Busy time... and insects armageddon.

A few day of silence from my side. Days full of work. First days spent on the fresh air. With accompaniment of smoke from burned leaves. I had to burn them (especially from Aesculus hippocastanum) quick due to the fact they contain a lot of larva of Cameraria ohridella.

This is quite new pest in Poland killing horse chestnuts. It came from south and found our trees and weather very attractive. There are a few ways to protect form it. First - you drill the stem and fill it with a toxin. Invasive method which when done wrong can do more harm than benefit. You can always take professionals but of course it means money spent. Another method is to put an adhesive tape to which the insects will stick. I tried another one with very good results. Each year I have a plenty of pretty chestnuts so I think it works well.

First thing is to burn leaves where the larva spend the winter. Second is to hoover adult insects after hatch. They are swarming on the lower part of the stem on the shadow side where I hoover them with hoover dedicated for leaves. One thing is to burn the leaves quicker than the larva will go out of them. This year it suddenly became quite hot so I have to hurry. 

I've planted another sweet cherry tree. One of mine withered. I suppose it was stroke by the lightning. Everything in the garden changes day by day. More sun. More birds. Once again world became green...

Global warming vs. bees dying.

Global warming. Does anyone know someone who do not know what it is ? What is said is responsible for ? What are the efforts ? Billion of dollars is used to stop this virtual threat which if caused by sun is unstoppable and uncontrollable and took place many times in the world history. But I am not here to discuss this stupidity and all the efforts that are undertaken. I am just concerned that I do not hear anything about the thing that can stop our world and eliminate much more lives than junk of global warming. I talk about mass bees dying.

Observed for last several years mysterious dying of the whole hives, this year, as you can read, is getting stronger. Last article I found is here . It is worldwide, with unknown origins and can accelerate without warning. No one knows if it is possible that the next year all the bees can be dead. But if that happen it will ruin the economy, stop the civilization and for sure - it will be responsible for hunger and death of many people. And it will happen suddenly, without recognized reason, maybe last for several years or decades what means permanently in the meaning of generation. Can you imagine the disorder caused by such accident ? Can you imagine that the world without bees ? Without all the efforts of their work including fruits and honey ? And now... have you heard about mass of dollars spending on finding quick solution of that problem ? Have you heard about prof. X. Ygrekovsky from Somewheronian State University which gained the Nobel Prize for efforts in finding a solution of "bee problem"? Did your congressman say a single word about it ?

And now tell me - isn't it the world is upside down ?

p.s. Practical question - do you know any ideas how to preserve honey bee for long term storage ? Is doing nothing just keeping in dark and cool place enough to keep it in a good condition ? I tried to do this with natural honey and it worked OK but I am wondering if these commercially available products called "honey bee" will also manage or some additives can react making differences in taste or smell.

Much ado about nothing... Have some fun about it all.

I am reading about the anger. Voices about revolution, secession, fall of America's ideals. I see people in Washington from all over the country protesting. And President saying leftist things using words restricted for conservatism. Finished with these words that really sounds beautifully for us - Europeans : "God bless the United States of America". Wow. Really nice. I wonder how sincere it is. Does he believe in these words or is just a perfect actor ? In the end it does not matter. The one that will pay for that game is not him. It is YOU. 

Why they seem deaf on your cry ? We know it well. We - I mean Europeans. The whole mess will stop within weeks. People will go home, forums will go quiet, another Super Bowl will be played, another article about bad Mel Gibson will gather all the discussions. After three years when you will have to pay for it all no one will remember that it was caused by that Bill or other.  It will be just hard time which should unite the whole US and no blame pointed. So remember that day. Remember today to know where from comes your tomorrow. They will do everything for you to forget.

