Quartermaster James

Just a short side note here: It is not uncommon to use cedar spills to light cigars. Usually these are made by breaking the thin sheets of cedar used to line cigar boxes into strips; no sulphur. Never heard of a spill plane before. Thanks for the info Mary.

Happy Birthday!

Aye! Happy Birthday!

So...they're auctioning off gals now? Suddenly, my dating prospects improve!

Nathan has posted some baby pictures over at FF: Philip Allen Logsdon You really have to go take a look!

So, are folks opening their gifts as they arrive or are we all going to open our presents on a certain day?

Nice find. Thanks Bo!

Friends...yes, friends! Friends and associates! After all, we're all legitimate seafaring businessmen (and businesswomen) here. Preemptive Salvage Specialists; waste management on the high seas!

Not the C&W musician?

Light on dark is much more difficult. I cannot say I have ever seen it achieved in this manner. This traditional technique appears to work via two paths: 1) the pigmenting agent (darker bark) staining the exposed pores; and, 2) the agent actually lodging in the cut. There's just not enough light material to stand out against the dark this way. To compound your problem, I suspect the sealant has closed the pores. To get the light blue to stand out, you could increase the size of the cuts, mix the sawdust with adhesive, and apply that as one would fill in gaps around an inlay. Just a thought. You could, of course, get some light blue material and do an inlay, but that's a subject for another thread.

Many Happy Returns of The day to you!

Make sure you get your copy of that book! Congratulations!

If your question is addressed to me: I have not put in enough time with my musket to use it hunting yet, at least not humanely. So it's only target shooting for now. Unfortunately, circumstances this year did not allow me as much range time as I wished, and I am still trying out various ball/load combos for the musket. I haven't even begun patterning her for shot. I do intend to take her out after upland game. She is a fowling piece, after all. The pistols I have not considered for hunting, just target shooting. What do you take with yours?

That's how I make mine. No glue. Tied at the tip (below the ball) then crimped and tied again above the ball. Powder on top of that, flatten, fold the sides in, then fold the top down and tuck it in the diagonal seam. Just gotta work up a bunch with the pistol load now.

I'm not sure how I've missed this thread so long. Anyway, what follows is the recipe I have used to great success. If you've been at any event to which I have brought a rhum cake, this is the one. It was originally from Southern Living magazine (which has never failed me recipe-wise!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brown Sugar-Rum Pound Cakes Rated: 5 out of 5 by 38 members Yields: 20 servings "Two toothsome, rum-flavored Bundt cakes, excellent for any occasion." INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1 1/2 cups butter, softened and divided 1 (16 ounce) package light brown sugar 3/4 cup sugar, divided 4 eggs 2/3 cup milk 1/4 cup dark rum 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons light rum 2 tablespoons water Sweetened whipped cream (optional) DIRECTIONS: 1. GREASE and flour 2 (6-cup) Bundt pans or 2 (9- x 5-inch) loaf pans, and sprinkle evenly with pecans. 2. BEAT 1 1/4 cups butter at medium speed with an electric mixer about 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add brown sugar and 1/4 cup sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. 3. COMBINE milk, dark rum, and vanilla. 4. COMBINE flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. 5. BAKE at 325 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes; remove from pans. 6. BRING remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1/4 cup butter, light rum, and 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a saucepan, and boil, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Drizzle over warm cakes, and cool completely on wire racks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For the adventurous foodie, I recommend whipping up some saffron ice cream and praline rhum sauce to take this dessert over the top!

Thanks Gunner! I definitely prefer cartridges. I just use the ticking when I'm too lazy to roll them! Never thought to just use some paper as wadding. I guess that's what comes from spending too much time around rifle shooters!?!

Been to Dirty Billy's?

Enquiring minds must know more of that fire bucket grill contraption.

Aye! A most hearty HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

No wad, just PRB. Sorry for my lack of clarity; when I say shooting I mean live rounds. My musket is also .69, and she likes the .662 RB. I haven't had a chance to mic the bore on the Tower, but thought I'd start with the .662 with a pillow ticking patch. If these barrels run large, I've also got .672 and .678 round balls at hand. The rule I was taught for a starting point when working up musket loads is 1 grain of powder per caliber. I've never heard any similar rule for pistol loads, but note that they run 1/2 that, or less. I understand each barrel has it's own characteristics (I do, however, suspect this is much more significant in long arms) but was just wondering what ball & load combos others shoot when they shoot live rounds from these guns. Oh! And I am speaking of the round barreled smooth-bore version of this gun here.

Title and description pretty much say it all. Curiosity compels. FWIW: I was thinking of starting with a .662 and 30 grains of 3f.

Then, I believe, it is really March you need police.

Yarrdy yarr yarr! And a ho'dy ho ho! Today is Mission's birthday! (Just thought you should know). Don't be messing with the surgeon, if you know what's good for you, he's second only to the cook in importance to the crew! Happy Birthday Mission!

Yes. Yes I am.

Tinder tubes are period. They were used in Europe as early as the 16th century. They were fancy items though, not common. They don't really get popular until the 1800's and the fur trade. Then you see a lot of them in the southwest. Which sounds like just about where you picked up the trail. Over at the fabric store you can find crude cotton cord (it's used for drapery or upholstery, or both) that works fine in a tinder tube.