Commodore Swab

Out of curisoity what did you get? Did she come with a carriage?

I always thought it would be fun to build a model sloop with a hull of about 4 feet (naturally the mast, bowsprit etc wouldbe much larger) and "arm" her with 6 or 8 cannon (also same scale) then make her into a RC boat that could sail tack and engage. Albiet reloading wouldn't be possible so the shots would have to be carefully used. It would be even more fun to have several built and engage each other, all firing blanks of course)

Being a rookie you might want to think about limiting your bore to 1 inch instead of 1.5 or 2.25 Both of these guns, if I am looking at the right ones are 19th century and large being 125-250 for just the barrel. A sutible carriage will cost a good bit as well. The combined weight will require 2 people to move it, especially if it is going on a fort wall like in PiP

Truth be told swab has been my nickname from sailing and deliveries, however my friends feel that an increase in rank was required. We have many many captains down here and due to my number of boats Captain seemed to not be enough so Commodore Swab it was. I just needed to come up with another story

I never really have been one for jewelry making but there comes a time when an option presents itself. . . Several years ago a friend of mine got a beautiful piece/necklace recovered from a wreck. The chain is a woven gold with a combination toothpick ear wax remover hung from it. Another friend of mine is a retired dentist and apparently has some nice wax and a beautiful centrifugal machine. I found a silver chain in Thailand that is woven very similar to the original gold chain. Only it has 2 cast dragons that come together (this is an ancient style not something modern) with the traditional bent u-clip. My thoughts have been along with his and to cast a reproduction of his original piece and then I would hang it from my chain. Finished it would be a reproduction of an original piece of jewlery from the correct era (the ship sank in 1622)

Is this the one that you got? http://www.hernironworks.com/cannons/feswivel2.jpg As for carriage are you building a more familiar english carriage or will you be building something more spanish which is easier since you would be able to use flat steel for the truniun caps instead of having to fabricate them. One bit of advice, I know some of their guns have had a problem with the cores floating while casting. The ones I have seen were cast using a core and were not bored out like the Viceroy does. If your core is good and strait you will have a nice little cannon.

Aye it be good to sees ya here, course you need ta find a crew fa PiP

The boat is still there for free, if you want it you can have it

Calico Jack Flint, Personally I think I will retain my ranks. . . Having set sail from Portugal we replinished in the Canaries, then made for Port Royal barely escaping disaster. Many of our crew were not so lucky including our Captain and Boatswain. We sailed south making for the straits, I was the new Boatswain by now. Rounding the horn passingthru the straits of Magellen it was wonderful tobe heading North again. As we sailed west many small islands were encountered most had savage natives and those that didn't were without water. We made Singapore with a mere handful of men having had most secumb to scurvey. Mustering what stength I could I took 6 men ashore with me where we bartered to gain more crew, the locals cant speak the language and have never seen as grand as this. After several years I was ready to return home having been elected Captain. Our conscripts have learned how to intimadate others as well as man the ship. Once again I was confident in our ability to sail. Having left with the tide we sailed north. As we rounded a small island we were attacked by a much smaller vessel, our cannons loaded with shot tore thru their rigging leaving them helpless, we circled and boarded. Some crew were killed (they were locals and easilly replaced) but fortunatly my friends were all saved. Now I found myself in command of not 1 but 2 vessels making me a Commodore. As we sailed up the coast and around Islands we discovered that the smaller local ship while having a shallower draft was utterly useless on the open water. We sailed for Ayuthaya where I managed to sell the boat, unbeknowset to me at the time I was also given a wife who sails with me now. Making our way back around the Horn we sailed into the more familiar waters of the Carribean. Hearing of the fleet sailing that year we attempted to catch them only to be ensnared in the same hurricane and driven ashore on these misquito infested Islands. Now I am a Commodore without a ship, a wife without a home, and pennyless so if you see me you may call me Commodore Swab

They look great, the only thing I wouldchange if it's possible would be to show the frizzen hit foreward on Cascabel's pistol.

Just out of curisoity what is your cannon project? Most all I deal with is your various implements (swab, worm, ram) and powder box for safety sake.

Actually no on the red pants, these are a traditinal thai pants in royal purple, thai silk

When we got married she was wearing a more traditional Thai dress. My thoughts were the first night/day she can be in more femine clothes and only speak Thai as though she just got here. By the second day her sarong has been switched out to something allowing more movement and she starts speaking a little english. By the third day she is in mens thai pants (traditional) and a more relaxed linen shirt. by the end she has made the transition to full pirate retaining a few Thai styles. I like the sword style and Im sure by the time her clothes are more "relaxed" she will be ready for something and there are some to be had fairly cheaply that I can dress up. After all I work with the Viceroy and casting. I even think it might of been possible for the Commodore to of acquired his own Daab sword while travelling. All in all this will be very overwhelming for her, she has only left Thailand once before so taking things easy might be best even if she does want to look like Elizabeth on POTC Black Pearl.

