Capt. Bo of the WTF co.

EEEeeewwww!!! That's gross! Bo

Is he stilt-walking? He looks disproportionately tall in comparison to the others, kinda like the old stilt-walking clowns of the circus. As far as the leggins...??? What are they working on? are those hides beings de-haired and stacked or something else? Hard to say whay they would use leggins and not aprons as well. Interesting image. What else can you tell us about it? sorry-more questions than answers. Bo

As usual...my computer won't download the file. drat! Bo

Looks like I'm still a go for this year so far!!! A newcomer to the hobby will be travelling with me and bringing his 5 yr. old. I amy bring my 10 yr. old Warren if he feels like a long trip too. I hope to have the grinder semi-functional for this event. (I may just do a knock-up out of pine dimensional lumber and paint it for the first time out). Anyhow, I hope nothing happens to stop me this year, I need to get out and play!!! Bo

Patrick Hand said: "I've posted this before, It's from "The Diary of an American Boy" ...And many thanks for posting this again! I had it saved to my computer and photobucket from before. I'm going to take the advice of the majority and just do the little one for now. The pair of casks on the stand are going to get the bands replaced with willow, but I'll keep them as they are for the time being. Bo

Here is my wheel. It has a chip in it that I hope I can resurface. I won't be doing other peoples knives unless I can get it repaired, but axes and tommyhawks will be OK I think. Anyhow, I have set a goal to have it "functional" by Fort DeChartres. I'll try to keep photo-track of my progress on this one, but I'm not very good at taking pictures. Once I get started on something I pretty much go start-to-finish if everything is going well. Bo

Here's the USS Constitution stuff I was talking about: http://www.techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/pix/ussc/tour1.html "The powder magazine itself, for longer-term gunpowder storage, is completely lined in copper sheeting to keep humidity away from the barrels. Moisture from the hull would condense on the outside of the copper and fall away. Obviously this area had to be protected from sparks and fire -- there's a "light box" arrangement that would allow lanterns to shine into the magazine through glass but keep their flame physically outside the space. Gunpowder kegs apparently had to be turned over every so often to maintain the even distribution of the ingredients" ...again, this is from a historic site so taske what you will from it. Bo

Here's the one that I'm using to base the projects after. http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=29815342 (won't let me imbed this image for some reason) The reason for changing to wooden bands is because that is how the originals were made, and the cheesy copper bands are not tight and look like crap. Bo

I already have the willow growing in my pond. Here are some examples of originals: As far as marking for the size grains, I only know that the kegs were marked "cannon," "musket," and "fine" up until sometime in the mid-late 18th century when the 'X' system came into use by military; one 'X' being cannon, 'XX' being musket etc. The only place I have actually seen this 'X' system referred to is at the USS Constitution historic site, so take that with a grain of salt. I'll try and find the site for that and post it here as well. Bo

WOW! That is fantatsic!!! He has three different grinder/buffer mandrel set-ups! That's pretty amazing for the period. this guy is a true professional grinder. As an aside, is it me or does anyone else notice the frequent number of monkeys that appear in many GAoP paintings/images?!? (That is a monkey above the people isn't it?) Bo

I have these little kegs I've collected from the flea-markets, and have thought about converting them into small kegs for musket powder. have the willow growing in my pond to replace the bands with. What do the folks here think of this idea? Should I do all three or just the little one and leave the wine-casks as they are? They are very well made, tight. Maybe I'll replace the bands and leave them for rum and spirits? Suggestions? I cannot decide. Bo

