When a nuclear weapon detonates, it creates a thermal pulse which can set things 20mi (32km) away on fire. You can often build a shelter in your backyard if you can position it so that both rainwater and water behind dams runs away from it. You will also need to consider where the utility lines are in your area so you don't disturb them. Try to select stable ground where trees and buildings won't fall on your shelter. If you're in a city, you can build a reinforced shelter in a basement. The concrete can protect you from fallout and falling debris. Research the topography of your area. Your government's local land survey office will have them available. Also, check with the emergency response office. Avoid positioning your shelter downhill from bodies of water or below steep slopes. Keep it clear of flammable buildings. Having a clear blueprint will help you construct a stable, effective shelter. You can find some basic plans simply by searching for fallout shelter blueprints online. Some plans may even include a step by step overview for building the shelter. You can also get blueprints by consulting an architect or drafter. They can provide guidance on what shelter best suits your needs. Most building construction companies can build a shelter for you. Even if you don't want to hire someone to design a shelter, sketch your own plans before beginning construction. You can try using a computer program like SketchUp. Plot out the shelter's perimeter according to your blueprint. Plant a series of wooden stakes in the ground to outline the shelter's perimeter. Then, use shovels, axes, and other tools to dig up grass, trees, rocks, and other debris in the area. Clear the land about 10ft (3.0m) beyond the shelter's perimeter so you have plenty of space to work with. The shelter's size is up to you. Expect to add about 3ft (0.91m) to the shelter's length for every person who will hide there. A basic 4-person shelter is about 10 10 10ft (3.0 3.0 3.0m) in size. Begin digging out soil to form the basic outline of your shelter. You can do this with shovels, although it takes a lot of time and labor. Move the excavated dirt 10ft (3.0m) beyond the stakes. You will need to keep the dirt away so it doesn't fall back into the trench. For quicker work, rent a backhoe from an equipment company near you. This can get pricey, but speeding up the excavation process is often worth it. Digging a deeper trench means more space and blast protection for your shelter. The emergency exit will also serve as extra ventilation. At the end of the trench, dig a crawl space about 2ft (0.61m) wide and 312ft (1.1m) deep. The crawl space will be right below the soil's surface. Create an exit at the end by digging a small trench to connect the crawl space to the outside world. You can build dirt steps as needed to reach the surface. Pile dirt near the entryway, then begin digging into it with a shovel. Shape the dirt into small steps. Lay threshold boards over each steps, connecting them to side boards with 10in (25cm) lag bolts. Always have a second exit in your shelter to guard against emergencies. Create the main entryway the same way you built the emergency exit. This time, dig on the opposite end of the shelter. You can make this entryway a little wider so you have an easier time entering the shelter. Keep the entryway below ground, emerging away from the shelter's main living quarters. The main entrance will not have air pumps or ventilation pipes running through it, so it may appear larger by default.
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One-sentence summary -- Choose a building area on stable ground away from obstructions. Print out a blueprint for the shelter you want to make. Stake out and clear the building area for construction. Dig a trench and move the dirt out of the excavation area. Create an emergency exit at the far end of the trench. Make a second crawl-way for the entrance.

Hydrochloric, or muriatic, acid, is a strong, corrosive acid. In high concentrations, it can be used to remove chrome plating from metal objects. For removing chrome, an acid solution of about 30-40% concentration should suffice. Proceed as below: Mix 1/3 part hydrochloric acid to 1 part water in a vat used for chemical mixtures (like a heavy-duty plastic bucket, etc.) to produce a 30% acid solution. Alternatively, purchase a pre-mixed acid solution of sufficient concentration. Submerge the chrome-plated object in the solution until chrome strips off. Wash the object thoroughly in soap and water, and rinse before drying. Sodium hydroxide, commonly called lye, is a caustic, highly basic chemical. It can dissolve several types of metal plating, including chrome, but reacts dangerously with water and aluminum, corroding the aluminum itself and producing flammable hydrogen gas. Thus, it should only be used on items that do not use aluminum as a base material. Proceed as below: Mix 8 to 12 fl ounces (about 227 ml to 355 ml) of sodium hydroxide with 1 gallon (3.785 L) of water in a vat made of neutral material (like a heavy-duty plastic bucket). Soak the chrome-plated object in solution until chrome comes off. This may take a fairly long time, so frequently check on your item's progress. Wash the object thoroughly in soap and water, and rinse before drying. Chrome is affixed to metal through the process of electroplating, in which electric current is used to bind chrome to the metal at a molecular level. By reversing this process, chrome plating can be removed extremely effectively. However, doing so can be extremely dangerous. Not only does the process involve a live electric current, but also produces several toxic, carcinogenic chemicals as products of the reaction. Hexavalent chromium, for instance, is one extremely dangerous product. Thus, this process is best left to professionals - the steps below are for informative purposes only. Mix chromic acid and sulfuric acid in water in an approximately 100:1 ratio. For example, you may add 33 oz. (936 grams) of chromic acid crystals and .33 oz. (9.36 milliliter) of sulfuric acid fluid to distilled water to make 1 gallon (3.79 liter). Mix solution in a proper immersion tank used for electroplating, materials testing, and/or chemical treatments. Heat the solution. Keep the temperature of the solution from 95 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (35 to 46 degrees Celsius) for decorative chrome. Keep temperature from 120 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (49 to 66 degrees Celsius) for hard chrome. Run a negative charge from a DC power source through the chromic plating solution via wire. Attach the positive cathode to object intended for stripping and submerge the object into the solution. The positively charged exterior chrome metal will be pulled from the object. Rinse object in agitating running water, then rinse again. Have waste products professionally processed and disposed of.
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One-sentence summary --
Use hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid). Use sodium hydroxide (lye) to strip chrome from ferrous metals and carbon steel. Perform a reverse electroplating.