So which HPC end-of-the-world prepper is this?

[Bossybabe]

50 minutes ago, Turned Out Nice Again said:

Diesel doesn't and it isn't particularly flammable. Farmers store it in 1000L ibc containers buried in the ground. I've mused about doing the same when prices are low. Not sure about the legality.

Why don't you refine used cooking oil - I used to run my Landcruiser on that!

[SarahBell]

13 hours ago, One-percent said:

So, have we got a prepper thread (can't believe that there isn't one)?

if not, how about starting here.  What would the well prepared off-topic hpcer stockpile and how would it be stored?

 

 

There has been a huge thread. I think it evolved and started it's own stockpile though.

[Frank Hovis]

49 minutes ago, Bossybabe said:

Why don't you refine used cooking oil - I used to run my Landcruiser on that!

Where did you source your oil? I ask as I get through eleven gallons a week and I don't see where I'd get that; shop oil is a similar price to diesel at the pumps.

I'm purely asking out of interest, I've read that whilst it's fine on older (mud 90s or earlier) diesels the more modern ones have a less-forgiving engine.

[Frank Hovis]

10 minutes ago, SarahBell said:

There has been a huge thread. I think it evolved and started it's own stockpile though.

I do keep meaning to buy some of those big water bottles as I'd really struggle if the water was off for a week.

I don't actually need food as, if pushed, I could live from foraging as I'm ideally placed for that (coast and estuary) and had my first entirely foraged meal this summer.

[Frank Hovis]

That looks great, I will be googling that as I do have a couple of rainwater butts that I've not yet got close to emptying.

[spunko2010]

15 hours ago, The Masked Tulip said:

Real HPCers have tins of tuna, spam and corned beef along with baked beans. They also have a limited supply of baked beans

Which brand though?

[spunko2010]

55 minutes ago, SarahBell said:

There has been a huge thread. I think it evolved and started it's own stockpile though.

It was probably before my time on here. I'm stockpiling tinned tuna, baked beans (Branston), chickpeas, dried pasta, bottles of water, various dried pulses. I'll add petrol to the list.

[Frank Hovis]

Is this as a hedge against inflation?

I ask as I can't see why else you would need it.  Food distribution systems can of course break down but as you will have nearby hospitals and old people's homes then in the event of some kind of interruption then there would be full mobilisation to bring in emergency supplies or people would start dying.

I've considered doing it but more like an exercise for a camping expedition, can I survive without buying food for a month, rather than for any practical reason.

I don't think that I have blind faith in the system; rather that I think that there are huge reserves.

[Frank Hovis]

2 minutes ago, hotairmail said:

We just use the local tap water. But we started using this because our tea and coffee taste horrible and scummy and the water itself was slightly discoloured. The tea just looks entirely pure now and tastes great. Makes it worth spending a bit more on it.

You are supposed to clean the filters (just by scrubbing them) every 6 months or so. But I've noticed occasionally it has gone from free flowing to struggling very quickly indeed. That indicates to me that loads of sh*t occasionally enters the system. In fact, once you start noticing it in the news, it is surprising how often water supplies are cut off to areas because of infections and the like.

 

Like this in Sheffield on 29th July this year. The Berkey is designed to be taken away by aid agency workers to purify their water in some pretty inhospitable places. I know, if there is a disaster (unlikely), I can just go down to the local stream and I'll be okay. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-south-yorkshire-36899049

I have added it to my wish list as it falls under what I would term "really neat kit".

Also if I ever buy that camper van it will sit nicely in there.

[AThirdWay]

1 hour ago, Frank Hovis said:

Where did you source your oil? I ask as I get through eleven gallons a week and I don't see where I'd get that; shop oil is a similar price to diesel at the pumps.

I'm purely asking out of interest, I've read that whilst it's fine on older (mud 90s or earlier) diesels the more modern ones have a less-forgiving engine.

Try your local Chinese food retailer. Old Mercs had to have, if I remember rightly, the Bosch fuel system to run on veggie oil.

Just Google " 7% biofuel content" to read about the problems modern diesel engines have with veggie oil!

Relating to the OP, I filled up my oil tank with 900 litres of heating oil about 4 months ago. THAT wasn't illegal, so I doubt stockpiling diesel would be?

[Goat]

4 hours ago, Frank Hovis said:

Is this as a hedge against inflation?

I ask as I can't see why else you would need it.  Food distribution systems can of course break down but as you will have nearby hospitals and old people's homes then in the event of some kind of interruption then there would be full mobilisation to bring in emergency supplies or people would start dying.

I've considered doing it but more like an exercise for a camping expedition, can I survive without buying food for a month, rather than for any practical reason.

I don't think that I have blind faith in the system; rather that I think that there are huge reserves.

I wonder what would happen in an extreme winter event, maybe 1962/63 plus with widespread power cuts for extended periods and all transport blocked by sustained heavy snowfall?

Most homes rely upon electricity for heating and many for cooking, with that cut off for say 2 weeks and temperatures consistently sub-zero what are you going to do?

