Tartan Jack

I was on a hardware store and noticed the visual shape similarity of the machette to a cutlass. As many of the folks here are "hobby pirates" rather than accurate reenactors, I was wondering what the thoughts were on using a machette as a "cheap stand in" for a cutlass. Before anyone starts, I know that the "real thing" is much more complex in construction, balance, blade cross section shape, and primarily hilt, among a number of other differences. This is one of the few times I may be suggesting a non-historical 'pirate kit" item- besides a kilt ) Thoughts??? Possible arguement for historical-> Machette is a common "bush" item and used heavily in Central and South America today, as well as in the Caribbean. How long ago was it ACTUALLY introduced and could a GAoP person have picked one up on land and brought it aboard ship?

I'll bring the marshmellows!!!!

That release is only AFTER they eat their own parts in a "spam sandwich" (ala the real cutthroats)

DAMN!!!!! Wrong side of the COUNTRY!!!! It is Californi, for all who have not followed the links.

Which is "Mista J's" car? Where do you keep the babies? (Sorry "Harleen Quinzel," I just HAD to do that . . . I am a HUGE Batman fan!)

I meant Interceptor, sorry. Blackbeard ones are FAKE too . . . Found: http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/channel...ax/main_fs.html In video "behind the scenes, saw these images of the Revenge and QAR/Concord: I was "taken" (and I SHOULD have known better). They just looked so good, esp. for a "made-for-TV" (Nat'l Geo./BBC) movie. I thought the "special effects" were the multiple images of the same ships.

Well, the Barbary pirates were Muslim . . . It fits (if your REALLY stretch).

Stern/Rear of 3 masted one: The sloop is single masted and black with red trim (and red walled on inside of top deck). (I'll screen grab a pic whenever I find my copy . . .) The Hallmark movie (staring Angus Macfadyen), uses the Lady Washington. I found some pics of it in reference to that movie (which I understand to be AWFUL!!). She is blue and yellow (and is also the Interceptor in POTC 1).

With the insane number of spammers here, What would be the bast way to deal with them (Let's let out ALL our sickest ideas . . . ) My idea #1: Take the spammers And strap them to the mouth of the cannons for our next broadside!!!!! BANG!!!!!! SPLAT!!!!! Idea #2 (taken from the Assyrians): Take two of them, flay larger one and sew smaller one inside skin. Maroon on isle.

Take those SPAMMERS And strap them to the mouth of the cannons for our next broadside!!!!! BANG!!!!!! SPLAT!!!!!

And strap them to the mouth of the cannons for our next broadside!!!!! BANG!!!!!! SPLAT!!!!!!!!

Here goes: For fun: Pirate stuff: Robert E. Lee's "Blackbeard the Pirate" Capt. Johnson, "A General History of the Pyrates" Benderson Little, "The Sea Rover's Practice" Angus Konstam, "Pirates: Terror on the High Seas" (collection of his 2 Osprey pirate volumes) Angus Konstam, "The Pirate Ship 1660-1730" Plus a few reference books on Scotland/tartans and some on theology/biblical history For work: Allan P. Adamson's "Brand Simple" David Aakar, "Building Strong Brands" and "Brand Leadership" And, YES, I do generally have 8-10 books going simultaniously, with the vast majority used as reference.

Fictional tall ships: Thistle (model converting from Constitution) Tartan Reiver Fire Ant (12 gun sloop) Hell's Skeeter (multi-gun mini-sloop, mostly rail guns) Revenge (every pirate has to have at least one) Modern Fictional CV-44 Midway class aircraft carrier -laid down as USS Mariannas (nicknamed "The Shot Turkey" as unfinished in yard) -Renamed the USS Gadsden (nicknamed "Rattlesnake") and based in Charleston, SC. HMS Thistle (Invincible class British "Harrier Carrier") Road/ships (see thread on christened cars): Reiver Fenix Flying Ocra (Sold) Queen Anna's Revenge Spectre (deceased) Spectre II (sold) Blue Oval (sold) Cheese Block (rental truck) Moby Dick (rental truck) (As my road car situation has changed, I updated this post to include my newest. -July 16, 2009)

Wrong thread, but the 1/54 ones (on Model Expo) will work NICELY! Thanks!

