# 2019 Prep Upgrades



## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

This thread is similar to Prep Of The Day but is focused on major improvements in your long term preparedness for a SHTF scenario. No "I bought a fancy knife yesterday" posts. 
Instead tell us about what you've done in 2019 to improve your families/groups long term survival. New bug out location, long term food source, new long term (more than 3 months) heating method. No "I bought a $45 can of propane" posts. Instead serious prepping, not armchair wanna-be preps.

No political or religious posts please. Consider this the serious long term prepping thread.


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## Elvis (Jun 22, 2018)

I'll start, work has been slow the last few weeks so we've been focusing on long term preps. Stored food and TP are already up to goals so on to more interesting long term preps.

Traded stuff for 3 calves so we now have beef on the hoof, a critter new to us. Put in good fencing for them which is great exercise for me. Something most on this site can't do in an urban environment but we figure to make about $450 profit per cow at auction so it's a prep which will make money and keep some meat on the property.

Enclosed, insulated, added power, to an older garage attached to the house basically making it a new large room. We may put a pool table in but it can also be used as a huge unheated bedroom. That project started in 2018.

Got a much larger propane tank so we could put in a propane stove and 2 small propane heaters in in addition to the propane powered hot water heater we already had. The stove top and heaters can be lit without electricity. With the larger propane tank the plan is to always keep a year's worth of propane in the tank assuming basic conservation We already have some wood and solar heat.

Made calls to get both septic tanks pumped to assure years of toilet use.


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## GPShay (Jul 30, 2018)

Keep purchasing ammo .. Food .. TP .. looking at purchasing a rocket stove .. I am also trying to find a plastic fabricator so I can get a solar "Water Cone" manufactured .. in Az water is the issue .. there are plenty of chlorine and salt water pools but unless you can use a solar distiller nothing is drinkable .. I know there are a bunch of them in Yemen but there is no way to get your hands of any of them ..


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

I hoarded more Bibles and copies of Ann Coulter's books.
Seriously, don't tell me what to do. :vs_laugh:

Really seriously, bought more propane tanks.


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Pressure canned another 27 pints of beef and venison.

Also, . . . all 4 of my pressure canner / cookers can work on a campfire.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

I learned another skill to use for barter....

Leather working.

Folks gonna need holsters and knife sheaths for all the guns and knives the collected right? And I may want to make myself some buckskin clothing at some point.


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## stevekozak (Oct 4, 2015)

hawgrider said:


> I learned another skill to use for barter....
> 
> Leather working.
> 
> Folks gonna need holsters and knife sheaths for all the guns and knives the collected right? And I may want to make myself some buckskin clothing at some point.


Those are good looking pieces of craftsmanship!!


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

hawgrider said:


> I learned another skill to use for barter....
> 
> Leather working.
> 
> Folks gonna need holsters and knife sheaths for all the guns and knives the collected right? And I may want to make myself some buckskin clothing at some point.


Gotta find a use for the CWD deer in MeatChicken

I have shot the Old Skool 45.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

AquaHull said:


> Gotta find a use for the CWD deer in MeatChicken
> 
> I have shot the Old Skool 45.


Can't eat them anymore so I guess we could make stuff from the hides?

Yes you had my old war horse in your hands up at deer camp and I shot your zippy .357's through your security six.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

stevekozak said:


> Those are good looking pieces of craftsmanship!!


Thanks not bad for a noob! I was pleasantly surprised at the turnout.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

Denton said:


> I hoarded more Bibles and copies of Ann Coulter's books.
> Seriously, don't tell me what to do. :vs_laugh:
> 
> Really seriously, bought more propane tanks.


couple of months and it'll be BBQ season and the yearly propane sales will be on >>>> best tank fill & exchange $$$$$ for the year ....

Blue Rhino will be running another rebate program again most likely ....


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

Illini Warrior said:


> couple of months and it'll be BBQ season and the yearly propane sales will be on >>>> best tank fill & exchange $$$$$ for the year ....
> 
> Blue Rhino will be running another rebate program again most likely ....


Exchange is a rip off they short you on gas and are over priced. I have been getting 20 lbs refilled for 10 bucks for the last 2 years. Blue rhino gets anywhere from 15.95 up to and over 19.95 and you only get about 3/4 of a tank.



> Propane Exchange vs. Refill: Myth Busted
> https://movinginsider.com/2012/06/22/propaneprices/


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## Ragnarök (Aug 4, 2014)

I have an appointment with the sheriffs office to get my conceal carry license. March 28th is the day and then I wait a month for it to be official. 

