Tiny Pallet House
News & Blog
Wear Wool For Survival
Wool has long been the choice fabric for staying warm in extreme conditions. Its natural ability to breath and stay warm when wet (unlike cotton) has contributed greatly to wool’s popularity. In fact wool has been so effective for survival, humans have been using it since about 10,000 B.C.. But it has also developed a reputation for being itchy and uncomfortable to wear directly against the skin although some wool varieties are very comfortable. Merino wool (from Merino Sheep) is actually much finer than other varieties of wool and provide the benefits without the discomfort. Read more about building a modern survival wardrobe with merino wool. Continue reading →
Ultralight Backpackers – Extreme Survivalists
Ultralight backpacking is an advanced style of backpacking. It emphasizes carrying the least amount of the lightest weight gear needed to survive. Often these backpackers carry no more than 10 pounds of gear, not including food. The simple lesson this sport teaches is how to survive on just a few essentials which in an emergency might also be a very useful set of skills. It’s worth mentioning that ultralight backpacking should not be attempted by inexperienced hikers. Learning these skills takes time and progressing toward a lighter and lighter pack is a very personal and careful process. Continue reading →
Bug-Out Vehicles (BOV)
Yesterday there was a great story on Oprah that included a segment on tent cities right here in Sacramento. I first came up with the tiny pallet house plans one weekend in the fall of 2008 as a hurricane blasted into the Gulf Coast. Today I’m thinking that tiny pallet houses might be a valuable temporary solution for those Americans stuck out in this current economic hurricane. Continue reading →
$60 Emergency Radio
Emergency radios range in price from $30 to as high as $300. The American Red Cross offers a radio made by a company named Eton that combines several good features in one $60 radio. The Eton FR400 American Red Cross Multi-Purpose Radio is powered by an internal rechargeable NiMH battery pack that can be recharged by a built-in dynamo hand crank or an included AC adapter. It also has a built-in cellular phone battery charger which allows you to transfer some of that hand cranked electricity back into your phone. It can pick-up all 7 NOAA weather radio channels, features an ”Alert” function to keep you up-to-date of significant weather changes and receives FM/AM radio. It even has a built-in flash light and flashing emergency beacon and siren. Continue reading →
$150 3-Day Emergency Kith
If you’ve done little to prepare for disaster and want to get a jump-start on shopping for essential items, this affordable emergency kit from REI might be a really good place to start. It’s a lightweight backpack filled with the things two people need for a 3-day emergency. In fact the price is so right it seems like a handy little pack for the trunk of anyone’s car, including those who are really serious about disaster preparedness. Here’s what this kit includes: Continue reading →
Emergency Water Filters & Purifiers
It is generally recommended that one gallon of water per person per day is sufficient for disaster preparedness. Depending on who you ask the ideal number of days ranges widely. For example on the low end of the spectrum the U.S. government recommends three days of water. No matter what your opinion on the ideal number of days having alternate methods of purifying water can help avoid going without water. Here are several inexpensive and portable options. Continue reading →
Ultimate Emergency Radio
If you’re considering learning more about HAM radios you might want to start by looking at what it can do for you before you invest the money and time. This is one of the best hand held radios on the market. Continue reading →
Bug-Out Bag
A bug-out bag is simply a backpack with things you might need if you had to leave your home quickly and stay mobile for a few days. If you live in an area with regular natural disasters like fires and storms a bug-out bag can make your escape to much safer.
The most important items you’ll need are shelter, food, and water. The most important feature of your pack is portability which mostly has to do do with overall weight, your pack’s design, and your physical fitness.
Continue reading for some ideas for making a very complete bug-out bag. You’ll probably find that a sub-set of these items will meet your needs but I wanted to capture a complete list in one place. If you were to put all these items in a bug-out bag it would be much too heavy so choose carefully. Continue reading →
Tiny Pallet Shed
Justin over at materialicious passed thin onto me recently. It’s a web page by a guy named John who is pallet prolific and has a nice long web page filled with photos of pallet projects. Continue reading →
The Humanure Handbook – A Simple Sawdust Toilet
In an emergency situation one simple thing can turn into a real mess… yes I’m talking about poo. What to do with the poo? Someone recently commented on one of my tiny house blogs that using a sawdust toilet might be the ideal solution for many people in many situations. It seems like the perfect solution for an emergency situation. Continue reading →
Roofline and Cross Section (12:12 Pitch)
Here is an example of a 12:12 pitch. It raises the height of the roof and interior ceiling significantly. It’s more difficult to build but is more aesthetically pleasing and provides more space for a sleeping loft. Continue reading →
What is This?
As hurricane season picked up speed memories of Katrina got me thinking. I wanted to do something to help. It occurred to me that someone might find what I know about building with shipping pallets useful. So I setup this simple micro-blog to make it easy to show others how to build a tiny temporary house with pallets and provide information on disaster preparedness in general.
I’ve posted a few other pallet house designs on my Tiny House Design blog. The pallet house on this site uses pallets very efficiently but the other designs would make better long-term housing. View the alternate tiny pallet house design. Continue reading →
How To Spot a Good Pallet
Pallets come in a number of standard sizes and an infinite number of irregular custom sizes. In America the most common pallet measures 40″ by 48″. The thickness varies but is about 5.5 inches. If you can’t find perfect standard pallets you can still build with them it just takes longer and you end up cobbling them together. This is what I’ve begun doing with my tiny free house and it take a lot of extra work. Continue reading →
Tools and Supplies Needed
Here is a short list of essential tools you’ll need to build a quick little pallet house. Other tools and supplies will help but this short list will get the job done. Continue reading →
Avia Masters - How to survive
Avia Masters is an exciting new addition to the world of games that has already gained popularity among players. I’ve had the chance to try it, and it’s truly impressive: vibrant design, engaging gameplay, and the thrill of testing your luck. A perfect choice for anyone looking for something fresh and entertaining in online gaming! Continue reading →