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Basic Survival Steps

This list is being compiled to assist in the preparation of a video on basic survival, perhaps to be a documentary for TV or released at cost to the public. Please review the guidelines on structure and constraints before making a contribution on the tt-forum. Each item includes a MINIMUM step, and a TIME AND MONEY step. The first is speaking to those who are learning of the coming pole shift with little time or opportunity to prepare, the second for those who can plan and have the resources.

  1. Drinking Water. MINIMUM: Boil drinking water. Boiling for 5 minutes kills microbes and parasites but will not get rid of heavy metals. A drop of chlorine bleach also kills microbes and parasites. Let the chlorinated water air for an hour or more to get rid of the chlorine. VIDEO: show film of what can be found in pond water. TIME AND MONEY: commercial filters are available. NOTE: In a pinch ground charcoal can be used in conjunction with sand or fine weave cloth to filter water. The slower the flow the better it works. Charcoal can remove heavy metals, and hydro carbons from water. Fine weave cloth packed into a small pipe can be used as a particle filter and to slow the flow at the outlet to this filter. The water could still have pathogens in it. So boiling, adding Chlorine, Iodine, Colloidal Silver, or a few drops of Grapefruit seed extract would be needed. NOTE: Charcoal can be made by heating wood (at wood fire temperatures) in a nearly closed container. For example a 30 gallon oil drum (small hole in bottom) held up inside a 55 gallon drum full of wood fire held by several rebar supports would work.
  2. Distill Drinking Water. MINIMUM: Does what boiling does and also eliminates heavy metals like lead. Condensation of steam concept. VIDEO: show boiling pot with dripping water on pot lid. TIME AND MONEY: Simple 2 pot and pie pan stacked distillation technique (demo with Mike's setup for video) produces gallon every 2.5 hours, and a pot of hot water for washing to boot. VIDEO: show this setup in production, on a stove presumed to be a wood burning stove. NOTE: Distillation of water can be done any place a temperature gradient (a hot and a cold) can be made or found in close proximity to each other. The greater the difference in temperature the faster the distillation. Hot earth and cold flowing water or air are conditions that can be used.
  3. Fire Starting: MINIMUM: Flint for fire starting. Simple hardware store purchase. Matches and lighters will only last so long. EXPERT: James, available, in Texas. $8.50 Handbook and free tips at http://www.wwmag.net/handrill.htm and http://thehanddrill.com/halconstove.htm VIDEO: show kindling being lit with flint or better yet, get Halcon to demo!!!. TIME AND MONEY: Other fire starting techniques such as stick on board. Best kindling. NOTE: Fires burning with wet wood or materials will spit, sputter and pop a lot of hot burning material in all directions. Use a screen to cover the fire and use leather, Nomax, welding blankets, or other materials to avoid catching clothes on fire. NOTE: The trick to fire starting, is knowing materials enough to put together
    the proper gradient of highly flammable at the intended fire starting point to less burnable materials on the outside. Fires can be started using, a flammable liquid, or dry highly flammable materials by using, a match, flint and steal to produce a spark, magnesium chips and flint spark, spark from electrical source, a glowing wire (example: car cigarette lighter), spark from a piezoelectric crystal (some gas stove, and baroque start this way or from one of those hand click on utility lighters). NOTE: Protect the dry left over burnable material (charcoal, dry wood etc) from previous fire to help start the next fire. While a fire is burning put future wet burnable material close to the fire to dry it for future fires.
  4. Black Smith: MINIMUM: Back yard forge can soften metal to shape into knives or hooks, etc. VIDEO: show backyard forge with roaring fire and bellows, melting a piece of metal. SEE: shelter/tshlt21c.htm TIME AND MONEY: magazines for this skill published today. VIDEO: hold up a recent publication for the camera. NOTE: Blacksmithing Basics: Fire can be made hot enough by pumping air at the base of burning charcoal and laying the metal on top of the coals. When the steel is just hot enough that a magnet will no longer stick to it then it is the right temperature to work. Remember this color and you don't need the magnet test each time. Starting with good steel as in car leaf springs and axels will produce high quality knifes or tools that do not easily dull or break. Final test for a knife blade is to bend it and see it spring back and to pound the knife into a ¼ iron rod to show the blade does not dent but the rod is nearly cut in two.
