This weeks preps check-in

[Brent S]

Spent yesterday evening digging up an underground leak on the main waterline. I got it fixed, but have about a thousand feet of line that I’m going to replace before too long. I really hate playing in freezing mud. Having to use a flashlight just made it more fun.

 

[Brent S]

Today I’m celebrating last weeks birthday. We always do it on the weekend vs the actual day. I opted for 1” thick sirloins for the grill, baked potatoes and salad. I think the kids are disappointed I didn’t want to just go to a steakhouse. Honestly, there’s no place I’d rather be than home, and no one knows how to cook a steak any better than me.....

 

[Maverick]

Picked up two CAT 8D batteries, got them installed yesterday, by the time I was done felt like I broke every bone in my body. Picked up a few Deltran battery tender plus.

 

[Brent S]

Firewood is up and stacked inside on the porch, and I have a nice slow fire in the stove. It’s a nasty drizzly day out there, overcast and cold. The kids went to pu steaks for the grill and a cake, so I’m just relaxing now. Prepping and everything else can just wait a while. I went to wallyworld a little while ago and of course the place was a madhouse on a Sunday. I really don’t like crowds anymore. When you’re in your 20’s it’s great to be in the hustle and bustle of the world, but now I’m content with peaceful quiet.

 

[Brent S]

Picked up two CAT 8D batteries, got them installed yesterday, by the time I was done felt like I broke every bone in my body. Picked up a few Deltran battery tender plus.

I had to look up what a cat 8d battery was. I have a scissor lift and a towable bucket lift that both use 4 6volt deep cycle batteries to run them. The 6v hold up pretty well. One thing I have learned in life about batteries is to check the water. The quickest way to murder a battery is to run it low on water.

 

[Danil54grl]

I'll take peace and quiet any day, but I just threw on my overalls to go to grand babies birthday party. Nana's ready for some fun with kiddoes cause I'm one of the biggest ones around according to hunny. At least I'll get some good quality play time in.

 

[Maverick]

I had to look up what a cat 8d battery was. I have a scissor lift and a towable bucket lift that both use 4 6volt deep cycle batteries to run them. The 6v hold up pretty well. One thing I have learned in life about batteries is to check the water. The quickest way to murder a battery is to run it low on water.

I used a hydraulic transmission lift, at 150lbs a battery doesn't leave much room to man handle these things, generally I would have pulled the CAT into the shop where it's better equipped but the rain and snow back to rain would have left tracks in the ground so I opted to change the batteries where it was parked. I use battery tenders on all my battery used equipment anytime they ain't in use. half of my equipment are using SLA or GEL/AGM batteries thus they are no-maintenance making it more imperative to use tenders, I changed out the wet batteries for the SLA for the CAT, first time I am using them on the heavies.

 

[MaterielGeneral]

The other day I went to one of the discount stores in town. I picked up a bag of 100 one gallon Mylar bags for $10.00 and a pack of 100 DVD disks for producing the library. These disks are different. They are HP Inkjet Printable. I have never seen these before. They have this material on the top of the disk so you can print on them. I have to investigate on how you do this.

My buddy and I finally finished fabricating a mount for my 40' tower to mount to the existing in the ground mount. I finally finished creating my 6” PVC tube cache. I just cut the tube in half so they are 5' long. That bugger was expensive. I got the components I think pre 2016 Christmas just never had the time to put together.

 

[Danil54grl]

My sweet hunny's birthday is today. . . 66 young ). Made his favorite cake this morning, yellow cake and chocolate icing. Also another pot of greens and granny's covered dish of green beans and clover rolls she needs to take for her luncheon. Have a bottle of wine, hunny's card with gift card to one of his favorite stores ready for when he gets home and I will actually be taking him out for dinner this year instead of cooking. When we were all together for Sweet Pea a couple days ago, that's when the boys got to celebrate with him. . . tonight its just the two of us. So CE I have a few hours, think I will work on the quilt. Need to finish that up so I can start on Sweet Peas Christmas present. She's getting a kitchen play set so I'll be doing an apron, potholder & mitt using some of my leftover fabrics. She is such a girly girl .

 

[Maverick]

Ordered a handheld UEi combustible gas leak detector CD100A. This is one item I haven't had and every year I kept saying I was going to get one and finally did today.

