What did you do today to prep?

[BlackPowderDad]

Today I started looking through items that I don't need, I'll put them up for sale and then use the money to buy items that I'm missing . I currently have no way to heat my house in a grid down scenario! We don't have anywhere for a wood stove to go, so I'm thinking of buying a mr heater buddy and a million of those one pound propane tanks.

 

[Camelfilter]

I'm thinking of buying a mr heater buddy and a million of those one pound propane tanks.

Use 20lb barbecue size (or larger ones), instead of 1lb'rs.

Tank outside, long hose, filter, buddy inside. Have done such 4 homes now as supplemental/backup heat. Plus nice camp heat/deck warming etc.

I use a cut cup portion of outdoor carpet velcro'd - to block most of an opening on sliding door but still allows hose to go in.

Other members on here have used & suggest those "pool noodles". Great idea!

Sure, have a couple 1 pounders. Maybe half dozen as an in case where running hose isn't wise. Quik camp, quick garage warm up etc etc.

However cost/runtime on 1lb'rs is simply not feasible as a backup heat beyond a day or few. Where's 20-40lb'rs gives far more reasonable runtime at a decent price.

Setting next to our first big buddy on the deck, we bought it better on 10 years ago (4 homes back). Works fine. This time of year just early mornings/late evenings to take the chill off our legs.

Now a days have a spare big buddy & 2 single element ones. Only checked for function & put up " in case ".

 

[Pete F]

Today I started looking through items that I don't need, I'll put them up for sale and then use the money to buy items that I'm missing . I currently have no way to heat my house in a grid down scenario! We don't have anywhere for a wood stove to go, so I'm thinking of buying a mr heater buddy and a million of those one pound propane tanks.

Be sure to buy a good CO2 monitor. Place it near the floor since CO2 is heavier than air. Many people die each year due to CO2.

 

[BlackPowderDad]

Use 20lb barbecue size (or larger ones), instead of 1lb'rs.

Tank outside, long hose, filter, buddy inside. Have done such 4 homes now as supplemental/backup heat. Plus nice camp heat/deck warming etc.

I use a cut cup portion of outdoor carpet velcro'd - to block most of an opening on sliding door but still allows hose to go in.

Other members on here have used & suggest those "pool noodles". Great idea!

Sure, have a couple 1 pounders. Maybe half dozen as an in case where running hose isn't wise. Quik camp, quick garage warm up etc etc.

However cost/runtime on 1lb'rs is simply not feasible as a backup heat beyond a day or few. Where's 20-40lb'rs gives far more reasonable runtime at a decent price.

Setting next to our first big buddy on the deck, we bought it better on 10 years ago (4 homes back). Works fine. This time of year just early mornings/late evenings to take the chill off our legs.

Now a days have a spare big buddy & 2 single element ones. Only checked for function & put up " in case ".

Great advice! Thank you.

 

[oremike]

We have a wood stove in the house and I have a kerosene heater for the un heated and poorly insulated garage, It'll take the chill off of a 30 degree morning in an hour, so I light it off and then have a cup of coffee before heading out. Depending on need I set one of those thermal powered fans on top of whatever is generating the heat to get a little convection air movement. They work surprisingly well.

 

[infantryski11b]

I went to dollar tree and made another first aid kit solely from dollar tree items. You'd be surprised what you can get there.

 

[The Heretic]

Bought some bulgar wheat on Amazon for 6 cents/oz:

Amazon: Bulgur Wheat $.05-.06 per ounce

https://www.preppingdeals.net/deals/amazon-iberia-bulgur-wheat-24-oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D183DLLC?ie=UTF8&_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=pd001174829-20&linkId=a0ba1615f0b99abeca0dfa96f5c3f10c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl&th=1 Limit 5 Single bag 5 cents/oz or 6 cents/oz if you don't...

