SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news about the pending Idaho immigration bill.  (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

Idaho House rejects bids to apply to amend U.S. Constitution through convention of states. JWR’s Comments: A Federal Constitutional Convention (“Con-Con”) could be dangerous, since the delegates would be re-writing all of the key terms of the machinations of government on the fly. They could even grant themselves unlimited power. Initiating a Con-Con is something akin to opening Pandora’s Box.

o  o  o

Honduran national sentenced to over 21 years for meth distribution in Idaho.

o  o  o

Idaho immigration bill awaits Governor Brad Little’s signature.

o  o  o

U.S. Marshals Service arrests Bonners Ferry fugitive in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In recent years it has been suggested that the Second Amendment protects the ‘collective’ right of states to maintain militias, while it does not protect the right of ‘the people’ to keep and bear arms. If anyone entertained this notion in the period during which the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were debated and ratified, it remains one of the most closely guarded secrets of the eighteenth century, for no known writing surviving from the period between 1787 and 1791 states such a thesis.” – Stephen P. Halbrook, That Every Man Be Armed, 1984

Preparedness Notes for Monday — March 17, 2025

John Pettie (17 March 1839 – 21 February 1893) was a painter from Edinburgh, Scotland. His painting Vigil (above) was completed circa 1884. According to the InfoGalactic Wiki, Pettie:  “…spent most of his career in London. He became a member of the Royal Academy in 1866 and a full academician in 1874.

As an enthusiastic amateur musician, he helped the career of the young composer Hamish MacCunn by organising concerts for him in his own studio. MacCunn, who would marry Pettie’s daughter Alison in 1889, also served as a model for many of his paintings and sketches in various distinctive occasions.

John Pettie was born in Edinburgh, the son of Alexander and Alison Pettie. In 1852 the family moved to East Linton, Haddingtonshire. Initially, his father objected to him taking up art as a career, but this was overcome when he saw a portrait by Pettie of the village carrier and his donkey.

When he was sixteen he entered the Trustees Academy in Edinburgh, working under Robert Scott Lauder with William Quiller Orchardson, J. MacWhirter, William McTaggart, Peter Graham (1836–1921), Tom Graham (1840–1906) and George Paul Chalmers. His first exhibits at the Royal Scottish Academy were A Scene from the Fortunes of Nigel, one of the many subjects for which he sought inspiration in the novels of Sir Walter Scott, and two portraits in 1858, followed in 1859 by The Prison. To the Royal Academy in 1860 he sent The Armourers; and the success of this work and What d’ye Lack, Madam? in the following year encouraged him to settle in London (1862), where he joined Orchardson.”

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With the recent rise in the silver market, I  have raised our silver price divisor at Elk Creek Company to a whopping 24.7 times face value. That is the most that we’ve ever allowed for silver, in trade.  Here is how it works:  Just pick out the gun or knife you want, click “Add to Cart”, then take the total (including postage) and divide that by 24.7. So, for example, you choose a Mauser rifle that sells for $425 plus $55 postage.  The total would be $480 if paid by check or credit card.  But if paying in 1964 or earlier circulated U.S. silver coinage (dimes, quarters, or half dollars), then your total would be just $19.43.  That would be rounded down to $19.40. Just be sure to triple bag those coins, put them in a very well-padded sturdy box, and mail it to us, insured.

Here is another example: An Old Timer Schrade Two Blade Folding Knife, priced at $110, plus $15 postage. (Total of $125, divided by  24.7 =  $5.06. When rounded down, that would be just $5.00 face value in 90% silver coins.  So mailing us 20 silver quarters would buy you that knife.)

As you can see from that example, as a nation we have been collectively robbed by both inflation and currency debasement. The real tangible VALUE of a knife or a silver coin has not changed much since 1964. It is the overproduced Federal Reserve Note “dollars” (both paper and digital) that gradually have had less and less purchasing power.

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Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson.

DA Targets, by Thomas Christianson

Recently I read about an attempt by a couple of politicians to try to convince gun owners in their district that they were “gun guys”. They invited the media to a range event in which they were shooting handguns and AR-15s. But there was a problem. They were shooting steel targets with those AR-15s from only about 10 to 15 yards away. Predictably, shrapnel became an issue. One of the reporters at the event was wounded. The politicians were lucky to get away with just one relatively minor injury. In addition to shooting steel targets with rifles from inappropriately close range, these two gentlemen were firing at targets without a proper backstop, and were not wearing their eye protection correctly.

