What did you do today to prep?

[The Heretic]

I finally gave up my Costco, Honda 11 HP, 4.4 gpm, 4000 psi pressure washer. Best one I have ever used, but I couldn't get it up the driveway from the shop anymore. That was an all day job - two small wheels and very heavy. It is the one that most rental stores use. Around $900.

I used to be able to lift it into my truck, but no more.

Lent it to my Grandson and I don't think that he drained the unit before putting it back in the unheated shop. Next time he used it, would not power up all of the way and was losing oil on the ground. I asked him if he drained it and he grumbled yes - bad day evidently.

I gave it to a friend that does work around my yard to see if he could fix it.

I got a Homelite from Home Depot - 2800 PSI IIRC. About $400. About 5 years ago the pump broke - I bought a new 3100 PSI pump for it from Amazon for $100 and replaced it. I use my pressure washer a lot; everything up here has mold and/or moss and/or leave/needles on it, and I have used it to pressure wash tractors, skid steers, bulldozers, excavators, my driveway, my vehicles, windows, my shop roof and exterior walls and lots of other stuff.

 

[Flopsweat]

SpeakerLab 7's here. If that doesn't bring you back to Seattle in the early 80's, I don't know what to tell you.

12" Woofer, 10" subWoofer, Horn tweeter and a large horn midrange. Rated at 250 watts per channel. Also about 80 lbs a piece.

They also made a Klipshhorn Cornerhorn knockoff that you couldn't tell apart.

I was on the other coast in the 80's but I remember SpeakerLab. I had a set of Altecs and RTR's back then, I forget what models.

 

[Bacchus]

I bought some pre-taped masking film from Walmart. My idea is that if I am ever near a nuclear strike, but not immediately vaporized, I can mask off my house windows to reduce radioactive particle penetration. I put this in a small cardboard box and labeled it as such, and I am storing it in a relatively visible location on a shelf. I threw in a couple extra rolls of blue painter's tape in case the tape that comes on the film needs reinforcement.

I want to be able to mask the windows without having to scrounge around for masking film (like plastic drop cloths) and tape.

 

[Mono1]

I bought some pre-taped masking film from Walmart. My idea is that if I am ever near a nuclear strike, but not immediately vaporized, I can mask off my house windows to reduce radioactive particle penetration. I put this in a small cardboard box and labeled it as such, and I am storing it in a relatively visible location on a shelf. I threw in a couple extra rolls of blue painter's tape in case the tape that comes on the film needs reinforcement.

I want to be able to mask the windows without having to scrounge around for masking film (like plastic drop cloths) and tape.

Not sure radioactive fallout will be stopped by tape. More like three feet of earth or concrete overhead.

 

[Bacchus]

Not sure radioactive fallout will be stopped by tape. More like three feet of earth or concrete overhead..

Talking about the fallout that comes after the blast.

CDC Radiation Emergency

"When you move to your shelter, use duct tape and plastic sheeting to seal any doors, windows, or vents for a short period of time in case a radiation plume is passing over ..."

Ask a Prepper

"Obviously, the key to survival is to avoid the fallout until its initial extreme radioactivity has decayed to a less dangerous level. To do this you need to prepare a fallout room in your home ... Pick a room at the downwind side if you can, because less fallout will be blown up against the walls. Now seal the room as well as you can. Block up any windows, air vents or other openings as tightly as you can. Try not to just seal them with plastic sheet on the inside, because if any fallout gets through it's going to be trapped between the plastic and the wall. That means any radiation from it will be in the room with you, and you really need to keep it outside..."

From this it appears they need to be sealed both inside and outside. I need to go back and make sure I have enough film.

 

[The Heretic]

Not sure radioactive fallout will be stopped by tape. More like three feet of earth or concrete overhead.

I think it is more about infiltration

 

[thekingoftroy]

I've been thinking about getting some potassium iodide tablets to add to my preps. Does anybody have experience with purchasing these? I've seen them on Amazon and wonder if they are legit or a waste of money.

 

[OrPackrat]

You sure you don't mean 2 stroke? generally 4 strokes don't need mixed fuel. Either way it's a good tool. I've had mine for a couple years now with no problems.

4 stroke mixed fuel.

4-MIX engine: Lightweight with good lugging power | STIHL

The 4-Mix engine is an extra leightweight four-stroke-engine that combines the advantages of a 2-stroke & 4-stroke in a new way. Learn more about it here!

www.stihl.com

It's quiet and low rpm, easy to start, really nice.

Put it through some paces today with the brush head, it's really impressive how well it was cutting everything...

 

[Camelfilter]

I've been thinking about getting some potassium iodide tablets to add to my preps. Does anybody have experience with purchasing these? I've seen them on Amazon and wonder if they are legit or a waste of money.

No idea on legit or not.

Potassium iodide offers some protection for particular age groups, in specific scenarios affecting food chains. Think Chernobyl, or had 3 mile gone as Chernobyl did...

So, insofar as Nuclear device detonation's go...pretty limited scenarios that they would be useful. Plus you would need infrastructure (monitoring & communications of results) to know to take them & when not to.

Or the equipment & skillset to self monitor.

My point in specifically NOT buying chem suits / gas masks for some type of CBN event scenario. No ability to self monitor...

IMO.

 

[Bacchus]

I've been thinking about getting some potassium iodide tablets to add to my preps. Does anybody have experience with purchasing these? I've seen them on Amazon and wonder if they are legit or a waste of money.

