Dutchman

littleneck, did not mean to disregard your post- sorry. i will take it to the gf's this weekend and get her to do it as i am a bit technically challenged. the brace looks like the drawing hurricane posted. the bit is placed with a screw and tapered slot. there is no rotating handle in the middle-solid wood. and is a straight shaft where the pad on the top is. it has metal supports on the sides at the top and bottom to support the angles.

and the official answer to the dohicky notch on the saw- straight from roy underhill himself...... to mess with our minds centuries later! no one knows. sorry im a cynical bugger- couldn't help myself. anyhow onto the bit and brace. i have heard reference to the egyptians. i cannot confirm that one. personally i can only verify to the 1500's. the brace is mid 1800's at best, i've got one with nice maple furniture. to the bits.. looks like an interesting mix. the three threaded bits are definitely not our period, but are interesting. the top two have no center shaft and the socket end is pretty eaten. you really can't tell a whole lot. does it have any markings? the bottom is recent. the outer edge of the thread is narrow and curves where it meets the shaft as opposed to a sharp angle. all of the bits (except the srew) look good. there is a nice mix. notice on your spade the short throats from the tip i was talking about. GAOP would be longer running about 1/4 the length of the bit gradually , not sharp. from left to right on the bits. #7 & #10- do they have markings- in particular single letters. not like a set of owners initials- but a single capitol leter? they should be different letters.

capn, gracey is standing over my shoulder INSISTING that i tell the truth. ok ok she didn't sleep ALL the way home . .. . . just most of the way....the rest of the way she was studying the insides of her eyelids, BUT NOT SLEEPING!

gary, got it posted. thanks for letting me know about it. never saw the feature before. I typo'd please disregard the April posting for the fest. Captain sterling. was indeed a pleasure to meet for lunch. i can't wait to meet the other fine folks. Grace slept all the way home- go figure.

ladies and gentlemen . . . . .60 days to go. just heard from pern, sites are being plotted. storylines are coming together. i ordered my powder this morning and am hemming my new trousers. the long boats are swelling after being out for the winter. on the mom front, she had the first knee replaced and was up with PT within three hours- didn't get far- but was up and walking. "if i make it 50 feet i can go home right?" shes bound and determined to be at the festival this year.

ok, not the book i was looking for but find a copy of Tool Making Projects for Joinery and Woodworking by Steve Olesin. lots of make it yourself tools. sometimes its the little things that separate 17 & 18th century tools. one of my sets of spade bits is early 1800's, but hold them up to period bits and unless you are really looking at the throats they are the same. i have a period brace and made a copy off of it. other than the chuck set, there are no moving parts. a couple of leather pads provide a little protection for your hands. its a bear but it works. here's one for you. on period hand saws the front of the blade (not the teeth, the sheet itself) is curved with a notch a few inches back from the end of the blade. whats it for?

the guru on what you are looking for is roy underhill from the woodright shop. check out PBS-TV, they have a few episodes on line. as well, he has a few great books out. I have been fortunate enough to sit in on a few of his lectures as well. a true gentleaman all the way around. somewhere packed away is a book on making a basic 18th century hand tool kit. i'll have to find the title for you. as far as bits go- spoon bits are correct. you also have spade bits and gimlets (i don't think i spelled it right) its like a bullet remover- the cordless drill of its day. and i would like to sort of correct you. twist bits were around, but not as we think of them. a twist bit is nothing more than a threaded rod- admittedly a big, wide, sharp thread. they could not bore the original hole but a graduated series of these will enlarge holes cleanly. clawed hammers go back to the late 1500's atleast. whats important to remember about early nails (not spikes or brads) is that many were designed to go through the wood and be bent to anchor it in place a pilot hole also had to be drilled for it. you cant do that with a masonry nail, which some folks try to pass off as a reproduction. you will tear your wood to pieces before it bends enough to hold. measuring- find an old stanley model 64 1/2 folding ruler. its a 24 incher folder thats pretty close. just refinish it and at ten feet you cant tell. there is a hogarth print that depicts a lumber yard. other than givin the impression that men greeted all women by grabbing their breasts, there are good examples of clothing and tools. anyone happen to have a link?? i have plenty more packed away, need to come to the blackbeard fest and see some of my toys. i don't pull the tools out too often, but if i know someone is coming who is interested, i'll bring more than a basic carpenters box, heck for the right crowd i might pull out the adze and give alesson on amputating toes.. hope this helps. -dutch

i knew it!!! airguns were around!!!! so there- i'm off to go make one this very second. the rest of you can continue to have the doglock, slowmatch, flintlock debate. I have my proof! ....well ok not really. wow thats an intersting read. I've found a few things on that site as well, but had not run across that particular book yet. thanks for sharing. i think that is going to be my weekend read if its slow at work.

