How to make a Quick Bow in an Emergency

Lets say for a moment that you need to build a bow quickly during an emergency. Thus knowing how to make a "Quick Bow" out of sticks is a great skill to have for survival training.

Finding good straight sticks for arrows will be harder, but the bow itself is relatively easy to make.

Any kind of relatively straight / flexible but strong wooden sticks can be used. In the video he wraps twine around it, but you could also use duct tape in a pinch - however duct tape would lose its elasticity over time, so it would only be a bandaid solution. Ideally you would want cord that doesn't stretch - and use the same cord for making your bowstring.

How to Buy, Design and Build your own Shipping Container Home

Honestly the process of buying shipping containers is easy. They cost between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on where you buy from and size.

North America has millions of empty shipping containers - mostly made in Asia and shipped here - and then never shipped back to Asia thanks to the trade deficit.

It is cheaper for a shipping company to buy new containers in Asia than to transport empty ones back to the origin, creating a stockpile of containers in port cities across North America. (Thus if you live in Vancouver the prices of shipping containers will be cheaper.)

Furthermore, most containers are made of metal which makes them very sturdy even when stacked – not to mention resistant to weather, fires, and other natural elements. They’re available in a variety of sizes (with most common being 8 feet wide by 8.5 feet tall by 40 feet long) that make them ideal for modular housing and also business use for an office / work shed.

On the green side you are recycling materials that are just clogging up city ports. No trees harmed.

Farmers are even making barns out of shipping containers. So basically you can make almost any structure out of shipping containers.

Step One - Design Your Home First

Don't buy anything until you know what your home will look like. There are literally an unlimited number of configurations that shipping containers can be built together. Try making some wooden building blocks that are scaled the same shape as the containers you want to use and then playing with the blocks in various shapes.

Designing the structure is so easy a child could do it. It is the interior rooms that will be trickier.

On the right is 4 very simple (and unimaginative) configurations that would be easy to stack and build.

If it was me I would be tempted to use EMPTY space in between cargo containers to make a courtyard in the middle - making the home bigger with less materials. Can also make hallways the same way.

Step Two - Buy a Shipping Container

Google shipping containers for sale, limit your search to your area (eg. Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal), and browse the prices available. Don't worry about the colour. You can always paint it later. It is not like you are buying a car where you can be picky about the colour.

The container’s ID number can be used to determine the container’s age. Once a suitable shipping container (or containers) has been located and met your specifications, you can negotiate a very reasonable price of a couple thousand dollars each, plus hopefully shipping to the building location.

Step Three - Site Preparation

Smooth out the area where you will have the shipping container placed. Hire a contractor if you have to so you can make sure you it is perfectly level.

Step Four - Delivery

This should be the easy part. Ideally the company you purchased from might provide delivery too, but if they do not you can hire a trucking company to deliver it for you. Have it placed in the site location. If it is not perfectly placed, don't worry you can fix it later by dragging with a large tractor.

Step Five - Start Building

If you don't know how to use a cutting torch, now is the time to learn. You could also cut steel pieces out of the containers using a grinder. But honestly a cutting torch is faster.

If flames or grinders scare you then hire someone to cut out the pieces for you ... although seriously, why are you doing a DIY project if you are not doing it yourself?

There are even companies that now specialize in building container homes or you can get yourself a DIY Container Home Kit, which will include instructions on how to do all the little details.

If you really don't want to do anything yourself then just hire a contractor to handle the rest. But if you are the handy type then you will need to design and add the following:

1. Heating and cooling.
2. Water and sewage removal.
3. Electricity, including lighting and plugs.
4. Windows.

Ontario Hunter Education Course / Bowhunting

So you want to get into bowhunting and need your hunting license?

STEP ONE - Determine Age Eligibility

To hunt within Ontario residents must be 16 years of age or older, pass the Ontario Hunter Education Course, and obtain your Ontario Outdoors Card - which for bowhunting you need either a H1 card (rifles, falcons and bows) or a H2 card (falcons and bows only).

It is possible to hunt if you are 15 years old or younger, but you need permission in writing from both of your legal guardians.

Note - If hunting with a gun you will also need the Canadian Firearms Safety Course exam.

STEP TWO - The Ontario Hunter Education Course

Well if you live in Toronto there are a number of instructors you can go to for your training course (the Ontario Hunter Education Course) who are also knowledgable about bowhunting.

