DOING FREEDOM! -- The Improv, by Tom Spooner

The Improv
by
Tom Spooner

How do I get myself into these things? Not only haven't I retired, they've talked me into a monthly column. My ego is plainly far too big for my own good.

A lot of questions were forwarded to me over the last couple of years. Most had to do with past articles, but enough were requests for information that DF! finally decided to ~~rope me into~~ invite me to do a monthly Q&A column. A little like The Freedom Advisor, but for do-it-yourselfers and improvisers. If you've got a question, I'll try to answer it.

Send questions to:
Improv
Encrypted mail preferred.
If you don't wish to use MailVault,
use my PGP public key.
Unless requested otherwise, all letters may appear in Doing Freedom!.

Let me be up-front about something. DF!'s financial situation definitely strikes a chord with me. I can be a real mercenary son of a gun. No question will be ignored. But questions from anyone who has clicked my donation link will get priority. Bear in mind that research and testing that cost money won't happen except when I have the money to spare.

I'm no expert at anything in particular, so why should you look to me for ideas?

Mainly because I know a fair bit about a lot of things. I have basic skills in cooking, shooting, kitchen chemistry, pyrotechnics, electrical wiring, plumbing, some basic electronics, metalwork and blacksmithing, brewing, security, defense, sewing, camping, and living on the road. And doing it all cheaply. Since I'm not rich, that usually means improvising some expensive gadget from cheap junk. If it's possible, I've done it, or can figure out a way to do it.

This month's oddball tip:
Out of flour, or need rice flour? Try running a a couple of cups of dry white rice through your blender, on high. You can do this with popcorn, too, to get a coarse corn meal.

Crystals and Claymores

I happened across DF while searching for information on improvised thermite. I am at work and have yet to read most of the articles but I can tell there is a lot of good information there. I tried to email Thomas Spooner to ask if he would consider doing an article on custom cut crystals for radio transceivers, and maybe one on improvised claymores, but I got a delivery failure on his email addy. If you could pass along this request I would be most grateful.
Thank you,
Ken

I got uncomfortable exchanging emails with total strangers on some topics. RIPA and USA PATRIOT just made it worse. I shut down that old account. As you can see, I have a new account, but I still won't be trading private emails most of the time.

You mentioned transceivers, so I presume the resonant properties of quartz interest you, as opposed to the rectifying properties of some crystals exploited in crystal receiver sets. Cutting a crystal to obtain an exact resonant frequency requires the manual skills of a jeweler and the technical knowledge of an electronics expert. You're unlikely to successfully cut a precision crystal with things laying around your kitchen. And the last time I had occasion to look, commercial crystals and channel elements really weren't very expensive. If you really want to try it, though, you should check out the American Radio Relay League for amateur radio operators and gadgeteers; maybe someone there can help.

I gave claymores a little thought, and came up with this.
Tom

Send questions to:
Improv
Encrypted mail preferred.
If you don't wish to use MailVault,
use my PGP public key.
Unless requested otherwise, all letters may appear in Doing Freedom!.

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