Petromax Multi Fuel Lanterns and Accessories

In case you have not heard of this fantastic company and their rock-solid products - you need to. More importantly, you should own a couple of these lanterns, you could also do a lot worse for your preps by purchasing their military grade, multi-fuel stove. They are rugged, long-lasting and best of all - you can light, heat and cook using gas, kerosene, alcohol, diesel or even biofuels - not sure but I would not be surprised if it was effective with paint thinner too. 

The Britelyt Petromax may be the prettiest as well as the most durable and versatile lantern on the market today. It is made of solid brass and comes with your choice for polished brass or nickel plating. It is made to withstand even the roughest terrains. It shines with 500 candle power, the equivalent of 400 watts of electric light, which is 4 times brighter then most other pressurized lanterns.

It burns for 8 hours on a qt. of fuel, or 32 hours per qt. if set at a lower pressure. It is capable of using a variety of fuels.... Kerosene, Coleman/white gas, mineral spirits, scented and unscented lamp oils, gasoline, diesel fuel and just about any flammable fuel available. The first lanterns developed named Petromax were used by the German armies before and during World War Two. The military significance of a lantern that would burn all liquid fuels from diesel oil to gasoline made the lantern very useful. If you need to change fuels just pour whatever fuel you have directly into the tank. It doesn't hurt to mix fuels and no special attention is required to do so.

It is well sealed to prevent leaks and enable indoor as well as outdoor use. This is wonderful for power outages and use in remote locations. Can't get much more versatile than this. The Reflector is not included, but available below. 


Make sure you buy a couple of extra parts kits.....



Each lantern comes with the following spare parts at no extra cost!
1 - #68 - Needle
1 - #119 - Key for needle
1 - #11 - Rubber washer for filler gauge
1 - #180 - Cleaning needle for preheater
1 - Factory manual
1 - #50 - Nipple for upper vaporizer
1 - #66 - Spanner Wrench
1 - #165 - Funnel
1 - #67 - Alcohol tray filling bottle
2 - Petromax mantles

 

BriteLyt Military All Weather and All Terrain Heating/Cooking/Lighting Package

This kit was designed for the Military, but campers, hunters and fishermen alike will appreciate its versatility. It includes all the BriteLyt Petromax items you need for Heating, Cooking, and Lighting, all packed in a metal case that offers you neat storage and protects your lantern from the hazards of the trail. The Lantern is equipped with the SS Nozzle and High Performance Mixing Tube. All the accessories are packed neatly in trays for secure storage and easy access. There is even a bicycle style foot pump included for use with the EZ-Pump Valve. The Multi-Fuel capability of the BriteLyt Petromax lantern, along with the completeness of the kit make it ideal for emergency or survival situations. Approx size and weight of box: L - 15"/ W - 10 1/2" / H - 19" Weight approx full: 26 to 30 pounds.

Items included in our Emergency/Military package. 1-Lantern Nickel Plate finish. 1-Reflector Nickel plated Finish. 1-EZ Cook Top 1-HP-BHA BriteLyt Heating Adaptor 2-1020-500CP Parts kit 1-74-WM Wire mesh Globe 24-4-500CP Mantles 1-Instruction DVD 1- EZ-Pump 1- Foot pump for EZ pump.

BriteLyt Military All Weather/Terrain Metal Case This case lets you store or transport your 500CP Lantern along with many accessories or other gear you already have. It includes the Britelyt Metal Case, and storage trays, but no lantern or accessories are included. The complete kit is available above. Approx size of box: L - 15"/ W - 10 1/2" / H - 19".

 And because I know you are going to go out and buy this:

http://www.wisementrading.com/lanterns/petromax.htm

http://shop.britelyt.com/

Country Living Grain Mill

Our Country Living Grain Mill - Hooked Up To Electricity

(reprinted from 2009) 

So I finally got around to hooking up an electric motor to our "Country Living" grain mill.

It's a Lathe motor (1 HP) I got at a garage sale for $20. It has the advantage of variable speed settings by adjusting the belt. It has plenty of power for this use.