....I need to refill my propane thanks for the reminder.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

hawgrider said:


> Exchange is a rip off they short you on gas and are over priced. I have been getting 20 lbs refilled for 10 bucks for the last 2 years. Blue rhino gets anywhere from 15.95 up to and over 19.95 and you only get about 3/4 of a tank.


but they take just about ANY tank in exchange - great way to get a quality refillable tank worth $30+ bucks in exchange for a $1 POS you found laying around somewhere ...

great way to build a propane inventory on the cheap ....


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## youngridge (Dec 28, 2017)

hawgrider said:


> I learned another skill to use for barter....
> 
> Leather working.
> 
> Folks gonna need holsters and knife sheaths for all the guns and knives the collected right? And I may want to make myself some buckskin clothing at some point.


Very impressive for a first timer. My father had a knack for it....a lot of the stuff he had got lost over the years.

What did you use to get started in doing it?


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

hawgrider said:


> I learned another skill to use for barter....
> 
> Leather working.
> 
> Folks gonna need holsters and knife sheaths for all the guns and knives the collected right? And I may want to make myself some buckskin clothing at some point.


Not meaning to pick on you, . . . just a couple handy tips.

On the 1911 holster, . . . unless you are in love with decorative stitching, . . . you can lose the stitches around the belt loop holes. If you properly put that thing together with contact cement, . . . then those stitches are absolutely only there for decoration, . . . and if you are hand stitching, . . . well, . . . I don't need to tell you.

On the knife sheath, . . . you have at least 3 too many rivets in that knife sheath. The 4th one, . . . holding the keeper in place, . . . it's useful, . . . the others are mostly known for their being on cheap Chinese junk.

Anyone with a really good knife will not put it into a sheath like that, . . . just in case some day they happen to go to whack something with the knife and it happens to be in the sheath. You will never polish out the divot that the rivet will put in the blade before the blade slices thru it. AND, . . . if the sheath is properly made with a sturdy welt along the blade side, . . . you will never need those rivets, . . . unless you want to polish em up and use em as a signal mirror to your buddy on the other side of the hill.

But other than those two minor things, . . . looks good otherwise.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

My Ka Bars have even more rivets... I think they look good and strong, not cheap... and none of them bother the blade. I also think 'decorative" is something a leather craftsman should be working towards absolutely. I couldn't do anything like these... and I think they look great! Good work Hawg!


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

youngridge said:


> Very impressive for a first timer. My father had a knack for it....a lot of the stuff he had got lost over the years.
> 
> What did you use to get started in doing it?


Just a few weeks ago.


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

dwight55 said:


> Not meaning to pick on you, . . . just a couple handy tips.
> 
> On the 1911 holster, . . . unless you are in love with decorative stitching, . . . you can lose the stitches around the belt loop holes. If you properly put that thing together with contact cement, . . . then those stitches are absolutely only there for decoration, . . . and if you are hand stitching, . . . well, . . . I don't need to tell you.
> 
> ...


The rivets were used because it was fun to learn how to use them and it stayed somewhat true to the original sheath. Which was my goal to begin with.

original below-


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

youngridge said:


> Very impressive for a first timer. My father had a knack for it....a lot of the stuff he had got lost over the years.
> 
> What did you use to get started in doing it?


When my pappy died I was able to snag a fraction of the leather tools he had. My evil sibling literally stole the rest from the estate but that would be at least a 12 pack story. As far as that story blood is not thicker than water when the buzzards show up after a death.

So yeah a few weeks ago I decided it was time to play and discovered that its not that hard, its a great skill to have, its fun and relaxing. I'm hooked!


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## StratMaster (Dec 26, 2017)

hawgrider said:


> When my pappy died I was able to snag a fraction of the leather tools he had. My evil sibling literally stole the rest from the estate but that would be at least a 12 pack story. As far as that story blood is not thicker than water when the buzzards show up after a death.
> 
> So yeah a few weeks ago I decided it was time to play and discovered that its not that hard, its a great skill to have, its fun and relaxing. I'm hooked!


God bless your pappy! It's so great you can use his tools and continue the tradition.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I just payed $114.87 on my Ferrellgas budget bill, they own Blue Effing RINO


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

hawgrider said:


> When my pappy died I was able to snag a fraction of the leather tools he had. My evil sibling literally stole the rest from the estate but that would be at least a 12 pack story. As far as that story blood is not thicker than water when the buzzards show up after a death.
> 
> So yeah a few weeks ago I decided it was time to play and discovered that its not that hard, its a great skill to have, its fun and relaxing. I'm hooked!