[Frank Hovis]

16 minutes ago, Goat said:

I wonder what would happen in an extreme winter event, maybe 1962/63 plus with widespread power cuts for extended periods and all transport blocked by sustained heavy snowfall?

Most homes rely upon electricity for heating and many for cooking, with that cut off for say 2 weeks and temperatures consistently sub-zero what are you going to do?

If I purely considered myself then I would be fine.

However as I noted before there are old people's homes, my neighbours both sides are elderly etc.

So in those circumstances I would not sit at home purely looking after myself whilst people die around me. So no individual stash.

Equally I'm not about to build up a huge stash in order to be able to feed half the town.

So prepping seems fairly pointless to me unless you live in splendid isolation somewhere rural.

Any kind of circumstance where deaths are possible would see a massive humanitarian operation by the army, helicopter dumps of food, and the able bodied civilian population helping out.

And with my location even frost is very uncommon and there was about twenty years between snow actually settling in the mid 80s and then in ?2004.

[Bossybabe]

7 hours ago, Frank Hovis said:

Where did you source your oil? I ask as I get through eleven gallons a week and I don't see where I'd get that; shop oil is a similar price to diesel at the pumps.

I'm purely asking out of interest, I've read that whilst it's fine on older (mud 90s or earlier) diesels the more modern ones have a less-forgiving engine.

Guy refines it down the road, about quarter of a mile away. He collects from local restaurants. The local council runs its vans from that supplier. Last I bought some months ago was 86p litre. 

 

I've tried to source for mainland trips to no avail and my current çar although diesel, is too modern to run on it. 

Edit it to say the Landcruiser was a 1992 model. 

[Frank Hovis]

4 minutes ago, Bossybabe said:

Guy refines it down the road, about quarter of a mile away. He collects from local restaurants. The local council runs its vans from that supplier. Last I bought some months ago was 86p litre. 

 

I've tried to source for mainland trips to no avail and my current çar although diesel, is too modern to run on it. 

Edit it to say the Landcruiser was a 1992 model. 

Ah, thanks. I had visions of your banging on the backdoor of local takeaways shouting "bring out your oil".

He must be making a fortune at 86p, all you have to do is filter it, put a spoonful of kerosene in and wait a few days.

I was assuming it would be more like 40p.  I'd happily run a 92 diesel on it also.

[libspero]

9 hours ago, Bossybabe said:

So...do you keep your car in the living room?  It must be precious!!!

 

Yes, it really is 30ltrs: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fireandexplosion/petrol-storage-club-association.htm

I know I'm being a pedant, but it specifically states that cars are considered "premises" for the purpose of the law... thus seemingly putting more than 30 litres in the tank is ilegal regardless where you park it.  

Sometimes you wonder if law makers really think these things through. 

[MrPin]

You shouldn't stockpile petrol. I think you are only allowed one two gallon can.

[Bossybabe]

14 minutes ago, libspero said:

I know I'm being a pedant, but it specifically states that cars are considered "premises" for the purpose of the law... thus seemingly putting more than 30 litres in the tank is ilegal regardless where you park it.  

Sometimes you wonder if law makers really think these things through. 

Of course they don't. For that they'd need brains...

[Bossybabe]

11 minutes ago, MrPin said:

You shouldn't stockpile petrol. I think you are only allowed one two gallon can.

30 litres. (H&S)

[workingpoor]

2 hours ago, Frank Hovis said:

If I purely considered myself then I would be fine.

However as I noted before there are old people's homes, my neighbours both sides are elderly etc.

So in those circumstances I would not sit at home purely looking after myself whilst people die around me. So no individual stash.

Equally I'm not about to build up a huge stash in order to be able to feed half the town.

So prepping seems fairly pointless to me unless you live in splendid isolation somewhere rural.

Any kind of circumstance where deaths are possible would see a massive humanitarian operation by the army, helicopter dumps of food, and the able bodied civilian population helping out.

And with my location even frost is very uncommon and there was about twenty years between snow actually settling in the mid 80s and then in ?2004.

Just take a look at the Black Friday sales human scrums and violence, even if someone was prepared and had a stash then they would need to be trained an prepared to defend it whatever that takes.

A prepared prepper may also have to witness neighbours & others being robbed etc 

[Frank Hovis]

1 minute ago, workingpoor said:

Just take a look at the Black Friday sales human scrums and violence, even if someone was prepared and had a stash then they would need to be trained an prepared to defend it whatever that takes.

A prepared prepper may also have to witness neighbours & others being robbed etc 

That's cities and American TV mini series.  If I was hungry I could take down a big bucket to the beach and fill it with mussels.

I really don't get what people think is going to happen in Britain that will suddenly make their most valuable possessions beans and a shotgun.

[One-percent]

2 minutes ago, Frank Hovis said:

That's cities and American TV mini series.  If I was hungry I could take down a big bucket to the beach and fill it with mussels.

I really don't get what people think is going to happen in Britain that will suddenly make their most valuable possessions beans and a shotgun.

You perhaps could Frank, but I would guess that the average person would not have a clue what to look for. I go with the tins for most and would wager that there are some that wouldn't be able to explain where their shrink wrapped supermarket meat comes from