Pictures of welding on the jerry can -- converted to fuel tank

I own a bunch of Mag lights, and have tested and used about 100 others through the years. My complaint with the mini mag lights has always been the switching method. Plus after a lot of use the head starts to loosen up. My current small light of choice is a Coleman MAX. It's a 2 AA cell, 115 lumen LED light that has a GREAT beam pattern and is able to reach way out. Runs about 25 bucks at many stores. I found mine at a wal~mart. It's has a Cree XR-E lamp module.

Run time is about 5 hours.

you do understand that Im jerking your chain...a little..and making you think some things through a little farther than you have appeared to done, right?

you have a very nice genset at 20kw

The big problem is that its a fuel hog simply because of its size. You really DONT need to power up your entire house in an emergency..unless you have huge tanks of fuel tucked away.

Simply because you havent had a long term power failure..doesnt mean its never going to happen..and in todays uncertain times....its something you damned well may wish to consider..and plan for.

3 weeks is a good "mean" to try to accomodate. Generally FEMA etc etc may get supplies etc into an area after than time frame.

But fuels may not be first on the list. And do you Really want to drive

100 miles for 40 gallons of fuel, over icey roads, downed powerlines and unfriendly natives?..only to have it last a day and a half?

You are going to have to figure out a "worst case sceanario" and try to stick to it. If a drunk clips the pole out front on your street..its one thing..but if you are hit with an icestorm, flood, earthquake etc etc..it can last a very long time..and you really wont know how long it will last..... Shrug.

Ive been a "survivalist" for 35 yrs..and one thing Ive learned..is that half assed planning works..until the one time something different happens and bites you in the ass..and bites hard.

Ive got 4 gensets here at the homestead. From 2.2kw to 10kw.

And I generally run the 4kw because 50 gallons of fuel, used intelligently..will last me over a month...30 days.

I also have a cabinet filled with Coleman stoves, lanterns, fuel, mantles, etc etc. It seldom gets opened..but when it does..whatever was consumed is replaced immediately. I think Ive got 12 lanterns, and about 11 stoves. The stoves are trading stock as well as loaners..along with some of the lanterns. They will ALL burn unleaded fuels..even the old ones. But they will need the generators replaced over time. Ive got 8 generators in the Spares bins. Fuel caps, needle valves, all the normal stuff needed to keep em running for many years.

Cheap insurance. Damned cheap.

Same with food..I keep 4 months minimum on hand. Standard canned goods for the most part...and each can is labled with purchase date and everything is set up so its rotated regularly. Eaten and replaced. Sleeping bags, cold and warm weather gear..all in a specific location and kept in good shape. Packs, camping gear in case one has to BugOut. Arms, ammo, boots, blades, digging gear, etc etc. All racked and prepared. Shrug...very very cheap insurance and something one seldom has to f*ck with but is instantly on hand when needed. Most of it was bought used..but bought intelligently. White Stag sleeping bags are cheap when you find em at a second hand store..as a single example.

Water here in the desert is a necessity. When you get 4" (inches) of rain a year...one has to make plans for having water on hand in case of an emergency. And to use it intelligently. Or die. Shug

Once you are set up..its largely a supply of Stuff that can..can keep you and your family alive for a significant amount of time. And needs very little attention. Like fire extinguishers. They hang on the wall, but are there when you NEED them. One seldom even needs to dust them.

Shrug..but hey...do as you choose. Its only the life of your family thats at risk. Right?

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

"for granted" and "so far" have killed many many people.

Shrug

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

Exellent post and great link!

Thanks!

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

Of course. Its only the life of your family you are gambling. Nothing important. Right?

Im reminded of a guy who claimed he didnt need smoke detectors or fire extinguishers. He lived in an apartment complex. Stone building.

And he was very very careful.

His neighbors place caught fire..and burned him out too.

Poor bastard lived in his car for 2 weeks. Then I put him up for another

2 before the owners insurance got him a new place.

Shrug.

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

Big "if" in some places ..isnt it?

Gunner

"Aren't cats Libertarian? They just want to be left alone. I think our dog is a Democrat, as he is always looking for a handout" Unknown Usnet Poster

Heh, heh, I'm pretty sure my dog is a liberal - he has no balls. Keyton

Let the Record show that "Stormin Mormon" on or about Tue, 1 Dec 2009

18:57:12 -0500 did write/type or cause to appear in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Poor Mormons, no candles, no tobacco, no hot drinks - no need for matches! All that clean living is going to be the death of you! Bummer dude.

- pyotr filipivich We will drink no whiskey before its nine. It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

The best preparation for those low probability events like the earthquake in question is a "vacation" property a substantial distance away, along with a vehicle with enough fuel to get you there without relying on gas stations.

Unlike huge stockpiles of supplies, the "vacation" home generally appreciates in value, can be used regularly for *gasp* vacations, and in the event of that earthquake you just load the family and your BOBs into the vehicle, head off on an unscheduled vacation, and call your insurance agent to file your claim when you get settled at your alternate site.

