Blackboard paint, why keep some on hand

Why would you want this as a SHTF prep? 

Simple, if things go sideways who is going to be making paper and pen's.

 now you can recycle existing paper Click here PDF
 But that is a lot of work for less important notes.

Just a little info about Blackboards Click Here

Now you can grab a can at the hardware store to have on hand or you can learn how to make it. 

How to make blackboard paint

- Paint (of any color or type) and some (you can make your own paint in hard times Click Here for  PDF)
- Non-Sanded Tile Grout  or plaster of paris (but a prepper side note Cement can be used to you can even take the time to ground down a small piece if sideways to make it)
- Simply mix 1 cup of paint and 2 Tablespoons of grout. 

AND
    you have chalkboard paint.  
 And sheet-rock is every where and makes excellent chalk.  

Even if you do not want to grab the ready made paint. Keep a jar of the grout or plaster in you prep's

The uses may not be at the top of must haves in a STHF situation, but a need to get the world back in order.

This can turn plywood into a :
 - School board 
 - Community board
- War board......(which reminds me of the walking dead when Morgan had a map on the wall).

- Even to mark reusable jars and containers

 

- Make smaller boards for kids 
- Make smaller ones to carry with you with directions or what ever list you may need, Even to just write down things you noticed  along the way 





Song for this post was a hard one to find so I got creative...blackboards = teachers = “Teach Me Tonight” by Amy Winehouse

How to make clay from soil!

 

Remember this is what your clay should look like...different colors are ok but this texture

 Clay is everywhere. You just have to look for it. But the easier place to find it is along rivers and at the edge of  any water. Even puddling areas.  Walk along your local water source and take note. Ever shovel an area and the dirt area looks shine and dense and the soil stays all together? That soil has a high clay level! This can even be in your own yard. Take a hand full of it, see if it will feel kind of like clay and shape when you play with it.

When I was a kid we had a spot near a stream, a little inlet that the water did not flow so much at,  the soil was just like the clay you by in stores! (:( that area has since been developed).  You will have to go through a trial and error with different samples to find some really good stuff. But some of the fun is in the hunt for it.

Before for settle on one big batch you may want to do a bunch of little batches with soil from different places to see which is the best. 

Now remember some river clay may just need a simple rolling and picking out the impurity's with the ease of firing right away. But if it is more grittier or sandy,  or if you are looking to get clay from less clay like soil this is the possess.



Old Fashioned way of getting clay from soil 

Cleaning the soil of non usable junk. 

You will need a screened container to shack and get all the big junk out, window screen would be best. Have a bucket or drop cloth to catch the good stuff the comes through.
What you are trying to do is remove all the stones and pebbles. Dig off a top layer of soil and use the next layer to screen for you clay ( it will have less impurity's) .




Let the soil settle and separate
Fill a bucket halfway with the cleaned soil, and fill two thirds of it with water and add a 1/8 a cup of liquid dish soap (in hard times you would use you soap that you made with lye) . Mix this up good and let it sit for 24 hours. All the soap really does is help speed up the settling process,  you can do this without it.

Water it
Ok now we get a little tricky.  
After around 24 hours the soil will have separated. The finest clay is going to be on the very top. Next layer is fine sand. 

Now a siphoning possess is suggested :
Fill the hose with water, capping each end with your fingers. One end goes below the water surface in the upper bucket, the other end in the lower. You have now created a siphon. With the end in the upper bucket, begin vacuuming off the topmost layer of particles. This is the finest clay. Below this is fine sand. Be careful not to get into this fine sand, rather, siphoning off only the clay.
 OR
You can just skim the top off put it in a second bucket...put 2/3 water in that and a dash of soap stir and let is sit another 24 hours and repeat  the skimming of the top part. You will know by its feel.
Keep adding. To make a continuous process, simply add more sifted soil to the upper bucket each day after siphoning the clay.
Pour. The clay may now be poured into another container, such as a bread pan, and allowed to air dry to the consistency needed for your project.