So when are you going to head down to Toledo Industrial Sewing Machine Co for THE TOOL that makes it all so (sew, . . . ) much easier?

Here is the link, . . . if you decide to go, . . . I've dealt with them and they are really good people.

https://www.tolindsewmach.com/

May God bless,
Dwight


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## hawgrider (Oct 24, 2014)

dwight55 said:


> So when are you going to head down to Toledo Industrial Sewing Machine Co for THE TOOL that makes it all so (sew, . . . ) much easier?
> 
> Here is the link, . . . if you decide to go, . . . I've dealt with them and they are really good people.
> 
> ...


Ha! Yes I could use a machine for thick leather. I have been sewing upholstery and biker patches on leather jackets and vests for a couple of decades with a regular singer sewing machine and surprisingly its survived the abuse but the is no way it could sew holsters and sheaths.

Sooooo yeah Ive kinda been looking at a commercial version machine but yee haw they aint cheap! The machine in the latest Tandy flyer runs about 1500 bucks for an electric powerhouse. Also have considered the Tippman Boss non electric but those things are pricey too.

I'm hand stitching everything I've done so far and really I don't mind it. It's sorta therapeutic watching the piece slowly come together.

So maybe someday when I come across an old walking foot machine I'll pick up a used one.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

AquaHull said:


> I just payed $114.87 on my Ferrellgas budget bill, they own Blue Effing RINO


I think it's the other way around - Rhino is buying up the locals & regionals ....


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I know FerretGas sells Blue Rhino

At the Blue Rhino propane plant (LP gas), owned by Ferrellgas, located in Tavares, Florida in Lake County, a fire broke out at around 10:30 p.m EDT on July 29, 2013. This fire lead to multiple explosions within an hour and into the early morning of the next day. The plant contained about 53,000 20-pound propane cylinders and multiple large storage tanks. A total of eight workers were injured, some critically.[3]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrellgas

The many short-sellers of Blue Rhino ( RINO) were taking it on the chin Monday morning after the company agreed to be acquired by Ferrell Cos. for $17 a share in cash.

The assets of Blue Rhino, which operates propane-tank exchange centers, will be taken over by Ferrellgas L.P. ( FGP), whose general partner is controlled by Ferrell Cos. The price tag comes out to about $340 million.

https://www.thestreet.com/story/10142470/1/blue-rhino-is-acquired.html


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

hawgrider said:


> Ha! Yes I could use a machine for thick leather. I have been sewing upholstery and biker patches on leather jackets and vests for a couple of decades with a regular singer sewing machine and surprisingly its survived the abuse but the is no way it could sew holsters and sheaths.
> 
> Sooooo yeah Ive kinda been looking at a commercial version machine but yee haw they aint cheap! The machine in the latest Tandy flyer runs about 1500 bucks for an electric powerhouse. Also have considered the Tippman Boss non electric but those things are pricey too.
> 
> ...


WELL, . . . if the idea is to make stuff after the SHTF, . . . that walking foot machine will turn into a nice horizontal surface on which to lay many other items. Without electric, . . . it's deader in the water than a sunken treasure boat.

I had planned on trying to hit the county fairs, . . . have some fun, . . . maybe do some saddle / bridle / halter repair during the fairs, . . . sell a few belts, . . . etc. Found out they wanted $500 just for me to land on the lot, . . . gave up the idea.

Did hit a few gun shows though, . . . and the Tippmann Boss I have worked out fine. Bolts to a table, . . . and I'm ready to go (one big "C" clamp).

I like it better than the walking foot machine I had (got it later), . . . so the walking foot got sold to a lady in WV.

The boss can be a bit temperamental at times, . . . but if I had it to do all over again, . . . for the SHTF idea, . . . I'd still go with it. Watch Ebay, . . . they come up pretty regular, . . . mainly I think because people think they are going to put thread in the thing and it'll take over from there, . . . and it just don't happen that way. Then they dump a 6 month old machine on Ebay. The plant is in Ft. Wayne, . . . if you want to test one out, . . . give em a call, . . . ask for Ben, . . . tell him you are thinking about one, . . . my guess is he'll say come on down and he'll give you a free demo. Take a pancake holster with you . . . that needs sewing.

I call him if I have any problems with mine, . . . he says bring it up the next day, . . . I drive up, . . . he fixes it, . . . and I go home. Can't get much better service than that. From what I've heard, and my limited experience with Toledo, . . . they are good too.

May God bless,
Dwight


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