Letter Re: Advice on an Inexpensive Solar Battery Charger?

Hi Mr. Rawles:

In your comments to the family living in Trinidad & Tobago, you wrote: “As your budget allows, buy a small solar charger for your AA and AAA NiMH batteries.”
Do you have personal experience with any of these solar chargers? Can you recommend any? Many thanks, – Larry T.

JWR Replies: Depending on your budget, solutions can run from “micro”, to “mini”, to “maxi.” These inexpensive solar chargers sold by Ready Made Resources (one of our long-time advertisers) work fine as a “micro” solution., but be advised that they are not waterproof. I recommend setting these up on a windowsill, inside a south-facing window. In my experience, it is best to buy at least two of these chargers, since they charge slowly, via “trickle charging”.

Moving up to the “mini” solution, there are these 6.5 watt flexible (amorphous), photovoltaic (PV) panels. Even modest-size PV systems with a small deep cycle battery bank can make a huge difference in providing small scale lighting and battery charging for crucial security measures such as radios and night vision equipment. There are so many LED lights, battery charging trays, and various pieces of electronic gear available that will run directly from 12 VDC or from a DC-to-DC converter, that you might be able to skip the expense of a full-up system with a large AC inverter.

If you have a bigger budget, Ready Made Resources (RMR) and other vendors can also supply larger pre-packaged PV power systems, either with or without an AC power inverter. (Without an inverter, they will provide only 12 volt or 24 volt DC power.) RMR even has experience designing “maxi” systems–6 KW or larger. (BTW, they offer free alternate energy system design and consulting.)

Keep in mind that starting January 1st, grid-tied PV systems will be eligible for a 30% Federal tax credit in the US. Many states also offer their own tax credits. In some states such as Florida and California, the combined Federal and state tax credits may reduce your expense by as much as 70%, when all is said and done.

Letter Re: SurvivalBlog is a Money Saver

Mr Rawles:
For some time I was a lurker, reading SurvivalBlog on a more or less regular basis. Eventually I decided I needed to pay for what I was getting. I became a Ten Cent Challenge subscriber. Yesterday, you saved me more than the cost of my subscription with just one tip: I ordered a Foodsaver V2830 and paid just $59.99, postage paid. These originally sold for $169.99. I had wanted one for a long time and put off purchasing it because of the expense. Many thanks! And to the rest of the lurkers out there, it’s time to pay your way! – Randy D. in Maine

JWR Replies: Many thanks for that compliment. A reminder to our readers that Ten Cent Challenge subscriptions are entirely voluntary, and gratefully accepted.

Another way that you can help support the blog is by patronizing our advertisers. The FoodSaver offer is from one of our Affiliate advertisers, where we earn a small commission for the purchases that you make when you follow our links. For example, the FoodSaver vacuum sealer that Randy mentioned is a FoodSaver V2830 for $59.99 with free standard shipping, directly FoodSaver.com. Use code L8FAV28 at checkout.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader Vanya O. wrote to ask: “When do you expect that the MOAB will end?”. I expect the MOAB to drag on for several more years–and possibly a full decade–reaching absurd proportions. States, counties, and cities, and pension funds may eventually be bailed out by Uncle Sugar. That last stage of the MOAB may very well culminate with a direct bailout of individual subprime mortgage holders. Yes, it will be your tax dollars at work: Paying off the mortgages held by your NINJA neighbor, who for the past few years has been living in a house that he could never afford to begin with!

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DCB sent us this article link: Panel: Biological warfare attack likely in next five years. (Yet another reason to move to the boonies!)

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Eric mentioned this sage advice from veteran financial analyst Marty Weiss: Starting Now: America’s Second Great Depression

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Eric also sent a link to an obviously slanted Associated Press article that casts the preparedness movement in a bad light: Survivalist business booms as economy flails Thankfully, the article only quotes me briefly and withholds any disparaging remarks about SurvivalBlog.

