Coronapocalypse Projects & Pastimes

[Rafe]

A lot of us are finding ourselves with unexpected extra time at home thanks to COVID-19. And I have a feeling that we'll see more and more cities/counties issuing shelter in place type directives.

Thought it would be fun--and add some positivity--to have a place to share any projects or activities or chores related to firearms (and maybe prepping?) that you're planning to accomplish with some extra time around the house. Or at the range, if it's open.

I know those of you with kids at home are probably screaming "Extra time?!" But for the rest of us who might be planning or starting some projects during the Coronapocalypse, what are you working on?

[G.A. Heath]

Work. It seems people need food, ans other items found in grocery stores. We just had our 1st confirmed case of covid-19 in Gaines county. Terry county also has a confirmed case.

[strogg]

I have a lot of scrap wood, and I will be building some little things for better storage and organization. I'll also be doing some more reloading. And work a bit on my photography hobby. OK that last one is very not firearms related. Hopefully I don't get too stir crazy.

[Rafe]

Work. It seems people need food, ans other items found in grocery stores. We just had our 1st confirmed case of covid-19 in Gaines county. Terry county also has a confirmed case.

Well, like a lot of folks, I'm now working from home online but, living in one of Texas's large blue cities, that saves me over two hours a day on the commute alone. Counting the usual workday lunch and getting dressed and out the door and running misc "nonessential" errands I can't run right now, I figure I'm saving about four hours per day. Add to that about four hours of gym time each week that ain't happening. So I figure that's around 24-28 hours a week that used to be busy, but now isn't.

But I'm still working. We'll see how long that continues. We've already seen Halliburton do some creative furlough stuff with over 3,500 of their employees in Houston, and talking to friends at some midsize and smaller companies, I think a whole lot of layoffs are inevitably coming. And soon. There are a bunch of companies that can't survive the loss of cash flow without extreme measures. The dear wife is in the same boat I am. At least we have fast internet service. She has some honey-dos for me, but there are some other things I decided I could do while at the house...and listening to Fox News almost all day.

[Rafe]

I have a lot of scrap wood, and I will be building some little things for better storage and organization. I'll also be doing some more reloading. And work a bit on my photography hobby. OK that last one is very not firearms related. Hopefully I don't get too stir crazy.

About three times a year I ask myself why I don't reload. My wife has never been super keen on the idea...no room in the garage (besides, Houston summers) and the only place we have to put a bench and equipment is in a corner of a spare bedroom. We very seldom actually use it at all, but that argument doesn't seem to carry any weight.

Wood. Now you've reminded me of something more prepper related than firearms. We've been through a couple of brief periods where we lost water service during hurricanes Ike and Harvey, but not long ago a huge city water main carrying water from Lake Houston blew up. I'm not in the city proper, but a lot of us who aren't learned that our utility districts buy some water from the city. Much of the greater Houston area was under a mandatory boil-water notice for a few days until it was lifted February 29. (A double-whammy with the coronavirus for many area restaurants that had to close at the end of February for two or three days over the water main issue, and now the doors close again less than 4 weeks later.)

That got me to thinking what we'd do if we needed to boil water--assuming the water is still coming into the homes--and the electricity was out (and/or gas, whatever your stove runs on). For the two of us, I lay in 25 gallons of water that I refresh every May, in front of hurricane season, and there's always some in the water heater we could resort to. "AquaPod" bags for the tubs in the bathrooms for washing and flushing. But that would end up at, stretching it, about 2 weeks of potable water. Even with rainwater catch, I don't know that I'd feel comfortable with just filtering and treating with good ol' cheap sodium hypochlorite. I think I'd want to boil it first. The fireplace uses gas logs, but take those out and it can be used with firewood, and then there's the barbeque pit. What I don't have any reasonable source for is the wood. Really all I have is kindling for charcoal. So that boil water situation last month made me think it might not be a bad idea to have at least 1/2 cord of firewood stored in the backyard. Hm...

[Rafe]

I had to look at the receipt to find the date, but I've had a Black Rain Ordnance Fallout 15 billet lower in my safe since October 2016. Yeah, I admit I bought a bunch of stuff when it for all the world looked like we'd see Hillary elected.

Out of sight out of mind, but sorting through things in the safe recently, that little lower looked awful lonely. I had some various stuff sitting around like a buffer tube and spring, but needed more if I wanted to fill-in that stripped lower. So I visited a good ol' Texas retailer, Primary Arms.

