Over 70 percent of Americans cannot afford to own a code-enforced, contractor-built home. This has led to widespread interest in using natural materials—straw, cob, and earth—for building homes and other buildings that are inexpensive, and that rely largely on labor rather than expensive and often environmentally-damaging outsourced materials.
Earthbag Building is the first comprehensive guide to all the tools, tricks, and techniques for building with bags filled with earth—or earthbags. Having been introduced to sandbag construction by the renowned Nader Khalili in 1993, the authors developed this “Flexible Form Rammed Earth Technique” over the last decade. A reliable method for constructing homes, outbuildings, garden walls and much more, this enduring, tree-free architecture can also be used to create arched and domed structures of great beauty—in any region, and at home, in developing countries, or in emergency relief work.
This profusely illustrated guide first discusses the many merits of earthbag construction, and then leads the reader through the key elements of an earthbag building:
Special design considerations
Foundations, walls and floors
Electrical, plumbing and shelving
Lintels, windows and door installations
Roofs, arches and domes
Exterior and interior plasters.
With dedicated sections on costs, making your own specialized tools, and building code considerations, as well as a complete resources guide, Earthbag Building is the long-awaited, definitive guide to this uniquely pleasing construction style.
Kaki Hunter and Donald Kiffmeyer have been involved in the construction industry for the last 20 years, specializing in affordable, low-tech, low-impact building methods that are as natural as possible. They developed the “Flexible Form Rammed Earth Technique” of building affordably with earthbags and have taught the subject and contributed their expertise to several books and journals on natural building.
For more than 30 years, John S. Farnam has been teaching the latest defensive firearms techniques to police departments, federal and stat agencies as well as foreign governments. Now his classic book, The Farnam Method of Defensive Handgunning, has been fully updated and revised. Whether you are a novice or experienced shooter, you will find valuable insights on the types of defensive handguns and the tactics for using them.
This new edition features fully updated information on the why of defensive shooting including chapters on the legal justification for using lethal force. It contains valuable information about tactics you will use every day to avoid criminal confrontation or to react promptly and effectively if you do encounter a potential criminal.
You will also find vital information on mental toughness and personal tactics that can help you to preserve your own life and the lives of family members when facing an imminent deadly assault. The chapters on handgun operating systems present the variety of handguns currently in use with advantages and disadvantages clearly described. You will also learn about the newest developments in defensive ammunition, and the importance of selecting and testing the right rounds for your handgun.
I respect Farnam’s work – these true old school professionals are a dying breed. I would suggest you read this work and take his classes while you can.
It did not take long to make a basic beer can mortar bed from some 2×4 lumber and screws.
This base is very basic. I have some ideas for improvement.
However, I want to start from a known system.
This bed is built using the plans that came with my mortar tube from blackpowder-cannons.com.
The video is pretty self-explanatory.
How to Build a Mortar Bed
First, start by cutting 2 pieces of 2×4 15 inches long, a piece 13 inches long, and a support 3 inches long.
Next, mark the center of the 15 inch boards. Mark that line 1/2 inch from the top.
Then, drill a pilot hole through the mark you made, and then follow up with a 1 inch hole saw.
Cut the top out of the cut on the board so the cannon trunions can slide down into the hole you cut.
Next center the 13 inch board at the base of the two longer boards and screw them to the shorter board forming a channel for the mortar to sit in.
Knock the 3 inch board into this channel and set the cannon into the trunion holes.
Move the 3 inch board forward and back until then cannon is resting at a 45 degree angle when sitting in the trunion mounts and resting on the top of the board.
Finally, screw the support board in and your bed is finished.
I went ahead and fabricated some strap to hold the cannon in place, and I painted mine, now to make some rounds and find some places to test fire it.
I am not a doctor, and I am not qualified to give medical advise, I do know something about disasters and how to prepare for disasters.
I wanted to share some Essential Medications to Stockpile to help people better manage their prepper resources.
I also see people spend way too much time, effort, and resources prepping to extreme in some areas and leave other areas untended.
If you read many of the survival related blogs, you will find many people discussing how to get prescription medicines just in case. While I have some chronic medical issues, and also see this need, I have to wonder if they have first stored over the counter medications before trying for the nice to have…
I am sharing some essential over the counter medications that available, affordable, safe and legal.