  5. Clothing. MINIMUM: wool keeps the body warm even when wet, unlike cotton. Good boots and socks prime importance if will be walking, as if the feet go, you are not moving at all. Army surplus stores highly recommended! VIDEO: someone sitting at the side of the trail, tennis shoe off, rubbing foot, wet and shivering. TIME AND MONEY: Outdoor clothing can be purchased from specialty stores. Water resistant, insulated.
  6. Clothing Replacement and Repair: MINIMUM: needle and scissors and thread. Priceless for repair of clothing. Have lots of needles and thread, a cheap purchase. In nature, horse tail hair as thread, or animal sinew, using fish bones as sewing needles. VIDEO: show hands stitching a needle through cloth. TIME AND MONEY: foot pedal sewing machine, can be purchased today, new. Patterns for various sizes for cutting new cloth for clothings or can take apart a garment and use this as a pattern. Spinning wheel and hand loom and knitting needles, making new garments. VIDEO: of foot pedal in action, sewing machine in action, patterns laid out on cloth. Spinning wheel in action, hand loom passing shuttle back and forth, in action. Can find wheels and looms in museums, some working demos available in these museums. Show sheep wool being drop spun to make thread. SEE: shelter/tshlt11j.htm and shelter/tshlt11k.htm
  7. Wind/Water Mills. MINIMUM: the grid will be down, oil and gas and coal unlikely. Wind and water will be available to all. Can be made from scrap parts. Base components: blades or sheets for wind or cups for water; permanent magnet wrapped in wires as in electric drills or cars to incite electric current; battery bank to capture and modulate output. EXPERT: Darrell Dr1946olson@aol.com, has been located, in Ohio. SEE: energy/tengy022.htm for the many suggestions on how to use car parts to build a windmill! Cars will be everywhere! VIDEO: of windmill made from car parts. BOOK: ebook about building small wind generators from inexpensive parts/junk. http://www.poormansguides.com/ plus hard copy LeJay and Piggott. TIME AND MONEY: Lots of books on how to build wind and water power units. Hold up and mention the best of the best. Windmills and Pelton water wheels. VIDEO: commercial websites or brochures or products in action. Visit Wisconsin http://www.otherpower.com/wisc06.html for from scratch demos and seminars offered. NOTE: Blades can be made from old PVC piping or something as simple as a 1x4. A drawknife or hand plane are valuable tools for making blades from wood.
  8. Wind/Water Mechanical Assist. MINIMUM: windmills can be used for simple mechanical life of water from a well. Ram pumps work to push water into a storage tank, uphill, using the mechanics of flowing water in a stream. No electronics involved. SEE: http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/irrig/Equip/ram.htm NOTE: windmills can be used to provide rotational or linear power to things other than a generator. The old windmills ran water pumps. They could be power the pump portion of an air compressor to aerate a pond or run tools.
