JeepHammer
SHOOTER
1. Expensive and hard to keep running gasoline powered tools.
While my chain saw is the exception, most of the gas powered tools are total crap.
Weed eaters, post hold drills, large drills, etc. that have PLASTIC carbs that degrade from fuel exposure, fuel lines that degrade from fuel exposure, etc.
My 'Fix', I just don't buy gas powered tools anymore.
2. Battery powered tools.
While battery powered tools aren't entirely useless, they have MAJOR issues, mostly chargers & batteries.
There is no 'Universal' battery, every brand and sometimes type of tool has a different battery.
The old batteries didn't last long in use, then wouldn't take a charge at all....
My 'Fix' was to gut the batteries, solder a cord to the terminals, and use full size batteries.
My Jeep has an extra battery on a quick connect so it comes out easily, I just take that battery to the job.
This made the pile of battery powered tools laying around here useful again since every tool from 8 volts to 18 volts will do fine running off a 12 volt vehicle battery.
This is especially handy when working out in the pasture/farm ground/around the homestead jobs.
Keep in mind there are MILLIONS of tools with dead batteries for little to nothing at yard sales, thrift stores, auctions, etc...
3. Storing liquid fuel, kerosine, gasoline, diesel.
It draws moisture, it's crazy unsafe to store indoors, it's subject to climate contamination outdoors, and it degrades over time.
It's also a target for thieves.
Since I had gasoline powered vehicles, gasoline & diesel powered generators, propane stove, water heater, cloths dryer & home heat...
The 'Fix'.
Generators are normally 'Fixed' and can be run off small LPG (propane) tanks when they move,
Propane never goes 'Bad', long term storage (and buying when the cost is low) isn't a problem.
Any gasoline or diesel engine will run fine on propane,
Converting a gasoline or diesel engine to propane often gives you dual fuel options, I converted my combustion engines to propane.
One advantage is the combustion engines run a lot cleaner, reducing consumption of lubrication oil & filters, the engines live longer.
This also gives me 'Stealth', underground propane tanks are not visible...
4. Storing Bleach...
First off, liquid bleach has a shelf life, it looses potency over time.
Bleach degrades containers over time, nothing like opening the door to the pantry and seeing a bleach bottle cracked, bleach all over the floor!
I need bleach for the wells from time to time (well water), and the normal everyday uses around a homestead/farm.
Every 'Prepper' should consider bleach as a way to treat water simply because it's stupid easy and extremely effective, no biological can survive bleach treatment, and leaving water in an open container, or pouring water back & forth between two containers will remove most of the bleach (and chemical smell/taste).
The 'Fix'.
Dry sodium hypochlorite from the pool store or farm store.
Liquid 'Bleach' is *Usually* a 5.25% solution of sodium hypochlorite in water.
I just don't buy the water... Extremely less expensive this way...
5. Batteries.
This came about from batteries in my equipment being stolen, and when I installed serious solar power.
I use industral connectors, name brand Anderson. (Look up 'Anderson Connector' on eBay)
This allows me to pull the extra battery from my Jeep and plug it directly into the farm equipment in about 30 seconds, and I take the battery with me when I park the equipment.
No more stolen batteries and damaged cables, no more batteries being damaged from being undercharged from disuse.
With common Lead-Acid battery prices skyrocketing, and they are also easy to damage, this was a real money saver for me.
Keep in mind a second battery in a vehicle gives you redundancy, if the alternator fails, you can go a LONG WAY on just battery power.
Two 12 volt vehicle batteries in series will weld steel!
For the 'Bug Out Vehicle', it's redundancy/reliability, it's a winch, it's a welder, it's camp power, the list goes on...
6. 'Utility Vehicle'.
You NEED an 'Off Highway' (not 'Off Road') vehicle for work & transportation on a farm/homestead/'Bug Out'...
I see people buying all kinds of 'Sport' vehicles, and I used my little old (simple) Jeep for years.
While trying to find some 6 volt deep cycle batteries for my expanding solar power, I got a tip on a golf cart...
Battery powered, suspension, roof over the passengers, the guy had troubles and bought a new cart,
To get the new batteries in the old cart I had to haul off the cart...