i'll be there thursday afternoon with grace and willoughby.

cap'n what ever fits your day the best. lunch is fine by me-anything but mexican and i'm good to go. as far as the day, tuesday will probably be better, but let me check moms post-op plan and see when she will be discharged from the hospital. did pern send you an overhead of the venue yet?

capn' i understand it was a good conversation then? I'm off april 1/2. provided moms surgery goes ok, Grace and I would love to meet you for dinner one of those nights. Maybe we can find something between the two cities- if not, we'll head to mr Jeffersons town- no problems. Silkie, what day are you looking to head out- i'll keep my ears open for ya.

soooo????

alas to be smart enough to post a pic. oh well, come see for yourself at the blackbeard festival. she's prettier up close anyhow.

no problems. glad we were able to atleast offer to help. how is the rest of the planning going? are you free anytime betweem march 31 to april 2?

happy brithday from all of us in hampton towne. see ya in a few weeks

oh for pete sake. cant go round wearing rags to the ball, might be able to impress the ladies. capn sterling- setting up on thirsday.

My new Ball weskit arrived the other day, i'm so excited. pern is meeting yet again with the festival folks tonight before our meeting. it sounds like pyrates are evacuating florida for the weekend. if anyone needs help at this end yell. cap'n sterling, was pern able to get back to you on the thursday issue yet? cheeky, any idea on snotty sittin? the looming development . .. . . .shhhh, to be announced. any other folks with questions?

well last year when Lady Myla got tossed in for the drenched by a wench skit, she was only on antibiotcs for two months. the health department says the shell fish are only slightly high on mercury levels. pern had a good meeting with the festival folks today. i saw the preliminary camp layout tonight... not bad, not bad at all. capt sterling- please contact pern. he missed your call tonight due to our meeting- sorry. there will be a new development looming on the horizon........

hey capn sterling, glad to hear everyone is making plans for baths- its just around the corner. i know some things will be setting up on thursday, i'm not sure exactly what though. Pern is meeting with the festival folks today and i left a message for him. I don't know if that was this morning or noon though. hopefully he can get it in time. we are having a gathering tonight so i can pick his mind then.

well internal affairs got all confused. fortunately everyone at work knows what i do so they vouched for my slight of tongue. the senator is still bent but the office cleared it and said to be more careful of my wording. phew- lucked out on that one.

try beginning a traffic stop with AVAST THERE. ior instead of telling dispatch to disregard- belay that last. durring range time, stopping after the first shot and wanting to dump powder down the barrel. and my personal best. yesterday i was talking to a coworker in a hallway. a lady walks by and we exchange hellos then she asks if i'm going to be out this weekend. yeah- not going to miss it. Well this lady is attractive and my coworker asked how i knew her....hang on here it comes. . . . oh' she's a wench. well a female state senator was walking behind us. after the verbal onslaught stopped i now have an appontment with internal affairs today at 1100. oh well......

indeed good captain, plenty of good entertainment and food as well. i have yet to hear of anyone leaving hungry- or sober- for lack of want. just pace yourself- its a long weekend. as far as entertainment, we will have the stage for a song or two, and if memory serves me right i think a group that shall remain nameless but just celebrated 10,000 hits on their site is performing as well. (if i am out of turn here please correct me) plus there is the unknown, its late in the night, lets keep this party going crowd.

yeah thats what we said when we saw the $40 tag too. as already noted the air and space center is hosting the ball so not much we can do there. on a happier note. if there is an urchin sittin issue, please pm me with your needs including the ages of the young souls. we may be able to make arrangements with one of the crews daughters who sits, i'm not sure what she charges. i will say this would be a limited availability and definitely preplanned. no check your kids at the door.

ok fox how bout this. weather permitting- guns on three days. long boats up close and personal (have yer camera ready, tis going to be a good one). GOSLINGS RUM...... and i'm restocking the blood and guts box. The wench is mine, sorry. lets see, i think that covers your needs. anyone else????

odd, boy he had to go way out of the way since you were inside on the finger pier last year. Not a problem. that is a scott issue and is being passed along as i type. unfortunately a complaint like that cannot be stopped but we can make darned certain you won't have to deal with it. some people are going to complain no matter what. thanks for letting us know about it. I only have one thought though... if he came ashore from his bleach bottle . . .would his production kayak be a bottle cap??(sorry long day, not enough sleep) FYI pub members- a "clorox/bleach bottle" is how wooden boat owners refer to some production line fiberglass boats (sail or power) that looks like any other production line boat. Don't worry, fiberglass owners have wonderful names for us woodies as well.