What is funny I read that your President Obama starts speaking like our leaders in the times of planned economy. "Within five years we will increase the export by 50%". I know the only one way to do this knowing what is going on. In term of value expressed in USD it means that they are planning to depreciate USD at least by 50%. It is not a joke - that is the only way. :) 

From that point of view I know also how the Lisbon Strategy of EU was supposed to work. You know, in 2000 it was written that EU would do everything to be as good as US in 2010. Of course the reality didn't like to read the paper and nothing has changed. But now I know what they were planning ! It was not about to increase EU - it was about decrease of US ! Can you imagine that G.W.Bush failed to be reelected and "Obama-like" democrat won instead of him. Can you imagine that the act we are discussing today was brought to life several years ago ? Today your economy would be ruined as much as needed to ... fulfill the Lisbon Strategy ! :) On that basis I would say that MI6 works better than CIA cause finally they made it - they will change you from inside !

Here we say : The last switch off the light. :)

Spring. Whoa !

I started to rip bushes and trees that surrounds my little house. Great to feel that warmth. Yeah I know - within two months I will only look how to avoid sun and extreme hot but now it makes all the difference. Trees has awaken. They are preparing to explode with blossom. 

I am going to extend my vegetable garden so I need to buy new net to protect it from rabbits and homeless dogs. From the windows I am going to change I will make some hotbeds for faster growth or warmth-liking plants. Plenty of work but when you see the effects and changes you made it is great to have a possibility to work on it. 

I hope that this year the economy will be good enough to finish all the projects I plan to do. But you never know. Having this uncertainty in mind you stay cool whatever happens. 

So many plans, so little time - lets get to work !

You got it ! For good and bad. :)

I've just read about the new regulations in health securities that Obama will sign within several days. We were always discussing that your system, your freedom in choosing to be or not insured is good. We have never seen people dying in the streets or civil disorders caused by uninsured people. Propaganda in the communism time surely would had shown us such scenes. And now when our system is inadequate, in fact its broken but no one will say it loud, now when we need a change you stab us in the back. We can not say any more : Look there is a not third-world country where it is your choice what to do with your money. 

But its not a single act. What you are observing is a neverending story of society transformation. People, as I mentioned some posts ago, do not want to think. They want to focus on the next part of soap opera or who was the real girl of T.Woods. They do not want to decide because they do not want to make a mistake and be blamed. That is why they put so much power in the hands of government - they want to have their guy to be kick if its worse. And that is why the difference between republicans and democrats are getting smaller and smaller. People are not interested in the real but in promises. The one who promise more wins. Although keeping the promise can bring them, their country to ruin it does not matter. Then they will vote for "the other one". What is important is that it is not their fault. That is a fault of politicians who did something wrong. They are not voting for democrats or republicans any more - they just vote for "the other guys". And most of the time "guys" are thinking how to calm down the society. No matter of cost in term of money or human beings. They want a bread -  give them bread. They want games - we will give them games. What it will be later ? Does not matter - "guys" are safe and secure. What about us ? 

Sometime ago I thought that the revolution is the only way to change things as they are. But I do not think so any more. Why is that you would ask. It is because that revolution it our world does not make sense. In the end you will lead the heard of sheep and nothing would change. People do not want "to know", do not want to decide, do not want to think, they prefer to be a part of the machine , the part of the heard. So in the end everything would be as it was before revolution. 

People do not want to be taught, so even giving them facts as I wrote about 9/11 does not change their world, their attitude and as soon as possible they will forget about the truth cause it is inconvenient. I stopped learning them about the facts, I do not want to change their minds any more cause it is Sisyphus work. But I do not want to be the part of the heard so I am trying to do something with my knowledge. That had brought me to the point where I found that I can call myself prepper.

When I read about revolutions in your posts - it is great idea. Even greater when done with politicians chosen by us without single drop of blood fallen. But it is utopia. We can discuss it, find the good sides and the bad ones, think about what need to be changed. But it will never happen. There are too little people who would like to be responsible for such actions, for what it will be "the day after". So I think that writing about positive revolution today is just a science fiction - nice but impossible. Of course negative revolution as a civil disorder can happen. But it will have no aim, no sense - it will just show the fury of people, their attitude to what they authorities represent. It can end up with civil war but I do not think so - some leaders would go to jail, some concentration camp will be filled up with "extremists" and it will be as it is now. Just some supermarkets robbed, shop windows broken, cars burned.

