Littleneckhalfshell

Actually, yes, not sure where or how you would get as much as you might need, but onion seed is a great black powder substitute, my brother and father use it for coal in model railroad displays. most likly it would be 4-F size powder, nice and jet black. see http://tinyfarmblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/spr2007_germinationtest.jpg for a picture of onion seed.

Which lanterns were those, I saw the movie, but don't remember. Are you speaking of a battle lantern used between decks, or one of the lanterns that hung from the masthead, or the Stern Lanterns, (I believe the one that was used on the raft to confuse the following ship) ? A mast lantern is to be found in many places, here's one for example http://www.AuroraHistoryBoutique.com/ahb.cfm?a=D000099 but I would imagine that the LARGE stern lanterns would be hard to find, plus they were I believed fueled by whale oil, another difficult commodity to acquire.

Wow, I like the look of the bar area, all closed in like they were to keep anyone from pilfering, but the photos were a bit disturbing from what I usually think of CW. What the heck were all those Power Tools doing there?!!! Heck, they make their own bricks, they hew timbers with adz and whip saw, the blacksmiths make the hardware, or at least that is what I was always led to believe, and now I see Power tools of all things, plus the window hardware sort of looked, gasp! galvanized?

my brother is growing some, but from what I can tell, they take three months or more to cure after you harvest them. Just to make sure, you are looking for 'Lagenaria siceraria' and they go under the name Calabash gourd and Bottle gourd, and Bird House gourd. from what I can tell, they come in different shapes too. But it seems the only thing online that you can buy is the seeds mate.

the hard part is finding what you need, lots of stuff out there on the NEW style carriages of the english pattern. RIPP Tar had a fine link posted to the english pattern, but there is the rub, there are a lot of detailed drawings out there for the english pattern The book "Round Shot and Rammer's" has a nice two view drawing for a naval or garrison gun, but again, 'new english pattern' MorganTyre also posted a good book link, but again, no bed, new english pattern! What we need is a good early pattern drawing for the earlier 'Full Bed' naval carriage. But I have no idea where to find one. Sometimes refered as a Spanish pattern. Bright posted a picture link http://www.gutenberg...3-h.htm#page046 that actually shows a full bed carriage, but line drawings like the ones RIPP Tar for a bed carriage would be a blessing for anyone trying to make a true period depiction of a GAOP naval carriage.

Uhh, carefull Kian, I think for NY state, the flinter handguns are ONLY ok if you do not have the means to send a bullet out the barrel, in other words, you might be ok if you have Black Powder, but if you have a ball that fits the gun, then it does fall under the NY state requirements for it to be listed on a valid Pistol Permit. I wish it were not so, because if you have a pistol AND a rifle that have the same caliber, you are up the creek, even if you never 'live' fire the pistol with ball, you have the balls that you use for the rifle, and they will work for the pistol, so you need a permit. anyway, that is my understanding.

When there is a nation of 300+ million people doing tens of thousands of things every day, the most idiotic things are going to happen. There isn't much that can be done about that. However, I believe individuals need to take responsibility for their actions, however stupid they are. (And people aren't stupid, some of the things they do are. Each of us does stupid things, that's not the issue. The issue is what happens as a result.) This guy seems to have taken some responsibility for the whole thing and no one was harmed, which will probably dampen any fallout from this incident. I'm not even arguing with anyone's comments, nor have I been, I'm just spouting off on the larger problem behind the incident. We're all talking about this one guy and what happened and ignoring the elephant in the room. We all live in fear of Them taking away our right to buy black powder weapons. That's sad. Making laws to protect people from every random incident like this is to fritter away the freedom to do potentially harmful things. (And it's not just us - it applies to roller coasters, bungie jumping, hunting, rock climbing, white water boating, archery, flying and any number of other crazy things people do for fun.) The problem isn't some guy and his cannon, it's that it was publicized and there is probably a lingering notion in some people's minds that something needs to be done about it (which usually means, "make a law prohibiting access to cannons" or whatever.) Some day, something awful is going to happen at a event, despite the well thought out rules and best attempts to police ourselvees. It's a matter of time and odds. (Which is not to say that policing shouldn't happen, it should. Without this the odds go up dramatically.) What will happen as a result is the issue. What should happen is that people should take responsibility for whatever thing they've done instead of relying on some outside organization to force responsibility on both them and, more importantly, the much, much larger group of people who act responsibly. I vote for Misson for President of the common sense party! If common sense were not apparently 'outlawed' there would be a lot less 'reactionary laws' passed in this nation and the liberal media just uses things like this to fuel their push to abolish personal liberty and have everything under the control of the Aristocracy (read- Life long liberal government hacks) NJ is one of the worst states for this reactionary law making, even the Sling Shot was banned here because someone did something stupid with one.

I have heard that poem before, was it posted here on the pub?

As to size and length, I found the following online for the Napoleonic war period "During the period of the Napoleonic wars, the naval cat's handle was made of rope about two feet (60 cm) long and about an inch (25 mm) in diameter, and was traditionally covered with red baize cloth. The "tails" were made of cord about a quarter inch (6 mm) in diameter and typically two feet long. A new cat was made for each flogging by a bosun's mate and kept in a red baize bag until use. In Trafalgar time, it was made by the condemned sailor during 24 hours in leg irons" So the whole of it would be four feet long, if my math is correct.