This is between 36 & 48 volts of high amperage DC power that is self mobile.
No 'Fuel', no oil/filters, no coolant/radiator, no transmission lube.
I mounted two high production solar panels on the roof, added the capability to plug the cart into the battery bank for the home, unplug it when I needed power & transportation in the field.
I added reels for extension cord, welding leads & air hose.
A DC air compressor & reserve tank provide air power,
A DC to AC inverter provides power to common power tools,
The battery power is more than enough to weld with, and field welding on a farm is a gift from the self-sufficiency gods!
It won't pull a plow, but it will pull a lawn tractor utility trailer full of rock (or supplies), the deer you put down in the 'back 40', several fence posts, it's SUPER quiet, and it will charge itself anytime the sun is out !
This is a CRAP LOAD of power in a small, quiet, light weight package, and by far the handiest 'Utility' vehicle I've ever seen...
When I took it away from home, knowing full well it would be used in the camp for days, I took along a little Honda generator and only ran the generator to charge the cart, keeping run time on the generator to a minimum and still having plenty of power for the camp.
In about 12 years the ONLY mechanical work I've had to do is a battery change, wheel bearings, tires & a couple solenoids.
It's ugly, a little slow, but it's stupid functional & easy to maintain.
7. 'Latest & Greatest'...
This particularly applies to vehicles & tools/equipment...
An example is the 'Farm Truck', or in the case of the 'Prepper', it's the 'Bug Out' vehicle...
Over the last 15 years or so the guys I hang out with have constantly updated their vehicles, "Newer & Better", and we all do off road/trail riding exercises for training & entertainment. Hunting & fishing 'Stay-cations'.
I have a little old (73 CJ5) Jeep that will simply go nearly anywhere...
It has two batteries, it has two fuel pumps, it has two ignitions, it has two engine cooling fans,
It runs happily sitting in water on top of the hood,
It has manual steering, manual brakes, manual shift, manual transfer case, manual hub lockouts, etc.
The spare tire carrier is a complete front spindle assembly, snout, bearings, rotor, lockout in case any of that fails.
Both right & left front axle shaft assemblies with U joints are in a PVC tube mounted underbody on a frame rail.
An ammo can mounted on the frame rail has all the specialized tools needed for an old Jeep, spindle puller, flange puller, wheel bearing socket, etc.
The farm jack has a handle of thick wall tubing with a 1/2" drive adapter welded to it.
Rear wheel flanges take up to 500 ft.lb. of torque, and you aren't going to do that with common breaker bar.
The tubing can be cut off to slip over and repair broken tie rods, and two batteries let's me stick weld axle flanges to the axle in the rear when they strip, or to weld in the handle tubing to the tie rod when it snags/breaks.
The jack handle is thick enough walled to use as a land anchor for winching, it's strong enough to make a long arm if a spring mount breaks, and it's one heck of a pry bar!
I have an 86 Grand Wagon that is set up for expedition, about the same way...
It's large enough I can sleep in it, it's big/heavy enough I can tow another vehicle with it on the highway, and it's lockable, watertight tool & equipment storage.
The point is,
This wasn't done overnight, and while I don't have 20 speaker radio, bun warmers, power seats, tampon dispensers, etc. there is very little that can go wrong, the parts/tools are there to fix what normally goes wrong, and I'm not loosing all my work/modifications every 3 to 5 years...
Pre-computer, redundancy in all the engine support systems (fuel, ignition, cooling), and it has capabilities that even military vehicles don't have...
The neighbors down the road bought a new small farm tractor...
That thing need a Wi-Fi connection to self diagnose/update, and virtually nothing on it is user serviceable, it has to go back to the dealership for almost EVERYTHING...
Nothing about the operation is easy, everything is symbols instead of simply stating what the knob or lever is for, and there are so many interlocks & safeties you can't get much done, it's like a combination lock you don't have the combination for, and the manual reads like stereo instructions in Korean...
Buy quality, buy what you need (and no more!), buy as common as possible, and take care of your equipment.
KISS: Keep It Stupid Simple!
There is a reason the 30s and 40s farm tractor are still around and being used everyday...
