Expo 2008/Gear order

On the 18th May at the tackle store clearing sessions we counted:

• 16 tackle sacks in usable condition
• 25 slings
• 24 deviation hangers with deviation cord
• 28 karabiners
• 208 hangers with maillons
• 21 clown hangers
• 2 hangers without maillons
• 8 hangers without bolts or maillons
• 13 ring hangers without bolts (they need a different type of bolt apparently)
  • Ring hangers need M8x20mm bolts, twists and bends take M8x16mm bolts. In either case the bolts should be grade 8.8 (check for a stamp on the bolt head). Duncan Collis 06:57, 29 May 2008 (BST)

We also found some bolts, but no o rings. See Expo 2008/Survey Equipment for a list of surveying equipment that we found. Kathryn 19:43, 18 May 2008 (BST)

Thanks Kathryn! Now, since I've never even been to Expo could I ask for a metalwork/safety gear list to be prepared so I just do the haggling and shopping bit? --Zucca 14:34, 20 May 2008 (BST)

Suggested gear to buy this year

NB These are suggestions. We don't have to buy all this stuff.

Here's the list of items people have suggested that we should buy for this year (from the meeting we had a few weeks ago, and suggestions made over the past few weeks):

• Expo GPS - a GPS that would live at top camp for anyone to use
• Walkie-talkies - for shaft bashing/rescue I guess
  • Walkie talkies need to take AA batteries otherwise their charger should be a 'car charger'
• Expo video camera - for filming the documentary
• Food boxes - to keep squirrels + mice at bay. Hammocks don't protect against squirrels and it's not very easy to see/access the contents of the large darren drums.
  • Try to get some large jar type containers, mashed potato and sugar gets full crud in a sandwich box.
• Extra gas bottle - not sure how much gas we use, but another bottle could be useful
  • Have we considered buying or re-filling in Austria? Out there they run their houses of bottled gas. Plus a bottle is quite bulky and relativly heavy, do we need to lug it all the way accross europe? --Frank 12:10, 27 May 2008 (BST)
  • Camping gas (and bottles) can be bought about a kilometre up the road towards Grundlsee from base camp. I think the turning (on the left as you head towards Grundlsee) has a big cartwheel by it. In 2007 there was a helpful GAZ sign facing the other way so you don't miss the turning a second time heading back from Grundlsee:) Duncan Collis 06:28, 29 May 2008 (BST)
  • Yeah, we would buy the gas in Austria. It was just suggested that we should get another bottle up to top camp. Sorry, probably should have put these suggestions in this section, it does look like we're intending all of these items to be bought in the UK. Ollie s
• Extra tarps - I think it would be good to wind proof the bivi. It would make it much warmer if we had a tarp covering the entrance/back.

Maybe easiest to buy locally- last year we bought a huge tarp from the garden / hardware store for about 40 euros I think?-Aaron 08:31, 21 May 2008 (BST)

Would be nice to be able to seal the front of the bivi completely when it gets windy + sleety. Would make the bivi much warmer in these conditions.Ollie s

• New lead-acid battery - to supplement the current one. The solar panels we have are quite powerful, and I doubt we're collecting all the energy they produce during the day. For ease of carrying it might be easier to get two smaller batteries than one monster large one.
  • I concur with the above about us not storing most of the power avilable when the sun is out. The existing battery is a Yuassa NPC 38 (I think), Costs £98 inc delivery www.rswww.co.uk. The main chriteria is that the battery is a 'cyclic' lead acid battery, not 'standby' or 'float'. Delivery from RS is 3-4 days max so look at the finances nearer the date. --Frank 12:10, 27 May 2008 (BST)
• Distos - We already have one disto, but more could be useful. I think one per pony would be a good number to have.

Ollie s 20:55, 18 May 2008 (BST)

so it seems that I've been elected to do the gear order. Yadda. Could you please reorder the list so I know what to tackle first?

some ideas I gathered

• Food boxes (transparents)-> Tesco or cheaper
• GPS -> F&T?
• Walkie-talkies ->F&T?

• video camera -> Ask Olly M, he just bought one which is helmet mountable.

• gas bottle -> where do I get it from? and to what specs? Can somebody else do this? -see above
• lead battery -> rswww.co.uk
• Distos -> ditto (and what is a disto?)

--Zucca 14:30, 20 May 2008 (BST)

• Six stainless steel Maillion Rapides for use with teh Petzl permanant anchors donated for up-pitches in KH. Make sure these are propper tested stainless MRs and not cheap ones.--Frank 20:17, 28 May 2008 (BST)
• Blue polyprop rope 6mmx500m Screwfix £25, for bivi,--Frank 20:41, 28 May 2008 (BST) I could get it if needed?

Items already obtained

• Drills - we don't need to buy any as Matika have helpfully donated us some
• Another Pony - we're buying one more from Phil
• Phones - we have bought 3 Nokia 1110s and a car charger
• Lots of labels for food boxes at top camp & marker pens --Frank 20:33, 28 May 2008 (BST)
• Liberated a load of polythene from work, may be useful instaead of tarps but heavy and not very strong.--Frank 20:44, 28 May 2008 (BST)