Capt. Bo of the WTF co.

Do they allow transplants the honor of being called OKIE!?! That is cool! Most places, especially Mizzourah, don't allow transplants to assume the lcal titles of honor. Very clannish here that way. Heck, I'm a Missourah native but will nnever be accepted as anything but an outsider in this area. I was thinkin about looking for teaching jobs in OK., now I might consider it even more if they recognize transplants as family after awhile. Been here in this area since 1997, ran my own electrical business, helped build half the new additions to Warsaw business district, and still get treated like a tourist. Bo

What a wild day this has been. I was going to Sedalia to pick-up books for my son's summer classes at the community college before I left for Joplin. Guess what I ran into? http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110525/NEWS11/110525029/Officials-assessing-damage-Sedalia-after-Tornado-injures-least-15?odyssey=mod|mostview So this happened just as i was approaching from the south on 65 hwy, and the Highway patrol turned me arouund about a mile south of the city limits. here were tree branches and debris on the road there. On my way back home to prepare to leave for Joplin my aunt called to tell me that they are overwhelmed with volunteers and are not issuing any more permits to volunteers in order to restrict access to the area for emergency personnel to do their thing. Totally understandable. http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110525/NEWS11/110525019/More-tornados-Missouri-Joplin-continues-recovery-efforts?odyssey=mod_sectionstories So, as I am putting my tools waya, the sirens in the two towns closest to me start going off and we get slammed by heavy rain wind and the whole show again.. A tornado went south of us and we were under warning for a couple of hours again. we are expecting another round as the system is hovering over kansas City area and spreading out from there. Right now the sun is shining and the birds are singing. Ten minutes ago I had to turn the lights on and it wasraining hard. I guess I'll stay-put till I hear from the red cross volunteer organizers. At any rate the trip was a bust. Sounds like I may be working closer to home before long. Dang what weird weather pattern we are having this year! Bo

Maybe this has been posted before, if so just ignore this, but i found this site while looking for other things and meant to post it here awhile back: http://www.artifacts.org/ Bo

Not sure yet what is going to happen, but I am going to Joplin to help with clean-up and re-building efforts. I am unemployed anyway and it would be shameful for me to sit and do nothing when I could be doing something useful and necessary. If for some reason I am not going to make it, I will see to it that the trailer with all the tents and stuff gets there. Silas, you got a 2" ball hitch on that battleship van of yours? Anyone else in the area going and willing to haul my little 4X8 trailer (just-in-case) please let me know. It pulls good and has a flat-four lighting connector, spare tire, etc. I am still planning on attending myself at this point, but I do not know where this venture may lead nor how it will play out. Bo

I am planning to go down and volunteer my services wherever needed. I have relatives that are going to put me up and there is much to be done. I am unemployed anyhow and there is need of electircal and construction experience I'm sure. I may be skipping that trip to Fort deChartres after all. If that happens I'll have to send the stuff over with someone else. It just seems like I am being called to do something here and I cannot ignore this feeling. Bo

Would you settle for being marooned on a deserted island with a cellar full of rum and Kiera Knightly? Bo

Yes it actually was. Some of the coins were silver dollars and worth quite a bit. The knife wasn't woth much, neither was the other one but they were both on top of the showcase. The lock on the sliding doors had been very neatly picked and was still lying on the floor. He was scheduled to have a new security camera system installed next week, but it won't help on this one. He will be on the look-out for "pyratey" stuff for me though (He's my ex-wife's "new" husband. Strange I know but we all get along really well). Bo

There are usually several vendors selling leather or even pre-cut belt blanks. I'll throw in my strap-cutting tool if you think you'll need it. The trail to the river will likely be underwater, and sinkholes are a very real possibility with all the flooding and rain. Then there's ticks and chiggers to consider. If you are up for danger, adventure, and misery there should be plenty to be had!! Of course, the river may be just on the other side of the levy by then too, so all you have to do is climb up and look over. Bo

MISSING!!! It looks like the flea market owner got hit by shoplifters yeseterday. He is missing two knives, some rings and other jewelry, and some coins from a case this morning. The one I was going to photograph is among the items missing. Not a happy man today. Sorry about the build-up for nothing. Bo

My cousin was on her way to her car in the parking lot of St. Johns when she saw the tornado coming. She was able to get back inside and into a stairwell and ride it out. My aunt's hous escaped major damage but just a feww houses away, there is major damage and complete destruction. No power in their neighborhood of course. I remember every tornado and microburst I have been in. Nothing makes you feel as helpless as sitting on your butt waiting for it to end, wondering how it's gonna turn out. My thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones. It is a hard thing to wake up to everyday, this I know. Bo

Just heard from my sister through the family phone relay that my cousin is safe and is at home with my aunt and her daughter. My aunt's husband is still missing his daughter and grandaughter though. Thanks for the kindness and support. Thos of you still in the path of these storms be wary. They are bad as I've seen and I've seen a few. Bo