A hammer or anvil only needs to be just 'So' complicated, and the rest is just 'Style' over substance.
While my chain saw is the exception, most of the gas powered tools are total crap.
Weed eaters, post hold drills, large drills, etc. that have PLASTIC carbs that degrade from fuel exposure, fuel lines that degrade from fuel exposure, etc.
My 'Fix', I just don't buy gas powered tools anymore.
2. Battery powered tools.
While battery powered tools aren't entirely useless, they have MAJOR issues, mostly chargers & batteries.
There is no 'Universal' battery, every brand and sometimes type of tool has a different battery.
The old batteries didn't last long in use, then wouldn't take a charge at all....
My 'Fix' was to gut the batteries, solder a cord to the terminals, and use full size batteries.
My Jeep has an extra battery on a quick connect so it comes out easily, I just take that battery to the job.
This made the pile of battery powered tools laying around here useful again since every tool from 8 volts to 18 volts will do fine running off a 12 volt vehicle battery.
This is especially handy when working out in the pasture/farm ground/around the homestead jobs.
Keep in mind there are MILLIONS of tools with dead batteries for little to nothing at yard sales, thrift stores, auctions, etc...
3. Storing liquid fuel, kerosine, gasoline, diesel.
It draws moisture, it's crazy unsafe to store indoors, it's subject to climate contamination outdoors, and it degrades over time.
It's also a target for thieves.
Since I had gasoline powered vehicles, gasoline & diesel powered generators, propane stove, water heater, cloths dryer & home heat...
The 'Fix'.
Generators are normally 'Fixed' and can be run off small LPG (propane) tanks when they move,
Propane never goes 'Bad', long term storage (and buying when the cost is low) isn't a problem.
Any gasoline or diesel engine will run fine on propane,
Converting a gasoline or diesel engine to propane often gives you dual fuel options, I converted my combustion engines to propane.
One advantage is the combustion engines run a lot cleaner, reducing consumption of lubrication oil & filters, the engines live longer.
This also gives me 'Stealth', underground propane tanks are not visible...
4. Storing Bleach...
First off, liquid bleach has a shelf life, it looses potency over time.
Bleach degrades containers over time, nothing like opening the door to the pantry and seeing a bleach bottle cracked, bleach all over the floor!
I need bleach for the wells from time to time (well water), and the normal everyday uses around a homestead/farm.
Every 'Prepper' should consider bleach as a way to treat water simply because it's stupid easy and extremely effective, no biological can survive bleach treatment, and leaving water in an open container, or pouring water back & forth between two containers will remove most of the bleach (and chemical smell/taste).
The 'Fix'.
Dry sodium hypochlorite from the pool store or farm store.
Liquid 'Bleach' is *Usually* a 5.25% solution of sodium hypochlorite in water.
I just don't buy the water... Extremely less expensive this way...
5. Batteries.
This came about from batteries in my equipment being stolen, and when I installed serious solar power.
I use industral connectors, name brand Anderson. (Look up 'Anderson Connector' on eBay)
This allows me to pull the extra battery from my Jeep and plug it directly into the farm equipment in about 30 seconds, and I take the battery with me when I park the equipment.
No more stolen batteries and damaged cables, no more batteries being damaged from being undercharged from disuse.
With common Lead-Acid battery prices skyrocketing, and they are also easy to damage, this was a real money saver for me.
Keep in mind a second battery in a vehicle gives you redundancy, if the alternator fails, you can go a LONG WAY on just battery power.
Two 12 volt vehicle batteries in series will weld steel!
For the 'Bug Out Vehicle', it's redundancy/reliability, it's a winch, it's a welder, it's camp power, the list goes on...
6. 'Utility Vehicle'.
You NEED an 'Off Highway' (not 'Off Road') vehicle for work & transportation on a farm/homestead/'Bug Out'...
I see people buying all kinds of 'Sport' vehicles, and I used my little old (simple) Jeep for years.
While trying to find some 6 volt deep cycle batteries for my expanding solar power, I got a tip on a golf cart...
Battery powered, suspension, roof over the passengers, the guy had troubles and bought a new cart,
To get the new batteries in the old cart I had to haul off the cart...
This is between 36 & 48 volts of high amperage DC power that is self mobile.
