This weeks preps check-in

[WilliamAshley]

Yep thats the plan I'm trying to make it so we can get the eggs with out even having to go into the coop, here is a pic of what I hope it will look like whan I'm done.
View attachment 959

So do you line the catcher with straw or something. I've been considering some RTL pullets for a while but no one ships up here, and I'm not sure I feel like driving 6 hours for 3 or 4 layers, to see if I can integrate them. Also I only have a couple pet chipmunks, but the one is starting to look like a squirrel now, I've been working towards it. In this other vid on the outside portion the place the stove is in is what I want to convert into a hen house or some type of house, and potentially in the grow house too but I havn't figured it out. I'm letting threes grow in that area now that I can use to act as living fence posts for an outside fenced yard area, and also places for my grapevine to grow. Still have to sort it out but I feel like each year I get closer to getting the pullets. Although I travel way to much to manage farm animals plants are more forgiving.

It still costs less on a year for me to buy eggs instead of managing the layers ATM. If I were locked to the land and didn't travel I'd definitely get it going.

This is my HBC project, the oven will get done and tested this week most likely the small arms will probably take a year or more, plus need to research the legality of it.. fact though with rifle boring this probably takes things back to the prerevolutionary period with smooth bores... none the less fun project not much prepping use aside from the wood oven.

The layers will have to wait until after I get an old truck I can cart them with on a run to the nearest supplier.






BTW,

what parts are required for the solar oven, all I've noticed is the frensel disk method. I wanted to try making clay bricks with a solar oven.

 

[WilliamAshley]

Chick, did you check to see how effective a solar oven will be as far North as you are? I was reading somewhere that people were having trouble with the solar oven getting to and staying the right temperature to keep the food safe while it cooked, I believe they lived in Tennessee.

You might consider haybox cooking. It's good for beans, soups and things like that.

What exactly is haybox cooking, is it basically cooking with hay?

 

[WILD MAN]

So do you line the catcher with straw or something.

Yes I will use straw to line the laying boxes, I've also been shreading my junk mail to use when I can't get straw. If the shreaded junk mail won't work please some one tell me I'm new at raising chickens.

 

[WilliamAshley]

Yes I will use straw to line the laying boxes, I've also been shreading my junk mail to use when I can't get straw. If the shreaded junk mail won't work please some one tell me I'm new at raising chickens.

hey and it can double as tinder too

Yeah as mentioned if I was more settled I'd be doing chickens too. Have to stick with chipmunks for now.

Quite jealous.


Unrelated this is what I discovered on working more on my HBC stove project

 

[WilliamAshley]

ok sorry just continue on had to get this last seciton on the hudson bay company gun that I've been trying to brainstorm, this one is sort of funny.
well atleast it was funny for me. I really didn't get much done today not sure where the day went too... this is one of them nonexistant days. more gardening tommorrow. No more HBC project posts I would think as there is no way I'm going to figure this out...

 

[Wiredog8]

ah I see, I hear chambering for the 22 is quite popular due to being able to do a lot more shooting at a much lower cost than the nato standard.

I'm still waiting on my PAL but the only 22 I'm really interested in ATM is the airmans survival rifle which folds down, not sure its legality up here though. ARs are restricted so you can only use them at ranges.. which there arn't any licensed ranges up here so it doesn't make much sense to get any restricted class weapons as I'd never be able to move them from my house. Unless I was going to drive for 6 hours to go target. Due to that the three top guns on my list are the SKS, because it is cheap to buy with 1000 rounds up here a few hundred dollars, somewhere under $500 for 1000 rounds, and 7.62 will hopefully be enough to take down bear, and maybe moose, although the 30 odds have way more power, I really like the 303 british but it is somewhere below my top three atm but I would definitely consider it. as the rifle just has a good feel. The SKS can be moded legally up here for a couple hundred extra you can really fancy it up, and the 7.62 is widely available, for now. A good multigauge shotgun is also high on my list, and I'm also interested in the m14. There are some others too, so unfortunate the M16 variants arn't able to be carried around up here, nor able to hunt with. I still have more research before I make my final decision but as long as the SKS stays at the $75 mark sale price it will probably be my choice as a starter rifle, and see what I'm missing after trying it out. But alas I'm still not sure if my PAL will come through... probably another month or so to find out... I'd definately consider an AR if it were non restricted, as you can get a lot of mods on it including multichambering attachments which let it fire pretty much anything.