  9. Cars as Parts. Minimum: List of the parts and how they can be used. EXPERT: Mike, available, in California. QUOTE: Use of car or vehicle parts: The alternator and in some cases the radiator fan motor can be used with run off water and a water wheel (made from wood and car wheels) with a belt speed changing rig to generate power. They can also be made into a windmill with a bit more effort and parts to make a tower and the proper speed. Axel-spindle and break drum or disk can be made into an alternator for wind or water power given a bit of magnet wire and some permanent magnets. The radiator can be used as a heat exchanger to condense water after it has been vaporized. The steel leaf springs and axel and steering parts can be blacksmithed into quality steel knifes and gardening tools. All of the metal parts become a blacksmith resource. Given lots of available water power the engine can be made into a compressor and used to drive air powered tools. A standard transmission (hand cranking point) and rear end can be made into a winch (cable or rope around the wheel without tire) to pull a load up a hill. With a bit more effort they can be made into wind driven grain grinder. A bit of steel brake or gas line in the hands of a skilled fire starter can apply the right amount of well directed air to change a smoldering coal in contact with some readily burnable material into a flame and get a fire back going again. Rubber heater hoses could be used with water filtering. The gas tank once cleaned of its gasoline could be used to collect the resulting water. Rubber from the tires cut up into shoe soles along with wires for straps from under the hood could be used to make sandals. The rear end, springs and wheels could be used as is with a light wagon type bed build on top to make a push or pull cart. The horn can be temporally hooked to the battery to call all back to base in case of emergency. The battery power lights can be used for light. The head lights used to spot at distance. The tail lights and interior for general task lighting. The seat covers and floor mats can be used for shelter or tough clothing or shoes or to hold water. The spring wire in the seats along with some of the under dash wiring can be used to make animal trap snares. The glass windows even if broken can be melted down and blown into other objects. Use some steel break or gas line to assist with the blowing of glass. Melt a blob on the end and blow. The windshield washer plastic container makes a small container for water. The hub caps if metal can be used over a fire to cook in. This is not a comprehensive list it is only to get one started to thinking on the subject. VIDEO: while rattling off this list, focus video on these various car parts, perhaps dismantled to some degree to show the parts, else just panning the car while the use of the car is detailed, listed off.
  10. Electrical System: MINIMUM: Camping and boating equipment are 12V, as are cars and trucks, and use DC. Windmills 50 feet from 12V batteries can keep them charged, via DC. Home appliances will be useless. Chores should be done by hand. Make music and stories as TV and video games and CD's a thing of the past. VIDEO: of campground with camp lights running on 12V DC. TIME AND MONEY: More power needed for AC but then, if converted, greater distance. Types of appliances that can run on AC, but not DC. NOTE: In a primitive environment the most damage one will see to vital electrical items will occur due to voltage surges. Lighting and electronics are partially sensitive to over voltage surges. Assign someone in the group to monitor and periodically watch for this condition. If over voltage is measured at any time the engine governor and(or) voltage regulator will need to be adjusted low enough that the voltage never gets above a given limit. For the USA this would be 120 V AC and 14.4 V for 12 DC sources.
  11. Packing Electronics. MINIMUM. Anticipate a lot of jostling during earthquakes. Pack light bulbs and electronics with this in mind. NOTE: Computers, should be disassembled and wraped in anti-static wrap or aluminum foil. A computer with accessory cards in the slots can be jarred severely enough using current transportation services so the cards should be removed at a minimum. Essentially any circuit board that isn't mounted solidy may be a candidate for being removed and packed better. Dust and humidity can cause serious damage to electronics. It will be important to keep the insides of electronics as dust and moisture free as possible. Humidity will cause corrosion. Dust buildup can cause shorts (especially when combined with humidity).
  12. Battery Banks: MINIMUM: Battery series needed to store electricity from wind/water mill and allow down time. XX batteries from a car or truck in a series for a windmill. Golf cart batteries are deep cycle, fewer required. TIME AND MONEY: Dry batteries can be purchased and stored. NOTE: Hook cells or batteries of the same current capability in series (end to end or positive of one battery to the negative of the next battery) to get the sum of there voltages. Hook cells or batteries of the same voltage in parallel (side by side or positive to positive and negative to negative) to gain more power or current with the same resulting voltage.NOTE: Too many batteries in parallel can be troublesome in the long run. Typically one cell in one battery will go bad (leaks down to 0volts) and can potently cause all the rest of the batteries to go bad if not soon spotted. One rotten apple in the basket will make all the rest go bad applies to batteries wired in parallel also. When hooking batteries in parallel only use equal ages or better equal tested condition of batteries.NOTE: Constantly monitor and remove leaky batteries from any battery bank as quick as they are suspected or found. Take one battery off line from a parallel combination for a while (days to a week). Look for weak cells by measuring the cell voltage at start and end of the time and determine overall condition by how well it holds a charge on all cells. Give it a condition rating.
