Goofy stuff I do that somehow works.

[Magus]

I tape a paper towel to the top of my microwave and keep a paper plate on the carousel. makes for a fast cleanup!

I put clothes pins on bags of potato chips and crackers, keeps bugs out, keeps fresh in.

I save tinfoil.

I cook eggs in Tupperware, I have this special setup with a small hole bored in the lid, at 3 minutes per egg or less, I can do four in under five minutes, always remember to put a light splash of water on top or a fast spray of butter flavored cooking spray on top to keep the edges from drying out and also, they cook more evenly.

I use 20Wt. motor oil on my guns, it wears impossibly long and never gunks up even after a decade. take a 2-1 mix of 20Wt. and turpentine and you have 3 in 1 oil.

I take my shoes off in the house and hang them up. we have brown recluses and black widows.

I save old leather belts, a fast coating of red buffing rouge and it is the perfect sharpening strop.

Store your dry goods like rice, grits, potato flakes, flour, meal, rolled oats, or whatever in gallon jugs with the lid threads greased with Crisco, no weevils ever and that's all Crisco is good for.

If I'm storing something moisture-sensitive, I toss in an old sock full of instant rice to absorb moisture.

I make biscuits in a frying pan. Lots of grease and paying attention.

I use canned tomatoes in salads and on sandwiches. they're made of tomatoes too ripe to ship so you're not eating some gassed, tasteless no nutrition crap.

I put butter-flavored cooking spray on popcorn.

Using coconut oil is the secret of movie popcorn.

Spraying your ice cube trays lightly with cooking spray, then wiping out the excess helps the cubes pop out.

I save 2-liter bottles to put water in because milk jugs self-destruct after being exposed to sunlight. you can also use them to mix drinks and Gatorade/Lemonade in, then just chuck them. and you can also use them to make sausage links. (look on YouTube.) I also discovered that if you fill one full of water and cloud it with milk or flour and butt a tactical light up to it and it diffuses the light enough to light a room!

If you take a large can like a tuna can and bore a hole in it, you can put a tower candle in it, then use a Flathead wood screw to anchor it down to help keep it stable. you can do this with a burned-up aluminum frying pan as well and you get a carrying handle.

What's some goofy stuff you do in day-to-day life?

 

[Morgan101]

I save 2-liter bottles to put water in

I save them as well. I also save some 1/2 gallon fruit juice bottles. I wash them and use them for drink mixes like Gatorade or iced tea, as well as water. We have had some bad luck with gallon milk jugs.

I save prescription drug bottles. Between my wife, son, and myself we generate quite a few in a range of sizes. I have used them to make fire starting kits which have turned out quite well. You can get all you need in them, and if you seal then with Gorilla tape they are water proof. If it ever came down to it I plan to use them as a barter item. You can fill them with whatever you like, but I would probably use them for hard liquor.

 

[UserNameTaken]

Some good ideas there. Thanks.

I use motor oil too. But also that Remington $$$pray oil. And brake cleaner. Except Glocks - run a boresnake through the barrel, put the parts in the utensil tray and run a short cycle in the dishwasher, then dunk it in a bucket of oil and let drip dry.

OK, not really, why clean a Glock?

@Morgan101 - Good idea, sell/trade shots of booze, instead of the whole bottle.

 

[Morgan101]

@Morgan101 - Good idea, sell/trade shots of booze, instead of the whole bottle.

Exactly. I was probably watching some You Tube video on barter items, and liquor is always on the list. What was suggested was using airline sized bottles, but IMHO those are not readily available, so these seem to be a good alternative.

I was a bartender in a previous life, so my stock of hard liquor is quite substantial.

 

[montanabill]

Staple gun inventory system.....I have lots of "stuff" and my main problem seems to be lack of memory and no place to store stuff....
So when I bring home those three pair of gloves I got on sale I staple them up to a out of the way wall in one of the bedrooms or storage rooms in our house...
I can staple them high up out of the way and then just keep adding various items that are alike..
This way I can stand and scan walls and usually find what I want. I do inside of closets as well.

 

[Neb]

The Princess and I let each other know when we going to use " The Room of Requirements". We can cut the number if flushes in half by communicating.

Ben

 

[Magus]

More goofy stuff.

I keep a blanket, a tarp, and an old coat in my car in case another blizzard gets me!
I keep a NIOSH 0.5 respirator and rubber gloves in the same kit. F* Fauci.

I keep wine corks around to keep the critters out of my beer and sodas.

I keep a sprayer of 110 medical alcohol in my car to spray my hands with after I get done in public.

