February 5, 20223 yr Best thread on the Surly right now with the Russian warmongering thread.If the Ruskies try to open up another front and invade the Aleuts we could combine the two threads. A real world game of Risk
February 5, 20223 yr 11 minutes ago, twosheds said: If the Ruskies try to open up another front and invade the Aleuts we could combine the two threads. A real world game of Risk They key to Risk is controlling the Middle East.
February 5, 20223 yr 11 minutes ago, Hate said: They key to Risk is controlling the Middle East. You misspelled Kamchatka.
February 5, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, Hate said: They key to Risk is controlling the Middle East. What?!? No, you take over South America. Then, slowly spread through North America while everyone else fights over Afro-Eurasia.
February 5, 20223 yr 42 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said: What?!? No, you take over South America. Then, slowly spread through North America while everyone else fights over Afro-Eurasia. You could try to do the same in Australia and just build enough armies too defend, but if you want to win, you have to control the ME. It's the key to Africa, Europe, and Asia.
February 5, 20223 yr 3 hours ago, Hate said: They key to Risk is controlling the Middle East. 3 hours ago, Onboard 2.0 said: You misspelled Kamchatka. 2 hours ago, HornOnTheBayou said: What?!? No, you take over South America. Then, slowly spread through North America while everyone else fights over Afro-Eurasia. 1 hour ago, Hate said: You could try to do the same in Australia and just build enough armies too defend, but if you want to win, you have to control the ME. It's the key to Africa, Europe, and Asia. Ukraine not weak.
February 5, 20223 yr 8 hours ago, TexasEd said: Have you thought of going with a solar/wind turbine and battery option for power? Still off grid but not relying on gas generators. I thought of this too but realized that in such extreme weather and north latitude, probably they are not practical. With sun absent for 6 months and low over the horizon the rest of the time, batteries requiring heating to be functional, and probably wind turbine also requiring winterization to work, gas generators may be the only feasible year-around solution.
February 5, 20223 yr He addressed solar/wind in the thread that inspired this one. On 1/18/2022 at 7:38 PM, mooseoutfront said: Where we live gets hardly any wind, so a wind turbine is just not worth it. We've toyed with installing a battery system with an inverter, but stuff like that is probably around twice the price up here as you would pay for it in the lower 48. The biggest drawback to a battery system for us is the space it would occupy in the cabin. We realistically only have about 350 sq ft of living space when you take out the footprint of the woodstove and the clearance it needs around it. We utilize basically every inch of it already. That leaves solar panels, which are great in the summer when it's light all the time. But right now we get less than 5 hours of daylight a day. We're gaining light now, but 24 hours of daylight is still a ways away. We'd have to run the genny to charge the battery bank up any way. We've got 5 battery packs that I take to work and charge on a rotation. That usually gets her iPad and blue tooth speaker charged for the week. On the weekends we have to run the genny to charge things up. We run the genny every morning because we are insufferable coffee snobs and I have to have my Nespresso before I head to work. We get our drinking water from a local restaurant/bar. They have a coin op dispenser that dishes out 5 gallons for a quarter. We haul it in those blue Coleman water cubes. We have 7 of those, so when everything is full we have 35 gallons. We melt snow on the woodstove for humidity and dishwashing water. We usually only have to fill drinking water once a week in the winter.
February 5, 20223 yr 5 hours ago, shadow_operative2.0 said: He addressed solar/wind in the thread that inspired this one. If it was more home than cabin, a geothermal heat pump would be a great option.
February 5, 20223 yr 4 minutes ago, Bevo said: If it was more home than cabin, a geothermal heat pump would be a great option. I'm a huge fan of geothermal, but it doesn't seem to be used up there much, based on a google search.
February 5, 20223 yr 1 minute ago, Onboard 2.0 said: I'm a huge fan of geothermal, but it doesn't seem to be used up there much, based on a google search. Yeah, I noticed that too. It is kind of surprising though: I backed out because of the cost of drilling in my area. With as much oil and gas and water wells as there are in Alaska, the drilling would be much less expensive there. Plus, with smaller homes, they wouldn't need as many holes.
