This weeks preps check-in

[Maverick]

Saturday I received a call from a broker that purchased a mill that shut down, it has 300 logs 35’ long of yellow pine, the poles were utilities pole that were mis-cut suppose to 40’, poles are untreated resting on cradles not exposed to the outdoors. The end of spring I’m getting them out of the their with the cradles, all the poles were purchased for $7500. We’ll be able to mill us some good timber this summer!

 

[DrHenley]

Good deal Mav! Already seasoned and everything.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Purchased many bags of freez dried milk, eggs, baking powder and butter and 2 buckets of dehydrated white flour to make bread during long term SHTF.

Bought 5 pounds of local raw honey.

Started tilling the garden with horse menur and getting ready to start planting next week.

 

[Brent S]

I’m going to get a pallet of composted manure tomorrow to till in. I think I will plant the greenhouse with cold weather stuff, but will hold off on the garden just yet here. Am excited to start growing again. My home canned supplies are dwindling.

 

[SHTFPREPPER]

Ordered 50# of white wheat, made decision on how many feeder piglets to get, and drew out plans for the new large pen/yard for the chickens I’ll be hatching out in April to raise for eating.

 

[Brent S]

I didn’t realize how much a pallet of 55 bags of Black Cow manure weighs! My poor pick up is sagging badly. I got it home and parked it next to the greenhouse and garden. It’s still sitting there.... I shouldn’t leave that load on it overnight but unloading is going to be a tomorrow afternoon job. I’m heading out early tomorrow so not happening first thing either.... at least I have a good soil enricher here now.

 

[jimLE]

Was given this to me.all i have to do with it.put a 5 gallon jug of water in it.then tilt n poor.

 

[Brent S]

Was given this to me.all i have to do with it.put a 5 gallon jug of water in it.then tilt n poor.

View attachment 9380

Nice, I’ve never seen a tilt one before. Cool idea. I was at Walmart a while back and they had a pump unit for the 5 gallon jugs on clearance for 5 bucks. I love it but bet it won’t last as long as yours.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I just bought another 17 acres of land adjacent to my current 15 in Louisiana. Our son is going to put a house on part of it.

 

[Brent S]

I added three inches of black cow manure to the greenhouse finally and hope to get it tilled in today and planted! I’m excited to get some good vegetables again. I restocked the firewood inside and am still stacking the trees we cut for next years heat. I will be working on that for a while yet. I’m guessing it will either help keep me young or kill me lifting all these logs..... I hadn’t gotten to all the pruning over winter, so I’m hoping to start on some of that today.its a little late in the season but the grapes and fruit trees are growing wild right now. Seems there is never enough time to get all the things done around here.

 

[Brent S]

Just got half the greenhouse planted today. I put in spinach, lettuces, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots and something else but have CRS at the moment. (Can’t remember ****).... still feels good to work in the rich dirt anyways.
I need to open another pack of my prepping seed packs and find some more cool weather plants. I’d like to plant the rest of the available space in there tomorrow. Come on spring!

 

[Proud Prepper]

I'm disappointed in Amazon. I got my 2 #10 cans of butter powder and shortening powder, both where dented, one in 3 places and along the edge. I requested a replacement and they only gave you the option of both the item and the shipping box where damaged. The shipping box was perfect, only the cans where damaged. It seems they do that so the shipping company can be blamed. They deliberately send you damaged cans.

 

[Maverick]

Ordered 8 Olight 18650 3400mAH batteries, 4 bay 12v and USB charger, MI Gen2 quad rail handguard for one of the ARs, Surefire m600 scout light (kit)

 

[tmttactical]

Just ordered approximately $400 worth of reloading goodies from Brownells. Got a notice of free shipping on order of $99 and 10% off entire order. Since I had already completed my comparison shopping, I knew what I wanted and what they had at the lowest price. So cut and pasted my order together and off it went. I had been holding off placing any orders, just waiting for a deal and along come one. I am one happy camper now. Now i am just waiting for more money to accumulate and another deal to show up at a few more selected places. Even back ordered items got the free shipping and discount, what more could you ask for. Plus no sales tax. YAY. I should be able to start testing MY reloads by the end of July or August. The chronograph I selected (Labrader) is a budget buster but the best option for me to use at a public range. All good things in time.

 

[DrHenley]

Welcome to the rabbit hole

 

[tmttactical]

Welcome to the rabbit hole

Yes indeed. The more I research, the more it costs me. Granted there are less expensive ways to do basic reloading but I am an all or nothing kind of guy. So I have to be able to do it all and precision reloading does cost a bit more. Case trimmers, neck trimmers, primer pocket uniformiers, primer pocket cleaners, primer pocket reamers, hand primer, and the list continues to grow. Now I am looking at Salt Bath Annealing, there goes another $100 +. Too many fun things and not enough fun money. Patience is not one of my virtues. Oh well, it should keep me out of trouble, once I get to actually reloading.