They are:

Walter Bent
Julia Ciallella
Doria Ciallella
Emad Hazboun
Richard Holmes
Jim Poulakos
William Sherman
Theo Vlahavas

You don't have to get your Ontario Hunter Education Course certificate from these people - there are other course instructors you can go to within Toronto, but they usually specialize in rifle hunting. My recommendation is that the above instructors will be better able to answer any bowhunting questions you have during the training course, and therefore would make a better instructor if bowhunting is your goal.

STEP THREE - The Class H2 Outdoors Card

The Class H2 Outdoors Card allows hunting with all the methods permitted under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act except for firearms (primarily archery and falconry).  To qualify and apply for a H2 Outdoors Card, the applicant must provide proof of passing the Ontario Hunter Education Course exam.

STEP FOUR - Obtain Hunting Tags

You need to have all of the applicable licenses, license tags, e-licenses, game seals and validation tags for the species being hunted. The good news is that certain types of small game don't require tags, so if you want to hunt for smaller game that is easier than the lottery pool for moose, deer, elk or bear tags.

Wild turkey, rabbits, hares, coyotes, wolves, red fox and raccoons all have hunting seasons in Ontario. Research what tags and licenses you need for each animal before hunting them so you know you are doing so legally. When in doubt, assume that you probably need a tag for whatever it is you are hunting and check to make sure what you need.

STEP FIVE - Obtain Permission to Hunt on Property

Chances are likely you will be hunting on properties you don't own yourself. That means you will need to obtain legal permission (often in writing) before you can hunt there. Some Ontario townships even require a special permission form be used if you want to hunt in that township - so make sure you get the right form and get permission from the landowners.

Note - It must be landowner themselves who grant you permission. It cannot be a relative of the landowner, a person who is renting the land, the landowner's kid who answers the door. You need permission of the actual landowner.

STEP SIX - Follow All Local Hunting By-Laws and Regulations

Some regions of Ontario will have special laws with respect to hunting in that area. So for whatever region you are hunting in find out what their local by-laws and regulations are with respect to hunting. Pay attention and follow local laws to the letter.

For example some by-laws prohibit hunting within a certain distance of the road or highway. Parking your vehicle too close to the road therefore could look fishy to police passing by and seeing you loading a deer into the back of your truck. Better to park deeper into the woods.

Some places also prohibit hunting from a boat or even a dock (although bowfishing is still okay).

When in doubt always check with local laws.

STEP SEVEN - Eat What You Kill

Because otherwise it is just murder.

This isn't a law, but when it comes to hunters as a community the vast majority of hunters believe in eating every animal you kill - and they get very upset when they see or hear about people who are killing animals for pleasure and not eating them. Many hunters believe it should be a law that people must eat the animals they kill - if nothing other than to discourage trophy hunters who are just doing it for photo opportunities and bragging rights.

Remember the purpose of hunting is to follow the traditions of our ancestors who hunted for their food. Not eating the animals you kill is turning your back on tradition and killing for perverse pleasure.

Plus venison and moose meat is very tasty. Find yourself a butcher and have the animal butchered properly. A single deer will fill up your freezer for a good long time. You can even ask the butcher to make sausages or ground meat (for hamburgers / etc) from various parts of the deer.

Four Great Off The Grid Documentaries

Below are four awesome videos on various Off The Grid topics.

First up is Les Stroud (Survivorman) who takes us through the process of building an off the grid home.

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Next up we have a documentary on "American Nomads" from the USA's south west - people who have given up living in homes and chosen a nomadic lifestyle.

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This next film focuses more about economics - and how there is a growing trend of people who are rejecting capitalism and starting their own off the grid communities that are based on locally grown food, locally made products and homes they build themselves.

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This last one is about a man surviving in northern Canada without anyone else around. He starts off with a canoe, all of his equipment and tools (he really brought a lot...) and has to survive alone for 3 months.

Homemade Crossbow - Finished Stage 3

Below is my finished crossbow, made of oak with red mahogany stain, sisal bowstring, jute and steel stirrup that doubles as a bipod, trigger mechanism made out of poplar dowels.

I am still fine tuning the bolts I am using (Stage 4), but will be back with more photos sometime when I have them looking pretty.