This is my prep today, typing my boot laces.. still early, oh and I managed to get a british hazmat suit, I have an older one already but I think it is too small, this one is a size larger, but it was $10 plus shipping and handling so that isn't too bad, still will keep my eyes out for a newer model as this one is still pretty old although vaccum sealed I think the charcoal may degrade overtime even if vaccum sealed. There have been quite a few train derailments lately including one in Northern Ontario yesterday or the day before... with a multibillion dollar mines being opened up to the North chemical shipments will likely increase in a few years.. none the less there have been two derailments in this area, and heavy transport truck traffic, so the chance of a chemical spill are plausible.. none the less it is a once in a generation buy, if I bought it fresh off the production line it'd probably last me 10 or 20 years np. Like KI pills these are once in a lifetime buys but lower priorities... anyway on to learning how to tie your shoelaces, the right way.... as opposed to the childs way... relearn how to tie your boots...

Hiya William,
As far as the SKS is concerned, it is a great all around rifle. I have one I bought back in the early 90's that is a military grade Chinese Norinco made in the late 70's as best as can be determined.

The pluses are as follows:
Relatively inexpensive
Reliable
Easy to disassemble for cleaning
Ammo readily available
Spare parts available
Many modifications possible
Can use stripper clips or duck billed detachable mags
Lots of online forums for advice/help/ideas

Minuses as follows:
Heavy rifle
Open sights
Many different Nationalities available
( some parts not interchangeable)

I am very happy with mine.Hopee this helps you out in making a decision.

This is my SKS.

This is what I want mine to be.

Can't wait to use this.

 

[old_anorak]

Yes I will use straw to line the laying boxes, I've also been shreading my junk mail to use when I can't get straw. If the shreaded junk mail won't work please some one tell me I'm new at raising chickens.

This is only my opinion, but I wouldn't use anything other than news paper shreds if you don't want to use straw or can't get it. The shiny circular adverts aren't very absorbent when you have an egg that cracks or one laid without a shell. A piece of old carpet can be used as well, just change them out every few months if they get nasty. Some chickens will crap in their nestboxes and some won't. What we use is just hay; lawn mower clippings would work as well as long as the lawn isn't treated with anything. Something else that you might consider is giving your birds a place where they can dust bath and mix some Sevin dust in with the loose dirt to keep mites and ticks down in your flock and coop.

Our coops are all big enough that we can get in and strip them out twice a year, I don't like the nest boxes that can be accessed from outside the coop. If I can get to the egg, who says a coon or possum can't do the same thing?

If your birds are just now starting to lay or haven't started yet, put a couple of golf balls in the nest boxes to kind of give them the general idea of where to lay. I hate playing hunt the egg.

 

[old_anorak]

What exactly is haybox cooking, is it basically cooking with hay?

It is kind of cooking in a roundabout way. What you do is have a box that you can put a tight fitting lid on that will hold your cooking vessel which also needs a tight fitting lid. To start, you get your food in your pot and get it going over the fire, burner, or whatever you have and get it good and hot; for a stew, I'd get it at a good boil for at least 20 minutes. While your food is starting the process, you line the bottom of the box with hay, old rugs, whatever you have on hand that will insulate the cooking pot. Set the pot down into the box and stuff your insulating materials all around it, packing it in good. Lastly, put plenty of insulating whatever on top of the pot and cover tightly with the box lid. You can start the process early in the morning and by evening your meal is done and ready to be eaten. You don't have to worry about over cooking your food or anything getting scorched while your busy doing other things.

You can do this on a smaller scale with a large thermos bottle. Before you go to bed, put a couple of servings of steel cut oats or wheat berries into the thermos and fill with boiling water. Cap the thermos and when you get up in the morning, your breakfast is ready.