 

[Arcticdude]

Got the diesel transfer tank installed on my truck yesterday. Its 60 gallons so it's enough to fill the generator fuel tank. Now I can start buying tax free diesel for the generator and tractor and save a bunch of $$$. Next year I'll setup a couple bulk tanks for gas and diesel and save even more. Got the water and sewer all connected in the bathroom. Only had one small leak. Of course I miscalculated and missed the cesspool by about 2 feet. I'll have to add a 45 to the drain pipe in order to hit the hole. Now I just need to connect the gas line to the water heater. It'll be nice having hot water to the shower. I'm starting to get a little tired of taking cold showers outside, or going in to town to the gas station for a hot shower. This may have something to do with why the wife won't come home....
Ordered the lumber for the new barn extension. I hope to start construction on it next week. It'll give me another 16×24 of much needed space.

 

[Brent S]

Got the diesel transfer tank installed on my truck yesterday. Its 60 gallons so it's enough to fill the generator fuel tank. Now I can start buying tax free diesel for the generator and tractor and save a bunch of $$$. Next year I'll setup a couple bulk tanks for gas and diesel and save even more. Got the water and sewer all connected in the bathroom. Only had one small leak. Of course I miscalculated and missed the cesspool by about 2 feet. I'll have to add a 45 to the drain pipe in order to hit the hole. Now I just need to connect the gas line to the water heater. It'll be nice having hot water to the shower. I'm starting to get a little tired of taking cold showers outside, or going in to town to the gas station for a hot shower. This may have something to do with why the wife won't come home....
Ordered the lumber for the new barn extension. I hope to start construction on it next week. It'll give me another 16×24 of much needed space.

One step at a time! I started building this place close to twelve years ago and still have some loose ends to finish up!

 

[Maverick]

One step at a time! I started building this place close to twelve years ago and still have some loose ends to finish up!

Thought I was done in 1988, in 2017 the house I built is not the house I live in today... kitchen enlarged, foyer gone, sun room added, Wife's den (reading room) off the master bedroom, recently the guest bathroom enlarged. Yes sir, 1988, I thought I was done

I won't even mention the stable *sigh

 

[Arcticdude]

One step at a time! I started building this place close to twelve years ago and still have some loose ends to finish up!

Absolutely. But my goal is to be 100% done with all major construction projects by this time next year. After the barn extension is completed the only major projects I have left are the house and shop. I will always have projects to work on around here, but the house and shop are too big for me to build by myself.

 

[Arcticdude]

Got the gas line connected to the water heater last night. Now have hot and cold running water inside the cabin. I put a T in the gas line so I can run another line to the BBQ on the deck.

 

[Danil54grl]

Absolutely. But my goal is to be 100% done with all major construction projects by this time next year. After the barn extension is completed the only major projects I have left are the house and shop. I will always have projects to work on around here, but the house and shop are too big for me to build by myself.

That's what you say now. . . just wait till wife is living there full time. Even though she has a say now, I'm sure once she gets a feel for everything she will have the ' oh I should have put this in instead of' .. Or the 'wouldn't it be nice if'' . . . moments. Note Mav's post above . We're good at those types of things.

 

[Brent S]

Got the gas line connected to the water heater last night. Now have hot and cold running water inside the cabin. I put a T in the gas line so I can run another line to the BBQ on the deck.

I installed the 500gal tank and ran a 3/4” black iron line down the back of the house to be able to connect it to things other than the generator down the road. The line ends next to the deck, right by the barbecue grill. For some reason I still haven’t hooked the grill to it. As a matter of fact I just put an empty gas cylinder in the truck to refill. One of these days I will get it together.

 

[Brent S]

I just welded a broken lawn mower deck back together for a friend. Looked like he played chicken with a semi truck. Anyways, I wont let him pay me anything for it, firstly because I don’t need the money, and mostly because creating some good will in life is likely to help us all out one day! I consider that a form of prepping....

 

[Hell Proof]

I'm making more strides toward my Spanish. I have switched to a more non perishable or buying more at a time mentality toward buying consumables, especially foods. I am between jobs right now but keeping my head up and applying. You all are truly an inspiration, thank you.

 

[DrPrepper]

Just reading this thread and you guys have been working hard! I just bought 3 emergency candles that burn for 115 hours each. They were mentioned on this site. I thought they were a good idea.I put them in my weather kit. I have 3 tall religious candles and now these. I would like to get more of these and do away with the regular candles at some point. It gets hot here and the wax melts just a little and gets on other stuff in the box. The 115 hour burn candles come in a plastic jar, so I don't have to worry about breaking or melting.

I bought some extra stock of stuff that was on sale. My best buy was at Kroger. I got a free 6 oz tube of Colgate and 8 razors (4 blades on each razor) for $3.23 including tax. I was able to repeat this sale 3 times. I also got laundry detergent for $1.50 and 3 bottles of Aveno lotion for $13.00