A plug for Primary Arms in South Houston: I hit their website last Thursday evening and there was the expected banner warning that, due to the coronavirus situation, orders may be significantly delayed. I forged ahead anyway. Got the email confirmation of the order at 7:41 p.m. Thursday. At 9:28 a.m. Friday I got the "Your order has shipped" email! FedEx says they expect to deliver the box this Wednesday. So kudos to the folks at Primary Arms still selling at no-price-gouging prices and even getting the order shipped in less than 14 hours!

I ordered a Rise Armament flat single-stage trigger and a Rise AR lower parts kit, an Ergo grip, and a Magpul CTR stock. Plus I ordered a SIG Romeo 5 RDS, a Strike Industries extended latch charging handle, and a Sons of Liberty BCG...just because I wanted some doodads for the upper I'll be using. Not going to be a high-end build, but it's a good lower and a decent trigger, so I'm hoping it will end up a serviceable midrange sort of rifle. If the box arrives Wednesday, I'll put it together Thursday or Friday.

Rummaging in the safe also had me think about cleaning. With no particular schedule, I usually do a field strip, light clean, and lube of guns that haven't been fired in five or six months. It's just a one-at-a-time thing after a range day when put those guns up after cleaning and think, "Hm. It's been a while since I've shot that one." So now I might take a few hours Saturday or Sunday to pull everything out, clean what hasn't been cleaned or fired in the past three or four months, start an actual clock and record on the cleaning schedule to keep better track, and then reorganize the safe and lockboxes more efficiently. Sounds like a reasonable chore on paper, anyway.

[philip964]

One word:

Honeydews


“You have no excuse”

[Grayling813]

Wife and I are finding projects to do like cleaning out kitchen cabinets and closets.

I’m going to reload ammo until I run out of supplies, even the 9mm and .223 I have yet to do.

Would like to start square foot gardening but accessibility to the materials is now an issue.

[Grayling813]

I'm building a tube-amplifier (guitar) from a kit - I've never done anything like this in my life. I had to make a jig out of scrap wood just to hold it as the chassis constantly needs to be flipped-over.

This is where it's at at the moment - still a long way to go:





They call these "hand-wired" amps because there's no printed-circuit board in sight - just these old-style turrets sticking up from an insulated board onto which the caps/resistors/diodes are hand-wired then soldered:

Cool...very cool.

[Texas_Blaze]

Homemade smoker build. Reverse flow. Designed by me utilizing some online tools for proper cook chamber sizing, firebox sizing & exhaust stack sizing. Lots of work. Not perfect. First time welding. Granted I started this before this corona nonsense.

[TreyHouston]

Homemade smoker build. Reverse flow. Designed by me utilizing some online tools for proper cook chamber sizing, firebox sizing & exhaust stack sizing. Lots of work. Not perfect. First time welding. Granted I started this before this corona nonsense.

There’s a pretty good welds for a first time!much better than i could do! Ive always wanted to learn to learn welding

[flowrie]

Purchased a used RCBS RCII about 4 years ago, included a trimmer, scale and some extras. It was parked on my bench for those 4 years. Decided to mount it to my bench this past weekend. Had a spare piece of redwood about 2 inches thick, cut it to about 12” x 12” and chamfered the corners. Mounted the press to it and recessed the nuts and washers. Clamped it to the bench. Did not want to drill holes in my nice Gladiator bench. Was going to go to Cabelas on Sunday for dies, bullets, primers and powder, but I called Cabelas first and was informed there was a line to enter the store. So, just ordered online. Plan to load some 223 with 68 gr Hornandy HPBT. Have been wanting a round a little more accurate than 55 gr range ammo for 100 yd and 200 yd carbine matches.
Have an AR with a 223 Wylde barrel with a 1:7 twist, so want a longer bullet.
Will see how it goes. I did reload pistol many many years ago, this is my first attempt at rifle.
Hope the photo attachment is visible.

[Syntyr]

I should have a 300 blackout pistol build kit delivered in the next few days. I have several unbuilt lowers. Probably bite the bullet and start work on getting everything for a form 1 suppressor in place.

I'll probably turn a few pens.

Who am I kidding... I work in IT so I can work from anywhere. I'll probably end up working.