Do you make anything? Personally, I mean 75/25

I make nothing. I personally have no tools or materials to make anything, because those things cost money. I don't even have any furniture that wasn't handed-down to me by family and friends, because I can't afford to buy anything of that nature.

I live in a small city, in a little upstairs apartment, so I don't even have a garden. I am not self-sufficient in any way.

That's not to say I can't make anything or fix anything. I can garden, I can cook, bake, sew, quilt, hammer nails, chop wood, fish... those are skills I learned as a kid, but haven't practiced in a long time. I once kept a fire going for 3 hours in the rain, instead of sitting under the pavilion with everyone else "waiting it out", just cuz I wanted to see if I could.

I grew up in a very small town in the middle of Amish country. Much of my family still lives there and it is a very tight little community. My parents still heat their home with a woodstove. There are many farms in the area, one of them belongs to my mom's uncle. The Amish nearby are excellent builders, farmers, bakers, quilters, etc., and they have a great relationship with the community.

When the SHTF, I just hope we know about an hour ahead of the general population (counting on you, ATS!), so we can make it out to my parents house. I really think that small community can work together through the tough times ahead, if someone can reason with them in their time of hysteria... and I hope to be that person.

reply to post by trusername


Yeah. While I want to be an EMT in the near future.. One of my more long term plans is to open a custom knife business..and hopefully work with gun smithing as well. But I find knives more interesting.

I want to have at least 5 years smithing experience before I do that however.

Eventually I'd do swords as well. Preferably japanese blades. But to do that professionally, it would require time learning in Japan likely. (Well If I wanted to be really good at it at least)

reply to post by elaine


I think you're right - people are tougher than they think and can live happily without a lot of things they think they need (but actually just clutter their lives.)

There are a lot of people on ATS responding to this that sound pretty confident and relaxed about their abilities to make things and provide for their family. That's wonderful, really, when you think about it.

I wonder if I just posted a question like this on craigslist or some yahoo group if we'd find as many - or if it would be lots of responses like YIKES - I GOT NOTHIN'

reply to post by Miraj



This is what is really needed I think - the entrepreneurial part of this more than the survivalist side.

After reading all these posts, I wouldn't be surprised if ATSers do very well when tshtf but I'm actually hoping that that never happens or at least we have a while (because I have little kids and parents - even conspiracy theorist parents - like some stability).

But what I think may be a shift or a increasing change is in exports imports depending upon the dollar and resources and that will affect our quality of life in good and bad ways, I'm guessing.

I've travelled quite a bit and I know what it's like to be in a place where things we take for granted in the US just aren't on shelves in other countries. Now when you're traveling, it's an adventure and its temporary and no big deal usually. But if this was to become our life, especially after our affluent recent past decade here in the US where everyone and their aunt lucy got a flat screen tv by getting a loan on a free house joking aside, it's a serious bummer to not have stuff you want or need on the shelves.

So I love to hear that there are trained, skilled people on ATS that make things like knives and wood furniture.

I'm hoping there are people who make cloth and more who make paper and ink.

But there must be people who make electronics either at home or at work - on ATS. Or are they all in other countries in factories?

For those who like to tinker - I think there will be a lot of landfill mining - unless the US has really sent all the ewaste to Asia.

another reason to sort trash!!! and not to dump ewaste on others.

I also think that we're working on feeding and providing for our families according to these posts, but that whole No man is an island thing is important to remember.

That's why I mentioned knowing the names of people we buy from and knowing that they know their suppliers. It's these connections that make us think twice about toxins and ignoring fair pricing etc.

If you know Joe and Joe's wife and kid (and his kid knows your kid), and you like Joe's produce, but one year there is bad weather and some fruit isn't as pretty as walmart - you still buy from Joe because you know that he wouldn't put toxins on food that his kid would eat or your kid would eat. And every year you pay a little more at Joe's store, but that's ok because you're a mechanic and Joe always brings his car to you and he pays his bills etc.

Walmart kills this connection. So does Jiffy lube. I don't care very much about living conditions for the people that make the stuff I buy at walmart or who change my oil. And therefore, they don't care about me either. A tomato falls off the truck in Costa Rica into who knows what on the road and they just throw it back into the box. The kid that is plowing through oil changes at minimum wage and is having a fight with his girlfriend that day and making mistakes, has no connection to me and I get what I pay for.

reply to post by trusername

Hello Trusername,late to the thread i know,It's the whole other side of the world thing..
Anyway,Myself,I am a Blacksmith,If i have a fire and a hammer i can pretty much do anything i need to.
I think a lot about what you are talking about,That there are many that have no skill in manual art at all,There are many that have never done things that could come in useful,We live in such a throwaway society,One that caters to being lazy,I remember having to get up to change the tv channel..Hehe,

Personally i like steel but i also appreciate anyone who can take a material and turn it into something,whether functional,usable,both,we all have the capacity to do these things,some in some forms and others in others,I enjoyed reading this thread and seeing what others do.

Like you i hope that it never comes to having to do some things to survive but i know that it may,and maybe what i know and can do will be of benefit to others as well,What i have has been given to me and i can honour the giver by doing the same

Violet.

PS,My work is in my sig...





[edit on 2-9-2009 by BlackViolet]

reply to post by trusername


I make music as in more than a hobby, doesn't fall into either cat I suppose.

Regardless it utilizes hands, creativity and is a HUGE investment of time.