  13. Battery Maintenance: MINIMUM: Mention that batteries can be maintained and refurbished for longer life. TIME AND MONEY: How to flush, reverse charge, or whatever. Parts that can be reused with new acid, parts that must be discarded when battery dead. New battery construction. Basics, like fill, poles and types of metals to use. VIDEO: parts laid out, unassembled. Wood ash water as battery fluid. Components of an Aftertime assembled battery as replacement for those present at the shift. NOTE: Lead-Acid Batteries should not be discharged below 12 volts DC (nearly discharged). Full charge is about 12.8 or higher. Voltage is measured in resting state of no flow in or out. Lead-Acid batteries will sulfate and will not fully charge if left discharged for too long a time (several weeks to months). Over charging from time to time at or near 15 volts at a slow charge can sometimes help to recover from sulfation and will help to equalize charge on all cells.
  14. Batteries from Scratch. MINIMUM: mention this is possible, and the likely components. NOTE: Primitive batteries of very low power can be made from almost any liquid that is basic, acid, or salt solution and two dissimilar metals as electrodes. Common battery materials like lead for electrodes and sulfuric acid for the electrolyte will produce much more power over the long run. NOTE: Sulfuric acid can be made from earth venting of sulfur gas (found near volcanic activity) by passing it through water. Use distilled water if possible.
  15. Bike Gen. MINIMUM: Old bikes, tires worn out, can be used to generate electricity. VIDEO: Show the rig Mike photographed. SEE: energy/tengy052.htm and energy/tengy05q.htm and energy/tengy05s.htm and energy/tengy05t.htm EXPERT: Mike, available, in California. NOTE: Many types of self standing exercise bicycles and supported regular bicycles can be converted to generate power. One way is to use two battery powered electric drills facing each other with a lawn mower wheel on a shaft between them mounted in each chuck. The lawn mower wheel is spring loaded to rest on the tire of the bicycle that has the drive chain.
  16. Crank Electricity. MINIMUM: purchase these items, as they are affordable. Crank or swing to charge flashlights, crank to charge short wave radio units the military uses, crank to charge portable radios. VIDEO: scan past some of these items, laid out for display. NOTE: Many types of battery powered electric drills can be used as a hand generator to charge small rechargeable batteries. A hand crank is made and mounted in the chuck of the drill and cranked by hand. The trigger is held down and power is generated on the terminals that would normally connect to the battery. The voltage at hand crank speeds is usually enough to change one or sometimes 2 cells at a time. SEE: energy/tengy042.htm
  17. Light Bulbs. MINIMUM: Protect them from breakage during the shift. Tungsten filament light bulbs in series at very low voltage/wattage will last a long time. Give statistics, months vs 100 years, etc. Also, durable light bulbs that resist impact http://www.me-dtc.com/product_line/incandescent_page_mouseover.htm are available and should be purchased. These resist voltage surge also. QUOTE: The Guinness Book of World Records states that a fire station in Livermore, California has a light bulb that is said to have been burning continuously for over a century since 1901. However, the bulb is powered by only 4 watts. A similar story can be told of a 40-watt bulb in Texas which has been illuminated since September 21, 1908. It once resided in an opera house where notable celebrities stopped to take in its glow, but is now in an area museum.VIDEO: show normal 100 W bulb, then a series under low volt/wattage and the relative light from them. TIME AND MONEY: can buy grow lights, LEDS for an array, bulbs for replacement to last 25 years. SEE: energy/tengx097.htm NOTE: Run Tungsten filament bulbs at reduced voltage to get longer lifetime. A typical 40 watt and 60 watt wired in series running off 120 Volts will last 22 years running full time. Using a tungsten filament bulb and lowering voltage to 94, 89, 82, 78, 68, 64, 56, or 50 percent increases life time respectively 2, 4, 10, 20, 100, 200, 1000, or 4000 times for the typical 1000 to 2000 hour lifetime. NOTE: Run LEDs at reduced current to get longer lifetime. One can control the current of an LED by use of a series resistor, a simple LM317 constant current circuit, or number of series connected mini-x-mass tree bulbs. Run typical 20 ma max rated white LEDs at 10 ma and solid color LEDs at 15 ma to get longer life. NOTE: X-mass tree bulbs can be used for light when little power is available. X-mass tree bulbs, both tungsten filament and LEDs can be chopped up and rewired to run at many different lower voltages. Adding extra bulbs in series for a given voltage will lower voltage on each bulb to make the result last longer. To determine typical run voltage for a given bulb, take the overall voltage and divide it by the number of bulbs in the series string. As an example use 6 or 7 (longer life) of the 50 bulbs/string-type in series for 12 Volt operation.
