I’ve always been interested in science. One of the things I find amazing is that people with no computers and no real access to decent equipment were able to map the stars, build massive structures, and build tools like sextants, clocks and guns. We learnt how to treat animal skins to preserve them, how to perform surgery on other humans and how to make cheese, alcohol and items like string from trees.
These things were passed down from generation to generation and yet it is only recently that I have started looking at how to do these things. Things that were commonly known are not with more people not knowing, or caring, how to make many of the items we take for granted either.
Do you know how they make pencils? I read up on it and I’m now buying a whole lot of them.
What about yoghurt cultures? Yeast cultures? They are possible to make but having a culture as a start is a million times easier. I’m looking at having my own cultures but it can’t just be stored, it has to be used and allowed to live. A little civilisation in effect.
So I’m currently going around looking at everything I use on a day to day basis and working out if I could make one from scratch. Tent pegs for example. If I can’t, can I buy something now that will allow me to make one. Yoghurt culture for example. If I can’t make one then what do I need to buy now to allow me to do so. Wind turbine electronics for example. There are many things that will be impossible for us to make once they are gone. I have no idea how to make a nuclear reactor. Too scary all those invisible killer rays. Even worse I don’t know how to make the Fruit Salad chew bars.
One think is certain. I doubt I will starve. I can make equipment that will help me grow enough to live on and to barter. Coupled with my cultures, if they make it, I will be able to live comfortably. However, my living standard will deteriorate over time but I will be fixing things as I can, an iPod in a wooden box could very well be a way forward because making items from plastic will be out of the question. Even if I bought a 3D printer it would be used for critical parts.
We need to learn as much as we can of how to make things, we need to gather as much reading material as we can even if we do not understand it at the time and store what they suggest but it is clear that we really need to get a society up and running quickly don’t we.
Tent pegs are easy to make out of wood. I won’t be wasting extruded aluminium or stainless steel to replace them.
For wind turbines the important bits (that will be very difficult to get after an event) are the magnets and the *enamelled* wire, store them now, the other parts will be possible to improvise (or scavenge) after an event.