Recently in projects Category

I've previously written about the many benefits of 550 paracord. Here is a DIY of the cobra stitch (the knot used to create my paracord bracelets) so that you can tie your own.

I wear my paracord survival bracelet everyday. My dog has one, and so does our infant child (see pic after the jump).

There are many methods of cooking food and sanitizing water in a crisis situation. Fuel is the great leveler. Fortunately, the sun is a reliable and abundant fuel source where I come from.

I built this solar oven from recycled cabinetry and a windshield deflector. You can build yours out of a shoebox. It's easier than you think.

*DIY coming soon*

In a resource scarcity crisis access to fresh food is critical to survival. Vital proteins and fats are essential for enduring the long haul. Fortunately there is plenty of small game out there if you are looking for it. In the first months following a resource scarcity crisis, you may be able to survive on neighborhood cats and small dogs. Depending on your region, rabbits, squirrels, prairie dogs, and or rats may be an option. Trapping alive guarantees you are getting fresh, healthy game. 



These designs, and the video (after the jump) will show you how to build your own live game trap. Bludgeoning or bleeding out the game is another matter altogether.

This design is based on a paiute deadfall.

Don't ever underestimate the value of your trash can. This is a quick preview of a networked rain barrel design I cooked up. The photos describe the end product a bit better than my production sketch, but the parts list is buried in that chicken scratch.




This video hits the major points, but look for a proper rain barrel DIY in the coming weeks:






Some additional pics are after the jump

Shotguns are great tools, and no RECESS should be without one. In a pinch, you can build your own. This shot-by-shot video DIY will show you how to make* an improvised 12 gauge shotgun from common household implements.




This design is a variation on a classic (1969) method from the US Dept. of the Army Improvised Munitions Handbook (TM 31-210).

*WARNING AND DISCLAIMER: The contents of this blog should not be considered a safe and reliable source of information.  This video/DIY/drawing is for illustration purposes only. Building a weapon of any kind is extremely dangerous and my be unlawful where you reside. Do your own research, and place your safety and the safety of others above all else.

Hit the jump for a supply list.

Proper sanitation may be considered a tertiary need (behind nourishment and shelter), but it should not be overlooked. Your long-term survival and comfort will rely as much on your ability to maintain basic sanitary needs as your ability to gather food and fresh water. In a short-term scarcity crisis, the threat is minimal. A lengthy period of time without fresh water, soaps, anti-bacterial compounds, and antibiotics will inevitably give rise to a host of life-threatening infections and disease.

This DIY is exceptionally easy and serves primarily as a call to action for basic sanitation. You can always go further, with chemical or composting toilets, and palettes of pre-moistened anti-bacterial wipes. But, be sure to add a 5 gallon bucket and a few hundred plastic grocery store bags to your essential supply list.

Sandbags are incredibly useful for fortification, reinforcing existing structures or barricades, and/or serving as a water barrier. I save and convert all of my family's old pants into sandbags. For the RECESS shelter, I use them to protect my automated sentry boobytrap.



hit the jump for an image of my completed sandbags and an informational PDF

Close quarters are easiest to tolerate with loved ones, and I would highly recommend leaving it at that. Your RECESS is your insurance policy, not the neighborhoods'. Once you've sealed yourself and your family in, settle in and be comforted by your foresight, vigilance, and preparedness.

Friends, frienimies, and food suppliers who are aware of the bunker may come knocking in a crisis. Your best course of action is to create your guest list ahead of time, and stick to it. If discretion fails and a hostile entity or panicked acquaintance tries to force their way into your bunker, an intimidating and adequate barrier will save your life.

The door on my RECESS is made of a mixture of plate, angle iron, and square tube steel. The design is optimized to intimidate and defend against breach. The outer layer is made of welded vertical strips of angle iron to deflect gun fire and reduce surface purchase. Behind the angle iron is 250 lb of reinforcement. The door swings in to avoid accidental entrapment, seating flush into a 4" square tube steel frame. (see my bunker door ballistics tests here)


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The Water Table is a table, work surface, bed, and long-term water storage device. It's constructed from surplus materials and intended to furnish your RECESS. It will store 120 gallons of water and offers a suitable bunk space, well off the bunker floor.

There are a few key things to consider before launching headlong into the construction of your RECESS. Foremost is space. A proper RECESS will safely and comfortably accommodate your family through the long emergency. Living in a bunker, even for just a few days, can be a challenging and unpleasant experience. A little consideration of your spacial needs and concerns can go a long way to ensuring a tolerable, if not enjoyable experience. The internet is awash with resources.

A pool > RECESS conversion may leave you with a space limited by the dimensions of the existing hole. In my situation, this space was more than adequate... albeit a little short.

My plan borrowed largely from the formulas found in bomb shelter how-to guides issued by FEMA. You can find them all here: (that is, if you trust the government)
 

• Home Outside Concrete Shelter -- This FEMA pamphlet provides plans for constructing a separate below-ground shelter (632Kb, PDF).
• Aboveground Home Shelter -- "Intended for persons who prefer an aboveground shelter," this pamphlet provides schematics for building a shelter to survive 5 p.s.i. over-pressures (806kb, PDF).
• Home Fallout Shelter (Plan A) -- These plans detail the building of a "modified ceiling shelter-basement location (526kb, PDF).
• Home Fallout Shelter (Plan C) -- These plans detail a concrete block shelter-basement location (223kb, PDF).
• Home Fallout Shelter (Plan E) -- These plans show how to construct a tilt-up storage unit shelter (319kb, PDF).
• Home Fallout Shelter (Plan F) -- These plans illustrate how to create a lean-to shelter in a home basement (279KB, PDF).