Every United Rentals, Nations Rent, etc. will also have plenty of towable generators on hand.

Let the Record show that "Stormin Mormon" on or about Wed, 2 Dec 2009

08:24:31 -0500 did write/type or cause to appear in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Please don't take this as hostile, but I know there is "better" out there, and when I'm working again, will get that. In the meantime, I _have_ the min-mag with adaptor kit. And a .7 liter "Really Useful Box" holding my batteries in one place. (And a little one with three rechargeable batteries, but my chargers needs four to function; either a fourth will 'surface" or I'll have to get more.)

tschus pyotr

- pyotr filipivich We will drink no whiskey before its nine. It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

Let the Record show that Gunner Asch on or about Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:43:32 -0800 did write/type or cause to appear in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Oh, well, I had one of those. If I had really wanted to cook, I could have. But mostly, I just fired up the propane barby, and either did burgers, or chicken, or lambchops. (I still had some corn on the cob in the freezer, wrap in tin foil with some salt & pepper, butter, next to the chops ... yum. I think the last two cobs are probably squirrel food after five years in the freezer.) For supper, that was standard. Breakfast is usually granola, unless it is a weekend,when I make Brunch.

I think there's two in the shed ... one is in The Kitchen Box, and the other is 'somewhere' in a bin.

- pyotr filipivich We will drink no whiskey before its nine. It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

Let the Record show that Gunner Asch on or about Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:05:56 -0800 did write/type or cause to appear in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:

Place I live, worse case scenario, the bridges (two) go down. There is no other way "out" (National Forest behind us, river runs "round" us.) We were told FEMA may get here after 72 hours, but if the bridges are out, it may be a long time till supplies are available. Gasoline. Water, food. Least bad situation, the road bridges are down, but the old cattle now pedestrian bridge is up. Six miles to the bridge, walk across and now you're only 7 miles from town. "Plan accordingly."

They might friendlier if you didn't drive over them. B-)

Ayup.

pyotr

- pyotr filipivich We will drink no whiskey before its nine. It's eight fifty eight. Close enough!

I think Iggy is in good shape. He has thirty six hours of generator fuel. So if it is a major problem, he can just run the generator three hours a day and it will last 12 days. By that time the ice storm will have melted and he can go get more fuel. During the 12 days, he surely can find some more containers so he will be able to get more than 36 more hours of generator time.

I have survived about six days without any power. No power from the electric company and no generator. You really do not need a generator to survive. So he really isn't gambling the life of his family. Maybe the comfort of his family, but that is not the same thing.

Dan

I'm not sure anyone has died of boredom, sobriety, and clean living. With my luck, I'll be the first. The only thing keeps me going is my flashlight collection.

Oh, with technology and flash lights. There is often something comes along that's better than the last thing.

Mini Mags ruled for a while, with crisp white light, and convenient pocket size. Opalec improved, with a $28 module that never blows a bulb. I think the $4.97 module from Nite Ize, at Walmart is actually better than my $28 module. I think the Teralux which cost me $35 is better than either of those. And, some time there will be yet a better improvement.

Just saw something on the net. Walmart has a light for about $25 with an endcap push button. Takes two AA cells, 115 lumens, and slightly shorter than a minimag. I'm really tempted to buy one. Supposed to have 5 hour runtime. So, there's often something better that comes out.

I've got couple Xenon lights from Ebay, that run on camera CR-123 batteries. Bright, but they get hot, and don't last long. I use them for seeing house numbers on night calls, and knowing if I should shoot that noise in the night. "That you, honey!"

Web page about the $25 light that is supposed to be very good.

I don't lack flashlights, but have tried to learn to function at night without them, and use small ones if any to walk around outside because they don't hurt my night vision. Some of the solar night lights come apart easily to use as flashlights that last for hours. They should have on/off switches and easily replaced batteries, mine use AA NiCads.

replaced the screws that hold the top on with studs and thumb nuts so I can take it apart to change batteries when the lights are off, we don't always get enough sun to recharge them in the winter. The light isn't nearly as bright as the photo shows but it's enough to walk around.

Does "Young" imply actual descent from Brigham or is it like "Singh"?

jsw

Yep. Plus, what really matters, as far as going buying more fuel is concerned, is when they put salt on the roads, not when the ice melts.

The risk of having too much fuel -- with the possibility of fire or expensive spillage -- is far greater than a risk of some nebulous event that makes me unable to buy fuel after a week from day one.

Gunner is a good example of where too much survivalism is detrimental to life. No end of the world in sight, Gunner is seriously hampered by his stockpiles of Stuff, with zero benefit from them received so far.

Was the weather cold then?

i

I didn't have one of those but I had a 1 pound propane tank and an adversion to leaving my car on the side of the road.

Wes

-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller