Tag: Tools

Best Chipper Shredder for the Homestead 2018

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A Chipper / Shredder can be an invaluable asset on a small homestead.  Not only does it help you clear unwanted brush and yard waste, it lets you do so in a way that produces mulch and compost.  Up to this point we’ve used ours mostly to create mulch for our paths, our firewood area, and a couple of recreational areas.  But we’re looking forward to using the shredder to produce finely chopped carbon for our composting.  Chipping won’t really produce the type of material you need.  But the chipper breaks wood, bark, and leaves down to small enough pieces to get good surface contact with the greens in your compost piles.  It’s a win / win / win. After

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Don’t Ruin Your Cast Iron!

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There’s a lot to like about cast iron.  It’s rust resistant.  It heats evenly and holds heat a long time.  It’s anti-stick.  And generally speaking it just provides a better, more satisfying, cooking experience. But cast iron does take some work.  Whether you’re looking to rehab some yard sale finds, or maintaining cast iron you’ve had for years, understanding the process is important to getting a good result.  Check out this video on how we season our cast iron.

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Making a Mountain Man Possibles Bag – Part 1

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I recently picked up a muzzle loader to extend the deer season.  I originally thought it would be a purely practical purchase, but soon found myself getting into the whole mountain man thing.  Being a leather worker, I though what better way to get into the whole process than to make my own possibles bag. While looking for design inspiration, I stumbled across the fact that you can buy tanned, salvaged coyote faces on e-Bay!  Really???  Well despite the oddness of that statement, it gave me an opportunity to include a a coyote face in my design without taking the time/effort to harvest, skin, and tan a coyote pelt. Part one takes us through some initial design, cutting out the body of

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DIY Camera Arm

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Today we build a camera arm for self-filming hunts from a tree stand.  Anyone can build this with a few common tools and an inexpensive MAPP gas setup from the hardware store.  This set-up will cost you 20% of commercial alternatives, and will give you the same or better quality.  Plans will be available on the blog, and the link will be added here when it is available.  Thanks, and good hunting!

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Thanks Jack!

Quick Update

Our recent post about the Hitch Mount for Pioneer Tool Racks was mentioned on today’s The Survival Podcast by Jack Spirko.  To all of you who found your way here, welcome!  Stay tuned.  We have videos coming in the next few weeks on inoculating mushroom logs, mead making, wrapping up the 2015 hunting season, processing some venison, and lots more.

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Several months ago a friend purchased three Pioneer Tool Racks from Old Grouch’s Military Surplus.  The boxes had gotten wet, and as a result he got a really good deal on them.  Jack Spirko mentioned them on his show, and once he took a look at them, he was sold.  So he picked up one for himself, one for me, and one for a mutual friend.  I loved the idea of being able to carry an axe, a shovel, and a mattock in one convenient package.  Only one problem; my truck has a cap on it, making it hard to mount the rack inside the bed, and still be able to access it easily.  What to do, what to do?  Finally, I came

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