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nramuseum.com/umbraco/ImageGen.ashx%3Fimage%3D/media/4279/00046_r.jpg%26width%3D160%26height%3D106%26Pad%3Dfalse%26Constrain%3Dfalse%26crop%3Dresize&imgrefurl=http://www.nramuseum.com/the-museum/the-galleries/old-guns-in-a-new-world/case-13-exploration,-settlement,-survival-trade-in-the-new-world.aspx&usg=__Q22LkLq9REMOr6J2nqPI44y6RNo=&h=106&w=160&sz=2&hl=en&start=15&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=NnBEAQ3DrEPS8M:&tbnh=65&tbnw=98&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dspanish%2Bmatchlock%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26biw%3D1575%26bih%3D980%26tbm%3Disch&ei=rb_ITfzLFYna0QGG57nPBw If this link works, there's a nice Spanish matchlock here, but a hundred years earlierthan your target dates. Bo

The escopeta appears to be an 18th century gunne. Not sure if Spain ever made matchlock escopetas haven't seen any yet, still looking though., http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/ccbn/dewitt/adp/history/hispanic_period/escopeta.html Bo

Found my grindstone today! My best friend and I were going through his junk piles in the back forty, and out popped a 14" wheel on a metal stand with modern type rigging. he forgot having it. I will need to do some re-facing and of course make it all more primitive/period, but the stone was the most important and elusive item. This one came free, so that makes things go a lot faster! I already have my oak lumber, and metal aplenty to make all the hardware I will need. I may have it operational by Ft. DeChartres if all goes well. Bo

I went to Mc D's and had a cup of coffee, used the free Wi-fi and BAM; got my book! I now have Exquemeling's Buccaneers of America on my Kindle! Only ($2.41 from Amazon). Now to the Gutenburg site for some freebies!!! Bo

OK, my mother and sister got me a Kindle book for my graduation. I am a technology challenged hillbilly. I figured out enough about computers to get me through college, but still ain't too bright. With my sisters help we got it registered and I ordered my first book, (Buccanneers of America of course!), but I didn't pay attention to the delivery system and bought the one that is automatically delivered through Wi-fi. I'm in the sticks and don't have a wireless connection. So does this mean that when I get to a Wi-fi area my book will automatically load, or do I need to do something else. I tried reading the directions and all but I'm still not clear on this part. Thanks for any help. Bo

Thanks everyone. I ended up with a 3.47 GPA, just missed Cum Laude by .03 dangitt. Oh well, I gave it my best. My overall was a 3.66 average between my 3.86 transfer and the 3.47. I get my diploma and my teacching certification and that is all that really counts anyway! I've been saving a little bit so I might get to come out and pla y a couple of time this summer, and if I can find some part-time elecrtician stuff to do during the summer that'll help me get out some. I've got the forge and welder ready to go too so I can make and sell a few items to help me along maybe. I need to get away from here and play, badly. Bo

Everything is working fine now, sorry I didn't get back to ya sooner. I was finishing up my last week of school and graduation was today. (I'm free to get a job now) musta been sumpthin temporary. Bo

After five long years of studies and hard work, at 2 p.m. central, Bo became a certified secondary social studies teacher, graduated from University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg with a BSE degree. It is official, i can now actively seek full time employment! YAAAAAaay! Thanks to everyone here that lent me their support and stood behind me for moral support all the way. many of you old-timers here have been with me through most of it, the best and the worst of times right along side of me as i made this journey,. Th is place and the people in it have been a big help in ways perhaps you'll never know or understand. Let me just sum it up like this, borrowing from and old Waylon Jennings tune; "I've always been crazy but you've kept me from goin' insane." Thanks to the Pub members for helping me make it to the prize. I got my ultimate plunder! Bo

Still planning on being there to set-up canvas Thursday afternoon at this point,will keep you posted if anything changes. Bo

Thanks. I'm glad it's not just me this time! With this old thing I never know. Bo

For the past week I have had trouble moving from one thread to another, sometimes I have to go to the history and click on the links I have already been to in order to exit the one I'm in. If I use the "back" arrow it takes two or three clicks to get out of a thread and the google address comes up in between one thread and the next. Is this in my computer or is there something going on with the pub that would make this happen? Thanx! Bo

Public education on any level is public service, even with rum added! Bo