Used properly, they can effectively treat dozens of conditions including: headache, fever, sore throats, ear ache, menstrual cramps, heartburn, arthritis, ulcers, diarrhea, allergies, hives, congestion, dizziness, mild anxiety, nausea, vomiting, poison ivy, athlete’s foot, ringworm, eczema, insomnia, backache, gout, diaper rash, yeast infections, and much more…
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) – Acetaminophen is the only non-prescription pain-reliever that is not an anti-inflammatory drug. It will not irritate the stomach like ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen. It is useful for the same conditions as ibuprofen, though effectiveness varies according to patient. As mentioned above, it may be combined with ibuprofen in full doses for more severe pain. Side effects are very few, though in high dose, especially when combined with alcohol, it can lead to liver failure. It is available in several pediatric dosages, both for pain relief and fever reduction.
Bacitracin ointment – This ointment is best used to prevent skin infections when the skin has been breached, as by an abrasion, laceration, insect bite, or sting. It also may be used to treat a superficial skin infection such as a mildly infected wound or impetigo. It is less likely to produce a topical skin allergy than other topical antibiotic preparations that contain neomycin. It cannot be used to treat deeper infections, however, which generally require an antibiotic by mouth.
Clotrimazole (Gyne-Lotrimin) The same antifungal medication, clotrimazole, is contained in both Lotrimin and Gyne-Lotrimin. Gyne-Lotrimin may be used to treat both female yeast infections and any other yeast or fungal infection that Lotrimin would treat, including athlete’s foot, jock itch, ringworm, diaper rashes, and skin fold irritations.
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) – Diphenhydramine is primarily used for drainage due to respiratory infections and nasal allergies, in both adults and children. It is also indicated for hives and itching, including itchy rashes such as poison ivy. Although not all patients become drowsy when using diphenhydramine, many do so, making this medication useful for insomnia as well. Some people find the drug relieves nausea or mild anxiety. While not a doctor, I keep this on hand for when I get a lot of bee stings, it seems to help me and keep swelling to a minimum (but I am not allergic to bee-stings and would not try to use this to replace an epi-pen if I was)
Hydrocortisone cream – The 1% version of hydrocortisone is the strongest steroid cream available over the counter. It is safe for use in both adults and children in treating inflamed and/or itchy rashes such as eczema, poison ivy, diaper rash, and other minor genital irritations.
Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) – Among the OTC anti-inflammatory medications, ibuprofen is probably the most versatile. Primarily indicated for pain and inflammation, it may also be used to relieve headaches, earaches, sore throats, sinus pain, stiff neck, muscle strains, menstrual cramps, arthritis including gout, and back pain. It is also effective at reducing fever and is generally safe for use in children. It is not advisable for most stomach-related pain, although may decrease the pain of kidney stones, kidney infections, and possibly bladder infections. The most common side effect is stomach irritation or heartburn. When combined with acetaminophen it is nearly as effective as codeine, tramadol, or hydrocodone in relieving more severe pain.
Loperamide (Imodium) – The most effective OTC medication for diarrhea is loperamide, which is available both as tablet form and liquid for children. It is often useful for relieving intestinal cramping.
Meclizine (Bonine, Dramamine) – This antiemetic drug is available both over the counter and by prescription. It relieves nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, and vertigo-like dizziness. For some patients it causes drowsiness, and therefore may be used as a sleep aid. It is related to medications for anxiety and may help with this as well.
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) – Pseudoephedrine is effective at relieving congestion of both the upper and lower respiratory tract due to most common causes including infection, allergy, chemical irritation, and mild asthma or bronchitis. It frequently has a stimulatory effect, similar to caffeine. The most common side effects are those resembling a burst of adrenaline: rapid heart rate, palpitations, and increased blood pressure. Years ago this drug was used in young children, even babies, though now most pediatricians do not advise it in patients younger than about six years old.
Ranitidine (Zantac) – Although several medications are available OTC for the treatment of heartburn, ulcers, and other acid-reducing conditions, ranitidine is among the best-tolerated, is inexpensive, and is also useful for relieving hives. Doctors often advise an acid-reducing medication such as ranitidine for patients who experience stomach upset when taking ibuprofen, though this must be done with caution.
Conclusion
If you only have a small amount of money to prep, then going after OTC meds will give you more for your money than trying to find a doctor to give you a supply of antibiotic. For less than $100 you can lay in a large supply of all of the above.
For more than 30 years, John S. Farnam has been teaching the latest defensive firearms techniques to police departments, federal and stat agencies as well as foreign governments. Now his classic book, The Farnam Method of Defensive Handgunning, has been fully updated and revised. Whether you are a novice or experienced shooter, you will find valuable insights on the types of defensive handguns and the tactics for using them.
I am not a doctor, and I am not qualified to give medical advise, I do know something about disasters and how to prepare for disasters.