I first noticed that when hooked up to electricity the mill worked so well that it was spitting some wheat and cuttings out the sides making a mess and also throwing some on the floor. I wanted to eliminate the waste and reduce the likelihood of mice - so I built a snug-fitting cover (see pic) that slides into place over the mill end. the cover pretty much eliminates most all of the side spray directing it down to the bin in the bottom.

This thing now works great - we can grind a pound of hard red wheat or corn or whatever, into a fine flour in about 3 minutes. This compares nicely to the 20-25 minutes of hard hand cranking this thing used to require. In a power-off scenario I'll hook it up to my stationary bicycle. I still need to finish that.

Aquaponics and the High Density Vertical Growth Garden

Aquaponics and the High Density Vertical Growth (HDVG) Garden

Many potential homesteaders, and new preppers have big problems when it comes to food production, (notice I did not say storage) problems such as: I live in an apartment, I have a small yard, my soil is terrible, etc...

So with the coming food crises, looming energy shortages, or soon to come hyper-inflation causing food prices to skyrocket, people need effective low-cost solutions to grow their own food. To be food independent. One really great potential is High Density Vertical Growth Aquaponics (HDVG). Sounds like something DirecTV charges extra for - but its not.


The HDVG system is designed to grow vegetables and other foods much more efficiently and with greater food value than in agricultural field conditions. The HDVG system demonstrates the following characteristics:

• Produces approximately 20 times the normal production volume for field crops
• Requires 5% of the normal water requirements for field crops
• Can be built on non-arable lands and close to major city markets
• Can work in a variety of environments: urban, suburban, countryside, desert etc.
• Does not use herbicides or pesticides
• Will have very significant operating and capital cost savings over field agriculture
• Will drastically reduce transportation costs to market resulting in further savings, higher quality and fresher foods on delivery, and less transportation pollution
• Will be easily scalable from small to very large food production situations

ZipGrow

Excerpted from:    http://www.theaquaponicstore.com/Vertical-Aquaponics-s/77.htm

ZipGrow towers are an efficient and productive way to grow crops. Most aquaponic producers utilize rafts for productions, but rafts are not productive enough per square foot to make production in greenhouses economically feasible.

ZipGrow towers typically produce 3-4 times more per square foot than traditional raft production methods. This is due to the light conservation aspects of the tower design as well as the modular aspects of the tower design that can utilize conveyor production techniques to maximize crop yield. By spacing ZipGrow Towers in rows you can not only maximize crop density but also use light more efficiently than any other tower system on the market, guaranteed. 

When used as recommended ZipGrow tower systems can increase the production per square foot of greenhouse by 300 to 400%. Useful in a variety of different systems, from hydroponics to aquaponics, ZipGrow towers are the best soilless plant production tool on the market, guaranteed. Towers are offered in a variety of sizes and configurations, depending on grower needs.

How it works

Integrating ZipGrow towers ino traditional production systems is relatively simple, requiring only minor changes to greenhouse infrastructure. During this process, local producers negotiate with local markets to use a ZipGrow GreenGrocer for in sore produce sales. Producers then move towers to market, exchanging mature towers with harvested ones, which are cycled back into production. 

 

An even cheaper solution would be to purchase 6 foot lengths of 4 inch PVC pipe. Then drill 3/4 to 1 inch holes every 6-8 inches (varies according to plant size). Fix the pipe to a flow-through screened base. The screen should be fine enough to hold in small gravel, but coarse enough to allow free flow of growth medium. Then stand it up, fill it with larger gravel in the bottom 8 inches then a pea gravel the rest of the way up. Make sure you stop at each hole to insert your plant. The problem here would be in cleanup and the weight of the system. Obviously a tube filled with a very lightweight open mesh type foam would be much lighter than a gravel medium. But in a pinch the gravel would probably work with some modifications. 


http://www.backyardaquaponics.com/forum/

http://www.aquaponiclynx.com/

http://ezgrogarden.com/growing-organic/efficient-and-economical-food-production-systems/

http://theaquaponicsource.com/