I do have at least one helpful hint for politicians who are preparing to stage a range publicity event. They should have used DA targets rather than steel targets. Unlike steel, DA targets produce no potentially dangerous shrapnel.

DA Targets produces an innovative line of polymer, self-healing, reactive targets. Their most innovative option is a color change technology. The bullet passing through the target changes the color of the target at the point of impact. This makes it easy for a marksman to see where his shots have struck. After a couple of minutes, the color fades back to the natural background color of the target, allowing the target to be reused.Continue reading“DA Targets, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Alaska Potato Rolls

The following recipe for Alaska Potato Rolls is from SurvivalBlog reader Mike in Alaska.  He says: “Jan at Alaska Flour Company has created a new way to make the potato roll.”

The yield of this recipe is 32 rolls.

Ingredients
  • 1 Tablespoon yeast
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2/3 cup melted butter (10 1/2 Tablespoons)
  • 2 eggs, (room temp)
  • 1 cup prepared mashed potatoes (without salt) -I use instant mashed potatoes
  • 2 1/2 cups of barley flour4 cups of all-purpose flour
Directions
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water and sugar, about 10 minutes.
  2. Then add salt, butter, eggs, and mashed potatoes. Mix well.
  3. Add the flour, one cup at a time, kneading well in between. You may need anywhere -from 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 cups. Don’t add too much flour. Knead for several minutes, until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl and is smooth and elastic.
  4. Cover and let rise, 1 hour.
  5. Then on a countertop dusted with flour, dump dough out. Divide dough in half.
  6. Roll each half into a large circle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough like a pizza into 16 triangles. (So with both circles of dough you will have a total of 32 triangles).
  7. From the outside in, roll up the dough into a crescent shape. Lay on a greased cookie sheet and cover with a clean dish towel.
  8. Let rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
  9. Bake at 400° F for 12-15 min. Remove when tops are golden brown.
SERVING

Mike says:  “Add fresh butter and either honey or homemade jam …. Oh dear it is soooooo good!”

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week

Today’s graphic: No hurricane has ever crossed the equator. (Graphic courtesy of “spyalien” at Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

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Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“In England, an inventor is regarded almost as a crazy man, and in too many instances, invention ends in disappointment and poverty. In America, an inventor is honoured, help is forthcoming, and the exercise of ingenuity, the application of science to the work of man, is there the shortest road to wealth.” – Oscar Wilde

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — March 16, 2025

On March 16, 1792, King Gustav III of Sweden was shot by Count Jacob Johan Anckarström at a masked ball at the Opera; he died on March 29th. Pictured is the masquerade costume worn by Gustav III when he was shot in the back.

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March 16, 1769: Louis-Antoine de Bougainville’s expedition of two ships completed the first French circumnavigation of the world when they arrived in Saint-Malo, France.

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Today is the anniversary of the Battle at Pound Gap Kentucky, in 1862.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 6 by M.B.

(Continued from Part 5. This concludes the article.)

“All individuals are entitled to the utility to defend their humanity.

Gun control has failed.

You can’t stop the signal.”

—from the original Deterrence Dispensed (now known as The Gatalog) website

OPEN SOURCE FIREARMS

“Open Source Firearms” is a term that I’ve used to describe those few firearms that are so popular that parts—as well as information about the firearms—are widely available. Moreover, these arms are so popular that even frames or receivers are being made by companies other than the one that first sold the firearms. An “open source” gun is an easier project because parts are easy to get and available from a variety of sources.

On the other hand, many popular firearms never reached “open source” status. This means that all the parts out there may have been made by just one company. A builder who prints a receiver now has to source all the other parts for the gun, down to the last ejector spring and proprietary rear sight screw. Sometimes there are parts kits, but if not, the parts must be found and purchased one-at-a-time. This is even more difficult for guns that are no longer in production, and which may have had several versions, making it a challenge to obtain a collection of parts that fit together.Continue reading“3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 6 by M.B.”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

Just Another Day Of Work…

…Making Egg Deliveries

(Photo of Garda Armored Truck)

News Link:

Egg prices to increase by more than 40% in 2025, according to USDA report.

Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-16 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — March 15, 2025

On March 15, 1916, General Pershing and 15,000 troops of the “Punitive Expedition, US Army” began chasing Pancho Villa into Mexico.

