What Is Important!!!

What I have- comment.What I would like and think about often is a permanent heat source. I would like one of these, installed and usable. It isn't a huge security thing or comms but it would provide my children with heat and food.

 

More. Ax. Haha.

 

My mind, a better long term energy source...

 

What I have: My group of family and close friends upon whom I can count to be there.

My desire: A reason to still care.

 

What I have: a loving wife that "gets it"

What do I still need? Mmmm....gonna have to get back to you on that one.

 

What I have: The mindset to not give up. As frustrating as life in general can be, one of the things my wife and I (and even a lot of friends and I) don't always have in common is what I would call a "Post Fan" mindset. A lot of people I know who claim to be prepping or have a prepper mentality openly say that beyond a certain point they aren't sure they would want to still be here. Too much work for little to no reward. I can't say I truly get that. I can understand the "why go on?" mentality if everyone is irradiated and we all have literally 3 days to live but even then I think I would push myself until I dropped. Yes, I play video games. Yes I could be more productive now than I am because I don't "have to be", but when push comes to shove I like to think I push whatever is shoving to the best of my ability.

What I need: Focus. The right mindset is useless without direction and that, unfortunately, I lack at times. I would love land 2 hours out from society. I very much desire all the trappings of an off-grid, self-sufficient lifestyle. I will never attain those things without focus on my part. Sure, a properly supplied compound like that of the bosses in "Light's Out" (but with heirloom seeds, etc, etc, etc) would be fantastic and would be a "worth goal" but it isn't my greatest need at this point...focus and direction are.

 

Most important: knowledge and wisdom. I know enough, I hope I hope, to figure out solutions to the needs that will present for which I don't have adequate preparations. Still trying to acquire more.
Still need: we are stil a bit light in the heat and energy dimension for long term sustainment. Working on that.

 

Most important prep for now? Money. Without it, you can't buy what you need for all other preps.
Most important prep for later use? Food and water. Without it, nothing else matters for long.
Things needed? Many. But time, money and land, and I can build anything else I need.

 

What I have: A sufficient quantity of properly situated land.

I worked for years to acquire and develop a piece of land, located in a thermal belt (not too cold, not too hot), well watered by streams, and located a sufficient distance from major population areas. That land provides me with the ability to raise crops and animals needed to sustain my family; hard wood to burn for heat, and to use for building; water for hygiene, for drinking, and to keep food chilled. I COULD survive even if my house were to burn to the ground, though the comforts that it provides are most welcome.

What I need: Sustainable energy source to make "roughing it" a little less rough. I'll get there.

 

I have selected and acquired some things.

What I most want is a hand cranked forge. And a quality Anvil. As a child I had access to such a set up and now it is time to bang steel again.

 

Something like this?

 

Except for the coal/coke, yes.

 

This one was for sale locally (for way too much)

 

Ebay has one that is local pick up only, just a few states away.

 

Nothing there that could not be hand built......

 

The blower is the most important part and gear making is not something I care to start.

That design is about as good as it gets. all the right shapes and fixture placements.

 

Gears are only needed to adjust the scale. You could go full scale with no gears at all, and a large flywheel. You could even use moving water to run the blower. Don't like gear making? Use pulleys and belts.

 

Nope, not going to reinvent a blower. That type rig has been in service for over 100 years and many are still going from that date. Anyway, blowers are cheap and easy to find.