No 'Fuel', no oil/filters, no coolant/radiator, no transmission lube.
I mounted two high production solar panels on the roof, added the capability to plug the cart into the battery bank for the home, unplug it when I needed power & transportation in the field.
I added reels for extension cord, welding leads & air hose.
A DC air compressor & reserve tank provide air power,
A DC to AC inverter provides power to common power tools,
The battery power is more than enough to weld with, and field welding on a farm is a gift from the self-sufficiency gods!
It won't pull a plow, but it will pull a lawn tractor utility trailer full of rock (or supplies), the deer you put down in the 'back 40', several fence posts, it's SUPER quiet, and it will charge itself anytime the sun is out !
This is a CRAP LOAD of power in a small, quiet, light weight package, and by far the handiest 'Utility' vehicle I've ever seen...
When I took it away from home, knowing full well it would be used in the camp for days, I took along a little Honda generator and only ran the generator to charge the cart, keeping run time on the generator to a minimum and still having plenty of power for the camp.
In about 12 years the ONLY mechanical work I've had to do is a battery change, wheel bearings, tires & a couple solenoids.
It's ugly, a little slow, but it's stupid functional & easy to maintain.
7. 'Latest & Greatest'...
This particularly applies to vehicles & tools/equipment...
An example is the 'Farm Truck', or in the case of the 'Prepper', it's the 'Bug Out' vehicle...
Over the last 15 years or so the guys I hang out with have constantly updated their vehicles, "Newer & Better", and we all do off road/trail riding exercises for training & entertainment. Hunting & fishing 'Stay-cations'.
I have a little old (73 CJ5) Jeep that will simply go nearly anywhere...
It has two batteries, it has two fuel pumps, it has two ignitions, it has two engine cooling fans,
It runs happily sitting in water on top of the hood,
It has manual steering, manual brakes, manual shift, manual transfer case, manual hub lockouts, etc.
The spare tire carrier is a complete front spindle assembly, snout, bearings, rotor, lockout in case any of that fails.
Both right & left front axle shaft assemblies with U joints are in a PVC tube mounted underbody on a frame rail.
An ammo can mounted on the frame rail has all the specialized tools needed for an old Jeep, spindle puller, flange puller, wheel bearing socket, etc.
The farm jack has a handle of thick wall tubing with a 1/2" drive adapter welded to it.
Rear wheel flanges take up to 500 ft.lb. of torque, and you aren't going to do that with common breaker bar.
The tubing can be cut off to slip over and repair broken tie rods, and two batteries let's me stick weld axle flanges to the axle in the rear when they strip, or to weld in the handle tubing to the tie rod when it snags/breaks.
The jack handle is thick enough walled to use as a land anchor for winching, it's strong enough to make a long arm if a spring mount breaks, and it's one heck of a pry bar!
I have an 86 Grand Wagon that is set up for expedition, about the same way...
It's large enough I can sleep in it, it's big/heavy enough I can tow another vehicle with it on the highway, and it's lockable, watertight tool & equipment storage.
The point is,
This wasn't done overnight, and while I don't have 20 speaker radio, bun warmers, power seats, tampon dispensers, etc. there is very little that can go wrong, the parts/tools are there to fix what normally goes wrong, and I'm not loosing all my work/modifications every 3 to 5 years...
Pre-computer, redundancy in all the engine support systems (fuel, ignition, cooling), and it has capabilities that even military vehicles don't have...
The neighbors down the road bought a new small farm tractor...
That thing need a Wi-Fi connection to self diagnose/update, and virtually nothing on it is user serviceable, it has to go back to the dealership for almost EVERYTHING...
Nothing about the operation is easy, everything is symbols instead of simply stating what the knob or lever is for, and there are so many interlocks & safeties you can't get much done, it's like a combination lock you don't have the combination for, and the manual reads like stereo instructions in Korean...
Buy quality, buy what you need (and no more!), buy as common as possible, and take care of your equipment.
KISS: Keep It Stupid Simple!
There is a reason the 30s and 40s farm tractor are still around and being used everyday...
A hammer or anvil only needs to be just 'So' complicated, and the rest is just 'Style' over substance.