Technically that is a braided cat not one made from a ropes end. To make one the way it was described, you have to unlay the three strands that make up the rope and whip the rope with twine at the point of the beginning of the full rope handle, so it does not unravel. and then divide each strand into three groups of yarns, thus yielding the 9 tails, knotting the divided yarns at their end. The bigger the rope, the thicker the tails can be made.

Lady Brower, with your tag line "Hell Hath No Fury like the Wrath of a Woman... No that's it. She doesn't need a reason." It does not settle well, that you are taking such a keen interest in this topic. 'What kind of rope would one use?" sounds like the beginning of a plan. I shudder to think about it.

my main question is, how exactly do you attach that to the cannon?

aye, it look to be a find time had by all, except I think the picture be taken early in the proceedings as many of ya'll still seem to be able to stand Hope to be working on my own pirate cove, ye give me inspriation, ye do.

Just a note, the August 2009 Wooden Boat Magazine has an update on the Cutty Sark. it is going to be rebuilt, the damage was not as bad as first thought since much of the historic material had been removed to other storage facilities for restoration. Another side light to the VOC replica, that I was not aware of is that the Cutty Sark had Iron frames, just like the replica did, though for the replica, it was not authentic to the ship it was portraying. Nice article in Wooden Boat

The article stated the following about the possible cause of the fire: ""The cause of the fire was being investigated, but NOS said it may have been started by an electrical short circuit."" That's the trouble with that 'electrical' stuff, not a good thing to mess with, especially around water. Not so sure it is a good idea in houses either. Now if they had made it like a true replica....... hmmm candles and lanterns, not so sure that that is much better. Sad about the ship though

not so much crust, only the bottom and the top, the layers are all vegetable & meat, usually three of the "5" making a total of 15 layers of the veg. & meat between the two crusts.

Our family has had a meat pie from way back that is a little bit different. it is layered. first layer placed on the pie dough is thinly sliced potato, second layer is thinly sliced onion, third layer is thinly sliced carrot, fourth layer is thinly sliced roast beef (leftovers) and the fifth and last layer is thinly sliced tomato. each layer is lightly seasoned with some salt & pepper and a very light dusting of flour to help make the gravy. After you have one full 5 ingredient layer done, you start over again, and again, until the pie is as high as you want it, then you cover it with the second pie dough, give a couple of slices through to let the steam out and cook until knife tender. even better the second day, if there is any leftover.

http://www.wired.com/culture/design/multimedia/2007/05/ff_weta Expensive, but the pictures are good for inspiration, but for a practical weapon, I think Patrick Hand's gun is excellent.

This site has some close up pictures of some of the Steam Punk stuff on Warehouse 13 "First Look: Steampunk Gadgets Go Wild in Warehouse 13" http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/06/first-look-steampunk-gadgets-go-wild-in-warehouse-13/ The Farnsworth (voice video communication device) The Tesla gun (electric stun gun)

check out this site "Steampunk Gadgets Go Wild in Warehouse 13" for a picture of the 'Tesla' gun on the SyFy channels Wharehouse 13 http://www.wired.com/underwire/2009/06/first-look-steampunk-gadgets-go-wild-in-warehouse-13/

I am watching the first episode of 'Warehouse 13' it is filled with 'steam punk' like stuff. I think this has potential ;-)

Found this on the net regarding the Declaration of Independence, from last year. Attached was a picture of the traveling document. http://www.startribune.com/photos/?c=y&amp...declaration.jpg It looks real good for something that is over 233 years old. Declaration of Independence, picture Rare copy of Declaration of Independence on display in Minnesota today By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune Last update: May 6, 2008 - 7:59 AM Declaration of Independence Minnesota History Center A rare, original copy of the Declaration of Independence goes on display today in Minnesota. The document will be part of a display at the Minnesota History Center, starting this morning until May 18 as part of Minnesota Statehood Week, which commemorates the 150th anniversary of Minnesota becoming the 32nd state. This copy, known as a "Dunlap Broadside," is one of only 25 remaining original copies printed on the evening of July 4, 1776, at the shop of Philadelphia printer John Dunlap - and the only one that travels for exhibition. Another copy was sent to Gen. George Washington, who read it aloud to his troops. Still another copy was sent to England's King George III. The document is valued at more than $8 million. The Declaration will be on display for free public viewing at the Minnesota History Center.

A second thought on Paper, I seem to remember while looking at information on hemp rope and hemp canvas, that they said that the Declaration of Independence was printed on Hemp based paper, so there is another choice. Hemp canvas, hemp clothing, all yield the raw material for the paper maker when they wear out and are no longer useful for their original intent, they become rags. The rag collector was a trade that supplied the paper maker with what he needed to make his paper pulp. No wonder paper was so expensive in those days.

Actually, I don't think you would see much in the way of yellow or age at all. Remember that in those days, even up to the Civil war, Paper was made of 'Rag' content, not wood pulp. The process and idea for making paper from wood pulp only came into being in 1844, at first in Germany, and thus is way out of our period. It is the wood pulp based papers that yellow and become brittle with age, not true rag content paper. The yellowing and brittleness that is found in old wood pulp paper is due to the residual acid that is left in the paper from the process, you can preserve wood pulp paper (newspaper articles, etc) by treating them with something like Pepto Bismol or another ant-acid, it's true. Books printed on rag based paper before the civil war are in better shape today than books printed on wood pulp from the 1970's. So really, anything on paper, should be a good linen rag content paper or other period style paper, not wood pulp for GAOP