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Yea, the MOAB doth groweth as was foretold: Feds to expand rescue. And from The Economatrix comes these articles: Wall Street Rebounds Sharply After Yesterday’s Selloff — Ford Asks For “Stand-By” $9 Billion Line of Credit (that it thinks it won’t have to tap) — GM Says it Needs $12 Billion in Loans by Late March — Arnie Says California Almost Broke — Oil Drops to as Low as $46/Barrel — Bond Risk Surges to Record on Concern Slump “To Hard To Fix” — Monday: Fourth Worst Drop Ever for Dow — Delinquent Mortgages Set to Nearly Double in 2009 — Laughable “Loans” to Prevent the Bust (The Mogambo Guru)

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"So here we are in a country with more wheat and corn and more money in the bank than any other nation, more cotton, more everything in the world – there’s not a product that you can name that we haven’t got more of than any other country had on the face of the earth – and yet we’ve got people starving. We’ll hold the distinction of being the only nation in the history of the world that ever went to the poorhouse in an automobile." – Will Rogers, in a live radio broadcast, October 18, 1931

Note from JWR:

For today’s blog, I had originally posted a lengthy entry on herbal medicine for Round 20 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. But I removed it just two hours after posting when I was alerted by two readers that the article’s author had included some extensive plagiarism. Plagiarized articles cannot be accepted!

Letter Re: Flash Hiders for Bolt Action Rifles

Mr. Rawles,

In your novel [“Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”], you mentioned having bolt action rifles fitted with flash-hiders., to kinda “tacticalize” a civilian rifle. What type of flash hider do you recommend, these days? My gunsmith (locally) says that he can thread the muzzles on my two bolt guns to 1/2 x28 threads. But all of the flash hiders with that thread that I’ve seen advertised are for 5.56/.22 bullets. Solutions? Thanks Much, – Marty in Rhode Island

JWR Replies: Previously, I used drilled out Vortex flash-hiders, to provide .308 bullet clearance. But I now recommend the Hurricane flash-hider, made by a home-based gunsmith that does business under the trade name “Moses.” He advertises them at the FALFiles Marketplace. You might ask for them to be made ito the Rawles Special specifications, to wit:

2.5 inches long
Twist prongs (similar to the Vortex)
.30 caliber bullet clearance
Two rear grooves
1/2 x 28 RH threads (Same muzzle thread specification as M16/AR-15)
Very dark gray Parkerizing.

Disclaimer; I have no remunerative interest in these flash hiders. I’m just a very satisfied customer.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I recommend leaving a muzzle brake on your rifle in normal times. This does not attract unwarranted attention when out hunting, or when visiting your local rifle range. If and when the Schumer Hits the Fan, you can quickly switch to the flash hiders. (Be sure to do some target tests with both the flash hider and muzzle brake, to make sure that the different barrel harmonics don’t change the bullet’s point of impact.)

The muzzle brakes that I prefer are made by Holland’s of Oregon. (You may recall that they were previously a SurvivalBlog advertiser.) Darryl Holland has set up four bolt actions and a Valmet Hunter for our family with his muzzle brakes, and I’ve been very pleased with his work.

OBTW, we also use olive drab Holland’s of Oregon brand zippered-nylon buttstock pouches on our bolt actions. These also work well for holding small (4 or 5 cartridge) detachable magazines. These stock pouches have very comfortable neoprene cheekpieces. I noticed that they are not currently cataloged at the Holland’s web site, but I believe that they should still be available. (Call to inquire.) This is an exceptionally well-made item.

Odds ‘n Sods:

I was pleasantly surprised with the first two episodes of the new BBC television series “Survivors”, that debuted last month. It is a remake of the British series from the 1970s, produced by Terry Nation. Aside for some anti-gun stereotypes (the only characters shown acquiring guns are “Tom Price”–a convicted murderer, and “Dexter”–a drunken sociopath), the story thusfar seems fairly plausible. The acting, cinemaphotography, production value, and music all seemed above average for a television series. I got a BBC review copy, but I’ve heard that the series will be available at a site called Mininova. (But I don’t think this is a licensed site.) UK residents can watch full episodes online but outside of the UK the only short clips are available at the BBC web site.

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Today’s economic news and commentary from Cheryl: Dow Down Almost 680 Points on News Recession Began in December of 2007 — Credit Cards to Chop $2 Trillion in Credit–Goodbye Spending! — China President: Get Ready for Rough Ride from Global Recession — The Hyperinflationary Depression — UK Closer to Switching to Euro — Volvo and Saab Ask Sweden for Help — Concerns Mount on Ability to Fund State Debt — Malls are Next to Face Foreclosure — Quantitative Easing: The Kickstart of Gold’s Moving to $1,200 and $1,600 (Jim Sinclair) — Pennsylvania Gun Owners Dodge Tax on Ammunition