EXTRA NOTE:
You may have to temper the clay  This consists of adding other non-clay material to the pure clay so it can stand the fire. Some materials that are used is a fine sand, or ground sea shells. Even dried grass, moss, dung, have been crushed up and mixed with the clay. 

Make a few small little bowl shapes out of your clay or what ever shapes you want. Let is dry completely some take a few day some a few weeks...a warm window helps the dry possess.But dry completely is key to this.


 

TESTING ITS QUALITY FOR POT MAKING 

yep these babys are going right in the campfire! 

get a good fire going and place your creations nest to it. The key to them not cracking is to slowly introduce them to the fire.  So move them closer and closer and then right into it with the tongs. You can do it on a rack on a charcoal grill if you prefer and cover it . you will lose some. This is a craft and there is a learning curve. And again you are testing to find the best clay in your area to work with.

 

Have fun experimenting with this one! I am!  I am trying to make beads and pendents :) ya not survival stuff but still learning the whole skill!

A fun song for this post ..........now sing along!

 

How to make Lye, and what the heck is it used for

 

When I say lye I do not mean the lies that make you feel dirty. I mean lye that makes you feel clean! Now I live in the city so I am most likely not going to be able to try this unless I have no choice. (best to make out side!)

 The main use for lye in a shtf situation is for making soaps and detergents. It is a very simple thing to make. It is also used to cure olives, noodles and canning some foods because of it alkaline properties. It is even used to clean ovens and unclog drains. One other us is  in the manufacturing of bio fuel.   I came across this Facebook page that has uses for lye on a farm Click Here .


How to make lye 

Before even trying these processes they  recommend being very cautious. Lye is poisonous and should not be allowed to contact skin (read protective note below). Lye is made by taking hardwood ashes and placing them in a container with small holes in the bottom. Water is then added at the top and allowed to leach through the ash. It is caught in a bucket. The leached drippings are lye water. To test the quality of lye, traditionally an egg was placed in the solution of lye water. If the egg sinks in the solution then the water does not contain enough lye and needs to be run through the barrel again. If the egg floats then the solution is considered to be ideal. This is the manner in which lye was traditionally made for use. Among the most common uses of lye were in loosening hair on hides for leather making and in the making of soap. I should add a few more cautions for those of you who would attempt this process with modern materials. Lye is very caustic and plastic containers will not hold up to it. Additionally aluminum has a reaction when exposed to lye and is not suitable as a container either. I recommend using stainless steel, glass, or the traditional wooden barrel as was used by the pioneer era peoples.

 To dry lye water you would simple need to allow the water to evaporate leaving lye crystles left.   I ran across this blog with more info.when looking for a how to dry lye.  Click here


SIDE NOTE: a few other uses for wood ash... 
 De-skunk pets
 Block garden pests and enriches soil good pdf click here
 Melts ice
 Controls pond algae
 Shine silver

Home made lye soap

Lyet is a basic alkaline that will break down all kinds of organic matter (your skin) and is highly corrosive. The the soap is diluted to a safe level.
 Cast iron pans should be used for the mixture because other metals can react with the lye. You’ll need pure lard not fancied up cooking grade. Traditionally hog lard was most  used due to the ease of obtaining large quantities after a hog was slaughtered. I will address how to make lard in another post.  Other oils can be used but lard is best.  Use a wooden spoon.. You can use a glass or cast iron pan or dish can be used for a mold or a wooden mold can be made and lined with rags. You’ll also need a pot to melt the lard if using a cold recipe. The lard should only be liquefied not cooked.

 Experience will improve your skills just like in any other endeavor. Caution: Wear chemical proof gloves. Don’t use the containers or utensils for food items afterward. Wear eye protection. Don’t heat the water before adding the lye as a chemical reaction occurs that will produce some heat. These are two basic recipes below based on our lye making technique.

and remember you can add homemade essential oil to make it smell nice.

