DIY Archives - Page 2 of 2 - SelfSufficientPath

New BK-9 Upgrades

March 22, 2015 Joe Blog Posts

I bought a Kay-Bar Becker BK-9 last year mostly for prep work for deer season, but also as a big-duty camp knife. I love the functionality of the knife itself, but the sheath was pretty much a joke. It’s made of nylon webbing and, while it has some okay features (a pocket for sharpener, molle attachments, etc.), it really isn’t ideal. Also, the blade coating makes striking a ferrocerium rod unworkable. So, I decided to make some changes. I first ground off the blade coating, then, then fashioned new handle scales out of Cocobolo, an oily, water-resistant exotic hardwood. Then it was time to address the sheath. There are after-market sheaths for the BK-9, but they’re either made of kydex,

Build an Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) – Part 1

December 24, 2014 Joe SSP YouTube Channel

In this episode we begin an Ugly Drum Smoker (UDS) project. I’m investing some serious time and money in this build, as I expect to own and use this smoker for years to come. Parts and cost lists will be posted and linked to selfsufficientpath.com once the project is completed. We’re also using and reviewing a new step drill bit made by Neiko in this episode. 2″ 550F BBQ CHARCOAL GRILL PIT WOOD SMOKER TEMP GAUGE THERMOMETER 2.5″ STEM SS RWB Neiko Titanium Step Drill Bit – 1/4″ to 1-3/8″ in 1/8″ Increments, 10 Steps Wire Rack and Small Cart 3″ Caster Kit – 4 Pack – 3/8″ x 1-1/2″ Threaded Stem

Generator Transfer Switch – Part 2

November 24, 2014 Joe SSP YouTube Channel

In part two of this series on wiring a house for use with a generator Mountain State Prepper takes us through the hookup process. Wiring home service to incorporate a manually switched generator is not rocket science. But it’s not without risk either. Remember, you’re dealing with sufficient power to cause permanent injury or death if you don’t know what you’re doing, or if you’re not careful. This is NOT an instructional video; but merely the way MSP did it. Do your research. If you’re not comfortable taking on a project like this, hire a professional. With that said, I hope you find this post helpful. Please like/reblog, and please subscribe to our YouTube channel to get more videos on

Generator Transfer Switch – Part 1

November 16, 2014 Joe SSP YouTube Channel

Mountain State Prepper shows us how he wired his home so he can safely use his generator to power (some of) his house’s circuits in the event of a power outage. Whether you’re facing a 24 hour outage, or it lasts five days or more (as happened to us just a couple of years ago), electricity can be the difference between riding it out in relative comfort or being miserable until the lights come on. This is even more true if you have small children. Trust me. Reliance Controls Transfer Switch Kit Amprobe AM-510 Commercial/Residential Multimeter Generac 5940 GP6500 Generator Wiring home service to incorporate a manually switched generator is not rocket science. But it’s not without risk either. Remember,

Fixing a Water Collection Tank and the Self-Sufficient Mindset

July 11, 2014 Joe SSP YouTube Channel

Click the link to subscribe and to be notified when new videos are posted. The “big tank” in my water collection system has partially collapsed due to an insufficient base assembly. I can’t bang it back out with a shovel handle or a 2×4. What to do? Throw it out and get a new one? Not likely. Where brute force fails, I use physics and a little rustic ingenuity to get the job done. And I was only a little nervous about blowing myself up in the process. Not everyone is going to face this specific problem. The point is taking a self-sufficient approach to solving your challenges. Overcoming. Adapting. Finding a way to get it done. Trivia question: Why