Old Common, Day to Day Technology. Waht do you hang onto?

[wheelbuilder]

Doing my research. Google "pellet stove reviews" and it is scary, the number of people who have trouble with their units. Here's a link to one site:
Pellet Stove Reviews

But hey, I'm willing to listen...I want to get one of these installed by the time it cools off around here. What are your recommendations? One of the local suppliers carries the Harman line - what do you know about that brand? And how do you handle power outages? Not at all unusual for my power to be out for hours!

I've got a computer type battery backup that has carried the pellet stove for over an hour. If it is going to be a while, I charge the battery backup with a generator to keep things going.

 

[California]

Some things are timeless, as useful now as when invented. Example: the Ace stapler. A design from the era of the Model A Ford. Still in production, and simply the best for desk use when you need to staple a quarter inch of documents. If the staples don't reach to come out the other side, turn the stack over and staple again from that side.

I inherited one and have several more, all inexpensive thrift store finds.

These are made in three lengths. I've cleaned up and gifted several to friends over the years. The chrome finish usually cleans up to as-new appearance. Never encountered one that didn't work flawless.

(stock photo)

 

[California]

And I guess my elderly 1980 Yanmar I've had for 15 years has reached 'vintage' status. 2 cylinders. Sounds crude like it will throw a rod if revved up. Sounds like a bunch of characters with sledges pounding on a manhole cover. The sound of raw power! . I've read 'they all do that'.

Its manual says the injectors are to be scraped clean only using a willow stick and sheep tallow. (really!). And there's advice if you prefer to run it without a battery. (Carry one battery around to start a fleet of harvest equipment???)

But this is still in use because of its inherent quality. Everything works as it should, same as 40 years ago when it was built. I wish it looked prettier. (prior owners neglected it).

 

[two_bit_score]

I know that here at least people bought bulk pellets by the ton and would leave them in the unheated barn, garage or shed and they would become damp from the humidity and would not feed of burn well. If kept in a dry and heated area they worked fine.

Happy that I bought just a plain, well built WoodStove.

We considered replacing a wood stove with a pellet stove but just for about 10 minutes.



.

 

[k0ua]

Some things are timeless, as useful now as when invented. Example: the Ace stapler. A design from the era of the Model A Ford. Still in production, and simply the best for desk use when you need to staple a quarter inch of documents. If the staples don't reach to come out the other side, turn the stack over and staple again from that side.

I inherited one and have several more, all inexpensive thrift store finds.

These are made in three lengths. I've cleaned up and gifted several to friends over the years. The chrome finish usually cleans up to as-new appearance. Never encountered one that didn't work flawless.

(stock photo)

Some things are timeless. When they were created they reached the pinnacle of engineering, and cannot be improved on.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Canning jars and kettles. Oil lamps and a wood stove. Scythe and pitchfork. Hand coffee grinder.

My wife is delighted that when we have a power outage the comfort level of our house doesn't change. We have two Aladdin oil lamps and half a dozen wall hung oil candles, candle sconces and oil lamps. I actually spent some time looking for a real antique coffee grinder, after one bitterly cold morning that I was reduced to bashing beans with a framing hammer to make my morning coffee. My house can convert to 19th century luxury at any time. We have a generator, but don't need it.

The wood shed is almost full of bone dry madrone and oak. We use the generator for showers, but can take a hot bath any time just by heating a laundry tub of water on the wood stove and diluting it with cold water in the tub. Gravity feed water means the toilets flush without electricity.

 

[CADplans]

Still use a shovel to dig a hole; still cook on an outdoor charcoal grill,
use Noxema shaving cream,.

I can only wonder,, Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

I recently found Cremo shave cream,, I wonder if it is similar to what Burma Shave was?

Cremo is nothing like a lather,, you use about as much as they used to advertise how much toothpaste to use,,

It goes on as a creme,, and is incredible,, I never dreamt that after 50+ years of shaving, I could find something "better",,,

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Firewood

I love my wood stove! But firewood is going above $350 a cord - and I had been driving 240 miles one way just to get some. This year even that source seems to have dried up. The feds (87% of Nevada is owned by the federal government) don't want anyone cutting trees, thinning out the forests...they'd just as soon see the forests going up in smoke every summer.

I see a business opportunity. We had a heavy, wet snow fall last winter that brought down thousands of cords of white oak. Firewood is going for $210/cord for oak and madrone, split and delivered. Fir is even cheaper. Nobody will buy it, because fir is lousy firewood, though it's OK for fireplaces and campgrounds.

I could palletize a boxcar load of firewood and ship it to Winnemucca, but would need someone to handle sales on that end. There's a yard by the tracks in Portland that does that. Scrap pallets are a dime a dozen. If you log cabin the firewood and wrap it plastic, it should be stable enough to handle with a forklift, half a cord per pallet.

All I would need on this end is someone to do the work.

Never mind.

 

[Jstpssng]

Canning jars and kettles. Oil lamps and a wood stove. Scythe and pitchfork. Hand coffee grinder.

My wife is delighted that when we have a power outage the comfort level of our house doesn't change. We have two Aladdin oil lamps and half a dozen wall hung oil candles, candle sconces and oil lamps. I actually spent some time looking for a real antique coffee grinder, after one bitterly cold morning that I was reduced to bashing beans with a framing hammer to make my morning coffee. My house can convert to 19th century luxury at any time. We have a generator, but don't need it.

The wood shed is almost full of bone dry madrone and oak. We use the generator for showers, but can take a hot bath any time just by heating a laundry tub of water on the wood stove and diluting it with cold water in the tub. Gravity feed water means the toilets flush without electricity.

You can take a pretty good shower using a 5 gallon pail of water and something to dip in and pour the water like a shower head... a large Maxwell House coffee container works exceptionally well but it sounds like you wouldn't have one around. I use the method a lot in summer when I want to go someplace after work; leave the bucket in the sun all day and it can get quite warm. I also do it sometimes in winter because it's cheaper to keep a pot of water on the wood stove than to run the hot water heater.

If 5 gallons isn't enough, just add another bucket.

 

[/pine]

Canning jars and kettles. Oil lamps and a wood stove. Scythe and pitchfork. Hand coffee grinder.

My wife is delighted that when we have a power outage the comfort level of our house doesn't change. We have two Aladdin oil lamps and half a dozen wall hung oil candles, candle sconces and oil lamps. I actually spent some time looking for a real antique coffee grinder, after one bitterly cold morning that I was reduced to bashing beans with a framing hammer to make my morning coffee. My house can convert to 19th century luxury at any time. We have a generator, but don't need it.

The wood shed is almost full of bone dry madrone and oak. We use the generator for showers, but can take a hot bath any time just by heating a laundry tub of water on the wood stove and diluting it with cold water in the tub. Gravity feed water means the toilets flush without electricity.

Don't let your insurance company know about the oil lamps/ candles etc...!

We always relied on hurricane lamps but now use cyalume sticks for short term outages...they are cheap and they do not create any heat (since the AC is off too)...