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SGA Supplying the mission to Atlantis
Quote from daisy-may on March 4, 2017, 6:10 amI'm beginning to plot my July Stargate story and I've found myself wondering about the supply lists for Atlantis.
We've all read stories where they are drastically under supplied and also those where they take everything (e.g. the great 'City on the Edge of Tomorrow) but I have some questions.
Different fics have different solutions for washing machines, and some fics actually have washing machines being taken through the 'gate. What's you opinion? Take or expect to be there?
(I'm reading Keira's fantastic new episode 'The Spin Cycle' if you're interested in what prompted this question!)
I'm beginning to plot my July Stargate story and I've found myself wondering about the supply lists for Atlantis.
We've all read stories where they are drastically under supplied and also those where they take everything (e.g. the great 'City on the Edge of Tomorrow) but I have some questions.
Different fics have different solutions for washing machines, and some fics actually have washing machines being taken through the 'gate. What's you opinion? Take or expect to be there?
(I'm reading Keira's fantastic new episode 'The Spin Cycle' if you're interested in what prompted this question!)
Quote from Keira Marcos on March 4, 2017, 7:33 pmClothes can be washed by hand. I wouldn't consider washing machines a "must have" and considering they have a limited window of arrival it's space better reserved for survival items.
Clothes can be washed by hand. I wouldn't consider washing machines a "must have" and considering they have a limited window of arrival it's space better reserved for survival items.
Quote from Edronhia on March 5, 2017, 3:04 amThere are small portable washing machines that don't require power much loved by campers and off-road caravanners that are available in anything from the size of a bucket to the size of a barrel. Hikers also use washing bags where you add clothes, soap, water, then just seal & jiggle or smoosh around. Plus there are washing wands that you can use to agitate your clothes in any sort of bucket or tub. The last 2 take up next to no room in a backpack plus you can get collapsible buckets etc which can be used for multiple purposes. You can check out camping/hiking sites for more ideas along these lines.
There are small portable washing machines that don't require power much loved by campers and off-road caravanners that are available in anything from the size of a bucket to the size of a barrel. Hikers also use washing bags where you add clothes, soap, water, then just seal & jiggle or smoosh around. Plus there are washing wands that you can use to agitate your clothes in any sort of bucket or tub. The last 2 take up next to no room in a backpack plus you can get collapsible buckets etc which can be used for multiple purposes. You can check out camping/hiking sites for more ideas along these lines.
Quote from Alwaysand on March 6, 2017, 12:12 amI don't know if this helps but as a former Army wife I can tell you that most BDUs (camouflage) are made to be worn for weeks at a time without needing to be washed. The material is very tightly woven to help repel dirt, tears and stains. This is because a soldier in the field does not have the time or resources to wash clothes. So they might not consider washing machines a priority but wait to see what they find instead.
I don't know if this helps but as a former Army wife I can tell you that most BDUs (camouflage) are made to be worn for weeks at a time without needing to be washed. The material is very tightly woven to help repel dirt, tears and stains. This is because a soldier in the field does not have the time or resources to wash clothes. So they might not consider washing machines a priority but wait to see what they find instead.
Quote from Tabee on March 6, 2017, 11:01 pmI've been spending way too much time thinking about this. Also, I read your post wrong originally, but that's on me.
After googling for a camping washer that Edronhia mentioned, I would say that they may pack a couple. The one I looked at was like $50 and smallish. It was the equivalent of a large salad spinner, so no electricity and being plastic not terribly heavy. However, putting all their eggs (or laundry) in one basket is ill advised. They would need a couple camp washers to use, then a spare to cannibalize for parts when the others start to break.
It would be smart for them to also pack washboards, buckets, and bars of soap.
I don't think they could reasonably expect to find laundromats in another galaxy. Laundry is probably either a personal/family thing or there are laundresses like Charlie Bucket's mom from Willy Wonka.
Anyway, for your list? Keep in mind worse case scenarios and having items that could serve double duty.
I've been spending way too much time thinking about this. Also, I read your post wrong originally, but that's on me.
After googling for a camping washer that Edronhia mentioned, I would say that they may pack a couple. The one I looked at was like $50 and smallish. It was the equivalent of a large salad spinner, so no electricity and being plastic not terribly heavy. However, putting all their eggs (or laundry) in one basket is ill advised. They would need a couple camp washers to use, then a spare to cannibalize for parts when the others start to break.