I have already purchased the wood for my 2nd crossbow, which will be bigger and more powerful.

Pallet House? Drafty, no insulation and no heating

Below is photos of the Pallet Emergency Home designed for people who are homeless / living in war torn regions / recovering from a recent tsunami / etc. It Can Be Built in One Day With Only Basic Tools.

Or so says the (idiotic) websites promoting it as an emergency place to live. It was designed by an architectural design firm which apparently doesn't know what wind and rain are - and are clueless about heating - and are selling the building designs for $75 a pop. I can guarantee the people buying the designs are equally foolish to fall for this badly designed bit of architecture.

Honestly, while I like the concept of quick buildings that anyone can build, there are some inherent design faults with making a temporary house out of old wooden pallets.

#1. No fireplace or chimney.

So how are you planning to keep warm inside there because it also has no electricity. You can't build a fire, the place would start on fire. And adding a wooden chimney - again, fire.

#2. Pallets will be incredibly drafty.

Lets face it, they're designed with lots of holes in them. Sticking some plastic up the middle of the pallets does NOT solve the draftiness problem. It needs to be well nigh air tight to prevent drafts from sucking out all the heat.

The design firm does say you can add insulation / better walls to the house, but that would be if you wanted to try and make it more permanent. The concept here is for a temporary house. Adding proper insulation would be a waste of time and money for something you are planning to garbage later.

#3. Where are you supposed to find 110 pallets in perfect condition?

Brand new wooden pallets cost at least $50 each. Old pallets are going to be broken, falling apart, in shambles. The designs call for roughly 110 wooden pallets - so where is a person supposed to find 110 wooden pallets that are in good condition? Purchasing them would cost you at least $5,500 for 110 pallets. (And don't forget this is for a temporary home that you will trash later.)

You can buy two large train shipping containers for less than $5000, and they will be steel - not drafty - and you can add a fireplace to the place - and it can be made into a permanent structure instead of a temporary home.

#4. Pallets are not made to withstand weather.

Pallets are designed to be cheap ways of carrying things inside storage facilities using a forklift. They are not designed to withstand the elements. They break easily. They're not meant to be rained on. The wood will start to rot / grow mildew. They're not the right type of wood to be used for building something outdoors.

The mold and mildew would make you sick after the first rainstorm and the building would become unlivable.

#5. What about snow?

The original idea for the pallet house was for refugees returning to Kosovo to build temporary structures using wooden pallets (where are thousands of refugees supposed to find millions of wooden pallets???) and the designers apparently ignored the problem that Kosovo is a place that gets snow 4 months of the year.

A single strong snowfall on top of the pallet house would COLLAPSE THE ROOF in on anyone living inside it (assuming they didn't already die from the cold) and any survivors of this faulty design would need to build a new shelter that can withstand heavy snow and keep them warm.

#6. A tent would be infinitely cheaper.

If you are looking for a place to temporary live in then a very large tent would be better than a pallet house. Not drafty, cheaper, faster to erect, more space, and when you are done with it you can sell the tent. (Try selling old broken pallets from a pallet house... good luck with that!)

You can get a 12 person / 3 room Ozark tent for just $325 on Amazon.com - so that is pretty cheap.

CONCLUSIONS

A temporary house made out of wooden pallets is neither cost effective or a good place to live in. It would be an unlivable place to live in after the first rainstorm, unable to withstand heavy snow, impossible to heat and a death trap.

If you need cheap temporary homes think tents or shipping containers. At least with shipping containers you get way more benefits and the possibility of turning it into a permanent structure.

Antler Thumb Ring for Archery

Have you been wanting to try carving an archery thumb out of antler?

Well I know of a place that sells antlers. Bulk Barn sells antlers as chew toys for dogs, but in the hands of someone with carving tools - like yourself? - then you can carve yourself a nice archery thumb ring.

Carving several thumb rings out of antler is now on my DIY list. A single large antler piece should be enough for me to carve 4 - 6 thumb rings.

You can make your own archery thumb rings out of a variety of materials... Melted pennies (zinc/copper), antler, bone, ivory, stone, wood, steel, aluminum, plastic, old spoons, etc. Basically any hard material that can be carved smooth can be made into a good thumb ring.