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I’ve previously noted post-election price increases at the retail level, but now even manufacturers are raising their prices for full capacity magazines. I just noticed that Springfield Armory boosted their price on M14 (M1A) 20 rounders to nearly $50. DPMS raised their price on AR-10 clone magazines to nearly $45 each. Meanwhile, Ruger jacked up the price of P89 magazines to $38+ each. My advice, once again, is to stock up on any top quality magazines that you can find at pre-BHO administration prices. Come February, I expect full capacity magazine prices to triple. There will doubtless be a race, as manufacturers rush to produce (and importers rush to import) before inauguration day. I suspect that quality control at the aftermarket magazine makers will suffer, making what were already inferior products even worse. This is precisely what happened in the interval between passage of the 1994 magazine ban, and its implementation. (With a few notable exceptions, DO NOT buy aftermarket magazines, or you will be buying grief.)

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From the ever-cheery Ambrose Evans-Pritchard: World stability hangs by a thread as economies continue to unravel

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause." – Theodore Roosevelt

Notes from JWR:

We’ve completed the judging for the latest round of our nonfiction writing contest. The judging was difficult, because we had so many great entries. The first place winner is Carolyn W., for her lengthy article Gardening and Seed Saving. She wins first prize: two transferable Front Sight  “Gray” Four Day Training Course Certificates. This is an up to $4,000 value.

Second prize goes to “Hermeneutics” for her article Intellectually Self-Reliant Children: From Homeschooling to College. She will receive 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 goes to Ryan S., for his article Criminal Gangs in TEOTWAWKI — Understanding a Potential Threat. He will receive a copy of my “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, from Arbogast Publishing

Honorable mention prizes go to Donna G. for her article Mini Dairy Goats for a Sustainable Future., and to O.F. for his article Preparing for Survival Retreat Perimeter Defense. Both will receive an autographed copy of my novel “Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse”.

Note to the prize winners: Please e-mail me your snail mail addresses!

Today we begin Round 20 of the writing contest, with the same great prizes. 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.

The first article today is a new retreat owner profile. I find that these profiles of real-life preppers are incredibly instructive. If nothing else, they inspire some great “what have I overlooked” analysis of our preparations. OBTW, we still have room for a lot more overseas profiles. They would be greatly appreciated!

Overseas Retreat Owner Profile: Mr. and Mrs. Zephyr in Trinidad and Tobago

PRESENT HOME:
A rental three bedroom roomy apartment in suburbs. One hour from capital city of 30,000 on a relatively large Caribbean island, with nearer smaller towns. Ten minute drive to large mall, and ‘Big Box’ mart.

Ages: 44 and 28

SOs: Two children, 12 year old and 2 year old.

ANNUAL INCOME:varies from $9,000 to $13,000.

PROFESSION: Photographer/Entrepreneur and Seamstress/Homemaker

INVESTMENTS: Various modest financial tools including stocks, CDs, savings, mutual funds, annuity, and Silver Eagles.

VEHICLES: Nissan station wagon (2000), 18-speed mountain bike

FIREARMS BATTERY: No firearms, due to excessively restrictive, outdated, draconian, colonial laws. Also, most government policy makers are hoplophobes. Unless one is wealthy, then the chances of affording the necessary bribe to senior officials for a firearms license is slim to remote.

MAIN BATTERY: No firearms. 2 air guns: RWS magnum .177 smoothbore air rifle. (1,000 fps). Webley Tempest .177 smoothbore air pistol. (450 fps).

STORED AMMO: 2,700 pellets, plus 1,000-2000 always on hand for weekly practice with elder son, wife and fellow shooters.

TRUNK GUNS: None

OFFSITE ITEMS: None

FUEL STORAGE: None

IMPROVEMENTS: None

ANNUAL PROPERTY TAX: n/a

LIVESTOCK: None

COMMUNICATIONS:
2 FRS radios, with charger, 2x NiMH batteries, capable of AAA x 4 alkaline. Cell phones. AM/FM radio. 8 AAA, 8 AA rechargeable batteries.

WATER STORAGE: 6 days for family of 4 (84 litres) inside home. Bleach and buckets with lids. Two 400 gallon tanks in yard, but this must be shared with two other families. Building has roof guttering that can be easily harvested during an emergency. Nearby rivers and streams can provide even more.

FOOD STORAGE: 6 weeks+ for a family of four. Wife thinks we comfortably have more than 2 months food and that I’m being overly conservative in my estimate. These include over 90 cans, honey, salt, sugar, Ramen, flour, pasta, powdered milk, baking powder, yeast, beans, rice, cooking oil etc. We have also included comfort foods such as cookies, peanut butter, potato chips, wholesome cereals (muesli, oats, granola, etc.). There are other foods that I have not included, but all the foods that we have stored are foods we eat regularly (thanks to SurvivalBlog).