It would be smart for them to also pack washboards, buckets, and bars of soap.
I don't think they could reasonably expect to find laundromats in another galaxy. Laundry is probably either a personal/family thing or there are laundresses like Charlie Bucket's mom from Willy Wonka.
Anyway, for your list? Keep in mind worse case scenarios and having items that could serve double duty.
Quote from denimleigha on March 7, 2017, 9:06 pmSo there are alternatives that could be used but here are a few things to think about.
It is basically a moving think tank with military support, so are the scientist going to want to use the time and energy to learn how to do their laundry to old fashioned way. Or would one of them try the Tim Taylor solution (more power) and mess something up.
There is also a lot of empty space in a washing machine or a dryer that can be used to bring in stuff. Even if it is only stuff for laundry.
Something to think about.
So there are alternatives that could be used but here are a few things to think about.
It is basically a moving think tank with military support, so are the scientist going to want to use the time and energy to learn how to do their laundry to old fashioned way. Or would one of them try the Tim Taylor solution (more power) and mess something up.
There is also a lot of empty space in a washing machine or a dryer that can be used to bring in stuff. Even if it is only stuff for laundry.
Something to think about.
Quote from TSian on March 8, 2017, 7:47 pmWashing machines can weigh up to 230 lbs. With a limited window of time getting thru the gate and being limited to what you can carry or push thru the gate in that time, means something like a washer would not be considered a necessary survival supply. That said many of the scientists went thru the outpost on earth, they could have found the equivalent there and could be reasonably expected to find it on Atlantis as well.
Washing machines can weigh up to 230 lbs. With a limited window of time getting thru the gate and being limited to what you can carry or push thru the gate in that time, means something like a washer would not be considered a necessary survival supply. That said many of the scientists went thru the outpost on earth, they could have found the equivalent there and could be reasonably expected to find it on Atlantis as well.
Quote from daisy-may on March 9, 2017, 3:56 pmOkay, thank you. Very useful answers. I'll put some more thought into this and the supplies list issues.
thank you all again
dm x
Okay, thank you. Very useful answers. I'll put some more thought into this and the supplies list issues.
thank you all again
dm x
Quote from Deleted user on March 12, 2017, 5:07 amIf they assumed water would be available but not electricity, they might have taken something like a diy bucket clothes washer. The buckets could be used to hold any number of things they needed to take anyway, and when they were emptied could be turned into a clothes washer as long as they had packed the plungers too. I found a link that shows how to make one so you can see what I'm talking about.
http://www.survivopedia.com/diy-bucket-washer/
Here's another site I found with various other ways to get by without a washing machine. Some do require electricity, but they were already taking generators, so any of these are possible. IMHO, some are crazier than others, but who knows.
https://morningchores.com/manual-washing-machine/
If they assumed water would be available but not electricity, they might have taken something like a diy bucket clothes washer. The buckets could be used to hold any number of things they needed to take anyway, and when they were emptied could be turned into a clothes washer as long as they had packed the plungers too. I found a link that shows how to make one so you can see what I'm talking about.
Here's another site I found with various other ways to get by without a washing machine. Some do require electricity, but they were already taking generators, so any of these are possible. IMHO, some are crazier than others, but who knows.
Quote from kontiki on March 17, 2017, 1:00 pmMy great-grandmother Molly still did all her laundry by hand. Laundry was done once a week and was a huge chore. She had a leanto shed attached to her house out back and she and her daughters would line up the various tables that held various temperatures of water with different wash boards. The laundry was processed in a linear fashion: pre-treating stains with cold water and soap, cold wash, warm wash, rinse. Whites that had been cleaned and rinsed went in the canning cooker for boiling to restore whiteness. Rain water for delicate fabrics, pump water for everyday fabrics. Then everything pinned to the clothes line with things like sheets pulled as tight as possible to minimize need for ironing.
Different family branch, same time frame: Great-grandma Marianne...one of her sons built a wooden tub on barrel staves (rockers) and rocked the tub with his foot while he was reading and studying. Someone once asked Marianne why she was letting him shirk the laundry. Her reply was that the requirement was for the clothes to be clean, not that should be cleaned any certain way. This family were meticulous about their clothing so the rocking washer must have done a good enough job to meed their standards.