So you got your health insured now - for good and bad. It will ruin your budget and  raise your taxes. Think now what to do being sure that it will happened. Be just wiser of the people who do not think about it or think that it will be all right - because it won't be. Within several years your deficit will be relatively doubled - where you personally will be then with your finance, savings, insurances and so on ? Think about it.

My new plant. Ideal for preppers purposes.

I've just ordered a plant which is ideal for preppers purposes. It's Topinambur (Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus).

It can be applied in many ways.  The main two are :

1. You can dry its green top, mix and make briquettes or pellets.

2. You can eat or sell the bottom part.

More : It is very useful when dealing with bees. It is rich source of inulin which is healthy when eaten and pharmaceutical industry is interested in. It can be eaten by diabetics due to lack of starch.

Here you can find some recipes.

Here some about the plant.

Here some info about inulin.

I plan to plant them in the area of 100 sq. m. in the first year to see how it really works and... tastes :)

Where are the real fundamentalists ?

One of the last posts on APN was about threat of nuclear attack on the USA. It is sometimes called another 9/11. When I had been looking for any materials about possibility of such attack I was immediately reminded with all the info about 9/11. And we had another discussion here. It was about who is really fundamentalist, who is really blind to the facts in the world. We found that we are not so far from you - Americans, though we know that 9/11 was inside job of US, we do nothing with this knowledge. The truth is too painful to be considered as truth. We want to forget about it cause it would make our lives to change completely. So we deny.

We look at the proofs and evidences and we assent. But a minute after we close it we deny. We reject it cause otherwise it had to change our lifestyle, our attitude, everything... 

The same is with the faith. Even if seen the miracle would be rejected as the life of Jesus was. Because it would had changed too much. In lives of these people, in the world, in the attitude to life, to wealth, governments, freedom... 

So we believe, only believe in the kindness and uprightness of our governments. And nothing more cause all the evidences are against them. We look but we do not see. We know but we do nothing with this knowledge. And who is the real fundamentalist in this world ? Iranian ? Are you kidding ??? Look in the mirror.

Snowy... slowly... but forward.

These days are full of snow. Every day brings a mass of white powder. That is good cause it calms me down during my everyday walking from bank to court, from court to an expert, from expert to another court, and so on... Luckily it looks like I have almost finished all the paperwork needed. I decided to take a loan - that is why all is done. I thought about it carefully for a quite long time and I found it as a best solution for me. What is important this solution is also the cheapest at that time. All the others are more risky and/or more expensive. With the plan I am bringing to life I will be quite secure and comfortable. I should be ready to start within two weeks and then the snow can melt down. :)

We are all newbies.

It is snowy here. And cold - surprisingly a little bit - no such winter as far as I remember. So I can not write a lot about progress of my small country project cause it's stopped by nature.

Todays inspiration comes as usual lately from IPN forum. Its a thread about starting, experience, spendings. As an answer I would tell prepping is not about starting, experience or spendings. Completely. Its about being aware. And that makes a difference.

Prepping is a road not a point. So its not about the state but about attitude. You cannot say you are newbie because we, everyone of us is newbie. First - it is because when we would think about ourselves as being prepared and experienced we would lost the whole idea. And one day we would be surprised. Second - no one is experienced with the situation when SHTF so all we can do about is discuss not being sure of anything. Also here you will find that there are no stupid ideas - almost everything is worth to watch, sometimes only for a moment, but to gain another point of view. The wider picture we take the easier we will find solutions.