 

[Chicknladee]

Chick, did you check to see how effective a solar oven will be as far North as you are? I was reading somewhere that people were having trouble with the solar oven getting to and staying the right temperature to keep the food safe while it cooked, I believe they lived in Tennessee.

You might consider haybox cooking. It's good for beans, soups and things like that.

I know...MN is tough for 1/2 of the year but late spring, summer, and early fall we have great sun...gonna have to check into it...no, winter probably won't work because of the angle of the sun and because I'd need way too much insulation to keep away the heat loss.

I'll have to look into haybox cooking. I'm trying to get away from the need for fuel for cooking for some things during portions of the year. In no scenario do I think that I'll stay in MN if SHTF to such an extent that I think it will be long term...I'm not a fan of cold weather...we haven't discussed this (hubby and I) but I don't think he is thinking about hightailing our a$$es southward. I on the other hand have no desire to weather out forever here in this godforsaken place they call MN. I'll be doing all the convincing I can if/when SHTF to that extent. (so now I'll see if he reads everything here or just the weapons threads, lol)

 

[Chicknladee]

Wildman, I like the idea of getting to the eggs from behind but one thought popped into my head at your picture above...if you open the box, what is going to stop any chicken from escaping from the other boxes? And as Anorak said, keep it secure so that nothing else can get into that back way! It is quite sad to lose the flock to vamints/predators. I lost a bunch of young ducklings last spring to an owl that ripped their heads off and left everything! Took out a couple each night/day. Very sad...they were cute little crested pekins.

 

[WILD MAN]

Wildman, I like the idea of getting to the eggs from behind but one thought popped into my head at your picture above...if you open the box, what is going to stop any chicken from escaping from the other boxes? And as Anorak said, keep it secure so that nothing else can get into that back way! It is quite sad to lose the flock to vamints/predators. I lost a bunch of young ducklings last spring to an owl that ripped their heads off and left everything! Took out a couple each night/day. Very sad...they were cute little crested pekins.

I've been thinking about that I think I'll make several smaller doors instead of one big door so only two boxes will be open at a time and I'm going to put some kind of latch on them to keep the varmints out.
I know what you mean about loosing a flock a friend of mine lost 20 chickens last week his coop had a chicken wire floor for easy cleaning and a racoon reached in and pulled the legs off of his birds, thats why I put down a plywood floor.

 

[bill harrell]

I've been making PVC cylinders out of 10" pipe 48" long and gluing the ends on them and greasing everything well that I put in them.they are now strategically placed where sinkholes might never get them. I would like to do my project on the refrigerator this week if I can get to it.

 

[Dani]

I have a totally enclosed chicken area. Even a chicken wire roof. We have a "big" coop and also a "little" coop. The big coop has a lid that can be raised to collect eggs, but they all seem to prefer the little one to lay. So far, we haven't had any trouble with other animals, except for a few chicken snakes. The ceramic eggs they sell do not work in keeping the snakes outthey can sense a real egg or ceramic). We tied a fish line to the coop and superglued an egg to a treble fish hook. We ended up catching 5 snakes that way. . . we did have a couple that got away, but they eventually died with the treble hook stuck in them

 

[Chicknladee]

bill, do those cylinders go DOWN or up? I still think metal detectors can detect metal thru the pvc. No one thinks to look UP for that kind of stuff.

 

[bill harrell]

Dang rise holes....

 

[old_anorak]

Hmmmm.... I think I would bury the PVC pipes a little deeper, throw dirt over them and then toss in some rusty junk metal to trigger the detector and let the idiots have their big find of scrap metal. My guess that after a few holes dug, they'd stop paying attention to the detectors.

 

[WilliamAshley]

Wiredog8, yeah getting all clip crazy is a little funny, since it needs to be pinned at 5 in Canada I think even the swing can on the thing needs to be pinned in Canada because it holds too many rounds I think it holds ten and there is a max for center fire at 5 Yeah lets get that bad az 30 round AK clip, that erh uh I need to pin at 5... I'm thinking an entire stripper can't be used reloading (bear in mind there are no restrictions on rim fire... so you can have a drum or belt of 22 rim, however it makes me wonder what if you chambered the sks ammo in rim fires instead of center fires?????? no clip max? )

It is only $75 up here last I checked plus paying a few hundred for 1440 rounds if the deal is still alive if/when my gun license comes through.