Having said the above :) I would think that medical laundry would be really important consideration. I would think that a simple manual system with plastic buckets for the medical use and emergency use I personally would make a collapsible water-tight bucket to be essential equipment for everyone in the mission.
Please don't forget that the ODOR of unwashed fabric and unwashed bodies and become pretty awfull.
My great-grandmother Molly still did all her laundry by hand. Laundry was done once a week and was a huge chore. She had a leanto shed attached to her house out back and she and her daughters would line up the various tables that held various temperatures of water with different wash boards. The laundry was processed in a linear fashion: pre-treating stains with cold water and soap, cold wash, warm wash, rinse. Whites that had been cleaned and rinsed went in the canning cooker for boiling to restore whiteness. Rain water for delicate fabrics, pump water for everyday fabrics. Then everything pinned to the clothes line with things like sheets pulled as tight as possible to minimize need for ironing.
Different family branch, same time frame: Great-grandma Marianne...one of her sons built a wooden tub on barrel staves (rockers) and rocked the tub with his foot while he was reading and studying. Someone once asked Marianne why she was letting him shirk the laundry. Her reply was that the requirement was for the clothes to be clean, not that should be cleaned any certain way. This family were meticulous about their clothing so the rocking washer must have done a good enough job to meed their standards.
Having said the above :) I would think that medical laundry would be really important consideration. I would think that a simple manual system with plastic buckets for the medical use and emergency use I personally would make a collapsible water-tight bucket to be essential equipment for everyone in the mission.
Please don't forget that the ODOR of unwashed fabric and unwashed bodies and become pretty awfull.
Quote from Roberly on March 28, 2017, 5:20 pmLaundry has historically been one of those arduous chores that was done mostly by women, often poor women, because you could do other people's laundry for paid work while watching your kids at the same time. And it was so much work that if you could afford to pay someone else to do it, you probably would. The podcast Cast On had an episode about the history of laundry a few years back and it was really educational.
I'm a knitter, so I have a lot of smaller things (hats, socks, mitts) and sweaters that need hand-washing, and it's not that difficult to do those by hand, but then I have access to fancy soap that doesn't have to be rinsed out, you just mix it with warm water, plop the knitwear in, and let it soak for about 15 minutes, and the woolens are not the bulk of my wardrobe. In the past, to save on the coin driers in our apartment building when my husband and I were both in university full-time, we bought a couple drying racks and hang-dried absolutely everything, including jeans and towels, which took forever indoors. We have an actual clothesline now for summer and that works great, and much, much faster; I can hang something out and have it be dry within a couple hours if the weather's right. The Atlantis expedition could probably cobble together something easily for hang-drying clothes, and once they're on the surface, they can do outdoor drying on fair days.
Laundry has historically been one of those arduous chores that was done mostly by women, often poor women, because you could do other people's laundry for paid work while watching your kids at the same time. And it was so much work that if you could afford to pay someone else to do it, you probably would. The podcast Cast On had an episode about the history of laundry a few years back and it was really educational.
I'm a knitter, so I have a lot of smaller things (hats, socks, mitts) and sweaters that need hand-washing, and it's not that difficult to do those by hand, but then I have access to fancy soap that doesn't have to be rinsed out, you just mix it with warm water, plop the knitwear in, and let it soak for about 15 minutes, and the woolens are not the bulk of my wardrobe. In the past, to save on the coin driers in our apartment building when my husband and I were both in university full-time, we bought a couple drying racks and hang-dried absolutely everything, including jeans and towels, which took forever indoors. We have an actual clothesline now for summer and that works great, and much, much faster; I can hang something out and have it be dry within a couple hours if the weather's right. The Atlantis expedition could probably cobble together something easily for hang-drying clothes, and once they're on the surface, they can do outdoor drying on fair days.
Quote from Terizia on March 30, 2017, 12:19 pmAn Australian guy invented what is probably the smallest washing machine ever and it works on minimal water,detergent and scrubbing. Seriously if you are into trekking you should check it out. For the purposes of your story I could well imagine it would be part of the standard kit for teams on long term recon. https://thescrubba.com.au
An Australian guy invented what is probably the smallest washing machine ever and it works on minimal water,detergent and scrubbing. Seriously if you are into trekking you should check it out. For the purposes of your story I could well imagine it would be part of the standard kit for teams on long term recon. https://thescrubba.com.au