February 5, 20223 yr Sorry but all the gun/hunting talk has me thinking way, way back Edited February 5, 20223 yr by Homercles
February 5, 20223 yr Popular Post Dude's been making it work for a long time now....maybe some of you internet rangers ought to sit this one out.
February 5, 20223 yr Dude's been making it work for a long time now....maybe some of you internet rangers ought to sit this one out.You must be new here
February 5, 20223 yr On 2/4/2022 at 5:13 PM, mooseoutfront said: I have 4 total drums. Three of them are frozen to the ground right now because you know, winter. The fourth is loaded into the truck and filled at a gas station. There used to be a bulk plant in Fairbanks where you could get gas for generator use without the road tax, but a major snowstorm collapsed the roof and they've yet to rebuild. Anyway I use a hand cranked transfer pump to pump the fuel out of the drum in the truck to the empty one on the ground. The same transfer pump in used to fill up 5 gallon cans for use in the generator or to fill up the wheeler or snow machine or our personal rig directly. I replaced the hose that came with it, about 8 feet I think, with a 25 foot arctic grade hose. I rotate which drum I'm pulling from so the gas doesn't go bad, but when one is empty I immediately fill it. Do they only sell an arctic grade diesel up there? I thought diesel turned to gel when it got that cold?
February 6, 20223 yr Do they only sell an arctic grade diesel up there? I thought diesel turned to gel when it got that cold?Diesel sold in the south is different than what is sold in northern states and Canada during the cold times. They got really creative and called it Winter Diesel. No paraffins in winter diesel which is what causes summer diesel to gel when it gets cold enough.
February 6, 20223 yr Straight #2 diesel clouds at about 30F and gels at 10-15F. #1 is -20F or better. Additives can drop this even more.
February 6, 20223 yr Best thread since the Roman Benito Sanchez... Would love to see some more pics of your property / cabin and maybe some pics of the summertime? Curious to see the drastic change... Edited February 6, 20223 yr by longhorn10
February 6, 20223 yr 15 hours ago, davidg said: Straight #2 diesel clouds at about 30F and gels at 10-15F. #1 is -20F or better. Additives can drop this even more.
February 6, 20223 yr How many people do you think you could kill and dispose of their bodies before you got caught?
February 6, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, Hank Scorpio said: How many people do you think you could kill and dispose of their bodies before you got caught? If he set up a partnership with his friendly neighborhood grizzly chances would he would get away with it if there wasn't meddling kids in the neighborhood
February 6, 20223 yr How long would y’all make it stuck in a tiny cabin with your wife in near total darkness?
February 6, 20223 yr How did you learn all of this know-how? Did you move there and figured it out on your own? Did you have somebody teach you?
February 7, 20223 yr 12 hours ago, Immaculate Vibes said: Have you ever had any pets out there like a Husky or something? Ignore this peanut butter salesman.
February 7, 20223 yr Do you ever go into town for nice night out with your wife? If so what's the go to place in Fairbanks?
February 7, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, Immaculate Vibes said: Do you ever go into town for nice night out with your wife? If so what's the go to place in Fairbanks? Fred Meyer
February 7, 20223 yr 26 minutes ago, tomahawk dunk said: Fred Meyer Hilltop Truck Stop lol. I haven’t been to Fairbanks in a long time, but they did actually have a decent Mexican place. gallos or something like that.
February 7, 20223 yr What are your thoughts on peanut butter whiskey? Asking for @Angry Gorilla Edited February 7, 20223 yr by DDD Dad
February 7, 20223 yr 33 minutes ago, DDD Dad said: What are your thoughts on peanut butter whiskey? Asking for @Angry Gorilla Seriously need a direct link to that thread.
February 7, 20223 yr 10 hours ago, Immaculate Vibes said: Do you ever go into town for nice night out with your wife? If so what's the go to place in Fairbanks? Someone negged you for this?