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Today is also the birthday of General and President Andrew Jackson, in 1767. He was the seventh President of the United States (1829-1837.)

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
  4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

3D-Printed Gun Components – Part 5 by M.B.

(Continued from Part 4.)

I couldn’t find the command to flip the parts in the menus of Prusa Slicer, but a right-click on the object allowed me to “Mirror” it. It took a moment’s thought, to make sure I mirrored the hinge box and brace in the right dimension (X, Y, or Z). Once I figured it out and mirrored the two parts, I was able to print a right-folding brace!

The 3D Printing Process
Have the Right Tools

A small collection of tools will help you process a new print into a finished item. Power tools are seldom needed.

  • Eye protection, and mask or respirator – Eye protection is an absolute must-have. If sanding or grinding polymer, a mask—or better yet, a respirator—will help to protect your lungs.

  • Nippers – a small pair of nippers for clipping supports from the project

  • Knife – a utility knife is okay, but I find a small, sharp, sturdy fixed blade knife, useful for both cutting and for light prying to pop supports loose. Mine is a kiridashi neck knife that I made from an old file.

  • Needle nose pliers – perfect for pulling pieces of filament out of small spaces.

  • Narrow wood chisel – an inexpensive chisel will be fine. Use it as a scraper that can reach into tight spaces and shave away filament, so that parts can fit into place.

  • Metric and SAE drill bits – for cleaning up/sizing holes in your project. The instructions enclosed with the files should tell you which sizes are needed.

  • Non-electric drill – an old school—very old school—hand drilling tool. An old-fashioned brace and bit is a great way to gently drill holes or clean up holes in polymer, while maintaining much greater control than with a handheld electric drill. In my opinion, a brace and bit is the only tool that comes close to substituting for a drill press for making holes in polymer. I started using mine for drilling the safety/selector holes in Polymer 80 AR receivers, and it’s ideal for that task. It can grip small bits, but larger bits I modify on a sanding disk in an electric drill. I grind four flats at the butt end of the large bit, creating a square, tapering shape. Look at some old-style bits for the brace, and you’ll see what I mean. You don’t need to remove a lot of metal from the rear of the bits. Available in antique stores, yard sales, and via eBay.

  • Pin vise – a heavy-duty pin vise is another tool that works very well for reaming out holes in polymer. It’s basically a chuck—for holding drill bits, awls or other small tools—at the end of a short handle. Mine handles up to a 1/4-inch bit. An okay substitute is a vise-grip, which is still better than trying to control a handheld electric drill in plastic.

  • Caliper – a dial or digital caliper is very useful for measuring or for verifying that something is the right size. Good ones are not inexpensive, but the dial caliper I bought over 30 years ago is still serving me very well.

  • A bench block (optional, but useful!) – this is an object for resting parts on when tapping pins in or out and for similar operations. You don’t need to buy one, as Thingiverse has free bench block files, for 3D printing. A bench block is very helpful for gun projects. It’s much better than resting an object on top of a roll of duct tape.

 

  • 1/4-20 tap and tap handle (and drill bit) – the standard AR-15 grip screw has about one inch of 1/4-28 threads. When printing a receiver that takes an AR-15 grip, why bother with the unusual threading spec that is intended for 7075 aluminum? The very common 1/4-20 tap kit is easy to find and inexpensive, and I firmly believe the more coarse thread pattern is a better choice for polymer. I use common 1/4-20 x 1” socketed screws that take a hex key.

  • Soldering iron (optional, depending on your project) – used to install metal heat-set inserts used in some projects. Can also be used to stipple a grip, or to gently smooth out bad rough spots on polymer and/or to close small, cosmetic gaps between layers. Practice on some scraps of the same filament type and color, before risking a project that took 40 hours to print. Best used on dark colors.

  • Dremel tool (optional) – used with care and caution, a Dremel can be used to cut metal with a cut-off wheel. The sanding drums are also very useful. Grasp it firmly, but use it like a paintbrush or a pen, with a light, gentle touch.

  • Needle files, a small, fine file, and fine sandpaper – for cleaning up surfaces roughened by support material.

Don’t Forget Parts Kits, Rails, Etc.

Each firearm project usually comes with a shopping list in the instructions. Depending on the project, this may be a few, simple items from a hardware store (or already in your workshop). It may also be a collection of firearms parts, like the complete upper receiver of a MAC-11 9mm pistol. If the instructions ask for gun parts but don’t suggest a source, do some online searches. There is a whole industry of parts suppliers who support the 3D gun parts printing community.

