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| EMP | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 6 2010, 10:58 PM (1,056 Views) | |
| Raven | Nov 30 2010, 10:46 AM Post #31 |
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Minds in great working order, or great minds that work! Friends, we have come full circle
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| The truth is not for all men, but only for those that seek it. Ayn Rand | |
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| Grizzly | Jun 10 2011, 09:27 AM Post #32 |
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Apparently there where some rather large solar flares yesterday according to the news. I thought it was rather funny that they reported it as a slight possibility of a temporary power grid interuption. Nothing like sugar coating and down playing possible panic. I just had to laugh cause it sounded like they had "NO" idea what to expect but there was no cause for concern. I was even wondering if it had anything to do with the sudden drop of temperature today. It was about a 50 dergree difference around here. I just thought it was kind of weird. |
| Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns | |
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| Mommacat | Jun 10 2011, 11:56 AM Post #33 |
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LOL I am sure that the very last transmission heard as the Earth explodes will be: "We are assured by high ranking gov't officials that there is no cause for alar..." Poofgone!! |
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| Grizzly | Jun 10 2011, 07:44 PM Post #34 |
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Yea, and of coarse any high ranking gov't official "always" knows better than the simple, common, foolish human. |
| Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns | |
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| HandFarming | Jul 28 2011, 11:12 AM Post #35 |
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What great info . . so hope no one minds if I pipe in- X-flares knock out circuit boards and line transformers. China has been building to withstand them, the US, Canada and most of Europe - not. We have a rough estimate of 1 - 3 days of knowing of an x-flare and "hardening" things (faraday cage kinda thing). But a old refrig/freezer or metal container will work. So will a tin foil wrap. When you think of all the things we run on computers- banking, work, transport and our US lives, cars and entertainment run on electricity. RE: water - we have collected materials for a rain barrel system to both reduce power needs and as a back-up. People with asphalt roofs need to seriously thing of over filtration on a rain water collection system but if you have a tile or metal roof - simple filtration should be good, except for drinking. RE: Potatoes...I couldn't grow potatoes to save my life until one winter I started dumping my wood ashes in the garden and the next year - exactly where I had dumped them - I got more potatoes in that one spot than in the rest of the row of 5 more plants. Wood ashes to the max will give you bigger and more potatoes. I also use manure after composted. I got a book - "Gardening When It Counts" by Solomon about growing more and better food in less space. The trick is certain plants like more of certain minerals as well as a lot of loamy material - composted manure. My notes are: Potatoes (all root crops)- add ashes & Rock Dust. reduces bugs as well as increases yield. Strawberries - Thin layer composted chicken manure (have a lot of calcium in it), Rock Dust, Green sand. Tomatoes, Green peppers, Zuc, Cucs, melon and pumpkins - Ashes, green sand, rock dust and fish emulsion. Corn - well rotted manure from anything and green sand. Plant after beans. I also like green manures but try to stay away from depending on farm equipment. . . .which is old enough that it will run after an EMP =) |
| You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think. | |
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| Raven | Jul 28 2011, 06:39 PM Post #36 |
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Older stuff may run after an EMP but will you find fuel? Griz has tried keeping fuel and this new ethanol crap will not store. I think that this was done on purpose but then those "I don't trust the bastards" issues may be just rearing their ugly heads. |
| The truth is not for all men, but only for those that seek it. Ayn Rand | |
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| HandFarming | Jul 28 2011, 09:42 PM Post #37 |
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Gas won't store long without additives. You can make alcohol on a farm with crops like sugar beets (which you'll want to grow just for the EOTWAWKI situation). 1 acre Sugar beets = 600Gal alcohol 1 acre Cattails = 1,200 Gal Alcohol 1 acre corn = 300 Gal The left over mash from any of the above is high in protein and can be fed to livestock (in small quantities). Making a distiller is not as complicated as it first sounds and there are 100s of designs. Getting equipment that runs on it, that's another issue. Most diesel engines will run nearly anything that's fuel. Old (pre-60s tractors) will run on straight alcohol but small modifications need to be done. The amount of power you get is also reduced. Briggs & Stratton engines can be modified...lawn mower engines. . . the simpler engines. We haven't been able to get a chainsaw to run properly on ethanol but are still researching options. The thing about making a distiller - the column type: IF you can manage a hot enough fire, you can split water into H & O. The temps will melt metal so the firing chamber needs to be ceramic. But again - using it in an engine is another problem as burning straight hydrogen will burn out metal so fast it isn't worth starting it. Even stainless steel lined chambers will pit and tolerances are lost. There are a few ceramic lined engines that will fire H or O. Those are on my "List". |
| You can lead an ass to knowledge, but you can not make it think. | |
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| Raven | Jul 28 2011, 11:15 PM Post #38 |
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This info makes my brain hurt...I am one of the least mechanical people that you will ever meet. This will be brought to Griz's attention as soon as he can slow down long enough to read it. Lately he has had so much going on that he barely stops for dinner. |
| The truth is not for all men, but only for those that seek it. Ayn Rand | |
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| Mommacat | Jul 29 2011, 01:57 AM Post #39 |
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Very good information, HandFarming. Thanks. I have been trying to plan for living without "modern conveniences", which means, ideally, I wouldn't need fuel for anything. However, I do not have a large farm and I don't have a lot of animals to try to care for either. I can understand trying to keep the machines running for a little while post- SHTF, but for the long term (perhaps permanently) I believe a person would be better off if they can acquire and learn to use pre-power tools and equipment. Keep in mind that if you are currently raising 50 head of cattle and putting up hay/sileage, etc. you now absolutely need power equipment, however, if after a disaster, you are only going to be raising what you and your group needs to survive, then you would easily be able to meet those needs with human and perhaps horse or oxen powered equipment. I know I probably sound like a stuck CD with always telling people they need to learn to live without "conveniences", but my approach to prepping is for a long-term scenario and not just how to get through until the cavalry arrives. |
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| Grizzly | Jul 29 2011, 07:46 AM Post #40 |
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Hello Handfarming. Sounds like you may have a load of information that I'm going to hound you for so I can slack off on pestering everyone else. I've always had an interest in some type of still, whether it be for moonshine or running some type of motor. I have read a number of articles on them but haven't tried putting anything together yet. Too many other projects but I hope to get to it sometime soon. If you have a working distiller maybe sometime I can get some tips or ideas. |
| Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns | |
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4:37 AM Jul 12