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Power Outage
Topic Started: May 24 2011, 11:11 AM (992 Views)
Grizzly
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With the weekend storms and tornados just a few miles from us, we lost power but only for a couple hours. it was in the middle of the afternoon so it wasn't much of an inconveniance although I was home alone and trying to follow the storms on tv when it went out. I guess my point is you don't realize how much you count on power till it's gone. I had to watch the sky myself instead of counting on some one on tv telling me what to expect. When the storm passed I went to my shop to work on something and seemed like everything I wanted to do required power. Yes, we have many non electric things, but most are stashed away "for emergency" so if you needed them it would take awhile to dig them out let alone if it was at night or under stressfull times. I have been using more and more non electric items but in this day and age I still have a long way to go to not be reliant on electricity. Probably never will be non reliant unless we have no choice. I know it's easy to say that you may be prepared but it's a whole different story when all of a sudden you have no power and no idea how long it will be off. Just something to think on and I had no idea what else to talk about.
Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns
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Mommacat
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You brought up a good point, Grizzly, when you said that you have stuff stashed away, but not readily accessible. That's true of a lot of preppers, I think. Its hard to keep track of what you have if it isn't something you use often or that has been put away for an emergency. A good inventory system is almost necessary if a person wants to efficiently use what they have stored. Unfortunatly, most people don't have the space to store things in a real orderly manner - seems like boxes and bins tend to get stacked ceiling high and, the way my luck runs, even if I carefully labeled everything, the label on the bottom box would be facing the wall!

I wondered while I was watching the news clips of the damaged homes if any of those people were preppers and if so, did they lose their stores? That's something I worry about - a tornado, a flood, a fire and everything could be gone and a person would be left starting all over.

You mentioned how many electric things you use and I think we're all in that situation. Self-sufficiency and being off the grid is a wonderful idea, but the practicality of it is that everything is easier, faster and less labor intense if you can plug it in! I don't think most people will ever give it up until they absolutely have no choice. So, you can probably feel okay about using the Black & Decker and just keep that hand auger stashed until you have to use it - I'm the same way about my toaster oven! :)

P.S. Do you like pickled eggs!? I hope so! ROFLMAO
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Grizzly
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I do have a few hand augers but my problem is I do more metal work than any thing else. I need to get more non powered metal working equipment but those kind of tools are so much slower to use that I don't get too interested in them when ever I find them at auctions or flea markets. In fact when that storm showed up I just got home from a local auction and picked up a blacksmith leg vise and an old, very nice hand crank grain mill. I was working on the mill when the power went out and I had to do some welding on the broken table clamp screw. But even after the power came on I decided to gas weld it which doesn't require power. One could have all the equipment in the world and could lose every thing in a matter of minutes with one of those terrible storms.

Can't say I've ever had pickled eggs, WHY??? What are you two planning now?
Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns
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Raven
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DON'T TELL HIM....It will be a suprise! ;)
The truth is not for all men, but only for those that seek it. Ayn Rand
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Mommacat
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Wow, Grizzly, you found an old hand-crank grain mill at an auction? Lucky you! I had planned to get a grain mill this spring, but unexpected (and expensive) repairs on my truck put the nix on that plan. If you ever decide to re-sell it, keep me in mind! That's one thing I miss up here - "farm auctions". We do have auctions, but the type of stuff you're likely to find isn't self-sufficiency type stuff - its usually more household and sporting stuff -like hand carved old fishing lures or duck decoys. I imagine the local Amish (or is it Menonite?) population where you are has a lot to do with that.
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Grizzly
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The sales I usually go to are not amish, just retired or deceased (estate auctions) It seems like the cool stuff is fadding away. Most sales are just house hold and nick nack type of things. I wasn't even going to go to that sale till a freind called and said I better get over there. If you come down sometime, you can take a look at it and see if it would be something you would even want. The boss lady has to decide if she'd part with it. You can look them up if you want. It's called "Corn Mill" and made by the Quaker Co. I only got it as a spare but I'll keep a look out for more. I do see them now and then but they're either really small or kind of rough shape. This one is pretty nice shape and the burrs are the same as our wheat grinder.
Our ancestors left Europe to get away from this crap...as seen on a bumpersticker fns
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Mommacat
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That would be cool - thanks! So, its a corn grinder, but you could use it for wheat and oats, etc?
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Raven
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I did a googe search for them and from what I understand, you should be able to use it for any of the dry grains...not sure that I would use it for the oilier items though, like beans or flax.
You'd have to come and see it :-)
The truth is not for all men, but only for those that seek it. Ayn Rand
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Mommacat
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I am really trying to get together a plan to do just that, Raven! I want to come down over a weekend, but its looking like it probably wouldn't be until early August before I could do that. :)

P.S. NOT just to see the grinder, either! We have some very, very serious campfire discussions that need to be addressed ;)
Edited by Mommacat, May 26 2011, 11:28 AM.
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Raven
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You will be most welcome
The truth is not for all men, but only for those that seek it. Ayn Rand
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