  18. Carbon Arc. MINIMUM: arc explanation and using old battery cores as rods. Batteries today with cores, what to buy and not discard. Requires strong electrical push, but is daylight, must wear sunglasses. VIDEO: barn lit by incandescent bulbs. Turn off the lights. Barn with search light pointed to the ceiling where there are reflectors. The whole barn is like daylight. Point made. TIME AND MONEY: carbon rods can be purchased. Older equipment for sale of eBay. Construction with solenoids, diagrams, websites.
  19. Saving Seed: MINIMUM: If you don't have it in hand at the shift, where will you get them? Start today! Every a trip to the grocery store can garner seed to be saved. A squash or pumpkin, tomato seed to molder in a dish, peppers to ripen in the sun so the seeds mature, carrots and onions can be planted and will go to seed, potatoes and garlic can be planted and will propagate, Indian Corn used in decorations is viable seed. Tomatoes and bean plants self pollinate. Tomato seed needs to mold in a dish or will not germinate. Onions and cabbage and carrots need two years, are biennial, so keep in root cellar in cold climates. Corn is wind pollinated. More than bees pollinate, as all insects flying or crawling do so. BOOK: Seed to Seed. VIDEO: of these grocery items and molding tomato seed in a dish. TIME AND MONEY: books on how to save seed, such as Seed to Seed. Practice saving seed. Get seed for target climate anticipated after the shift. Get bulk seed and get fresh periodically. SEE: food/tfood092.htm
  20. Gardening. MINIMUM: simple gardening tools such as spade and hoe and poles. Describe simple gardening techniques such as cold frame for tender seedlings and mulching and fertilizing the soil and fencing against wildlife. SEE: food/tfood142.htm TIME AND MONEY: plant fruit and nut trees, herb gardens.
  21. Vitamin Sources: MINIMUM: Get lots of Vitamin in pill form, a common item in stores. Vitamin C, especially. List common and relatively unknown sources in nature, such as Scurvy Grass, Sheep Sorel, Pine needle tips, Plantain, Squash for Vitamin C and A, fish for Vitamin D. VIDEO: Have still photos to go through quickly to show what these look like. TIME AND MONEY: books on wild edibles. VIDEO: hold up book covers to the video, so many on the market, should buy for their locale. SEE: food/tfood072.htm
  22. Fishing. MINIMUM: fish hooks and line and rods and nets, cheap items to buy. TIME AND MONEY: Explain trolling. SEE: food/tfood282.htm NOTE: Gill nets are invaluable for fishing in a survival situation. They are small so can be carried easily and can be left unattended and checked later to retrieve the catch. A fishing spear can be fashioned from sticks to spear a fish. Video of ice fishing would be a good example.
  23. Sling Shot. MINIMUM: Slings are very effective and children can catch small game this way. NOTE: Slingshots will also make very cheap and effective tools for hunting small game. They are inexpensive at most outdoor/camping places or big-box stores with sporting sections. No need to worry about running out of ammunition as there are always small rocks or stones and they are very portable. By attaching(or holding) a "y" stick to the slingshot grip, it could be used to launch arrows. Growing up, we used to make our own slingshots by using a portion of a branch (3/4" or larger) with a "y" in it. For the stretchy portion, we would cut a 3/4" or 1" strip about 12" or longer from an inner-tube.
  24. Bow and Arrow. MINIMUM: Bow and arrow can be made from natural materials. TIME AND MONEY: Purchase cross bow or bow and arrow and practice. Buy books explaining how to make bow and arrow and use them effectively. SEE: food/tfood412.htm NOTE: Bow and arrow could be made. Osage is ideal for a bow, but ash, oak and others will also work but may now last as long. The string can be made from animal sinew or other cordage. Arrows can be made from cattail stalks.