HOW TO MAKE AN ARCHERY THUMB RING OUT OF ANTLER

Step One

To make your own archery thumb ring the most important step will be measuring your thumb so you know what size to make your thumb ring.

Step Two

Cut your antler into various pieces, each large enough for a thumb - some of them may not fit your thumb, but you can sell any extras you make for a tidy profit to people who want their own antler thumb ring.

You can experiment with different shapes if you want, but I have gone for the classic thumb ring shape.

NOTE - Do NOT soften your antlers in water before cutting them with any soft of saw. It will guck up your saw and be a mess to clean. Only soften the antlers in water when your are ready to carve with a knife.

Step Three

On a wooden board (so you don't damage your work bench) drill your thumb rings using a 1/2 inch drill bit and use a set of vice grips to hold the antler pieces steady while you work. Drill the holes all the way through.

You can even widen the holes further by using a larger drill bit or by angling the drill bit slowly in different angles to smooth / widen out the hole.

Step Four

Soak your antler pieces in water for at least half an hour to soften them up a bit. Myself I soaked them in hot water, figuring that a little extra heat would soften them up faster.

Technically it is preferable to soak antler for a week before carving, but I was in a hurry. Another possibility is to boil them in water for an hour - which I felt was excessive, but whatever. Soaking them in hot water worked just fine for me.

Step Five

Carve each thumb ring individually using a very sharp carving knife. Be careful not to cut yourself. As you carve periodically check to see if the thumb ring will fit your thumb. When it starts fitting your thumb carve it according to your personal comfort levels.

If you a rasp or files use those too. They're very handy for this kind of work. I am also periodically using very coarse sandpaper to smooth down some of the bits, but a file works faster.

Be careful not to make your thumb ring too big, otherwise it will slide around on your thumb too much.

If you take a break or leave your work for several days you will need to repeat Step Four before resuming Step Five again.

Step Six

Polish your near finished thumb rings using fine sandpaper. 

NOTE - Wait until the antlers are completely dry. Sandpaper polishing antlers that were recently soaked in water doesn't work very well.

Step Seven (Optional)

Cut a groove into the flat side of your thumb ring where your bowstring can hook into. Some archers like having a groove there so the bowstring doesn't slide around as much - some archers don't like the groove, saying it causes problems during the release. It is up to you.

NOTE - Antler dust SMELLS HORRIBLE. I know Koreans love drinking antler dust tea as a curative for arthritis and similar ailments, but I can only assume it also tastes horrible. Open a window and remember to clean up after you are done to get rid of the smell.

Thinking Out Of The Box Camping

Below is a list of 10 camping tips that can make living in a tent a lot easier. :)

#1. Use foam floor tiles for a softer, more comfortable tent floor.

#2. Point a head lamp into a plastic jug of water to create an ambient light lantern.

#3. Need light? Mix Mountain Dew + Hydrogen Peroxide + Baking Soda to create a chemical lightbulb.

#4. Memorize what poisonous plants look like.

#5. Glue sandpaper to the top of your matchbox. Makes it easier to light.

#6. Protect your toilet paper by putting it inside a makeshift container.

#7. Crescent rolls on a stick = yummy.

#8. Invest in a two person sleeping bag - or buy two identical bags that can attach to each other using the opposite zipper.

#9. Use Tic-Tac boxes to store spices - and label them using permanent marker.

#10. Use a belt and hooks to hang up your pots and pans to dry.

DIY Sailboats

Let us pretend for a moment that you are the type of person who likes to travel and are okay with eating fish on a regular basis (because you love fishing a lot).

Or maybe you just like sailing / fishing?

Well the good news is that there are plenty of ways to build a sailboat these days - and no shortage of free resources available on the internet.

Below are some photos of simple and relatively easy to build sailboats you might build.

 Let us pretend also for a moment that you want a boat that has a lot more space aboard it - so you have room to sleep, cook, frolic, etc.

Well then you are going to be looking at larger boat designs, like this one shown here on the right.

It is large enough to sleep in, but not really adequate if you want to be cooking in there or have much room for storage.

And trust me, storage is a big issue when it comes to living on a boat.

A small ship might be more your thing if you are hoping to actually live on it. It is definitely a case of bigger is better because unless you are used to living in a tiny coffin apartment then you are going to need all the space you can get.

And if you want added stability start thinking catamaran. Again, the bigger the better.