Be Sure to Use Correct Pin Lengths

A number of 3D firearm projects use AR-15 trigger groups (hammer, trigger and disconnnector, along with two springs and two pins). Polymer receiver walls are usually thicker than those of aluminum AR-15 receivers, so mil-spec hammer/trigger pins may not be fully supported. Ideally, the ends of the pins should be flush with the sides of the receiver. Hammer and trigger pins are under stress. A short pin places that stress on a smaller amount of filament and may cause premature receiver failure. A full-length pin spreads the stress out over a larger area.

If mil-spec pins are too short for your receiver, you can take advantage of the fact that AR-15 hammer/trigger pins are 5/32 inches in diameter. I use long 5/32 drill bits for pin material. I measure the receiver width and cut two pieces of the smooth shank from the back part of one or two drill bits. I grind and polish the ends to get the pins to their final length. For the hammer pin, I use a triangular needle file to cut a very shallow groove around the pin at its center. Look at a set of mil-spec pins for guidance as to groove depth. The trigger pin receives a similar groove, 0.3 inches from its center point. The AR-15 hammer has a spring inside that engages the groove in the center of the hammer pivot pin, and one of the legs of the hammer spring rests in the groove of the trigger pin. This is why properly-installed AR-15 hammer and trigger pins usually don’t “walk” out.

Alternatively, measure the width of your receiver and go online to look for long AR-15 hammer and trigger pins. If you find a set of pins that are a little longer than you need, you could carefully shorten them, working from both ends. KE Arms sells 1.1-inch AR-15 hammer/trigger pins (https://www.kearms.com/KP-15-HammerPin.aspx), for about $10 each. I have no experience with the company, as I made my own pins, as described above.

Don’t Hammer Pins Into Printed Receivers!

Be cautious and gentle installing pins and screws into printed gun parts. Although the polymers are surprisingly tough, you could “punch” a misaligned pin right through a receiver wall, ruining a part that might have taken many hours to print!

ARwcy PPS43 Lower With Grid Supports

When installing AR-15 hammer and trigger pins, for example, I was taught to lightly oil the pins and to press them into place. I use a piece of hardwood to press them in, rather than “tapping” or “hammering” them. The trick is to gently clamp the receiver in a padded vise to free your hands. If it’s an AR lower, there are inexpensive fixtures that go into the magazine well and can be clamped firmly in a vise. When the trigger—and then the hammer—are properly positioned in the receiver, the pins should go in with minimal pressure. I look down into the receiver, to help me position the trigger and hammer, while pressing the pins in. It takes a bit of time and patience—at least at first—but you avoid damaging a print into which you’ve already invested time and filament.

By the way, assembly of AR-15 hammer/trigger groups is a good place to mention eye protection again. If you goof during assembly, the hammer can come flying out of the receiver with surprising force from its strong spring. If you’re looking down into the receiver at that moment, then your eyes are in danger.

Make Sure You Don’t Run Out of Filament During a Print

Losing a print because you ran out of filament near the end should not happen to you. It’s easy to prevent this occurrence.

  1. When you receive a new spool of filament, weigh it. Subtract the filament weight (most commonly 1 kilogram) from the total. You now know the approximate weight of that filament brand’s spool.

  2. Slicers generally tell you the weight of your project as part of the slicing process. Compare that to the weight of the partial spool of filament, minus the spool weight. You want to have at least a little more on the spool—I like to have at least 10%—than the slicer says is needed.

  3. If you’re a little bit short, you can reduce the infill and try slicing and exporting to G-code again, provided it’s a non-critical part.

Just Do It!

The best way to have successful prints is to print out projects, make mistakes, and learn from your mistakes. If you start with small projects, you can learn quite quickly.

(To be concluded tomorrow, in Part 6.)

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

This past week was great fun. We had all four of our grandsons here for an extended visit.  We did lots of hiking and some air rifle and archery practice.  All of the boys got lessons on driving our electric UATV. The youngest — who is just three years old — sat in my lap, while I controlled the pedals.  He is just starting to learn how to steer.

With just patchy snow remaining, we didn’t do any of our usual snow activities.

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.

For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.

Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;

If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:

So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off.” – Proverbs 24:1-14 (KJV)