February 7, 20223 yr 1 hour ago, South Austin said: What does CB stand for? You serious ? CB, Citizens Band radio ?
February 7, 20223 yr Do you process your own firewood? Where do you source your wood, and how big is your log splitter? How long does it take to accumulate 10 cords of wood?
February 7, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, Kennythetiger said: Someone negged you for this? Internet and surly in particular is serious business.
February 7, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, Kennythetiger said: Someone negged you for this? I think because it was already covered?
February 7, 20223 yr 2 hours ago, Kennythetiger said: Someone negged you for this? Yes. I have a stalker. It’s a CR thing. He’s negged almost every post of mine over multiple years and multiple posts. Pretty weird. I’ve tried ignoring it, reporting it as harassment, nothing works. 47 minutes ago, Bevo said: Internet and surly in particular is serious business. exactly. 44 minutes ago, JMFP said: I think because it was already covered? lol no.
February 7, 20223 yr 13 hours ago, Immaculate Vibes said: Do you ever go into town for nice night out with your wife? If so what's the go to place in Fairbanks? 15 minutes ago, Immaculate Vibes said: lol no.
February 7, 20223 yr Just now, JMFP said: Yeah I asked where they go eat? Besides that not the reason that poster negged me. Trust me.
February 7, 20223 yr On 2/5/2022 at 11:31 AM, Lurch said: What are the temperature ranges inside the cabin? Seconded. I'd also like to see a pic of your stove setup. How big is it and are you up in the middle of the night to load it?
February 7, 20223 yr 18 minutes ago, smuggs said: Seconded. I'd also like to see a pic of your stove setup. How big is it and are you up in the middle of the night to load it? We have a section of the ranch that were old Indian campsites. Lots of mounds. Buckets worth of flint. And red rocks. Lots, and lots of red rocks. Apparently they'd throw them in the fire, then at night put a few in each dwelling to heat the pace overnight. Wonder if something like that would work? Just throw a few big ones into the stove and they hold the heat longer as the fire eventually dies down. Never got to try myself camping as the tent has a synthetic ground tarp.
February 7, 20223 yr 24 minutes ago, BabaYaga said: We have a section of the ranch that were old Indian campsites. Lots of mounds. Buckets worth of flint. And red rocks. Lots, and lots of red rocks. Apparently they'd throw them in the fire, then at night put a few in each dwelling to heat the pace overnight. Wonder if something like that would work? Just throw a few big ones into the stove and they hold the heat longer as the fire eventually dies down. Never got to try myself camping as the tent has a synthetic ground tarp. Hot water in a Nalgene bottle shoved down in your sleeping bag works great. We had a stove in our house growing up. It was large, could handle 16" logs and had a fire brick liner. I'd reload it before bed and choke the flue down and it would run most of the night but by 4-5am it was done putting out any meaningful heat. But a February pre-dawn morning in the Hudson Bend area sure as hell wasn't -70 degrees. That's gotta be a brutal first cup of coffee.
February 7, 20223 yr 15 minutes ago, smuggs said: Hot water in a Nalgene bottle shoved down in your sleeping bag works great. We had a stove in our house growing up. It was large, could handle 16" logs and had a fire brick liner. I'd reload it before bed and choke the flue down and it would run most of the night but by 4-5am it was done putting out any meaningful heat. But a February pre-dawn morning in the Hudson Bend area sure as hell wasn't -70 degrees. That's gotta be a brutal first cup of coffee. Or getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Of course that might help with the warm Nalgene bottle use......;) Time for a refill!