I hope all our southwest Missouri and northwest Oklahoma bretheren and sisters are well tonight. Northwest missouri git it this wfternoon also. Northeast and north central Missouri is getting hammered right now too. We managed to stay between the two systems as they moved across. Just some heay rain and wierd skies for awhile here. We are missing one of my cousins at the hospital in Joplin. She worked as an RN at St. Johns in Joplin, which was totally destroyed this afternoon. We hope for good news but for now we just don't know. I have not heard from my aunt in Joplin yet, but she was able to get a call to my mother in Arizona before the phone tower was overwhelmed with calls. Stay safe everyone, and keep a weather eye on the sky tonight and again tomorrow. we are to have more of the same. Bo

Sorry, I forgot my camera yesterday. The dagger is still there and I'll get the photos tomorrow. The owner and I have struck a deal on some other stuff so I'll be there tomorrow for that anyway. I will get the photos and maybe even have a better price than what is on it now. It is an older (ca. 1970s)India made tourist piece but not totally useless. It has a red velvet covered scabbard that has seen some age but not use or abuse so it doesn't look brand-new. Asking price I think was $21, but I think I can get it for a little less. Bo

Will do. I'll be going to a gathering of old fart mountainy men in the morning. I'll be passing right by the market and post the price and photos if it looks like something that might work. Bo

OK, so I'm exagerating a little, but not by much. Remember, I started doing the ACW and mountainy-man thangs back in the 1980s, and I am a dumpster-diving-pack-ratting-collecter of junk...er..umm... purveyor of quality second hand merchandise. I have collected quite a lot of crap I never use, but thought I might need someday, or bought because it "lookes cool". I don't know if White Trash and Pyrates on the same street is legal in Illinois! I'll pack anything that looks like it might fit in with the Pyrate camp. Bo

There is a decent Kukri type dagger at a local flea market for not much money IIRC. Do ya want me to check on it this weekend? I know the owners and I'm sure they'll let me take photos of it. Bo

I have two-five gallon water jugs I usually bring,and a GOTT orange cooler if you think we'll need it (I have a nice clean well here that has never made anyone sick) plus a case of bottled water. I will also bring 10# of taters and some onions. We usually have too many eggs so I'll bring a couple dozen fresh brown eggs from here as well. Anything else I can bring with me to help out? We have some venison that will be making the trip also. I have about three hundred pounds of cast-iron cookware if you need anything in that area. I have the huge three-legged skillet, two sizes of dutch-ovens, I don't know how many skillets, a rectangular griddle, and two sizes of round griddles. My folding table that was there last year, and tons of other stuff if you think you'll need more "props" for the ambiance. Let me know if you need any of that sh....stuff. Bo

So, when I show up with the tents, just ask for the pyrate camp location? I'll be travelling with two young men just getting started in the 18th century stuff, one is 1760's Morgan hunter, the other is just getting started and this will be his first event, so we will be camped with the hunter types reckon. I hope to have my knife grinder set up on a temporary stand for this event. Hopefully no last minute snafu jumps out and grounds me again! See ya Thursday. Bo

See me at the Fort DeChartres. I think I can hook you right up, and you can maybe pick from a selection too. Bo?

I think I fixed the photo link, can't tell from here. I also finished the double linstock, except for fitting it to the stock. I know I'll just screw it up cause my woodworking sucks. I'll put up some photos later. Bo

I've been reading Exquemelling's Buccaneers of America on my Kindle! Just turning it off for the night and get some sleep; gonna work the forge tomorrow while the weather is cool. Bo

Found some more stuff when I was cleaning up the shop. I started to make the double linstock last year, still need to put the coils ont the ends to hold the match, and find someone to put it on the wood handle I have for it. I stink at woodworking and I'll just screw it up if I try it. There is also a simple linstock I threw together from some scrap brazing rod and a dowel I had laying around, and a gun worm for an 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inch bore. There was also part of a list laying in the box with these but the mice chewed it up and I cannot make out what was on it. Here's the stuf I'll be finishing tomorrow and probably offer up for sale: I'll be making more gunworms this week too if anyone is in need. I've got some more old brazing rod I'll be trying to reproduce the musket worms from the Whydah wreck arifacts. *I had to go back and re-post the pictures; forgot that when I created a new folder on my photobucket for my projects.* Bo

Thanks! I'll be looking forward to it. Bo

I fired up my forge today finally after...way too long... and made a couple of strikers for a feller on the frontier folk site. He wanted this design (this is as close as I could come) because it has a screwdriver (turnscrew) on one end. I had to temper that end differently than the striker section and I haven't done this for awhile. They both came out OK for my first attempt, they both take a file to work the turnscrew edge, both turned my lock screws without breaking off or bending, and they both throw a good shower of sparks. Only time and use will tell if my dual-temper procedure worked or not. o-far so-good. Bo *forgot that when you move photos into another folder the links get broke!*