When you will start you will find that there is always something to do - even just because you have to renew your stockpile, there is always something to learn - because as a person who enjoys life you will always find something new to do - pottery, herbalism, carpentry, biology. You will find that there is always something to add to your "collection" to feel secure, comfortable. Being a prepper is the neverending story.

What is funny the most important things do not cost almost anything both in terms of time and money.  First things I would suggest to do are:

1. Make an order in your documents.  You can use a list as it is in J. Stevens book. 

2. Make an order in your financial. Make a list of income and spendings. Make a balance sheet. It will make you aware what can be easily done and what need to be worked on in a future. Find out which spendings are really necessary. Not knowing where are the wholes in the canteen you won't be able to plug them so you'd better do it ASAP.

3. Make an order in your life. Time is the essence. Start to plan your life - you will much easier find a time for you when you can do whatever you want. Prepping activities - why not?

Planning is also essential just not to forget about something. Make a list of "things to do". Review it monthly to improve ideas, check progress, etc.

4. Try to be informed. About financial issues, government plans (budget...), weather (hurricanes...). Learn to read informations - separate pure informations from comment. 

These four points are the most important and it cost virtually nothing to put them into life. And you will... never have them done. :) Because it is a way not a point as I mentioned before.

Everything more like stockpiling, networking are derivatives of these first things. They are a part of greater plan. Alone are worth almost nothing (have a hundred filters but no water source? have a prepper friend near but no cooperation plan?). And don't forget about patience. For me it is not a question cause I am who I am and then I found I am a prepper. But some people will try to be prepared because of many reasons : fear, family, anything, and its important to be patient. Not to forget of the main reasons which once made you decide to go this way.

Good luck !

Avalanche warning. And some about freedom.

Last posts on APN (author : Mac Flavo SHTF Plan) are very... funny. Yes they are - it is not a slip of a tongue. Some time ago we looked on America as a country of freedom and possibilities. Now almost nothing is left. To be sincere - I think that today China gives you more opportunities. It gives you all that is needed to become a millionaire from zero. You can become anyone you want - businessman, politician, scientist. What is said is lack of freedom is not necessary to grown or live. Being aware of the whole bad world is not so important. Maybe in America you can still discuss about Tienanmen or Bilderberg but it will not bring you closer to the success, or a bit wiser or richer. But soon, it looks like, you won't be able to catch fish ?! OMG :)

You can TALK but you can not ACT. In China you can not TALK but you can ACT. 

Who is in better position in terms of freedom I am asking ? Any idea ?

Consider that : You are talking about Tienanmen - you think that was cruel it would be in OUR philosophy. Maybe we are wrong cause we do not know their culture. But lately there was a poll on the main polish portal onet.pl and majority think that... the US government is directly responsible for 9/11. That is what WE think about OUR world - west world of white man. Which government is more dangerous for its citizens ?? Isn't it the one which can mask or hide everything ? In the name of "anything" ?

This world is going crazy... You cannot be sure of anything cause THEY are changing the meanings of the words. Or create other which have nothing in common with their original meaning. 

I do not know who THEY are, maybe there is no "THEY" at all - and world is just a snow ball rolling in no specified direction. Nevertheless you have to be careful to avoid being taken by this snowball down with an avalanche...

Who am I not.

An interesting thread was started on APN forum lately. It is worth saying a few more words. 

Maybe preppers are taken as weird people. But that is a trap of democracy - majority do not means to be right automatically. In other words - even if you will vote for sunny holiday they may not be sunny. "To want" is not enough in many matters. People are also desperate not to take responsibility for themselves and others. That is why they vote for more control , more social, more "free" things delivered by governments. From neutral point of view they are weird because they believe in a power of paper, they believe that if something is voted and written in paper or law - nothing can change it. They are wrong - as much as possible. Last century took us in another dimension of coexistence. People became specialists and they are mainly worth nothing without all the support. Support I mean people, firms, processes which involve the need of usage of specialists. Especially financial sector is very dependent on other people within this sector itself. Financial specialist as he is today, was worthless in the begining of XX century and will be worthless when he will be dismissed after financial sector will shrink or SHTF. That is why I think that people today have new religion - they believe that it has to be - this way or other but has to. They go on strike when salaries are cut or people fired. They think that everything should be as it is and no worse because so.  No explanations, no knowledge - just believing in omnipotence of governments and politicians "who promised everything".