[edit on 2-9-2009 by mental modulator]

reply to post by trusername


You don't have to be a survivalist to make this stuff... I grew up on a ranch so making and mending clothes was daily life, canning pickling smoking and jerking are things I still do. one of my first jobs was working in a cabinet shop you should see my little workshop, I can build you anything you want... I am a gunsmith do my own reloads have made a few of my own knifes (out of old car leaf-springs... now that I'm retired I add to my income by buying foreclosed homes fixing them up and flipping them. I have two guys who help me do the work... none of this is survivalist, all of it is good old fashion country up bringing

reply to post by trusername

well, both me and my husband work in production, we make things....

as far as the stuff we buy, and where it comes from, well, that's another story....
it comes from where ever it comes from.......

and, well....I don't buy enough of much of anything to make much of an impact anyways.

reply to post by warrenb


You nailed it, S-Will-HTF for those who take everyday items for grated, im glad I was trained to be a carpenter and chef at a young age, its paid off and I find it gratifying to present a meal of originality to my family and have them praise you for what you've done, its a shame some people haven't experienced that in life...

TV Dinners = Fail lol

I grew up in my grandfathers machine shop and I can sew some adorable skirts., not like the guys would care but they are better than that crap you buy at Macy's or Kohal's if I do say so my self and cuter too!

i am a programer...so i basically build software, flash games, i also do websites

as a hobby i develop games..here is my latest project XD, a multiplayer space sim combat.... but sadely I dont have a lot of time for it :/






[edit on 2-9-2009 by heineken]

[edit on 2-9-2009 by heineken]

Originally posted by trusername


I should start - I just realized:

I'm in San Francisco CA -

I cook, bake, can, preserve, pickle (

sounds funny)

I crochet (badly), felt, sew (badly)

I grow lemons and zucchini and basil (if I get there before the snails)

I can where I am with the supplies I have (but don't yet) gather solar power and make biodiesel

I sometimes write little books and I know the printer personally and he uses hemp paper and soy ink. He personally knows the mill owner back east that makes the paper (they also make the dollar bill paper by the way). But I don't know who makes the ink yet.

I get all of our veggies delivered by local farmers coop, I know the driver but need to go visit the depot and really the farms someday.

I know our butcher and his family, but that's it. Really, I think you shouldn't eat meat if the animal didn't have a name and was well cared for. But that's not where we're at, now.

I don't know anybody who made our clothes, furniture etc.

and that's about it. Not exactly 75%

It sounds like you live a pretty good lifestyle there.

I am a country boy, used to be a suburban boy, and the country is where I feel like I'm in my element. This is where I belong, away from the rat race. I don't actually make anything with my hands eg build things. I'm a digital artist so I guess I create with my hands, I create "virtual" worlds/fictional environments and characters etc. I grow my own tomatoes, lettuce, lemons and zuccini. I get my water from my 3 water tanks so water restrictions and the poor quality of mains water doesn't apply to me. I just can't swallow mains water. You don't notice the poor quality so much if living in the suburbs/city is all you know, but once you move to the country there's no going back.

My brother's a carpenter (we share the place) and he's the handyman around here. I'm the creative one.

PS Solar energy is a great way to go. I used to work for an energy company and I can tell you from what I've learned it's certainly worth the cost of installation.

[edit on 2-9-2009 by StevesResearch]

Well, I live in suburbia. I can cook, including making homemade bread. I cannot sew at all, I know how to crochet but haven't done so in years. I don't garden as I live in an apartment and don't have land to do so. I don't know how to fix anything. Basically I will be screwed if things go to pot.

Another Blacksmith here.By hammer and hand all arts do stand.Get yer tools here and repairs too.Too busy to sit still for long.Barter,cash,gold,silver,credit to close neighbors is the basis for the favor bank we got going here.Great when both parties feel enriched rather than in competition.Thinking long term.

i'm 100% with you... i been a stockbroker for 14 years and never made a thing and it really eats at me; am jacking it in and going to retrain as a forester/gardener... something outside... i grew up in the countryside and concur totally with the city dwellers are f'cked theory... they're so removed from the sources of food etc that they have to be the dumbest bunch of humans that have ever existed and that's not being rude, i just think without electricity, they're absolutely doomed
i'm about the only one of my work mates who could sew a button on, let alone skin and gut a rabbit... actually, that's not true, we have a few kiwi farm boys here

if we all start doing stuff for ourselves... the 500mln global population makes total sense though

I create things for a living, albeit not the kind of things you list.

I grow food, but 95% of it for my own family.

Recently I started fishing seafood, and I cook it and give away or sell/trade to friends.

Other than that, I always (when it's available) buy organic, locally produced food, but I don't know anyone that produce or sell it by name.

That might have to do with med as a person more than anything else though.

I would really like more people starting to make things themselves, perhaps do some things you're good at, and then trade and barter alot more than actually using money.

Sorry for not reading the whole thread yet, will do, just thought I'd post my personal views and info first.

Good thread S&F

Hi. I have to admit to being a real handyman, i have worked in a smithy many years as a blacksmith. of course that means i can forge but since the plase i worked at was a little buisness with few employes you had to do a lot of other stuff. I can weld, i can operate an router and an lathe, i can program robots to a sertan extent. and a lot more in metal manufacturing. I live in my second house witch is a beutiful house that i under normal circomstanses cant afford but since our first house witch was cheap and old when we bought it , and i renovated it and sold it fore the price that our present house went for....
so... a house i do belive i can build from scrath plumbing, electricity, no problem.
lets leave it with that, even tough i know that i know a lot it booth amases me and scares me of how little people i general know, I mean what would happen if a world wide catasrophy was to ocour, just a tought from me .
sorry for the bad english. even the sun has spots
peace and love

Ok I 'll play.

For my living I make drawings. 80% handwork/20% digital postproduction and delivery.

For food I only grow 10 different herbs like basil and oregano etc. which I use in my food. And I grow different berries which I consume myself. I do that on 12 square meters in very large pots on the rooftop. I live in the city.

[edit on 2-9-2009 by Pjotr]