I keep heavy gloves and a trench tool in there too. you do not want to make me mad if I can reach my trench tool! <---Raised by crazy, antisocial Vietnam vets! Gods bless them all!

I mix coffee and rum to have a wide-awake buzz.

I set wax shoe polish on fire for a minute before using it, it makes a deep glossy shine after you buff it.

I just glued a lanyard on my wireless mouse for when I zonk out mid-post. It worked for the remote back in the day. Speaking of which, got multiple remotes? Velcro them to a piece of wood like a short board, they'll always be together and too big to lose in the couch. you might even carve a paddle grip on it for easier access.

Any of you old hippies remember Ozium? it gets the smell of forgotten fast food out of your car too!

Altoid boxes are your friends!

 

[Mountain trapper]

Before I retired I did business with Lucas Oil. I have cases of gun oil and other gun related stuff.

 

[Magus]

NICE! I love their fuel treatment!

 

[Magus]

Has anyone ever put a piece of plastic over their windshield to keep from having to scrape the next day,

 

[RJ2019]

I use old milk jugs as chicken feeders, I get around 9-12 months out of one. I cut a hole in the top big enough for their heads so they don't scatter it everywhere.

I also use old dryer sheets for dusting.

 

[LadyLocust]

Has anyone ever put a piece of plastic over their windshield to keep from having to scrape the next day,

I have an old plastic bakery tray (like they use for bread and such).

Hubby uses a vinegar jug (1 gal) and cuts the end an appropriate shape to make a pooper scooper with a handle. If it gets too nasty, he can pitch it and make a new one. I use vinegar instead of fabric softener- rinses better.
I’m sure I do other stuff but will have to think of it.

 

[ClemKadiddlehopper]

Staple gun inventory system.....I have lots of "stuff" and my main problem seems to be lack of memory and no place to store stuff....
So when I bring home those three pair of gloves I got on sale I staple them up to a out of the way wall in one of the bedrooms or storage rooms in our house...
I can staple them high up out of the way and then just keep adding various items that are alike..
This way I can stand and scan walls and usually find what I want. I do inside of closets as well.

We have a whole pin board wall in our old school. We do the same. Everything gets pinned to that wall as soon as it comes in the house.

We call it the wall of shame because we still can't find stuff, there is so much on it.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Has anyone ever put a piece of plastic over their windshield to keep from having to scrape the next day,

I put ice melt in the washer fluid tank. It melts the ice pretty quick.

 

[Magus]

Good one! I'm using that next winter!
The next one is kind of gross, or not. Do you know those "D"-shaped perfumed urinal cakes?
I hang one in my closet and put one behind the fridge, Mice fear them for some reason and they actually smell pretty good.

I use 90% rubbing alcohol as a body wash after I bathe. It kills the critters that produce BO for up to three days and has no smell, so it's great for hunting. Have you ever been in a deer stand and smelled old spice in the wind? If you can, so can Bambi's 8-point daddy!

 

[Mountain trapper]

Good one! I'm using that next winter!
Next one is kind of gross, or not. You know those "D" shaped perfumed urinal cakes?
I hang one in my closet and put one behind the fridge, Mice fear them for some reason and they actually smell pretty good.

Do you use new ones, or do you prefer the pre-seasoned ones?

 

[Magus]

Ew. LOL NEW dude! I don't borrow the used from the fisherman's Club beer joint!

 

[Haertig]

I use high temperature synthetic bearing grease (automotive) to lube the rails of semi-autos that I pocket carry. It doesn't drip and ooze like oil might - which can ruin your pants pockets. It's a ton cheaper than the expensive lubes marketed specifically for firearms, and it works every bit as well as far as I can tell.

I use medium sized paper binder clips to close food bags. They are smaller and much stronger than clothes pins.

I date label everything I open and put into the fridge (which includes all leftovers). I have a roll of scotch tape and a Sharpie in the kitchen dedicated for this purpose. Fold one end of the tape over on itself so you have a non-sticking nub at the end that you use to peel it off if you put it on a reusable container. My memory of how old something in the fridge is has become totally unreliable.

I use a Stihl battery powered leaf blower for snow removal more than I use a shovel. This requires a lighter drier snow (which we have often). And you can't wait 5 days after a snow and expect it to work on frozen solid three foot drifts. The blower makes it a lot easier cleaning off that large, high windshield on your trucks than trying to reach with a large extendable snow brush. If you want to be particularly noticed, throw it in your backseat and use it in the grocery store parking lot after shopping.

 

[Neb]

....

