'No Stupid Questions' (NSQ) Self-Sufficiency Edition

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Null said:
These screws came with some HDDs for screwing platters into trays. They fit screw holes in the platter. I have no idea what to do with these. There's not really a way to label this bag or keep it someplace that says to me "this is for screwing into platters".

Do screws have any kind of uniform sizing and thread sizing that I can group these by in bins? I honestly have no idea how to begin categorizing spare parts like this
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I like to keep all my screws, nuts, washers, nails, and bolts. Get a tool box or fishing tackle box. Save and label them with a marker. The divider @DavidS877 suggested is also a great idea. Look at it this way. Say one day you need a few screws to hang something or ones are missing from a package. Instead of going to a store and spending 5.95. Just spend 15 mins seeing if a spare screw fits instead. Next go to a local pawn shop and buy cheap tools. Starting a tool box is very manly.
 
If you're living in insane poverty or are the stingiest man to ever live, you can use any small container to keep your spare bolts.
For example and I must stress this is totally not what I'm doing right now:

Some medical vials come in either cartons like pic related:
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Or small plastic molds with divisions between each vial.
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You just use the above box, or if it's the plastic mold you put your bolts in one and then use a second pair as a lid, since they're manufactured to stack in a relatively good way they'll fit like a glove.

But that only really works for small nuts and bolts, if you've got anything bigger then I assume those plastic partitioned containers designed for that exact purpose would come in handy and wouldn't be too expensive.
 
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DavidS877 said:
You can get fancier ones too, for a higher cost.

Or a much higher cost if you're on team Red.
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QBrick enjoyer here, higher cost really gives you alot of options.
QBrick stuff is modular and stacks up, locks and you can mix and match different kind of kits and then load them all ontop of a trolley.
Only bad thing i can say about the things is that they are so tight in tolerances that sometimes you really need to get that locking latch locked with a hammer.
 
Null said:
I'll start. How do you organize spare parts? I have a bunch of these fucking screws from various PC projects. Like every harddrive, server, computer part, comes with its own set of screws.
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I just throw all the spare screws in a tray like this one, really easy and convenient for my simple brain.
If they're just spare screws, just put them in a spare screw drawer. If you need it, you'll know where it's at.
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From Amazon Review
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Null said:
Do screws have any kind of uniform sizing and thread sizing that I can group these by in bins?
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Yes actually, but I don't know the one for drive trays offhand. But 99% of screws in computers are "M[X]x[Y]" type, where X and Y are numbers. X is the diameter, Y is the length. They all have the same screw pitch and 99.99999999% of the time are flat philips heads (as in non-countersunk, the screw from the side looks like a T instead of a Y). For example, most of the screws holding laptops together are M3x4 iirc. The one to keep an M.2 drive from flopping around is usually an M3x2.

Tyrant_1 said:
I just throw all the spare screws in a tray like this one, really easy and convenient for my simple brain.
If they're just spare screws, just put them in a spare screw drawer. If you need it, you'll know where it's at.
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From Amazon Review
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I didn't know how much I needed a drive bay drawer until now. finally a convenient place for my meth
 
Anyone got any experience with electro ATVs for a homestead? Most of my land is on a hill (45 degree incline), which especially sucks in wet months, my neighbour generally mowes it while doing his own fields, but I do have annoying things to transport like chicken feed, wood, compost etc. (Doesn't help that he mowed over two of my chickens last year..) I'm looking forward to building some hedges for critters which will take regular upkeep as well..

One I'm looking at would be be classified for our streets, about 40km reach— easily covers where I usually go and definitely aren't that unaffordable.

Any advice, recommendations?
 
Angry Shoes said:
Where do you guys recommend for buying MREs, preferably as cheaply as possible?
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1. There is a site called KingSurplus in the US (I am unaffiliated) that is the cheapest vendor for buying new, bulk MREs from vendors like SOPAKCO. https://kingsurplus.com/u-s-military/mre-meal-ready-to-eat
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You can even buy a pallet of them, though keep in mind freight costs for shipping will run you several hundred dollars, and shipping is only to the lower 48.

2. Don't buy MREs. MREs are expensive, bulky, and there are better alternatives on the civilian market. The advantage to MREs is the flameless ration heater and that everything required to prepare one is self-contained. Outside of that and the nice hiss, there just isn't a reason to buy them.

If your goal is long-term food storage, look into staple items like rice, flour, honey, and #10 cans of freeze dried food.
If your goal is food for sustainement during something like a hike, search online for "thru-hike food planning" or "backpacking meals".
 
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Fastest Hand In The East said:
I'm really really surprised no one has mentioned the timeless classic- an empty coffee tin can.
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Yeah, fuck organizing small quantities of loose screws. Make the big jar of hardware trail-mix. You'll never remember if your four spare HDD screws are in an organizer, or if they're with the computer stuff, or if you threw them away. If you put all your spare nuts, bolts, and screws in a coffee can its all stored in one location and there's never any doubt where the spare hardware lives; it's in the can. Where's the can? Where it always is.

It might be a little annoying to have to sift through it when you're looking for something specific, but that sifting serves double duty to refresh your memory of what is stored in that can. You'll unconsciously re-lean that there are four 1.5" woodscrews, or whatever, in there because you handled them as you were looking for something else.
 
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888Flux said:
If your goal is long-term food storage, look into staple items like rice, flour, honey, and #10 cans of freeze dried food.
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I don't know how the prices compare but there's a fair number of cities where the Mormons have stores where the public can buy shelf stable items. Google: Mormon Home Storage Center.

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Clout $ Monei said:
Trying to get into the nitty gritty of organizing down to the last screw isn't worth it, especially with spares where you're gonna have them in all shapes and colors at random and it's very unlikely those screws will serve in another context. Consider organizing by "theme" or activity instead, i.e. pick a box where you put all the PC spare parts : screws, unused cables, old hardware you want to keep around, etc.
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This is sage advice. I was much happier when I embraced this philosophy.
 
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Metal coffee can. As you decide not to throw out more cans, you can sort your mass of hardware into smaller clumps and write on the cans what's in them.
 
re: organizing bolts:
I got 3d printer. that thing has printed more organization drawers than I could have imagined.
Angry Shoes said:
Where do you guys recommend for buying MREs, preferably as cheaply as possible?
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Costco, literally. I get "camping meals" which don't use a heat pouch, but potato potato in my case


New question:
Fellas, you ever think about peeing in your garden? anyone ever tried it? does it work?
 
Where do I find good recipes/ cooking methods for old laying hens. I have chickens and so do my neighbors, they've been bringing their chickens to me instead of letting them loose when they get to old and I can slaughter and process them just fine but I cooked one for the first time today and it was tough as shit. Barely edible, skin like jerky.

I kinda knew this would be the case but I didn't know it would be this bad. What's the easiest way to cook old laying hens too deal with the toughness?
 
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