Hot Soap
2 Gallons of well mixed lye water
5 Pounds melted lard
Slowly add lye water to the melted lard and cook for 2-3 hours. Pour mix into mold after it cools. In a couple of weeks the soap should be completely cured and ready to cut into bars and use.


Cold Soap
About 2.5 pints of well mixed lye water
5.5 lbs of lard
Melt lard and be sure it’s below 110-120 F. Slowly pour lye water into the fat. Stir until mixture thickens then pour into the mold. Allow 2-3 weeks to cure.
If either of these soaps do not appear completely cured in the specified time give them longer. If too much water is added the bars will be soft and additional cure times allow this excess moisture to evaporate and the bars will harden.

Note of warning: Lye is a strong alkali, producing highly basic solutions. Both wet lye and dry lye solutions are highly caustic and may cause chemical burns, permanent injury or scarring, and blindness. Lye may be harmful or fatal if swallowed. This post is for information purpose for shtf situations only. Personal protective equipment including safety glasses, chemical-resistant gloves, and adequate ventilation are required for the safe handling of lye. When in proximity to lye that is dissolving in an open container of water, the use of a vapor-resistant face mask is recommended. Be aware that adding too much lye to water too quickly can cause the solution to boil and 'spit'. Abstaining from protection can result in serious injuries.

The song for this post is a favorite of mine.. Joe Purdy - Wash Away

 

,

How to make a Coffee Can Survival kit, and a few other coffee can uses

 

Coffee can survival kit for winter driving

You easily can equip your vehicle with essential survival gear for winter. Here's what you'll need:

• A 2 or 3 pound metal coffee can (punch 3 holes at the top of can, equal distance apart). You'll be storing the other items inside the can.
• 60-inch length of twine or heavy string (cut into 3 equal pieces - used to suspend can).
• 3 large safety pins (tie string to safety pins and pin to car roof interior to suspend can over candle).
• 1 candle 2" diameter (place on lid under suspended can for melting snow).
• 1 pocket knife, reasonably sharp (or substitute with scissors).
• 3 pieces of bright cloth 2" wide x 36" long (tie to antenna or door handle).
• Several packets of soup, hot chocolate, tea, bouillon cubes, etc. (mixed into melted snow to provide warmth and nutrition).
• Plastic spoon.
• 1 small package of peanuts and/or a couple protein/energy bars, some dried fruit (such as dried cranberries, which come in nicely sealed snack packs), and even a little chocolate, to provide you with some energy or comfort in stressful times.
• 1 pair of socks and 1 pair of gloves or glove liners, depending on what will fit in the can (cotton is not recommended because it provides no insulation when wet).
• 2 packages of book matches.
• 1 sun shield blanket or 2 large green or black plastic leaf bags (to reflect body heat).
• 1 pen light and batteries (keep separate).

When complete, place stocking cap over kit and carry in passenger compartment of car. If you have a 3 pound can, you will still have additional room for band-aids, aspirin, small radio, etc. If there is still room left, increase the quantity of any of the above items or improvise items you feel might be necessary.
Other items you may want to keep in the vehicle:

• A charged cell phone.
• Large plastic garbage bag.
• Pencil stub and paper.
• Plastic whistle.

You may want to keep the survival kit in the passenger compartment in case you go into a ditch and can't get to or open the trunk.

credit goes to the state of Wisconsin for this post


 



You can also make that can into a cooking pot for the fire and then pack your kit into it

 

 or cook on a coffee can stove. Put a Sterno under it or a little fire you can feel through he bottom.

 

Other stuff: Remember coffee cans a METAL.They  can be re purposed for gardens, cooking, fix furnace vent pipes, storage even fixing cars

make arrowheads

  

building block form

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Coffee can foundry
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to help with rooting trees
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can even go as far as coffee can fusion reactor! CLICK HERE

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.You can always make I giant communication system with a bunch of them.....just kidding
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ok good song but not really about the post but since the post is about a coffee can I went with a song about coffee. You have to listen to it!! It is totally me. I am all about a real cup of freak'n regular coffee!!!

 

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