I use a Stihl battery powered leaf blower for snow removal more than I use a shovel. This requires a lighter drier snow (which we have often). And you can't wait 5 days after a snow and expect it to work on frozen solid three foot drifts. The blower makes it a lot easier cleaning off that large, high windshield on your trucks than trying to reach with a large extendable snow brush. If you want to be particularly noticed, throw it in your backseat and use it in the grocery store parking lot after shopping.

I use a Dewalt blower but same here. I come back in looking like a snowman.

Ben

 

[zoomzoom]

Along with @Haertig ideas, I:
Use Fluid Film on many of my firearms. The product is great for rust prevention and lubrication on just about everything from door hinges to tractor equipment.

I've tried my battery powered leaf blower for clearing snow. It works well but not for long. Battery doesn't like the cold. I just strap on my gas powered Stihl backpack blower and can clear the cars and about 800' of driveway in about 30 minutes.

I use a binder clip as my wallet. I can't stand sitting on a wallet. I take my credit, ins... cards, wrap my cash around those, run the binder clip and stuff it in my front pocket. Without the bulk of a leather wallet, it's really small.

 

[zoomzoom]

We use the under cabinet, battery powered (rechargeable), magnetic backed, motion detector lights everywhere throughout the house.
Stairwells, hallways, in the shop... With the magnetic back, they're also easy to grab-and-go for a quick flashlight, shop light under a hood or otherwise.

 

[zoomzoom]

You know all those pipe clamps you have laying around your shop? Clamp them to the side of shelving or a 2x4 or whatever you have to hang lightweight items.

 

[Haertig]

I use a binder clip as my wallet. I can't stand sitting on a wallet. I take my credit, ins... cards, wrap my cash around those, run the binder clip and stuff it in my front pocket. Without the bulk of a leather wallet, it's really small.

I like minimalist wallets too. Here's the one I use. Basically just a pouch with a fold-over tuck-in flap to close. Works beautifully.

https://fireboxstove.com/product/leather-wallet/

 

[zoomzoom]

I like minimalist wallets too. Here's the one I use. Basically just a pouch with a fold-over tuck-in flap to close. Works beautifully.

Yea, well I can't afford that fancy thing.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! but it works for me if you want to get a large brush fire, bonfire or similar going.
Fill a regular 16oz plastic water bottle to the top with gasoline. Start a little fire in the target fire area then set the bottle next to it. When the bottle melts, the gas will leak out and start burning and really get your fire going. Gas fumes are explosive but in it's liquid state, it just burns. It'll burn and get your fire going.

 

[zoomzoom]

Do you have a vehicle (e.g. UTV) that has vinyl seats and your pet slides off?
Cover the seat with non-slip toolbox drawer liner. I just cut strips that go from back to front of the cushion, tuck it in behind the seat and it stays in place.
The pet won't slide anymore.

 

[Neb]

Yea, well I can't afford that fancy thing.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! but it works for me if you want to get a large brush fire, bonfire or similar going.
Fill a regular 16oz plastic water bottle to the top with gasoline. Start a little fire in the target fire area then set the bottle next to it. When the bottle melts, the gas will leak out and start burning and really get your fire going. Gas fumes are explosive but in it's liquid state, it just burns. It'll burn and get your fire going.

Liquid O2 works as well.



Ben

 

[zoomzoom]

I don't have liquid O2. Where do you even get it?
BTW, that O2 went up faster than the gas in a water bottle.

 

[Haertig]

I don't have liquid O2. Where do you even get it?

At the "Hey Y'all, Watch This! Store"

 

[zoomzoom]

It's ice season here. Above freezing during the day, below freezing at night. Lots of ice.
I hate using rock salt. Corrosive, damages concrete...

I use Urea instead (46-0-0 fertilizer). I have 50# bags of it as I use it on the lawn and in gardens. Bulk price for each is about the same right now at about $360/ton.

Urea doesn't do nearly as well as salt for melting the ice but:
It'll melt some of it.
It'll give you traction since it doesn't dissolve like salt does.
The run-off is fertilizer for surrounding areas as opposed to salt that wants to kill everything.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Yea, well I can't afford that fancy thing.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! but it works for me if you want to get a large brush fire, bonfire or similar going.
Fill a regular 16oz plastic water bottle to the top with gasoline. Start a little fire in the target fire area then set the bottle next to it. When the bottle melts, the gas will leak out and start burning and really get your fire going. Gas fumes are explosive but in it's liquid state, it just burns. It'll burn and get your fire going.

I use a couple 5 gallon containers of a mixture of used motor oil, diesel and a squirt of gasoline to start fires. It's a good way to get rid of my used oil too.