I've done quite a bit of watching youtube videos to get more info on the SKS, and I agree with what you wrote. IMO it is the best buy for under $500 with 1000 rounds included. Great starter gun. IMO I could do a 22 but the animals up here are bears and moose which a 22 might be a little light especially for someone who isn't a marksman. Weight is a concern but if adding wood and metal any rifle with a minimum barrel length will be about the same weight, and if it is lighter how is it lighter? There are some nice mods out there though. I think I'd buy a second SKS before I tried to mod though. I figure 1000 rounds should last me a while though, probably easily a year. I think that the SKS itself may alone cover me for the 5 years my PAL covers, unless I go for a shotgun, or get a bunch of money I have nothing else to spend on other than buying an M14, 30 odd or others. The m14 will probably cost about the same as the sks and its ammo, not taking into account the 308's but if I had $1000 to put down on a rifle as opposed to $500 I might consider the m14 over the sks. .. , and then of course there is my stay at home and hunt gun... the 50 cal BMG or antimaterial rifle just for kicks.. none the less if my license comes through I'll most certainly pick up an SKS.. however I'm not so sure it will be this year... as I sort of need to get a truck as a higher priority plus arctic survival shelter kit between now and September so very stretched on my budget... however at the same time if it comes through before the second week of July I may get it as the whole reason for getting it this year was to bring it hiking up north due to animal threats. if it doesn't come through in time I'll be hiking anyway.. but I won't have much of a need for getting it this year, aside from a year being knocked off the license. For sure, as said I agree with much of what you wrote. Good tips.

Hiya William,
As far as the SKS is concerned, it is a great all around rifle. I have one I bought back in the early 90's that is a military grade Chinese Norinco made in the late 70's as best as can be determined.

The pluses are as follows:
Relatively inexpensive
Reliable
Easy to disassemble for cleaning
Ammo readily available
Spare parts available
Many modifications possible
Can use stripper clips or duck billed detachable mags
Lots of online forums for advice/help/ideas

Minuses as follows:
Heavy rifle
Open sights
Many different Nationalities available
( some parts not interchangeable)

I am very happy with mine.Hopee this helps you out in making a decision.
View attachment 971

This is my SKS.


View attachment 968

This is what I want mine to be.



View attachment 969
Can't wait to use this.

 

[bill harrell]

Look into a22 magnum or an old 5 mom Remington magnum. They were rim fire.

 

[WilliamAshley]

Look into a22 magnum or an old 5 mom Remington magnum. They were rim fire.

I dunno how many grain is the 5mm? or the 22? Big animals up here I'm not a sharp shooter. Good Idea but I think I'd be more prone to finding 7.62x39 rim that would actually work. The sks grain is 127 which I'm thinking should be enough.. its no 308 I think for most rifles I'm not going to be able to get both rim, cost economy. I'm not aware of anything that is cheap to buy and takes rim with enough power to stop a moose or bear on the warpath.

The SKS really is "THE GUN" unless someone shows me diferent.

I'd rather kill an animal attacking me than wound it.. wounding it is going to be a pain in the but... as I may need to actually follow it and kill it and with low grain that is not going to be good. Very slim chance but I need something with stopping power.. the m14 is ideal but it costs twice as much and you are paying 50 cents and more per 308 win not a good plinker... the SKS is "the gun" it meets all requirements, not sure what else can be that low in price and still fill all the needs.. of course I'm not holding a gun license right now so I needn't get ahead of myself.