Preppers are not believers. They are people who do not trust that we can forget who we are and trust that things will last because of our will. We do not let think others for ourselves. We want to decide. We care and we just live. What others called preparing - it is just living. What they call living being totally unprepared - it is like a party. Preppers are thinking not only about self-sustainable lifestyle as it is thought but we are for widely understood freedom which is taken in the name of so called "justice" and "need" under the codename "security", "terrorism", "health" or other stupid explanation for the masses.

But carnival never last forever and what is gonna be when the party is over ?...

Some numbers

from article posted on : http://venturehacks.com/articles/speculative-return

The most interesting part showing where we are and what to think about the future. Let the numbers speak...

"2001-2020 will have negative speculative returns

Okay, its 2010. Could the speculative return dynamics since 2001 have ended? Umm — probably not. Take a look at this table of important drivers that compare 1981 (the start of the mega 20 year bull period) to now.

                                                                       1981         Today
CPI                                                                  8.9%        -1.3%
30-year bond                                                    13.65%     4.24%
Fed Funds rate                                                 12.00%     0.25%
Highest marginal tax rate                                 69%           35%
Highest LT capital gains tax rate                      28%           15%
Home ownership rate                                       65.2%       67.4%
Household debt as % of income                         56.1%        114.4%
% of families with retirement accts                   20.4%        52.6%
Personal savings rate                                       11.4%         3.0%
Mortgage debt as % of disposable inc                43.1%         95%
Baby Boomer age range                                   17-35         45-63 
Federal Deficit as % of Nominal GFP                  2.5%          11.2% est
PCE (consumer spend) as % of GDP                   61.9%         70.7%
US debt as % of GDP                                         32.2%        85.8%
Household debt as % of GDP                              47.2%         96.8%


To me, these are very sobering statistics. They paint a completely different picture than at the start of the last bull cycle of 1982-2000. My judgment is that these statistics are going to seriously suppress speculative return. The -6.9% of 2001-2005 will get worse and total returns will suffer. In 2021, statistics will show that the 2001-2020 time period had good fundamental returns. But horrific speculative returns."

(...)

"In closing, here’s the “New York Daily Investment News” front page from the early part of the Great Depression to remind us that history may not repeat exactly. But it does rhyme."

Where to hell are you going America ?

From time to time we (me and my friends) are discussing here the whole situation. What is now obvious for us is that in the nearest future some bad things can happen. Stabilization is very hard to be kept, further growth is almost impossible according to the fact that too many roots based on virtual financing had been cut. There are three possible scenario for US and Euro zones. 

1. Slowing down. Very delicate way to stabilization on the lower level. Bit by bit, step by step another weeds will be removed. Banks, institutions, loans - whole financial world will shrink to its normal and necessary size. More things must have its real value. More value must be added to creating real things. Maybe some day we will return to the currency based on gold. There is one thing which is against that scenario - it is called democracy. No one will take a responsibility for starting this long term metamorphose and fail to win another election. We are far away from its foundation - to be a politician is now a job, nothing more, such as janitor, postmen. No special abilities needed, just nice smile. No attitude or vision - just telling good things, promising even more.