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[The Heretic]

I just hauled the 50# of potatoes out of my crawlspace and threw them in the trash. They had 18" roots coming out of the top of the bag. Experiment failed. Now I know that I can't keep roots for a whole winter down there. Plus, it never stayed humid enough down there and I don't think I would want it to. I could have planted them, but I'm not ready to do that yet and potatoes are cheap here. That bag was free, but if I had purchased it, it would have been about $20. I'm glad I tried it with a free bag instead of my whole winter harvest of carrots and onions. At least no critters got into them. My man will just have to get to work on a root cellar at some point.

https://www.reddit.com/r/selfreliance/comments/1cc1waz/dug_up_our_buried_potatoes_from_last_year

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/selfreliance/comments/1cc1waz/dug_up_our_buried_potatoes_from_last_year/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

 

[The Heretic]

Bought a cheap portable (5# and small) welder for $48.

[Amazon] SSIMDER 130A 110v/220v Stick Welder - $43.99 (was $79.99)

Apr 22, 2024

www.preppingdeals.net

Nothing special, but better than nothing and for less than $50 I don't expect a whole lot and I need at least something if SHTF (yes, I know I will need a larger genset than the ones I have, which I plan to get). I plan to get a TIG torch for it and see if I can do some bronze silicon brazing with it.

Later I will get a 10 in 1 or something like that - I want more power and ability to use a plasma cutter.

 

[Bacchus]

Use 20lb barbecue size (or larger ones), instead of 1lb'rs.

Tank outside, long hose, filter, buddy inside. Have done such 4 homes now as supplemental/backup heat. Plus nice camp heat/deck warming etc.

I use a cut cup portion of outdoor carpet velcro'd - to block most of an opening on sliding door but still allows hose to go in.

Other members on here have used & suggest those "pool noodles". Great idea!

Sure, have a couple 1 pounders. Maybe half dozen as an in case where running hose isn't wise. Quik camp, quick garage warm up etc etc.

However cost/runtime on 1lb'rs is simply not feasible as a backup heat beyond a day or few. Where's 20-40lb'rs gives far more reasonable runtime at a decent price.

Setting next to our first big buddy on the deck, we bought it better on 10 years ago (4 homes back). Works fine. This time of year just early mornings/late evenings to take the chill off our legs.

Now a days have a spare big buddy & 2 single element ones. Only checked for function & put up " in case ".

and get the right hose:

Mr. Buddy Hose F271803

Also, there are much cheaper prices available than in the Mr. Buddy link above.

 

[Bacchus]

I think the Buddy is fairly unique for being a combustion heater designed to use indoors. I keep a carbon monoxide detector in the Buddy room, just in case the Buddy goes bad. But another problem isn't the poison from CO, it's the oxygen depletion which is normal from its operation. They recommend that you keep a window open an inch or so to keep fresh air replacing the consumed oxygen. Of course, if you are running a hose from a tank outside, then you probably have the window open a crack already. I haven't looked at this for a few years, but as I recall the Buddy has an automatic shutoff if the oxygen level gets too low but I prefer having a backup safety measure.

If you're using a 1 lb canister instead of a tank, then you don't have a hose going outside, so make sure you crack a window.

And as always, don't take my word for it, do your own due diligence.

And if anybody here has more experience with it, please jump in and correct me as needed. I haven't used mine a whole lot.

 

[Camelfilter]

I think the Buddy is fairly unique for being a combustion heater designed to use indoors. I keep a carbon monoxide detector in the Buddy room, just in case the Buddy goes bad. But another problem isn't the poison from CO, it's the oxygen depletion which is normal from its operation. They recommend that you keep a window open an inch or so to keep fresh air replacing the consumed oxygen. Of course, if you are running a hose from a tank outside, then you probably have the window open a crack already. I haven't looked at this for a few years, but as I recall the Buddy has an automatic shutoff if the oxygen level gets too low but I prefer having a backup safety measure.

If you're using a 1 lb canister instead of a tank, then you don't have a hose going outside, so make sure you crack a window.

And as always, don't take my word for it, do your own due diligence.