Or maybe you don't want to sail at all but just want to stay in one place?

Check out the floating cabin below.

Toronto Crossbow Range conversation, part 2

Myself and fellow crossbow enthusiast Keith L. have been discussing the possibility of starting a private crossbow club in Toronto - complete with a private club crossbow range.

See you previous discussion on this topic - Private Indoor Crossbow Club in Toronto.

Update Feb. 2015: Visit Toronto Indoor Archery Gymnasium to find out more about Toronto's upcoming indoor archery range / crossbow range. 

Below is a continuation of our emails back and forth.

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Hey Keith!

How goes the crossbow range? Any progress?

- Charles

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Got my reply from the police and there is no laws against indoor shooting.....I looked up what it costes to run a non profit club or organisation and its about 450 a year (I dont know if they tax that but I assume they do) now I just need to find interested parties and see where we can go from there....I think this can work but if air soft pellet and bb are allowed theres gonna have to be set days for diffrent sports and some serious clean up rules

There can also be no storage of weaponry on the premisis cuz its a insurance night mare.....that and im trying to find out from my lawyer if a waver covers everything or if insurance will still be needed for people on the range.....not to mention people above the range.....I mean hell I saw a video of my matrix 380 shooting through a cinder block at 30y so it is kinda a concern

Other then that everything is on its way lol

- Keith

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Awesome!

Are you a member of http://www.oodmag.com/community/forum.php ??? That might be one way to attract club members.

- Charles

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Ill check it out

- Keith

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IF YOU WANT TO BECOME A MEMBER OF TORONTO'S CROSSBOW CLUB / PRIVATE CROSSBOW RANGE PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE IN THE COMMENT FEED BELOW. :)

For fun I also found this old illustration of an indoor crossbow range. Amusing.

Homemade Crossbow - Stages 3 and 4 in progress

I decided to skip the shellac and use a Red Mahogany polyurethane stain instead. It gives the crossbow a very different colour.

I also stained the crossbow bolts too - I have swapped out the shorter thicker crossbow bolts I made earlier for longer thinner crossbow bolts made from a 5/16th poplar dowel.

A couple days ago I purchased arrowheads from Basically Bows Archery (940 Queen Street East, Toronto) and the biggest arrowheads they had were too small to fit my earlier crossbow bolts because the bolts were too thick. To make them fit in the future I will need to shave down the arrowtips on the shaft so the arrowhead can fit on there, but since I am impatient I decided to get a smaller dowel and just make new bolts that fit the arrowheads.

I also decided to make the bolts longer this time around, which should hopefully lead to even more accuracy.

While I was at Basically Bows Archery I also purchased feathers which I will cut and trim to make the fletching and old fashioned arrow glue, which you melt using a flame before applying to either the arrowheads or feathers. I am only planning to use it for the arrowheads. I will be using superglue for the fletching. Total cost was $26.95.

Making a Homemade Crossbow - Stage 2 Complete

This is a continuation of my Making a Homemade Crossbow project that I have been doing this winter.

STAGE 2

Stage 2A was to make a working trigger mechanism.

Stage 2B was to make a working stirrup so it is easier to load the crossbow in a hurry.

As you can see in the photo below I have completed both halves of Stage 2. The stirrup is made of a single piece of 1/4 inch thick steel rod, bent into a V and then covered with Jute (a type of cotton similar to what is used for making burlap) which I knotted roughly every 5th loop so it would not come undone easily. The bottom of the stirrup is a thick / strong piece of woven jute, so that I can step on it and pull up on the bowstring to load the crossbow.

To keep everything in place I corked the end of the stirrup with two cube pieces of oak with 1/4 inch holes drilled in them, and then finished it off with clear plastic hockey tape wrapped around it many times so it won't come off.

Today I tested it several times shooting at a target 18 feet away and it has perfect accuracy at that range, despite the fact I am using unfletched wooden crossbow bolts. I have yet to test this crossbow at longer distances.

The stirrup can be bent in other directions and can even used as a bipod (which improves accuracy due to extra stability), or as a rest so you can prop up the crossbow on a surface.

Stage 3 will be to "beautify the crossbow" - using sandpaper, fine sandpaper and eventually shellac.

Stage 4 will be to create several small wooden crossbow bolts, complete with feather fletching and steel arrowheads. I may decide to shellac and beautify the crossbow bolts too.