Poultry, fish, TP, disposable diapers are bought in bulk. Some of the poultry and fish are stored in the next door neighbor’s freezer. They are a retired couple with no kids.

A few thousand open pollinated seeds: corn, eggplant, pigeon peas, sorrel, pumpkin.

MEDICAL: This is one of our weakest areas, but we’ve still managed to accumulate a few items. Oral rehydration salts, bandages, gauze, medical tape, syringes, surgical gloves, baby wipes, painkillers, anti-pyretics, anti-fungals, anti-inflammatories, anti-diarrheals, antihistamines, isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, sulfa tablets, Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflamatory Drugs (NSAIDs), baby fever medication and a few more.

OTHER PREPS: A family Bug Out Bag with items that will sustain us for three days or more. Our preps are bucketed, boxed, bagged or in otherwise mobile-ready condition for quick transport if necessary. A detailed family emergency plan is on the fridge door, with a copy in the BOB.

Even though beginners, we’ve also included toilet paper (2 months), feminine napkins (3 months), maps, matches, lighters, tools, batteries, changes of clothing, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, pens, notepads, games that require no batteries (chess, checkers, dominoes etc), lots of batteries, chargers, cash, WD-40, oils, reading glasses, knives, children’s books, cleavers, candles, Thermos flask, utility gloves, dust masks and a few other items.

All important documents have been copied (2 copies each) with a copy kept in the BOB. Soft copies are also kept on a flash drive, as well as on CDs. Our preps, even though modest and woefully lacking, have taken us almost three years to stockpile–the same time I have been a SurvivalBlog reader.

HOBBIES: Shooting, gardening, reading, out-door activities with the kids, hunting, photography, sewing.

BACKGROUND:
Both of us were born and raised Christians in the Caribbean. Don’t wear our religion on our sleeves. Live in an area that is fairly ‘family-friendly’ with many parks, schools, playgrounds and other green spaces in every direction. Our children are happy and healthy.

We are currently looking for land to buy within 20-40 miles of our present location. Building our dream home/retreat will be the next big project of our lives.

Our country is experiencing an economic boom with 13 continuous years of growth, due to abundant hydrocarbons. Headline inflation is over 13% and growing. Food inflation is 25-40%.

Thrift and proper planning allows us to prep, while others who earn much more than we do can’t seem to make their monthly pay cheques last more than three weeks. We eat out only once (or in a good month—twice) per month, while adding two or three cans to our stockpile per grocery visit. We scour the sales, visit thrift stores, and attend garage sales.

We are trying to prepare for the upcoming inevitable changes and seek to be self-reliant. The country has had a military uprising in 1970, and an attempted coup in 1990 that left many dead; several buildings in the capital city burnt to the ground and widespread looting, curfews, criminal activity, even by law enforcement and military personnel. Due to predatory, arcane, colonial laws against individual rights to own and bear arms we own no firearms yet.

He was an active member of a local rifle club for years, learning and shooting pistols (.22, .38 and 9mm) on the 25m range twice a week.
Wife and son, 12, now learning to shoot the pistol. They like it. The air rifle heavy for them. If she applies for her own, then we’d buy a smaller air rifle that is comfortable for both wife and son.

Why did you choose your location?
Area close to an airport, golf course, mall, hills, rivers, many farms, schools, rapid public transportation system. Good roads, farmers market, many green spaces, several middle class communities, great for small, medium businesses. Good hunting on state lands close by. Three industrial estates. National disaster planning authority’s head office is in the area. They don’t provide any tangible pre-disaster help though; just information leaflets. Their methods are reactive, bureaucratic and slow. They don’t partner meaningfully with the public.

What are the drawbacks to the region?
Violent crime can be a serious factor, as throughout most of the island. Close-by hills prone to forest fires during dry season. Nearest fire station has only one tender and is approximately 10 minutes away. Recently, minor flooding has been an issue.

Who will be joining you at your retreat if the balloon goes up?
No one. We’ll have to be self sufficient. But next door neighbors, a retired couple will be mutually useful. He has a ton load of tools, practical skills & know how. She an avid kitchen gardener, wine maker, cook.
We also have a written plan-–should home get too sticky–with evacuation to relatives with 3 good rural retreats, in 3 different directions. Due to our modest preps, we won’t be a burden to them initially. But should the situation persist into months, then we’d have to get creative.