BUT, where to get cheap ones . . . I know PLENTY of metal ones and "train" ones that are 5 for $10-15 (I would need 6-8 packs, THEN convert-> $60-$120). Anyone know of a source for CHEAP ones?

If you read Captain Twill, I am making a plastic model of a pirate ship. It will end up at 1/48 scale (1/4"=1'). I need a crew for its deck. They NEED to be about 1.25-1.5 (1 1/4 to 1 1/2) inches tall (scale 5-6 feet). That is 40mm for you wargame folks. I also need them to be fairly cheap. I want to get 30-40 of them for the upper deck. I can repaint even cheap solid color plastic ones. The HEIGHT is my main concern (beside LOOKING like 18th C. sailors-> No green army men please!). Do you know where I can get them?

Be sure to hoist the Jolly Roger!!!!

Take your ship out of storage and go for a short cruise!!!!!

Seahawke, I found that VERY interesting. It is AMAZING how much people of old did know and how they used their technology. Now that I know a lot more about the under waterline technology, I find it REALLY COOL and understand better what that means and what each element of the tallow solution actually does. I will sand the Thistle's hull and paint it a "dirty black" The planking would probably not be very visible under all that stuff. Interesting element of scale switching. It is remarkable how many details of models designed as smaller scales are actually 1/48, so they can actually be seen. Look at the stairs and bricks of most "HO" buildings. I have used a number "out of box" in O guage. In 1/87, the bricks are the size of cinder blocks. In 1/48, just perfect. Also, train sheds and engine houses make GREAT garages and small industrial buildings. (for rest of my posts in the thread: Thistle=Constitution model)

Got em. Thanks!!! VERY interesting!!!

Related question: (asked here to keep questions together for future searches) How much space (side to side) is needed to operate a cannon. Can a cannon be operated in 6 feet of space or is more needed? In the model in question, if all original cannon ports are used, I have a scale 6 feet of space for each cannon crew. Is that enough? Does it need 12 feet? (6 per side measured from centerline of cannon itself).

