tie-down straps like those designed to hold down a Swiss “Darth Vader” helmet when stowed on the back of the pack. If you take half of these off, you still have a quite useful waterproof bag, plus a big pile of male and female Fastex type connectors, short length of straps, and tensioners.