How long do you expect that it will be before order is restored?
Three to six weeks. Or longer.

What is your worst case scenario?
Category five hurricane followed by flood, then crime surge, which may include bold, violent, daytime home invasions by gangs. Aviation accident, with clogged highways and main roads. No electricity, water. Groceries, pharmacies closed, and thence looting. Police confiscating legit gun owners’ weapons (which is their counterintuitive policy during certain types of emergencies), while leaving criminals armed. Foreign forces arrive to ‘help’ (steal, rape, kill, plunder).

What personal circumstances have shaped your preparations, and how?
Observing the events of attempted coup in my country. Also, seeing and reading of the horrors experienced by those unprepared folks in Louisiana during Katrina, and the government’s (non)action that made a bad situation hellish.

I never want my family to stand in line for food, water, shelter, medical care or rescue. Nor to be at the mercy of others, like waiting for NGOs, government agencies to help us.

One can observe other events around the globe that create refugees in their own communities. Such as Myanmar cyclone that killed over 60,000 and it’s aftermath. Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica are perennially ravaged by hurricanes. [As of this writing in late 2008.]

What shortcomings does your retreat have that you would like to improve if you had the opportunity?
Houses are too close. Not enough land between. Difficult to defend against three or more armed, determined intruders.

What are your long term goals?
Live a wholesome, productive Christian life that best prepares us to cope with any problems that will arise. Allow our children to learn through observing us consistently making the right choices, supported by the right actions in every situation encountered. Learn and practice regularly, new useful survival skills. Ensure our children survive and thrive in this unpredictable world.
Buy land and house on one of the picturesque mountains in the area.
Get several battle rifles, pistols, shotguns and several thousand rounds of ammo. Train with them regularly.
Enough land (5 acres +) to grow food, raise livestock (chickens, ducks, goats, dogs, cats, rabbits, fish), build shooting range and build dream home with additional buildings for a small shared community of like minded moral, ethical families and individuals.

Most of our friends are woefully unprepared (we were there only three years ago) and discreet enquiries confirm this. We hope through gentle reason, logic and moral suasion to help some take their first steps in family preparedness. No one was present to help us when we began almost three years ago, and most of what we learned came from SurvivalBlog. For this, we are eternally grateful to you and your contributors.

JWR Recommendations: As your budget allows, buy a small solar charger for your AA and AAA NiMH batteries. In the short term–while you are waiting for the slow-moving wheels of bureaucracy to turn,–you should acquire high-power, large bore air rifles (such as the Quackenbush .308) for each teen and adult family member.Also buy a couple of real (not flimsy “decorator”) sharpened swords (such as Cold Steel Warrior series Katanas or Wakazashis), and couple of 26.5mm flare pistols for “boating emergencies”, with a large assortment of flares. Get plenty of parachute flares for illumination and either “meteor” or “cluster” type flares for dissuading any would-be “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

When you build you new home, pick out a parcel of land with advantageous (defendable) terrain, and plan for security measures throughout the design process. Ditto for energy and water self-sufficiency. Some key design points to consider: Masonry construction, minimally-sized extra-thick plexiglas windows (with bars), all entries accessed via very stout steel doors (with two extra hinges, set in steel frames that are securely bolted deep into the masonry with numerous large diameter bolts). All these features could easily be explained as “hurricane-proof” architecture.

Letter Re: Another Perspective on Vehicles for Prepared Families

Hi,
We’ve read your blog pretty faithfully for some time now and found it extremely good in all regards.

While I’m actually writing regarding vehicles, I’d like to share for just a moment how preparedness saved our behinds recently. This year we have had a string of minor events that collectively should have put us in the poor house. Broken bones, loss of a tenant and friend to a heart issue, surgery, car accident that totaled the vehicle – right in the middle of the other mentioned things – and a few other items too. Had we not maintained a small garden and some “stocks on hand” in our “urban” small town home, we could have lost our home and sanity to boot. Yes, it can happen to you, it happened to me, and it’s going to happen to others too. Christian Charity helped us, and we honor that by being charitable at every opportunity! Praise to The Most High God!

I don’t recall seeing any thoughts on types and methodology towards automobiles themselves lately. Here’s a (hopefully few) brief thoughts on the autos we rely on every day, and how to optimize our driving experiences, no matter the conditions that surround us.