I am not exactly sure if I am going to make the Consti into a schooner, Brig, or what the rigging will be. I might keep it a 3 master or make it into a 2 master (as some prizes actually were converted). I will COMPLETELY alter the rigging and sail arrangement. If the plastic masts do not convert well, I could make new masts out of dowel rod, if I have to. The context will be either as a "generic" shelf thing, or sitting as a "museum ship" in harbor on a Lionel/O-Guage train layout. I started particular project (bought the kit) about 7 years ago. Stored it. 3 years ago, pulled out, test fitted, schemed, and put back up. 2 years ago, pulled out kit, glued hull togther. Stopped, moved, left in storage. Since beginning, I have learned A LOT about ships of that era. As a test, I bought a "Jolly Roger" to try techniques of converting that ship into something small. I am rigging it as a sloop (though it is a tad narrow in beam). The Consti/Thistle hull is 24 inches long on main deck and about 5 1/2 inches wide. So, that converts to 96 feet long and 22 feet wide. So, it is actually closer to the scale of the Ranger or Queen Anne's Revenge than a sloop or contemporary schooner (which actually came a bit later than the GAoP). The model's main problem is that the gap from top deck to gun deck is only about an inch (4 feet) If I leave off the upper deck, except in the stern portion after the third mast, I can make the "gun deck" into the main deck. Then again, I might just "fake it" and have the gun deck fully enclosed and less detailed. I doubt ANYONE would think twice about the actual height of the ceiling in the gun deck when all that is visible is ONLY through the gun ports themselves and the deck grates (with "crap" placed on those grates). I will still have room for a "living in" deck and some for an "under hold" for storage in the bottom of the hull. The "stock" gun ports are only about 6 scale feet from center-to-center, so I might have to "close off" half of them. The "stock cannons will only be about 36 with all cannon ports used. The "looser" arrangement makes it to just over 20 cannons (plus rail guns). The ACTUAL Constitution had over 44 cannons, plus rail guns. I "play with scale" A LOT when I build models. I build almost EVERYTHING to approx. 1/48 scale. I tend to truncate things to fit a smaller space. I am planning a version of Atlanta's long dead Ponce de Leon Ballpark in 1/144 (1/3 of the size of the people that will be in the stands and players on the field). I also plan to either add "field stands" ala (Bears at Wrigley, Lions at Tiger Stadium, Redskins at Fenway, and Giants at Yankee) to make a football stadium or make the whole convertible or replacible with a Clemson "death valley"-esque stadium. I am also designing a Aircraft carrier model. The ship itself will be a 1/100 scale Midway-class, as the cancelled CV-44. The planes will be 1/72. The pilots and deck crew will be 1/48. Another project had a very interesting side effect of accuracy. I used 1/72 WW2 aircraft as the base for 1/48 30s air racers. I mixed them with the testors rerelease of the Hawk kits and compared them with ACTUAL measurements of Brown's, Turner's and other authenic designs and they match almost EXACTLY. I am now able to have Roscoe Turner, a Gee Bee, Red Baron, Dago Red, and Strega side-by-side and no one seems to think twice about it. Now, the ships are e bit of a challenge of how unmodified can I leave the hulls and make the decently "accurate" as a different ship type of another era. What I enjoy about models is to take a kit, do A LOT of research and make "my own" version of reality. If I did a real ship (built Consti as Old Ironsides), I am a stickler to the point I don't really enjoy it anymore. Tiny things NO ONE noticed irritate the PISS out of me. I have to be precise and accurate in my work and a"perfect" model doesn't act as stress relief and usually end up unfinished as I am not content with it as it is and want "one more thing." BUT, if I do a "variation" I mix a bit of "artistic" and "creative" and make something unique and that I REALLY have fun doing. A "what if" allows be the flexibility to have my creativity let loose and my "rivet counting" to be held in check. So, a not-quite accurate conversion in exact period details makes a good and interesting challenge that balances the other part of my life. So, here I am asking about the colors. BUT, while on it, how early was the bow arrangement of the Constitution actually used. It looks similar to pictures I've seen of sloops, but not exact. I am actually having difficulty finding good pictures of GAoP bows. I originally picked the Constitution model, as I had been informed that the hull was THE SAME shape as an early schooner or sloop (forgot which). Now, I know that is not entirely accurate. I still seem to recall that the hull itself is "based" on a schooner below the waterline and a frigate above it, producing a very fast and formidable naval ship that was more a match for a British frigate. One book (forgot which) called it "a frigate and a half." I still figured it can make a nice "Pirate ship" model, if not exactly accurate. the model itself is not "Capt Twill," but the paint itself. I also thought it would be interesting and useful for others making models, real ships, and fiction here on the forum.

I am reminded of something I read in my church's denominational minutes from the build-up to prohibition. By the way, it is made up of mainly hard-headed Scots. (A paraphrase, as I do not own the original, nor have I read it in a while) Whereas, we have taken a stand against the production and consumption of alcohol (more reasons here) We would like to encourage or members, notably our ELDERS, and ESPECIALLY OUR MINISTERS to cease the consumtion and PRODUCTION of the said drink, PARTICULARLY PRODUCTION STILLS on CHURCH PROPERTY. Appearantly, there was enough of a problem of ministers and elders producing alcohol, particularly whisky on church property (ministers living in a manse on church property), that they felt a need to publically proclaim it, in writing, in the minutes of synod (which were distributed to each church in the denomination). If you know anything about my particular church denomination, THAT is a VERY BIG DEAL. Usually, such concerns are handled privately and "under the table," so as not to shame a brother or put the church in a bad spot. Thus, it must have been a REAL problem. I have also been told, by a church historian, that some of the MINISTERS and elders simply moved their stills to more remote locations, away from the church property.

Been there, done that. Looked really cool, broken in move. Became a yacht. I am NOT kidding. That is one of the fun elements of models: Making and remaking them into something else.

Calca Non Meum Tread NOT upon me! Don't Tread on Me! You know, that makes a pretty good slogan! With a coiled rattlesnake I think I'll put it on a bright yellow flag!