  25. Traps: MINIMUM: Explain some trapping methods. SEE: http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Skills/Hunting%20and%20Snaring/Hunting%20and%20Snaring.htm. SEE: food/tfood282.htm NOTE: How to make a deadfall trap with sticks and a heavy rock. Trapping birds with old cans by cutting the side of a can so a bird foot will be caught when stepped on. Using small cans buried with the tops even with ground level will catch small birds if some grain or other food is in it. If narrow and deep, the bird will be unable to escape because it can't fly or jump out. Throwing sticks, caveman throwing star or spear can be fashioned out of sharpen sticks to throw at small game and birds. Snares can be used to catch small game to something as large as a deer. Wire will work for small animal snares.
  26. Butchering. MINIMUM: Touch on the basics of how to begin will make it easier for those without experience. How and where to make the initial cuts on fish, chickens, rabbits, snakes, squirrels and deer may be good examples. Removing the guts first to prevent contamination of the meat on the carcass. Some tips on skinning so the hide can later be tanned. VIDEO: of deer hung up and being gutted or being skinned.
  27. Tanning Hides. MINIMUM: The brains of the animal are used for tanning the hide. Sinew should be saved. It can be used as thread and cordage to tie arrow heads to arrows, stones to handles etc and it has built in glue. NOTE: salting the hide initially (if salt is available) to remove the excess fluids from the hide. Then scrape the flesh off the inside. Soaking the hide makes it easier to remove the hair. After a hide is fleshed, it can be saved for tanning later. Mixing the brains of the animal in water and soaking the hide is the first step before working the hide to make it soft.
  28. Land Fills for Material: MINIMUM: Be aware that refined metals, old battery carbon arc cores, permanent magnets, lead plates, and other useful items are buried in land fills. After many years, toxins drain away, garbage rots, and the older land fills will be safe to dig around in.
  29. Homemade Glue and Cement: MINIMUM: as with soap, there are recipes. Natural Glue can be made from Milk, Blood, Fish Skin, Hides, Sinew, Resins, but these are not necessarily Water Proof. SEE: shelter/tshlx016.htm and shelter/tshlt212.htm
  30. Rope and String. MINIMUM: Stock up on lots of various kinds of rope and thread, including marine rope which is waterproof, common items at stores. EXAMPLES: Paracord or 550 Cord. You can pull the center cords out for fishline and for sewing. A roll about 1000' long costs around $40. Bale twine is another good item to have. 9000 feet or twine should cost around $35. VIDEO: quick scan of a row of such items. NOTE: Paracord for those who don't know, is the cord that attaches parachutes to their packs. It is thin enough to be useful for small tasks and strong enough for even very heavy work.
  31. Making Rope in Nature: MINIMUM: Mention that rope can be made from fibrous material in the Aftertime (see below). VIDEO: fibrous material being combed prepatory to braiding, then braiding. TIME AND MONEY: learn what fibrous materials make rope, how to locate them in nature or junk yards, and how to weave a rope. Try your hand at this to reduce the learning curve. A good website for information on making cordage from natural fiber is: http://www.nativetech.org/cordage/ Some examples of natural sources for cordage are; basswood bark,cedar bark, dogbane stalks, and milkweed stalks. These examples and more can be found at the first website. When properly made this natural cordage can be extremely strong, and is not difficult to make.
  32. Plastic Supplies. MINIMUM: Plastic sheeting uses include shelter, a rain-proof roof, water gathering, and greenhouse construction. 5 gallon buckets are an inexpensive common item in stores. Always handy for storage and transporting things. Keeps food stuffs dry, the vermin and mold out, liquids from spilling. Tarps are a relatively inexpensive item. They can make a rain proof roof somewhere in the junk from a collapsed or blown apart home, or can make an emergency tent to keep the family out of the rain. Can be tied down with rope from the holes along the tarp. Drizzle will be around almost continuously during the first years after the pole shift. VIDEO: Pool of water forming in center of suspended sheeting. Quick scan of supplies in a pile or row. Edge of tarp being tied and tightened over some blown down trees, making an emergency rain-proof hut. Driving rain in this scene if possible.