First, I highly recommend getting out of car (or truck) payments as quickly as possible. Fixing up your auto of choice for bugging out will do no good if your finances get hosed, and the repo man shows up. Also, not having a car payment, we can afford a few more dollars for gas and maintenance, and still save money. Not requiring full coverage insurance because of a car payment helps even more.

Second, know your vehicle! Even if you’re totally inept at mechanical stuff, a basic set of tools and a good manual will do wonders. Keep good records of breakdowns, installed parts, maintenance, and usage (has your teenage son been hot rodding around town?). Knowing your car’s quirks, needs, and limitations are very important. Keep the maintenance up, and if you have the ability, do your own work. That stripped bolt that your mechanic didn’t tell you about may come back to haunt you. Research your type of car/truck on the Internet and join a forum for advice, “tips and tricks”, and “life expectancies” of all the sub-assemblies (engine/tranny, suspension, electricals, etc..). Our flavor of Ford Explorers have a bad rap for transmission problems, but few people actually ever have their tranny serviced. Maintenance is key to longevity. A well maintained used auto will usually serve you well. The previously mentioned Internet research and forums are great for those little tips/tricks to maximize your vehicle, what works and what doesn’t, and how to overcome many problems cost effectively. Several common Explorer problems are cheap fixes, instead of expensive parts – when you find out the “trick”. Predictive maintenance is a handy thing too. Realizing that the alternator is original on a 1998 whatever-car merits checking it over good, or replacing it and shelving the old one as “backup spare part”, for example.

Third, selecting a new purchase. I’m generally writing in the regard of those who already own something they want to keep, but we should consider those who are looking to buy something better and/or more reliable. Mr. Rawles has recommended a few very durable autos, older diesel Mercedes wagons for one I think. Good choices, but I wonder about parts availability. My old 1978 F150 4×4 is a great truck, but sadly parts are becoming harder to get. I actually prefer the most common SUV for the area that you live in, in my case Ford Explorers. (I’ll admit a little bias, I was raised in a Ford family) Parts are plentiful, and generally not expensive. Again – Maintenance is key to longevity.

When looking at a new purchase, please consider availability of parts in your area, ease of maintenance and repair, and expected life cycle. How the vehicle in question was treated before you own it is a crap shoot, but a shoddy interior and greasy under the hood or underside are tip offs to a bad experience. So is unevenly worn tires, drips under car/truck on the pavement, or hanging wires under the dash. Many youngsters have damaged wires in the dash trying to hook up a fancy stereo, for example. A glove box full of receipts for parts is a plus to me. It shows that those parts don’t need replacing soon, and I know what’s been done lately. Is the current owner friendly and willing to let you have a mechanic look it over? Often that willingness on the sellers behalf is enough to keep me happy. Exercise some caution with modified vehicles, some folks do great installing a lift kit in a 4×4 truck, some don’t (for example). Engine mods can be tricky too. (Can you tell I’m a country boy?)

Fourth, commonality and spare parts. Although parts availability (from a store) was mentioned a bit, consider junk yards a second line of components. Further, if you find a cheap and complete car/truck of your year (or “generation”) with a bad motor or other issue(s), buy that puppy and park it out back – just for parts. Apartment dwellers wouldn’t fair well in this regard. About commonality, my gal and I drive the same model of SUV. She has a ’93 4×4 Explorer, mine is a ’92 (also 4×4). The parts donors are a ’92 (wrecked) and a ’95. The ’95 isn’t really all the same, but several parts have swapped well for us. ’91-’94 Explorers are common and swap parts extremely well. ’95 – ’01 Explorers look the same, but there’s enough changes over the years to make it a difficult call (motors, trannys, and other things). [JWR Adds: I do not recommend Ford Explorers made before 1995, because of their higher center of gravity, which means they have a much higher roll-over risk. Lift kits are definite no-no for 1994 and earlier Explorers! Also, if possible, try to find a “Flex Fuel” variant, so you can burn E85 ethanol as well as gasoline.] Of course, whatever your flavor of transportation, these principles apply. How many years was the auto in question produced in that configuration (or “generation”)? I’m mentioning the Ford Explorers not because I think they’re the “best”, they’re extremely common here. I worked an hour north of my home for awhile, and I hardly ever saw one there. Odd, but true. There were lots of Chevy Blazers and GMC Jimmys there though.