In 2007 I came down for PiP only managing to be there a couple days (the sailboat was too slow getting there) and had a great time. I missed last year as I was getting married in Siam. This year I plan on coming and bringing my Siamese wife. We are both young and getting started. I have an outfit or two (mix and match) that I can wear that I had in 2007 and most seemed to think it was fine (no shoes no hat though). This year I want to do alot better and will need to get her clothes as well. I have a nice linen shirt but it has more of an orient feel to it since I got it in Bangkok. What do you think of the two of us taking a more orient approach (after all she is from there)? Can you help with any pictures/ideas? As for a tent once again I am on a budget but I have a fair bit of lightweight sun shade material that is white from a sailboat. I was thinking of using this and constructing a tent from it. As for weaponry I am coveredwith a flintlock pistol (which will most likely be turned into a blunderbuss due to the lock size), another flintlock pistol (heavy dragoon), and a small grenade launcher pistol. I also will have a couple of bronze cannons that I can bring that are perfect for a couple skiffs since they are 22 inches in the barrel length and mounted on small naval carriages. I am starting work on a new sword hilt for an old blade that I got upcountry in Siam. My current hat is a simple felt tricorn (home made) which I would like to replace but money once again. I found a pair of boots that have laces which I most likely will bring but only wear if I am walking somewhere else as I prefer to go barefoot. My wife has nothing so far but is in Bangkok for probably a couple more months so if I can get her some pictures of what to look for she most likely can find some things. The nice linen shirt that I picked up was $6, a pair of slops $3.

Im sorry to see you go. You have been a real asset to kepping things going smoothly, safely, and professionally especially with the larger guns. Hopefully you will be able to visit in December as Viceroy and I have been working on a few things you would really enjoy seeing.

Let us know what you want it for, my baby is a 31 C&C not that large, not too small. But the operating costs are more reasonable. Just today a friend called me and asked if I wanted to have a small sloop for free. My baby

Casting it is not a problem nor is making a pattern. I have a friend that can temper/heat treat it. My thoughts along a car spring were more a source for a good steel to cast. Of course I may just send the parts out and have them cast by somebody else. The Viceroy and I will be playing with thisproject when he gets back into town.

If you are still wondering how to remove engraving here is your answer: Take your dremel, a belt sander belt (finer grit if new), the tool for your dremel that allows you to put on a cut off disc or sanding disc, a large dremel buffing pad (the solid one not the sewn one), and a pair of scissors. Ok do you have everything? Take the small screw out of your dremel tool and push it thru the sanding belt from the grit side. Take your buffing pad and push the screw thru that as well. Now use your scissors and cut the belt so that its a circle using the buffing pad as a guide. Now take this combination and screw it into the tool on the dremel. It most likely will be a tight fit depending on thread length and the thickness of your buffing pad. The buffing pad provides strength to the sanding disc but retains flexibility. Using a sanding belt (1 belt makes tons of discs) provides much better cutting on metal whether its aluminum to stainless. I usually use the lowest speed I can, as you work you will get the hang of it real quick. When you get all the marks out there will be some fine lines left by the course sanding disc, then can be taken out by doing the same thing with 320 sandpaper. Once you go over it with 320 you might see some swirl marks, a buffer can take these out leaving a mirror shine.

I was just wondering if anyone would know how to build a spring for a flintlock. Can I cast it in steel and then have it tempered to make it spring steel? Does it need to be made as a flat piece then bent 180 degrees? What steel do I need? Can I cut something like a car spring down then heat and bend it and retemper it? Since this is a home built lock I can't simply substitute in a spring from another lock

Ahh just think if ya had been arrested . . . Free room and board in the keys

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=200336350476 Yes, it is functional and fires a golf ball. Made at CCCW with Lawrence Campbell's help with the barrel Silicon Bronze same as the other cannons he sells

Hmm Projects . . . Well I just helped pour a couple of 6 pounders (bronze with dolphins arms etc), I have a few mortars to finish Like this one I finished. I have a blunderbuss barrel to make in wax to be cast in bronze. There is also a smaller bronze blunderbuss pistol I am working on (completly custom as well) that will have a fold out bayonet. I may make a couple buckles since I will be working with the wax. Once my cohort in crime returns I will be making a new master pattern for roughly a 2 foot cannon that can be done in bronze or lost wax. Oh I also have a bronze grenade launcher pistol that I am finishing up.

Something like this is overkill considering its range is measured in miles but it is 22 inches. . . What I would do if I were you is go by harbor freight pick up a wood lathe and some tools (under 300 possibly under 200) then pick up some simple 4X4s, and turn them yourself. You can make as many as you want. FYI, when you finish you will have a bunch of legit quaker guns

Naturally I don't have the original to make a copy of, but I may try a little cutting.

this is what I am refering to . . .