  33. Soap Making: MINIMUM: Buy a good stock of soap, Fels Naptha to wash away poison ivy to the mild kind for baby. Mention that soap can be using water drained through wood ashes then boiled with animal fat. VIDEO: quick scan of a row or such items. TIME AND MONEY: Ashes and water makes a crude basic lye solution. Mixed with animal fat can be used to make soap. Soap is alkaline water garnered from water drained through wood ashes. Make a V shaped catch per this web page image (below). Boil the alkaline water with animal fat until thick, then pour into a pan. After it hardens, brush off the white power on the top as this is very alkaline. Don't touch this powder. Cut the pan into bars, wrap and store! This soap is harsh, not mild, but works. SEE shelter/tshlt05a.htm
  34. Vinegar Making. MINIMUM: Vinegar is produced naturally from spore in the air. Vinegar has many uses, beyond a food stuff. Is a good cleaning compound. SEE: shelter/tshlt05s.htm and shelter/tshlt05t.htm
  35. Guns. MIMIMUM. Dog packs and rats invading the survival camp may be a reality, as well as unwelcome visitors. Statistics, most shootings are by a family member, and this danger exists as insanity and rage will increase as a result of the pole shift. Keep guns safe. EXAMPLE: Pellet or BB guns for rats and hunting small game. 2 guns plus 5,000 pellets and 24,000 BBs cost around $150. Good for marksmanship training and teaching safety.
  36. Books. MINIMUM: Buy what you can afford on how-to books on such things as windmill and shelter construction and guides such as wild edibles. VIDEO: quick scan past lineup of examples. SEE: info/tinfo032.htm
  37. Book Preservation. MINIMUM: keep dry during the shift and afterwards from rain and mold. Shrink wrap or seal in plastic if possible for the shift. Laminate key instruction guides such as First-Aid steps. Purchase water-proof notebooks, available from REI and other outfitters. VIDEO: scan of laminated First Aid charts. Many are already commercially available.
  38. Hand Tools. MINIMUM: Purchase or secure at yard sales as many as affordable. Old barns and garages may have cross-cut saws and hand drills no longer available. VIDEO: Show examples. Hand drill and cross cut saw here at Nancy's. NOTE: Metal cutters can make scrap metal or cans into useful items. Plenty of nails and screws and nuts and bolts should be purchased. Hand garden trowels and shovels have a variety of uses, such as waste removal. SEE: shelter/tshlt182.htm NOTE: Knife, hammer, hatchet/ax, saw, pliers, hack saw and metal cutting snips should be on a minimum required list. A drawknife would also rank very high. Replacement handles can be made for many tools. Tools such as an ax, hammer or chisels can be easier to transport without bulky handles. A bit and brace (hand drill) can make holes in logs to allow pinning them together with smaller twigs or branches. Think timber framing and log cabins. Watching "Alone in the Wilderness" is great example for this and making a door hinge from wood. SEE http://www.dickproenneke.com/ NOTE: Sharpening: Knives, hatchets, axes, drawknives, etc will need their cutting edges maintained. If available, one would use a whetstone of different grits to maintain the sharpness. For severely damaged edges, a file may be needed. Files are also great for keeping the edges of shovels moderately sharp. This reduces the energy needed when digging in hard soil. If a whetstone is not available, rocks or varying roughness can also be used. Saws will become dull and need to be sharpened with a triangle file. The teeth may also need adjusting. The best tool for this is a saw set, but could probably be done with a needle-nose pliers if you are careful not to damaged the cutting surface. See this link for sharpening details and how to set the teeth. http://www.vintagesaws.com
  39. Transportation. MINIMUM: Keep you bike in good repair. Sturdy wagons will come in handy when having to migrate or transport the injured or very young or old. SEE: shelter/tshlt222.htm
  40. Wood Gas. MINIMUM: Be aware that wood gas was used during WWII in Europe and Australia, to offset gas shortages. Existing cars can be outfitted to use. Download and print off the specs from the Troubled Times website. VIDEO: still shots of Oli's car in Finland, available from the Troubled Times website or get Olli to take fresh photos. Or go to a museum for an example, if possible. SEE: energy/tengy212.htm and energy/tengx046.gif
  41. Short Wave. MINIMUM: Is the emergency operating frequency, around the worlds. Used by emergency management personnel when other radio goes out. Be aware that short wave can operate by bouncing off the ionosphere, or Moon bounce, not necessarily needing towers. TIME AND MONEY: Get a short wave radio, AARP manuals and training, and start using your unit. SEE: info/tinfo142.htm NOTE: To establish Radio communications use the basic agreed upon emergency calling frequencies to establish first contact. Each band has one primary calling frequency. Keep a list at hand with your equipment.