Yep – parts, I keep mentioning that. They wear out, they get broken and damaged. A stray bullet or even a rock off the road in a bad place (between a belt and pulley for example) can be a side of the road event. If you can’t fix it and find the parts, it’s a great big paperweight. I dare say I have more raw weight in parts than I do tools in my garage. Most breakdowns can be dealt with, after closing time at the parts house. When it’s vital to be able to go – I’m going!
Do you have a case of oil on hand? Filters? Anti-freeze? Transmission fluid? Brake fluid?
Do you have these things at your retreat area?
Do you have a few dents and scratches on your ride? I leave them alone on mine. It adds to the “OPSEC“.

Obviously, gas (or diesel) might get in short supply in troubled times, but in the meantime we can optimize what we’ve got and save some cash.

Odds ‘n Sods:

I found this linked over at TMM Forums: Biodiesel home-brewers on the rise, with many skirting regulations

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If you’ve ever wondered why the precious market is so volatile, this piece by Jason Hommel makes it quite clear: The Tiny Size of the Gold Market. It doesn’t take much to move such a thin market.

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I’ve often mentioned the utility of owning Foodsaver vacuum packing unit. We have one here at the Rawles Ranch that we’ve used regularly for 15 years. The only drawback has been their high retail price. But for a limited time, you can buy a FoodSaver V2830 for $59.99 (originally $169.99) with free standard shipping, directly FoodSaver.com. Use code L8FAV28 at checkout. This offer is valid during the month of December, or just while supplies last.

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Don W. flagged a general piece on military sniping at The Register. It has quite a bit of hyperbole, but some useful information.

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And from the Economatrix come the following news and commentary: UK Could Collapse Like Iceland — Bankrupt Britain Trending Toward Hyper-Inflation? — Stocks End Short Session with Fifth Straight Gain [JWR’s reminder: Dump your stocks during rallies. Re-invest in tangibles!] — Eurozone Inflation Falls Sharply — Helen Thomas: It’s a Depression — Bankrupt UK Heading for Hyper-Inflation? — Bernanke’s Deflationary Tactics

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people." – Congressman Ron Paul, 1987

Two Letters Re: Gardening and Seed Saving, by Carolyn W.

Dear JWR
The article by Carolyn W. on gardening and seed saving was fantastic. Having gardened all my life (60+) and converted to open pollinated seed at the urging of the Holy Spirit in 1992 I know that she has covered this subject very, very well. The one problem for most just now starting is that it will take time to learn all that is necessary to put food on the table. When I first started to grow tomatoes from seed it took me three years to be successful. I pray that others learning curve will be much shorter. Get and read the books and seed catalogs she has recommended. I have used the same sources and can tell you the info is priceless. I will add a book that will help on companion planting called “Carrots Love Tomatoes” is top of the line. It will also help when you plant properly to help keep bugs away from some plants, therefore less need to have supplies to spray or dust plants with. The only other book that I recommend on savings seed is called “Saving Seeds” by Marc Rodgers. One thing to also remember is that if you have to bug out say in September it will be almost a full year before you will have crops to store for the next winter, depending on your location. One other item that could be of interest to some is that Lehman’s has pressure canners that don’t require a rubber gasket. We have used ours for years and have never had a problem with it.

As to gun and magazine storage a friend of mine has suggested that after normal cleaning you could vacuum pack with a packet of silica gel desiccant. This works well for food so will it also work well for guns, etc? Because you can get the rolls and make the bags to any length this will also work for long guns. – John M. in Ohio

JWR Replies: To prevent rust in a high-humidity climate, applying a vacuum isn’t necessary, but the silica gel and a good seal are necessary. The silica gel will almost immediately absorb any air moisture inside a well-sealed container. It doesn’t hurt to vacuum pack most firearms items, with the with the notable exception of ammunition, because it can actually unseat bullets with a strong vacuum! And, BTW, vacuum packing is a bad idea for storing gardening seed, which needs oxygen to survive.

 

Jim
A couple of additions to the article on Gardening and Seed Saving: At one time I had the largest organic produce gardens in N. Ohio. I grew hundreds of varieties of vegetables. I also grew specifically for commercial seed production and sale.

Concerning soil preparation: If you are creating a new garden, I recommend you first carefully observe the strength, color, type and vitality of the existing ground cover. If the grass or “weeds” are doing poorly, or if they are of poor varieties, you will almost certainly need to do quite a bit of soil amendment to produce a fit garden in the same spot. If the existing cover is healthy, the soil is in better condition and your garden will likely also do better. Being a careful observer of everything you do, can make life much easier.

