Posted on 08/10/2014 3:21:11 AM PDT by EC1
I draw the line at that for every day use but would be something to consider for SHTF. ;-`)
I would at least find the material that is best and then get a few bolts. Make them and then store. Might be something that would be a good trade item when the TP runs out.
Neat technique! Thank you, added to the list.
solar outdoor lights. no fire hazard. not wasting a fire/heat source when you only need light.
Some of the very cheapest or odd/off brands might be problematic. Figuring a mistake will cost more than solid brands, I’m sticking with makes like GE, Philips, etc.
Do watch for “color temperature”. You’ll want incandescent-mimicking reddish 2500-2700 K lights. The higher “temperatures” are bluer, harsh on the eyes.
Note that brightness is measured in lumens, not watts. Choose accordingly, as some touted like “60 W replacement” lights are much dimmer.
LEDs, as made now, need good airflow for cooling. Overheating kills them. Don’t put LEDs in completely enclosed fixtures.
Note dimmable vs non-dimmable as appropriate. The former cost more, but are required for dimmer switches.
One quirk that gets me is how FAST LEDs turn on. Not a problem, but I find it a bit jarring at times, vs incandescents taking time (albeit short) to heat up enough to glow. I notice traffic lights lighting up at different rates, when one is incandescent and another is LED.
Thank you! It’s like I said - frugal sometimes means laying out a bit of extra cash. Worth paying a bit more up front to get years of service.
I don’t mind lights on the bluer end of the spectrum, in fact my bedside reading lamp has a blue bulb in it. It’s just a quirk of my eyesight, but I’ll keep an eye on the color temps for the main room lights.
How well they work? I’ve had poor results with them so far.
my suggestion is to get a higher quality solar light, better quality ones will have a better solar panel and a better rechargeable battery. amazon can probably help by reviewing the ratings and comments of various lights out there.
A good hand pump is an excellent idea.
You will also need a roll of hose to fit it. Can be used for water, gas, diesel or oil. Always keep handy a long green Ky. credit card as we call a siphon hose. We always intend to return the gas and sometimes even do.
Moonshine stills can be made easily or purchased online. They are great for medicinal purposes (used internally or externally, internally no germ will come near you, course neither will your wife) and the stuff will work in your Zippo or can be used to power certain types of motors.
Seeds if you like to eat and a book on edible and medicinal plants. I have purchased books on DVD written on every subject dating back to the 1840’s and they contain a ton of methods of living off the land. Everything from blacksmithing to canning garden produce to butchering and curing and canning every kind of meat except humans. You are on your own there.
German or American made tools are the best and the older the better. You can not buy the quality of them anymore. Farm auctions are a great source.
I read Herriot years ago. I liked his stuff, I will check Amazon and see if he is still around or if I missed any. Thanks for reminding me.
One of the things I always suggest to people - which usually gets quizzical or disbelieving looks - is a good vegetarian cook book.
You grow stuff (or will be) - may as well make it fun and interesting to eat. Salads get depressing fast, and don’t really fuel you.
Agreed on the still. Raw shine is rough on the throat, but is amazing as a disinfectant. As you said - both inside and out!
Thanks - I’ll do some digging.
Lighting is one of those awkward issues.
Frugal is simply spending less than you make. Unless you're married -- when you're called every nasty thing but "frugal".
Now that cracked me up.
Been there, done that. :)
It's always great to know you're not alone. But, sadly, in the heat of the moment, you really are all alone -- "But, honey, my fellow Freepers agree" -- doesn't cut it ;)
I am blessed, in a way. My beloved wife makes a bull’s backside in fly season look wide open. :)
She’ll buy stuff, on sale. She’s got her wardrobe for the next 40 years, since she goes for quality, not whatever the Kardashians are wearing this week. Her favorite house skirt, for example, she bought in 1985. Been mended twice and resized once already.
Curious about something, was married to a lady of German ancestry and once a year she would cook cabbage and drop a penny in it, in spring if I remember correctly, figured it had to had to do with the bodies need for trace amounts of copper. Just wondered if that was the reason or just good luck, she didn’t know why her family did it but a lot of old traditions seem to have practical reasons. Eating of polk in the spring in the mountains also comes to mind.
I don’t know the science. The Irish do the same though, as do us Northerners. Drop a penny in the pot.
It could be for the copper. It could be to remove the sulphur - new cabbage is a bit rank.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.