 

[Trapper]

WilliamAshley, I will have to disagree with the SKS. It has less power than a 30-30 and I would certainly not use it for bear or moose. They are not known for great accuracy. People love them because just like you said they are cheap and the ammo is cheap. They were not meant as an accuracy rifle. It is more of a spray and pray type weapon. They were mass produced as a military disposable weapon. I know of a few guys that used them to hunt whitetails with. After shooting an 1 or 2 they quickly began switching to other calibers and weapons. Most of the ammo for them is FMJ = full metal jacket. If your going to buy ammo for hunting it needs to be an expanding bullet PSP =pointed soft point. FMJ does not expand and does a lot less damage. The animal will likely die from the same placed bullet but go much farther and not be recovered. If your paying for PSP you are not saving much money over 308 ammo. People think ammo is ammo but it is not. FMJ is not even legal to hunt with in most states (if any) in the US as it is not a hunting bullet.

After saying all of this, I am not telling you to get rid of the SKS. It does have an intended purposes, short range personal defense (150 yards and less). If you want a gun that will cleanly take a moose and bear, especially if your "not a marksman" I strongly encourage you to look at a 308 or 30-06. Both calibers are vastly superior for what it sounds like your purpose will be. Both of these calibers are readily available on the store shelf, both are great long distance weapons (short range too). Both are also good hunting calibers that anyone can shoot easily. Not trying to flame you but trying to pass along my thoughts is all.

 

[WilliamAshley]

@Trapper
IMO it should be fine at 40 yards or less, as I am not hunting I am putting down an animal that is an imminent threat should it ever come to it. I do agree though there are better rifles out there, however, they cost more. Although I have seen plenty of info that you can 1-4" up to around 200 meters which is an unlikely situation in the woods up here if I were to eventually hunt with it. 30 odds costs more maybe after I have a professional income and my student loans paid down. As I said I am interested in the m14 and will likely go with that as my hunting rifle should I ever take up hunting. The woods here are quiet dense regardless clearings do not really go out much more you arn't getting a bullet straight through the woods here for over 100 meters regardless.

So I agree with some of what you say and disagree with some other info. From what I have seen it is more than accurate for my needs, the rifle is, I still need to fire it. If accuracy is in question its not the gun.

Also the 7.62 x 39 comes in psp regardless for still less than the 308. I could pick up a box of 1000 (which will be more than enough for my lifetime of hunting most likely...) for about $500, but I think the FMJ will be more than enough for my needs if/when the PAL comes though.

But yes, its not the best gun, but it is the cheapest to meet my requirements, this isn't tax payer money for Defence spending. Well its not being spent by the government.

BTW there are a lot of rifles I like a lot if I had a whole lot of money to spend than I very well may buy them, however, 7.62x39 is .30 calibre and within melee range it should be enough to stop anything out here.

 

[WILD MAN]

WilliamAshley, have you considered a Mosin Nagant, they are even more affordable and accurate than a SKS the 762x54 rounds are powerful, cheep, and easy to find and they make an really good hunting rifle for someone on a budget.

 

[WilliamAshley]

WilliamAshley, have you considered a Mosin Nagant, they are even more affordable and accurate than a SKS the 762x54 rounds are powerful, cheep, and easy to find and they make an really good hunting rifle for someone on a budget.

Where are you getting your Nagant for under $75?

Also the other part is that Nagant is bolt ejection, SKS is gas. Getting semi auto shots off on a charging bear, moose or wolf attack will probably be easier done without need to eject by hand.

Nagant is a nice rifle though, IMO I might be more prone to get a 303 british than the nagant for the class of bolted guns. However I still have a lot more to learn about it.

But I would love to know where I can get a new Nagant for less than $75

 

[WILD MAN]

I didn't realize you were getting a sks for $75 that's a really good price they are $200 here and the nagant is $99 I would get the sks too

 

[Trapper]

I have hunted a lot of game in North America. I think you have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than being charged by a bear or moose or any other critter. Good luck in whatever you decide to get for a firearm.

 

[WilliamAshley]

I have hunted a lot of game in North America. I think you have a greater chance of being struck by lightning than being charged by a bear or moose or any other critter. Good luck in whatever you decide to get for a firearm.

I've been charged by a moose, and I ran into a bear twice in the past week on two different days. The bear started its show the first time, second time it just stood and watched me until I crossed over the clearing after backing up.