Yes, I do have experience purchasing them: I bought some! But I have no experience using them after a blast.

CDC guidelines say to not take it (Potassium Iodide) until and unless instructed to do so by a public health agency, and only for people under 40.

"KI is the stable (non-radioactive) form of iodine. They are both absorbed by the thyroid.

The thyroid cannot distinguish between stable or radioactive iodine. To protect the thyroid from radioactive iodine, a person must take KI before or shortly after being exposed to radioactive iodine to saturate the thyroid and prevent the radioactive iodine from concentrating in the thyroid.

When a person takes the right amount of KI at the right time, it can help block the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. This happens because the thyroid has already absorbed the KI, and there is no room to absorb the radioactive iodine. Think of filling a jar with blue marbles (KI). If you then pour green marbles (radioactive iodine) over the jar, there will not be room and they will just spill out."

On the other hand, I do consume iodized salt.

 

[thekingoftroy]

Yes, I do have experience purchasing them: I bought some! But I have no experience using them after a blast.

CDC guidelines say to not take it (Potassium Iodide) until and unless instructed to do so by a public health agency, and only for people under 40.

"KI is the stable (non-radioactive) form of iodine. They are both absorbed by the thyroid.

The thyroid cannot distinguish between stable or radioactive iodine. To protect the thyroid from radioactive iodine, a person must take KI before or shortly after being exposed to radioactive iodine to saturate the thyroid and prevent the radioactive iodine from concentrating in the thyroid.

When a person takes the right amount of KI at the right time, it can help block the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. This happens because the thyroid has already absorbed the KI, and there is no room to absorb the radioactive iodine. Think of filling a jar with blue marbles (KI). If you then pour green marbles (radioactive iodine) over the jar, there will not be room and they will just spill out."

On the other hand, I do consume iodized salt.

Well being under 40 counts me out. I'm way older than that.

 

[Bacchus]

One item of note from the second link above on iodized salt:

"Not having enough iodine amounts can lead to severe health conditions including:

• ...
• ...
• ...
• Radiation-induced throat cancer
• ... "

 

[The Heretic]

One item of note from the second link above on iodized salt:

"Not having enough iodine amounts can lead to severe health conditions including:

• ...
• ...
• ...
• Radiation-induced throat cancer
• ... "

That is, if you don't have iodine in your system to start with?

IIRC, this will only help with certain types of lymphatic cancer and mostly years later, and won't protect you from other kinds of radiation poisoning?

 

[Bacchus]

That is, if you don't have iodine in your system to start with?

IIRC, this will only help with certain types of lymphatic cancer and mostly years later, and won't protect you from other kinds of radiation poisoning?

I don't know about that, I don't think my two links went into that much detail. The iodine in the salt appears to be the same as the iodine tablets, Potassium Iodide (KI), or at least the same as mentioned in the CDC link above. One of my links emphasizes that it is necessary to have enough iodine to saturate the thyroid with stable iodine to the point it can't accept any radioactive iodine.

Since I wouldn't take it until a blast had occurred I personally would not worry about whether I was overtaking it, I think the presence of radioactive fallout would be a bigger priority for me and I wouldn't worry about overdoing it. I certainly would not routinely take the tablets as a preventative ahead of time, other than what I get from the salt.

But I am certainly not an expert, I'm just parroting what I am reading on the Internet. Everybody has to do their own research.

 

[mjones016]

This is not meant as a discussion thread. Just what you did today to prep.

If you didn't do anything, please don't post, but feel free to read what others have done to prep.

I stole the thread idea from ARFCOM Survival section.

Post what you did, practiced, or bought.

If you have questions, feel free to start a tread here in the Survival Forum.

worked on water storage

 

[Angie]

I planted carrots today in the hoop house and filled up another raised bed outside with soil to plant my strawberries and asparagus if the rain ever stops long enough for me to do so. I also need to lay some weed barrier down in one bed and buy some more metal mesh for the bottom of two others to get ready to plant my melons and zucchini in them. Tonight should be the last night that it gets into the low 30s. *fingers crossed*

 

[Angie]

Lol..ya know..I figured Salem would be spared from one of the nukes...just Portland would get a wallop.

Turns out not to be the case. Maybe I should get two twix bars. And a bottle of Vodka.

View attachment 1882067

California "warm climate . . .plenty of water." Say what?

I'm glad the prevailing winds in Montana blow towards the east.

 

[Pete F]

Garden equipment... Recently I was looking at a power washer for my wife is been bugging me about it. As much as possible I am refusing to buy anymore home improvement equipment. But just in case I saw this 2000 psi at bi-mart. All I need to do is hit the red bricks and home divider / fence. Any takes?
Link:
View attachment 1883853

Costco has a Husqvarna 3200 psi gas powered pressure washer on sale for $320. Not sure who actually makes it but Husqvarna is a good brand.

I told my wife about it and she asked if she had to pull anything and I said yes - she said no.

She wants an electric/battery operated.

 

[Indy62]

Costco has a Husqvarna 3200 psi gas powered pressure washer on sale for $320. Not sue who actually makes it but Husqvarna is a good brand.

I told my wife about it and she asked if she had to pull anything and I said yes - she said no.

She wants an electric/battery operated.

My wife complains about pulling the rope on our power washer. Same with the lawn mower. So I bought her this:

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

My wife complains about pulling the rope on our power washer. Same with the lawn mower. So I bought her this:

View attachment 1884966

That was the same thing I'm using maintaining my moms house. I'm glad I'm out of that.