  42. Compass/Bearings. MINIMUM: Compasses will be erratic after the pole shift, with a new magnetic North. Nevertheless, have a compass or several handy as a guide when traveling. SEE: info/tinfo172.htm for the many ways to keep your bearings with or without a compass. NOTE: A crude compass can be made from a steel sewing needle rubbed on one end of a magnet or laded in a north-south direction and gently taped with a rock for a while. A few drops of candle wax is then melted over the needle near the center. If enough wax has been added it will float in a small cup of water and work as a compass.
  43. Bugfood. MINIMUM: Cultures around the world eat bugs and grubs, as they are high in protein and fat. Fried or roasted, usually. They are often considered gourmet. SEE: food/tfood122.htm TIME AND MONEY: Collect recipes and don't be shy about trying them out!
  44. Earthworm Food. MINIMUM: Earthworms are 82% protein and have Omega3 oils, as ocean going fish do. Good for the heart. They eat vegetable trash and make soil as a byproduct. Can be raised indoors in compost bins. SEE: food/tfood042.htm TIME AND MONEY: Red wigglers are the worms of choice for domestic production, and can be purchased off the Internet. Get yours now!
  45. Weeds as Food. MINIMUM: Wild edibles are much under-rated. High in vitamins too. SEE: food/tfood172.htm TIME AND MONEY: Buy books on wild edibles in your locale.
  46. Domestic Animals. MINIMUM: Chickens eat bugs and give you eggs and chicken soup and only ask for a safe place to roost. Goats eat anything and give you milk, and will follow you anywhere. Sheep are docile and give you wool and milk for cheese also. Rabbits can be kept in a hutch, eat vegetable trash, and rabbit soup is great for young children. SEE: food/tfood162.htm and food/tfood192.htm and food/tfood222.htm and food/tfood202.htm
  47. Shipping Containers. MINIMUM: Sturdy enough to resist quakes and won't blow away. Can hold supplies before the shift. Can become a home afterwards. Can purchase for about $2,000, moved to site. VIDEO: Shot of a container, on docks. SEE: shelter/tshlt172.htm
  48. Houseboats. MINIMUM: Houseboats can move along the waters edge as the waters rise, moving inland with the new coast. Used extensively in Asia or along coastlines worldwide. VIDEO: shot of houseboat living today.
  49. Earthen Houses. MINIMUM: Adobe, rammed Earth, cob housing all use dirt as the main ingredient. Best for dry climates else need to be water proofed on exterior. SEE: shelter/tshlt042.htm
  50. Toilets. MINIMUM: the old fashioned outhouse will return. Composting toilets make soil, but must be vented to get rid of the methane. SEE: shelter/tshlt072.htm VIDEO: Old fashioned outhouse (one here at Nancy's house).
  51. Toilet Paper. MINIMUM: soap and water and a wash rag when toilet paper runs out. Natural products such as Corn Cobs, Leaves, Moss, Moss Diapers, Pine. SEE: health/theal242.htm
  52. First Aid. MINIMUM. Get a kit. Learn CPR. Take a class, often offered for free. Books to be purchased cover many subjects, are designed for troops in the trenches, where severe injuries are experienced but no doctor is available. SEE: info/tinfo03c.htm
  53. Herbal Meds. MINIMUM. Get a book, so as to be aware of what herbs grow wild in your area and their application. Time honored before modern phrama available. SEE: health/theal052.htm