This weeks preps check-in

it's funny how much you accumulate over the years,stuff that you don't need but what you just have...

TheShadowKnows said:

Got a folding saw, built an upside-down or self-feeding fire for the first time and it burned for 4 hours and left a good bed of coals that would be restart able with almost no effort. I love working up my skills like that. More food and water for both bug-in and bug-out. Reorganized my bug-out bag a little bit.

Little stuff. Need more ammo but what else is new?

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What is an upside-down Fire? I have seen several versions of a rocket stove, but that's a new term for me.

Eyce88 said:

Couple weeks ago wife and I went to a Gun Show and picked up a couple M-40 gas masks to add to our preps. I picked up a 4 plate body armor vest. This past weekend we looked at a 25 acre property, most of it's wooded with a couple clearings in the interior of the property. It has a small hunting cabin on it with a few extras. There's a well on the property and has a couple creeks that run through it. Going to walk the property again this weekend and 95% sure will put an offer on it. We've been looking for a property like this for a couple years. Short-term this will be our bug-out location. Long-term, the plan is to build our compound... house to fit our needs with underground bunker, grow most of our food, rounded off with goats and chickens.

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What part of the country are you looking for property? I wanted more acreage, but would have had to be way out to afford it. Here I have only 2.5 acres but have a little bit of civilization.

Brent S said:

What is an upside-down Fire? I have seen several versions of a rocket stove, but that's a new term for me.

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There are plenty of YouTube videos about it but here's a good one:

Works like a charm and is pretty satisfying too.

Now it's your turn, because I'm not familiar with a rocket stove but it sounds pretty cool.

Put an offer on the property today.... Turns our the real estate agent is a prepper as well. We sat in the hunters cabin on the property and talked for over an hour about what's going on in this country. Felt good to talk to someone face to face with the same attitude about prepping. Property is in MO.

TheShadowKnows said:

There are plenty of YouTube videos about it but here's a good one:

Works like a charm and is pretty satisfying too.

Now it's your turn, because I'm not familiar with a rocket stove but it sounds pretty cool.

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It's a really simple concept that works great. You can find scrap material of all types, so you don't need to buy anything. Basically the idea is to make a small fire chamber with a flue. On the top of the flue you have a surface you can set a pan on. When the fire starts, the heat rises and sucks in air, which fans the fire even hotter. Jet engines kind of work on the same principal. Stacks of bricks work great, but there are loads of ways to make one.
I hope that link will get you there. I really need to take the time to learn how to use this dammed iPad. Remember that's just one of hundreds of ideas to make one, but it's simple and cheap, and shows the concept. If there's ever a prolonged power outage, this is a really efficient way to cook and boil water.

and who said you can't teach an old dog new things???

I was at ft leonardwood mo. for a couple years. We did some camping and lots of fishing, and I always thought it would be a great place to live off grid. This was in the days when I didn't even know what prepping was. Beautiful part of the country.

jontte said:

and who said you can't teach an old dog new things???

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Who better to teach a new dog than an old dog!

Thanks Brent, that's really cool and looks pretty easy. I have a lot of cinderblocks around the yard that I could repurpose if needed to make one of these.

You can also look up the Dakota Fire Hole to do this with no materials (besides your firewood, of course!)

TheShadowKnows said:

Thanks Brent, that's really cool and looks pretty easy. I have a lot of cinderblocks around the yard that I could repurpose if needed to make one of these.

You can also look up the Dakota Fire Hole to do this with no materials (besides your firewood, of course!)

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It's better to use a fired brick for the combustion chamber, as it can handle the heat long term. Regular concrete will crack after a few fires.

An excellent tip; I'll just keep my eyes open for any scrap bricks around town, shouldn't be too hard to accumulate a small pile.

TheShadowKnows said:

Thanks Brent, that's really cool and looks pretty easy. I have a lot of cinderblocks around the yard that I could repurpose if needed to make one of these.

You can also look up the Dakota Fire Hole to do this with no materials (besides your firewood, of course!)

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I looked up the Dakota fire hole, and agree it's a great idea too. Works on the same idea. I really like that it smokes less due to burning hotter, and gives off a lot less light for security. If you're bugging out and traveling, being not noticed is a really good idea. Both styles are way more efficent on fuel too.

Good news.... The seller accepted my offer on the 25 acre property! Mostly wooded, a couple clearings in the interior of property, rocks bluffs on one side, two creeks, well, deer run on the property, hunter's cabin, 5 deer stands.... very exited.... Checking Bug-out location off my prep list.

the Biggest thing that i added while offline for months was i mapped and logged everywhere i traveled daily something that i hadn't done quite yet i also added 4 caches to my daily travel with extra hopefully get home supplies in hope that i never actually have to use them they are just there for the back up for the back up kind of thing does anyone recommend a certain pack that would be a good bug out bag ? any input would be great thanks

Eyce88 said:

Good news.... The seller accepted my offer on the 25 acre property! Mostly wooded, a couple clearings in the interior of property, rocks bluffs on one side, two creeks, well, deer run on the property, hunter's cabin, 5 deer stands.... very exited.... Checking Bug-out location off my prep list.

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Land is the absolute only thing I feel is worth going into debt for. I bought my property here with a 15 yr note, but had it paid in three. Now I wish I had bought the two other parcels next to it while it was still reasonable.

Prepped123 said:

the Biggest thing that i added while offline for months was i mapped and logged everywhere i traveled daily something that i hadn't done quite yet i also added 4 caches to my daily travel with extra hopefully get home supplies in hope that i never actually have to use them they are just there for the back up for the back up kind of thing does anyone recommend a certain pack that would be a good bug out bag ? any input would be great thanks

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The Weapons, Gear, and Equipment section is a great resource for bug out bag planning and advice, I'd definitely read through some of the threads there and I'll bet you'll see a few bags that you'll want to check out.

Probably my last post from Germany. We empty our house today and spent a couple days at my parents place. That gives them more time with their grandchild and more time for the little one to get spoiled rotten. lol. Its a weird feeling to be "home less". Not looking forward to a 9.5h transatlantic journey with a toddler and a Labrador in an airplane.
My next post will probably from our new house in the states. So long my friends!

Marv.Schmitz87 said:

Probably my last post from Germany. We empty our house today and spent a couple days at my parents place. That gives them more time with their grandchild and more time for the little one to get spoiled rotten. lol. Its a weird feeling to be "home less". Not looking forward to a 9.5h transatlantic journey with a toddler and a Labrador in an airplane.
My next post will probably from our new house in the states. So long my friends!

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Hope you have a safe trip.