And if anybody here has more experience with it, please jump in and correct me as needed. I haven't used mine a whole lot.

Yup.

Also depends upon how new the home is, insulated, drafty etc.

Running the hose thru a sliding door, can allow whatever gap one wishes. I usually left just a bit of gap at the bottom of the door. A few inches of carpet section flipped to the side.

Last home used as solo heat (testing-not emergent), about 1650sq ft ranch, big buddy had the kitchen & dinning room at 80F, living room at 70 back bedrooms/baths at 60. Using battery fans to circulate.

As supplemental heat (heat pump system/AC) could maintain comfy 70 thrurout that house with minimal heat pump cycling. That we did commonly when outdoor temps near freezing & bellow. Normally just mornings & evenings.

Current home haven't tested as solo backup. Would probably do better, even though slightly larger home. As current home is super nicely insulated + new Windows etc.

Current home has heat pump OR full home gas heat. Pretty much only used gas heat this passed winter, with a few cycles on AC if humidity got too much. No need for BUDDY supplemental heat this home.

Still considering wood stove/???converting gas fireplace back to normal FP with an wood stove insert (or something). No idea how big a job that may be. Dumb bubblegum prior owners converted FP to gas...for "ambience".

I figure, without testing, we have enough propane on hand to remain reasonably comfortable inside a winter on big buddy alone. Really depends where one lives, how cold it normally gets outside etc etc.

A 2nd winter would be a problem for us ATM...

 

[Bacchus]

Using battery fans to circulate

I think the earlier Buddys had an interesting thermoelectric fan that operated by the a thermocouple generating a voltage from the temperature difference between the bottom and top of the Buddy. No batteries! It connects one thermocouple connection at a hot place on the Buddy and the other connection at a cold(er) spot on the Buddy. The temperature difference generates a voltage out of the thermocouple, and that voltage turns the fan blades. How cool warm is that?

But now they either don't have a fan or they use a battery powered fan. I think I remember reading that they quit on the thermoelectric fan because of numbskullery from the California legislature.

Thermoelectric fan designed for Buddy

 

[Camelfilter]

Received some 30mm M592 ammo cans & another dozen .50 & .30 cal cans.

30mm cans $22.50 @ Sportsmans Guide. Plus coupons. "Free" shipping for buyers club.

The 30mm cans set 3 each on top of a harbor freight 24 X 16 1000lb capacity solid deck moving dolly, with a bit of hang over on the 2 cans on each end. Loaded wisely with cased/boxed ammo & then ratchet strapped all 3 onto each respective dolly.

These cans weigh 20+ lbs each empty.

Pic, with a .30 cal, .50 cal & 40mm can for size comparison:

 

[The Heretic]

Received some 30mm M592 ammo cans & another dozen .50 & .30 cal cans.

30mm cans $22.50 @ Sportsmans Guide. Plus coupons. "Free" shipping for buyers club.

The 30mm cans set 3 each on top of a harbor freight 24 X 16 1000lb capacity solid deck moving dolly, with a bit of hang over on the 2 cans on each end. Loaded wisely with cased/boxed ammo & then ratchet strapped all 3 onto each respective dolly.

These cans weigh 20+ lbs each empty.

Pic, with a .30 cal, .50 cal & 40mm can for size comparison:

View attachment 1870103

Interesting arrangement with the dollys. How do you envision using those in a SHTF situation?

Personally, I have some large cans like those, but I do not load them with anything heavy (like ammo), because it would kill my back trying to lift them and the dollies would only work on pavement, which I lack. I instead use them for containers that will be attached to my vehicles or other uses where they are not moved by hand.

 

[Camelfilter]

Interesting arrangement with the dollys. How do you envision using those in a SHTF situation?

Personally, I have some large cans like those, but I do not load them with anything heavy (like ammo), because it would kill my back trying to lift them and the dollies would only work on pavement, which I lack. I instead use them for containers that will be attached to my vehicles or other uses where they are not moved by hand.

