ecobites.com

Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

Hints for patching a small hole in a tank +  grandma's old-fashioned leather dressing made from beeswax and mutton suet. A very easy to make homemade putty.

When the chooks are laying plenty an easy tip to preserve eggs that will keep for about six months.

Patching a Small Hole in a Tank

Cut 2 leather washers to cover the hole, then secure them both sides of the hole with 2 metal washers and a nut and bolt. The water will swell the leather and make a good seal.

Leather Dressing

An effective leather dressing that grandma made from:

1 3/4 oz (50 g) soft soap dissolved in 5 fl oz (150 ml) of warm water in a jar.

Add 1 3/4 oz (50 g) finely chopped mutton suet (from kidneys is best) + 5 oz (150 g) shredded beeswax + 1 3/4 oz (50g) sugar.

Put in a jar and into a pan of water. Heat to simmer. When all is melted, leave to cool and add 5 fl oz (150 ml) of turps.

Homemade Putty

Mix equal parts of linseed oil and whiting into a dough.

Knead until smooth. If it is too oily, lay on a wad of newspaper.

Preserving Eggs

Line a box with newspaper and put a layer of bran on the bottom (stock food bran).

Select fresh laid clean eggs and smear with non-petroleum jelly.

Place in the bran so they are not touching and sprinkle more bran around them.

Add layers of bran and eggs until the box is full, cover the inside of the lid with newspaper, secure and store in a cool, dark place.

They keep about 6 months.