I would hope you are right, however every year I hear reports about people being maimed and killed by bears up here.

I hike with a hatchet and machette currently, would consider bringing the crossbow but I'm not walking with a crossbow drawn anyway, if the permit comes through I will be adding a rifle to my hiking gear.

So far most of my encounters have been them watching me, or a bear flexing its shoulder hump. None the less it only takes one mistake or bad luck for things to get dangerous.

I have no idea why you are saying, oh a bear won't attack you when people are killed and maimed by bears up here annually.

None the less Im not very concerned about bears or moose, I'm concerned about wolves.
I also pick berries out there so my risk level is a little higher.. none the less I don't expect to be attacked but much like preparing for a train derailment with chemical cars or dangerous acids used in the mining industry, I am also preparing for being attacked by wolves, bears and moose. I think I could survive with my hatchet against a bear but I might be seriously injured, now as far as attacks, its a risk. I have a bigger chance of being attacked by a bear or wolf than a human up here.

PS I run real fast when I need to, and normally these meetings are around roads or pipeline clearings. Luckily in the moose situation it was in the woods I was sort of near the trail. I scared it off the first time by howling like a wolf, but when I ended up at the same point it ended up at later, it was pissed. It took the woods, thick woods, I took the road.. it actually was coming for me the second encounter. I was tired as hell after jogging with my two stick ski jog practice too. (using large sticks to increase a jogging pace by using the momentum of the upper body and sticks, making you quadrapedal through the aid of long sticks while jogging)

a bit like this but longer sticks basically tree branches.. http://nordicwalkingusa.blogspot.ca/2008/08/nordic-running-with-nordic-walking.html (poles were larger than me) Side note, they really help increase jogging pace. If you plan on bugging out to the woods give them a try. They do put strain on your arms after a while, but they do increase your pace. Note you swin them out infront of you, its not like ski walking.. as the sticks are about your height you get more distance in your stick placement then vault yourself forward and push off the back.

 

[WilliamAshley]

Today my arduino arrived which is a fun little prepping tool to help with electronics. Only about $10 plus shipping.

PS anyone interested in learning HAM radio or electronics I'm more than willing to tutor them as well as English for any non native English speakers.

Now you may be all, but what good is a circuit board for prepping...
This website incorproates technology into prepping.
http://www.preppertech.com/


from automating sensors with eletronics to motion tracking sentry gun systems.. very simple stuff to get up if you have a mechanism for a servo.


of course I'm going to be trying to get an LED to blink this week

 

[Wiredog8]

Bought these today.
Bottom one is called a Cane knife. Thick and heavy, one piece with handle scales riveted on.
Top one I bought because I liked the roman style handle. Too bad it is not full tang. Bummer! It also has a saw back full length of the blade.

 

[realisticdude]

Bought these today.
Bottom one is called a Cane knife. Thick and heavy, one piece with handle scales riveted on.
Top one I bought because I liked the roman style handle. Too bad it is not full tang. Bummer! It also has a saw back full length of the blade. View attachment 981

Dig the handle on that blade , dude !

 

[Shenandoah]

Let me know how that goes. I have studied that web site for hours and am planning on putting in a well that same way. I am looking for a hand well pump. Any suggestions on how it works would be great!

Our domestic well is only 26 feet deep. Add another 8 feet to get it to ground level and we really don't have to pump the water too far! We just added a hand pump in our kitchen, mounted it right next to the sink. Now I can hand pump my water or turn on the faucet...sweet!!
If you have an existing well and simply want an emergency back-up, go to Flojak.com Complete well system, including pipe, pump, etc. is $399 bucks. Or for <$300 you can get a 12v water pump from an RV store, drop a hose/PVC pipe in your well casing, hook that pump up to a marine battery with a small inverter (Kmart) and you have the lazy man's off-grid water pump!! I devised this system to fill water tanks for our livestock when the power is out, would work well in a wtshtf scenerio too....add a $39 battery maintenance solar panel and you have the perfect sustainable off-grid water system.

Blessings,
Shenandoah