Yah, I had originally envisioned the dollies just for storage totes. Those Costco 27gal ones. Then saw those ammo cans & figured they'd work as a first tier, then storage totes. Works well.

Yah, need a cement floor tho or similar to be worthwhile.

These cans are for long term storage. Cased / boxed "extra" ammunition, with dessicants. Unlikely to be "useful" in a SHTF. Other than having extra put up, "reasonably" secure.

Suppose they could be moved if needs be. With healthy family, or a hand truck & ramp.

 

[The Heretic]

Yah, I had originally envisioned the dollies just for storage totes. Those Costco 27gal ones. Then saw those ammo cans & figured they'd work as a first tier, then storage totes. Works well.

Yah, need a cement floor tho or similar to be worthwhile.

These cans are for long term storage. Cased / boxed "extra" ammunition, with dessicants. Unlikely to be "useful" in a SHTF. Other than having extra put up, "reasonably" secure.

Suppose they could be moved if needs be. With healthy family, or a hand truck & ramp.

You could put a rope on them to tug them somewhere over pavement. I have a concrete floor in my shop, but I have so much crap in it and it is disorganized so badly, that moving things around on wheels is hard - I really need to work more on organizing it (I should be out there right now working on it instead of surfing the web).

I use a hand truck to move things from the house 50 yards out to the shop. I have asphalt paving for my driveway, and a lot of trees that dump cones and branches/etc. onto it, so small wheels like those dollies are not good enough. Even the hand truck has issues sometimes and it certainly would not work for the woods.

I need to put together the small wheelbarrow my kids got for me. I also need to build or buy a cargo hauler for the woods - something like the Dixon Rollerpack, but with larger wheels.

 

[Angie]

Next time just leave them in the ground! They will stay good all fall and winter on their own. At least mine did, and the ones that I missed turned into plants for this year.

They came from a farm about 15 miles south of us. I didn't grow them myself. I guess I could have buried them in a raised bed for the winter? Maybe I will experiment with that next time.

 

[The Heretic]

I am thinking I might like to do something like this, but with a large ammo can. Probably make it so it is a Faraday cage (wire mesh gasket/etc.) which would require Tempest rated connection ports and opening the lid to turn it on. Not sure about ventilation - might not require that depending on the heat generated. Or I could just crack the lid a little when in use.

Or I might be able to just put one of those commercial "power stations and some solar panels inside a can that is setup as a Faraday cage, and pop them out when needed. Something I should measure and look at today when I go out to my shop.

https://www.reddit.com/r/overlanding/comments/1cd7ivq/my_portable_power_station_build

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/overlanding/comments/1cd7ivq/my_portable_power_station_build/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

 

[Camelfilter]

I am thinking I might like to do something like this, but with a large ammo can. Probably make it so it is a Faraday cage (wire mesh gasket/etc.) which would require Tempest rated connection ports and opening the lid to turn it on. Not sure about ventilation - might not require that depending on the heat generated. Or I could just crack the lid a little when in use.

Or I might be able to just put one of those commercial "power stations and some solar panels inside a can that is setup as a Faraday cage, and pop them out when needed. Something I should measure and look at today when I go out to my shop.

https://www.reddit.com/r/overlanding/comments/1cd7ivq/my_portable_power_station_build

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/overlanding/comments/1cd7ivq/my_portable_power_station_build/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Maybe one of those yard carts?

Looks like Harbor Freight has one "similar" to Gorilla cart.

1200 lb. Capacity Steel Utility Cart with Removable Sides

Amazing deals on this 1200Lb Capacity Steel Utility Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Amazon has the gorilla cart same capacity $5 more than HF. ...Course HF frequently does "coupons" & such.

We don't have a need for one ATM, but such sure would prove handy hauling crap around the place. Currently use a cheapo plastic yard cart prior owners left or hand truck, depending.

Not sure which/what brand size to get, or foam filled tires etc. So haven't.