2. Dark ages for western civilization. One day someone will call. Maybe China ? Maybe some international bank ? It will collapse US Dollar. Lately I read a lot of articles that shows that in US financial corporations are the tail which wag the dog. Wag the Fed, government, SEC and whatever else. When I read about rescuing AiG, about toxic bonds issued by Goldman, about unclear support for financial corporations given in billions by Fed and others, about Markopolos who nine for nine years was attempting to convince SEC that Madoff is gambler till it was too late I have clear vision that no one is controlling "them" at all. They have all the money and other things needed to say to everyone that we are idiots to think that they can be cheating or collapse in any predictable future. They made money its religion where nothing else exist and profit is all that matter. Just tell me why do we observe so many speculation bubbles? Can you give me other explanations except this one that its a kind of religion? They do things that only believers can do. In a way that only believers can do. They are such arrogant as only prophets can be. The right is on their side ! Till the end comes... And the end is near. Just too many people doing nothing - just multiplying numbers on their IBMs creating nothing extra, just taking bit by bit fees from other part of organism called economy. It is cancer that some time ago was very helpful - now it can kill the whole organism.

3. Neverending story. Fed can print USD faster than financial part of this world is going to fraud them. The inflation will increase, maybe even it will be 10000% year or two. Then you will just cut 4 zeros from USD and start again ? Here in Poland we did that and we are still alive :) We survived according to western countries where our products and services could have been sold. You will have your chance thanks to... China. And India. They will absorb all that you can not afford but can produce. That is why your government is putting so much interest on China - wise investment. 

These are the main three scenarios which are possible to happen any day. We do not know everything so we have to speculate. There is only one thing important in that all - just to be prepared. Having known the possibilities it would be unwise not to care about them. Soon we will think about best strategies for all the scenarios. The more common things for all the scenarios we will find the better strategy will be. 

I would like to discuss it with you - the insiders. Have you any suggestions ? Advices ?

About pleasures again. Weekend ahead.

Just a few words about these little things that awaits me very soon.

I've just bought two starters for spring beer : European Lager and Stout.  And a pack of caps. High time to renew my stock - just a few bottle left.

Tomorrow I will bottle my 2009 raspberry dessert wine. It was clarified 3rd time and is ready to be put in 0,75l volume green glass prisons. It is definitely good. Deep purple, smooth taste and rich aroma of many things with domination of raspberries.

Also tomorrow a freshly made ham, liverwurst and sausage awaits me in the country where my neighbor prepares it. The best liverwurst I've ever eaten with a mass of black pepper.

I like that stuff, things made by myself or people from neighborhood. I like them due to their taste, in fact you can change it in many ways. Due to the fact that I know well what they are made of in terms of ingredients used. Last time I found it also very useful from other point of view. When I put it all together - the things I like, things that I am worried about and things that I am thinking of. After summarizing I found that I'm just a prepper.

It's nice to write for people who find pleasure in the same things. For you. Cheers ! 

Pleasure - preppers little treasure.

In the tough times everyone will have the same problems to solve. Preppers will be a step ahead due to some preparations made. But I think that you should be not a step but a bit more in the front. Think about things that are not so necessary but very important. Just think that the healthy spirit creates healthy body. To bring it to life you should care about your "evenings". After all the needs are indulged and you  have some time to sit and rest have something extra for you and people you are preparing to shelter. Have your little pleasures, extra prizes for being prepared. I like coffee and for sure an extra kilo or two coffee beans will be kept in my storage, and some sweets - I love them, children love them, everyone love the sweets :)

Maybe I won't be able to run my coffeemaker so I always have some instant coffee. It's normally used in the kitchen as an addition to cakes so I do not store things that I would have to dispose. It's important, as one of the forums topic last reminded, to watch whether it is prepping or just hoarding.

Do not forget about your families. Pack of playing cards, scrabble, maybe book with sudoku ? Maybe its good idea to have your music collection stored as mp3s on a small flash card ? DVD with fairy tales ? 

You know what it is. For sure. Just think what normally gives you and other little pleasures and care to make them your little treasures in the hard time. A bit of laughter usually is more important then than a can of beans in tomato soup.

Side walls.