February 7, 20223 yr This popped on one of my FB groups: 15acre offgrid homestead with a 400 sqft cabin and everything you need to live this life for $125K. Only catch is that is the 20minute UTV or snow mobile ride to get to the cabin. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/294280969394278/ 15 Acre Alaskan Homestead A true fully functional Homestead off the road system and off-grid. About a 20-minute groomed trail ride by snowmobile or quad depending on weather and trail conditions. Private area to park vehicles off the road. 45 Minute trip to Fairbanks. We haul our water in. We have thought about drilling. No septic (Out House) Electricity is not far down the road from the homestead. This property will increase in value considerably when the electricity comes through. Aurora Borealis showings nightly during the winter months. Insulated Wilderness Cabin. Comfortable Livable Cabin Wood and Propane Heat back up. The cabin has electricity from solar and generators but is not wired. Propane Fridge, Freezer Chest, Range Oven (Appliances run very efficiently and were expensive when purchased). Propane Hot water Shower. Queen Bed, 3 5 drawer dressers for clothes and storage, 65 Inch TV, DVD player, 2 Recliner Chairs, all kitchen utensils- pots pans, mugs, plates, etc... Back addition has two desks for online workspace or school. The bathroom area of the cabin has a Toilet for Number 1 only during cold winter months that drains through plumbing down the hill into a hole. a shower tub with propane water heater, and a vanity with a mirror Internet Satellite Service through Hughs Net: Works Great except when it rains really hard or an exceptionally hard snowstorm. Have not had any issues with it thus far. We also have our home telephone hooked up through the internet service. Propane Tanks: 2 60 lb, 2 50 lb, 1 40 lb, 1 20 lb 18X18 Workshop with Wood Stove Complete with all the tools you will need. Everything stays with the Homestead Many cordless Dewalt Tools, Welder, Plazma Cutter, Air Compressor, Table Saw, etc... Trapping Equipment: Many different types of traps and snares, stretchers, fleshers, and knives. Everything you will need to start your trapping experience. Another good way to supplement your income on the homestead. Generators: Generators (Honda 2200i 2 Generac Generators (3500, 6500) 1 Firman electric start 9500, craftsman 3500 really fuel efficient All in working order 16X16 Guest Cabin on Western 5 Acre Lot Wood Stove/ Propane Heat back up. Walls and door need work. Possible rental for hunters or for those that just want to get out of the city for a weekend getaway. Another good way to make some money on the Homestead. Solar Power Shed: Completly insulated 8X8 building, $6,000 Inverter, 3 solar panels, 4 6 volt batteries for a 24 Volt system. Cord hook up for the back up generator. 12X12 Chicken Coupe with feeding boxes, waterers, and nesting boxes built-in. Our chickens are extremely good layers. We sell our extra eggs to a local dealer in Fairbanks. Another good way to pay for feed and make a little extra money on the Homestead. 10X8 Duck Coupe Many ducks that are prolific layers. Can sell eggs to local dealer. Dog House with Pup with great bear detecting abilities. I believe we have not any problems with critters coming for our animals is due to having her outside. Silver Fox Rabbits: 3 separate bunny hutches for breeding meat rabbits. There are 3 does and 1 buck for breeding. Great Producers. Can sell bunnies on craigslist to make extra money. 2005 Polaris Snowmobile 2019 4 Wheeler 2021 6 Seater Side by Side (Wheels and Tracks) Tracks work great in the winter for the trails and are able to haul all your supplies and equipment into the homestead with ease and comfort. Large Heavy-duty trailer for hauling just about anything anywhere All the vehicles are in working order and run great. Two place sno-go trailer (unregistered) This is a fully functioning Homestead. If you are looking to get out of the city and live the life of your dreams this is a turn-key opportunity with everything staying in place.
February 7, 20223 yr Author On 2/3/2022 at 9:02 AM, TexasEd said: I have not seen anything mentioned about chickens. Is that a decision not to have them or are they just very hard/impossible to keep alive through the winter? We don't have any type of livestock or chickens. My wife grew up showing heifers in Texas, so she would really like to get some livestock. It's just not feasible with no type of meaningful electricity to have them. We would probably have to double our firewood output to keep them warm during the winter. And chickens only lay in the winter if they have some artificial light to mimic daylight. We've thought about raising meat chickens during the summer, but chicken is my least favorite form of protein. I'd rather just go shoot some grouse for our poultry. Lot's of folks who have electricity keep chickens year round.
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