As you can see at this point the crossbow bolts are made, but are not fletched and don't have arrowheads yet. I will probably be purchasing the arrowheads from Basically Bows Archery at 940 Queen St. East, Toronto. I may purchase the feather fletching there too.

Stage 5 will be to make a wall rack so it can sit on the wall as an objet d'art. Because frankly I am not planning to do anything with this beyond testing it out and maybe shooting at cardboard boxes. (See my notes below about making a larger version.)

I might also give this crossbow a name (Stage 6?), but I haven't decided upon any possible names. Feel free to make suggestions by leaving a comment below.

My 45# Bear Grizzly traditional recurve bow does have a name, Seahawk, and I have also given a name to my 36# hybrid pyramid bow, Ramses, which was made by Toronto bowyer Mike Meusel.

Anyway, I will be back again soon homefully with Stages 3 and 4 finished. (I might skip ahead to Stage 4.)

Archery Basics

Below is a very good introduction to archery from the Pathfinder School in Ohio and covers a lot of the basics of archery.



If you are looking for archery lessons in Toronto I recommend CardioTrek.ca, a personal trainer in Toronto who teaches archery and hunting skills.

How to go "off the grid" in Canada

25 Tips for going "off the grid" in Canada

If you are new to the concept of "going off the grid" then you need all the advice you can get. Here is an introduction / 25 tips on how to go off the grid and survive.

#1. Learn how to hunt. Get a hunting license.

#2. Learn how to fish. Get a fishing license.

#3. Learn how to grow your own food.

#4. Learn how to shop for cheap land. The cheapest land in Canada is in northwestern Ontario or the Maritimes. Forget about British Columbia unless you want to go really off the beaten path.

#5. Winter is Coming. Prepare for it. You will need firewood and lots of it.

#6. If you opt for a RV or trailer buy it used off a public auction or a police auction.

#7. Practice your mechanic skills and learn how to fix things.

#8. Get good at woodworking and working with your hands in general.

#9. Insurance. Think cheap and if possible get your insurance from Saskatchewan or Manitoba because they offer government insurance which is cheaper. You don't need to live in the province to get your insurance from there.

#10. Learn how to get free stuff off Craigslists and Kijiji - often this means you will need to buy a truck so you can haul stuff. This practice is known as Freeganism.

#11. Learn to barter with other people to trade food / services. Avoid bartering services for services with people you don't know. People are sketchy sometimes so aim to make sure you receive your end of the bargain.

#12. Learn to forage for berries, mushrooms and other sources of food. eg. Edible wildflowers.

#13. Squatting on land is risky but potentially an option in parts of Canada that are not used very much. Learn Canada's laws regarding squatting on land and become an expert on them.

#14. There are many books out there about back roads exploration which list places that make great campsites off the beaten path. Many of these places you can stay for weeks or even months of the year for free.

#15. Avoid National Parks - they are expensive tourist traps.

#16. You can get land sometimes by making a gold placer claim. Other options include leasing and traplines. Avoid places that have land disputes with Natives.

#17. Get a Hostel Card if traveling a lot. It also saves you 10 to 20% off Greyhound bus tickets.

#18. Sign up for free labour... Usually they are looking for gullible foreign students who are willing to work for free for a cause, but it is also a good way to pick up needed skills and you get free food and a place to stay. You can even find such groups within Canada, they don't care if you are from Canada or not, they just want free labourers for whatever charitable cause they are doing.

#19. If buying a tent GO BIG! You will never regret the extra space.

#20. Learn how to work off the grid (without paying taxes) by doing barter, odd jobs, babysitting, basically any kind of work where you get paid with cash or bartered goods. Become an expert on "Underground Economics".

#21. Don't freeze to death like that guy in the movie "Into The Wild".

#22. Learn how to make your own sources of electricity by building solar panels or wind turbines - or buy solar panels / wind turbines, whichever is best for your situation.

#23. Learn from other people who are doing the same thing you are doing. Absorb everything you can.

#24. Learn to protect yourself from wildlife by understanding the nature of predators in the region and what ways they might kill you - and arm yourself with knowledge and appropriate weapons against them.

#25. Learn to cook and preserve food. Don't waste any food if you have the option to preserve it for later.