I decided to use clinker as the finish of my side walls. Why is that ? It is not cheap - for sure. But it has many advantages from prepper point of view. This is the only material I found that it can be said : once done - forever done. I need to insulate walls - and it could be easily done with usage of expanded polystyrene. But in the country you need something strong just because children playing ball in the garden. I could cover it with double layer of reinforcement net but always I would finish in the point that I have to renew paintings every five years and plaster every 10-15 years (depends on condition). So from the long term point of view it occurs to be more expensive than once made clinker wall insulated with glass fiber wool.

That is exact usage of rule no. 1. Buy best available material in terms of technology and quality. I am not going to pay for modern colors or design - it is not a class A bureau in the very downtown. I need just red bricks. :) I will buy ordinary clinker and I even put a reservation on second quality. But not second in parameters - they are 2nd quality just because of their look. I will buy not so perfectly shaped bricks. And to be sincere - this is another advantage for me because renewing old countryside house with perfectly shaped bricks would look odd. Kind of plastic with no soul. So what is disadvantage for one is good for me. I will get this clinker in the price of the ordinary bricks ! 

I will use glass fiber wool to insulate instead of polystyrene according to its total incombustibility. Much safer ! 

So I will have an old style reinforced and safely insulated side walls in the price of much worse solutions. And the only thing I will do in the future is to clean them - personally I hope that with a little dirt they will look even better, old-stylish ;)

One thing you have to remember is to use special kind of mortar for clinker.

Distillation set - short introduction.

(I used images from wikipedia)

Below there are schemes of less and more complicated set.

Simple distillation set  : 1. Source of heat, 2. Distillation flask, 3. Still head, 4. Thermometer, 5. Condenser, 6. Cooling  inlet, 7. Cooling fluid outlet, 8. Receiving flask, 9. Vacuum/gas inlet, 10. Still receiver

Laboratory display of distillation: 1: A heating device 2: Still pot 3: Still head 4: Thermometer/Boiling point temperature 5: Condenser 6: Cooling water in 7: Cooling water out 8: Distillate/receiving flask 9: Vacuum/gas inlet 10: Still receiver 11: Heat control 12: Stirrer speed control 13: Stirrer/heat plate 14: Heating (Oil/sand) bath 15: Stirring means e.g.(shown), anti-bumping granules or mechanical stirrer 16: Cooling bath.

For the preppers I would suggest the very simple set. 

1. Distillation flasks with different volumes. I would suggest 250 mL, 1 l., 2 l.. All equipped with 29/32 joints. 

2. Still head (short one with no refining shelfs) - in case of lack of thermometer you can always use stopper. 29/32 joints to flask and condenser, 14 joint for thermometer

3. Condensers (1 with water as cooler "Liebig", 1 air cooled "Vigreux") of course with 2 x 29/32 joints.

4. Still receiver - yes - 2 x 29/32 joints

5. Receiver flask- you can use distillation flask - usually smaller than distillation one.

Options and suggestions:

For purifying substances from solids or high-boiled liquids just use the simple set.

For refining if needed (when distilled liquids has similar boiling point) you can use Vigreux between distillation flask and still head.

For extraction of substances from ig. herbs in temperature of boiling put condenser vertically directly into distillation flask

When purifying change receiving flask after first drops of condensed liquid or when the needed temperature is achieved, change again when the temperature starts rising again and exceeds the boiling temperature of desired product.

! Always use fresh anti-bumping granules made from crushed ceramic to avoid explosive-boiling. Especially dealing with water will end up quickly with contamination of distillate with mixture from distillation flask.

When the source of heat is weak or you want to perform gentle distillation you can shield the top of the flask and the still head (aluminum foil, piece of non-inflammable fabric)

! Remember that there are inflammable liquids (the most of !) and avoid using open fire as a source of heat.

Buying thermometer ended with 14 joint it should be best with range from -10 deg. C up to +250 deg. C

Buying glass try to buy a new one - boronic or other new composition - they are more resistant to temperature changing and breakage.