For gardening in hilly country, if you have a choice, always try to choose a south facing hill side or slope. By planting your garden facing south, you can extend the growing season significantly. Planting on a north hill will shorten it. …Actually this holds true for your whole farm. It is much better to spend a bit more money to buy a farm that is on the south side of a ridge than if it is on the north. With the increase in the sun that a south slope gathers, your crops will likely be much better than your neighbors. Even your winter heating bills will be reduced. Also, when planting your garden, try to plant the rows on a east/west axis. That way, the plants won’t shade each other so much, and they will each catch more sun.

When it comes to tillage, the “traditional”, and often used, mold board plow was originally developed to “bust ” the very heavy grasses of the western plains. A major problem with using one for “everyday” plowing, is that the bottom of the plow is flat. Every time you use that type of plow, it packs the soil beneath it tighter and tighter. Eventually, you will create a hard packed wall, or hard pan, that plant roots and water will have a hard time penetrating. Unfortunately, using a rototiller has much the same effect. Unless you yearly adjust and change the depth that the rotating blades dig, you will again create a hard pan.

It you are going to mechanically till your soil, a simple solution, that I highly recommend, is to use a subsoiler. It is essentially a long stake or bar that digs straight down into the ground, 12 to 24 inches. It is either wheel mounted or attaches to the rear of your tractor by 3-point hitch. It doesn’t turn over the soil. It just loosens the ground down deep as you pull it along, so roots can go deeper seeking water and nutrients. You can find a great deal of info., and pictures, about subsoilers by simply searching with a search engine for “subsoiler”.

Concerning choosing seeds: It has been my experience that you should never buy hybrids if you want to save seed. It’s just too chancy. I suppose a hybrid could come back true the next year, but I’ve never had it happen. One experiment I did was to save the seeds from a lovely big red tomato. The next year, those seeds produced a red cherry tomato. The third year, the “cherry” seeds produced a yellow cherry tomato. I had finally grown the seed back to it’s original seed stock. –A yellow cherry tomato is good, but it’s not the same as a big red “beefsteak”. Another problem with hybrid seeds is that some companies are producing seed that will grow a plant, but will not produce any viable seeds at all. (If you can’t save their seed, you have to buy from them, and they keep their profit.) I suggest you always start with heritage seeds, then you’ll know what you will get.

Another concern with seed saving is that if you plant two or more types of a given vegetable within a 1/4 mile of each other, they may cross. Your heritage seeds just became a hybrid. And, at the least, you’ve lost a different flavor in your diet. A simple solution is to keep at least three varieties of each vegetable. Then plant just one every year. Most seed will stay viable for three years, so by rotating your crops, you don’t have to worry about crossing your seeds. Another way to safe guard your diversity, is to choose plants with markedly different maturity times, so that they are never flowering at the same time. Also, remember, storing seeds isn’t just for gardens. You may also want seed for planting field corn, oats, wheat and soy beans, if things get really interesting in the world.

Good Luck with your gardens. And don’t wait for Spring. Winter is one of the busiest times of the garden year. You have lots of books and knowledge to gather, catalogs to ponder and seed to order. If you wait for April, you’re already too late. – Jim Fry, Curator, Museum of Western Reserve Farms & Equipment

Letter Re: Seeking Advice on Rainwater Catchment and Filtration

Sir:
I am an environmental engineer. You posted a letter that inquired as to whether a ceramic water filter was capable of removing chemicals that leach from plastic containers. The answer is no, a ceramic microfilter will not remove the chemicals. Aside from reverse osmosis, which requires pressures that are too high [for treating large volumes of water] in a survival situation, the best choice for treating water with chemical contaminants is to use activated carbon. Activated carbon is very cheap, widely used by municipal water treatment plants, and is highly effective at removing many organic contaminants (through adsorption). I am not sue about the specific compounds leached from plastic containers, as some compounds are not removed well by activated carbon. In general though I would highly recommend it. A simple web search for activated carbon will yield some suppliers. Please note that the starting material the activated carbon is made from will effect its properties, such as pore size. A good water purification strategy is to chlorinate the water, filter through the microfilter, and then filter it through activated carbon. If the water is very dirty I suggest chlorinating after microfiltration but before activated carbon filtration, as the chlorine can react with compounds in the water forming harmful disinfection byproducts. The activated carbon will remove the chlorine also. I have a Katadyn hand held ceramic microfilter that also has an activated carbon cartridge accessory, but it is a bit expensive. – Jorge