 

[DrHenley]

This is all the equipment I ever needed for annealing...

And I did need it because my initial 30-06 brass supply was some WWII vintage surplus ammo which had gotten brittle.

 

[tmttactical]

This is all the equipment I ever needed for annealing...

And I did need it because my initial 30-06 brass supply was some WWII vintage surplus ammo which had gotten brittle.

I did check out the torch process but I liked the Salt Bath setup better. Plus the heating pot (melter) could be used for making cast lead bullets. Either way, just more stuff to buy.

 

[Brent S]

This is all the equipment I ever needed for annealing...

And I did need it because my initial 30-06 brass supply was some WWII vintage surplus ammo which had gotten brittle.

Your using 80yr old brass?

 

[Brent S]

I did check out the torch process but I liked the Salt Bath setup better. Plus the heating pot (melter) could be used for making cast lead bullets. Either way, just more stuff to buy.

This, and the time needed to learn the skills is why I haven’t tried this yet. At this point I feel for me that buying a stockpile is better. Wish I had someone close that I could learn from though.

 

[tmttactical]

This, and the time needed to learn the skills is why I haven’t tried this yet. At this point I feel for me that buying a stockpile is better. Wish I had someone close that I could learn from though.

Brent is is not rocket science. You just need to pay attention to what you are doing. You don't even need most of the stuff I am buying. I am just a fanatic about getting the absolute best out of my firearms and ammo. If I can get a 1/2" MOA, then I will want a 1/4" MOA. Once I get that, I will want an 1/8" MOA. Many reloader's are content with the 1/2" MOA. As for learning, there are a multitude of good reloading videos. They will teach you about every single component in reloading and how to best use them. Now if you are a compulsive fanatic personality like me, yes it will get expensive but for the person that just wants to get a little better cartridge accuracy and cut ammo costs, it is not that bad. Check it out. There could be a lot of fun ahead. DrHenley is a pro, so you should direct any question in that direction. Best to talk to somebody that walks the talk. I am still in the crawling phase.

 

[DrPrepper1]

I am still focusing on saving money. I have been trying not to spend any money until payday comes. When I get to payday, I put all the money I didn’t spend from the week before in savings. I noticed I am low on the medication I take. I have a stash ( prepping) so I am going to take that until payday, so that I don’t spend any money. Prepping does pay off

 

[Brent S]

I am still focusing on saving money. I have been trying not to spend any money until payday comes. When I get to payday, I put all the money I didn’t spend from the week before in savings. I noticed I am low on the medication I take. I have a stash ( prepping) so I am going to take that until payday, so that I don’t spend any money. Prepping does pay off

I honestly think financial prepping is right up there with good water filters! I am smart enough to know that money dosent make you happy, but am also smart enough to know it can make you a lot more comfortable in life. Staying out of debt and learning to save is looked at as odd by most but is the best way to live your life.

 

[DrHenley]

Your using 80yr old brass?

Well, that was around 1970, so it was only ~25 year old brass at the time. But yep, I pulled the bullets, deprimed them, and used that brass for years. I still have some. Made plinking loads with the pulled bullets.

 

[KateMTx]

I am still focusing on saving money. I have been trying not to spend any money until payday comes. When I get to payday, I put all the money I didn’t spend from the week before in savings. I noticed I am low on the medication I take. I have a stash ( prepping) so I am going to take that until payday, so that I don’t spend any money. Prepping does pay off

I'm still working on this too. It's hard though. I can always think of something to buy and some of it is actually stuff that I can and will use.

 

[Brent S]

The easiest way to save is have a percentage taken out of your income, say 10% or whatever you can live with, and have it go straight to a savings account. If your employer can’t do it you can yourself. I think watching what you spend is equally important. Things like interest on debt can and should be avoided. Every thing you don’t give away is just like extra income.

 

[Mountain trapper]

The drywall guys should be finished in a couple more weeks then they can start painting the inside of the house. So now it's time to start picking out the plumbing and light fixtures. Yesterday we drove the 3 hours to a plumbing and lighting store. I was shocked at the prices. Faucets for $700! The kitchen sink the wife picked out was $1500. And then there's the light fixtures! We could buy a new car for the cost of out fitting our house. I had mentally budgeted about 2 thousand dollars for all the fixtures. I was way off the mark.

 

[jimLE]

Better stick with the lower/middle class places. .instead of the rich n famous places..lol

 

[Maverick]

Faucets are ridiculously priced!

 

[Brent S]

It is really easy to go overboard when building your dream house. Just remember everything dosent have to be designer or spectacular. Sometimes it’s good to take a step back and remember it’s just a house. My sister just had a 100k kitchen remodel. Hell, I can build a whole house for 100k.....