fritz

Now we must pacify the Mexicans. Hell yeah, pass a law that gives them all legal residence here. Let them work. They will send the word back to Mexico (faster than a speeding bullet) and their kin folks will clog the highways leading into this country. That ain't the way my people came here, and I don't think it is the way your's did. But the times, they are changing. Not always for the better. fritz

I've never been any good at leather work, and when I see some of the fine finished products (like a saddle down at the feed store) going for around $900, I realize I never will be able to do it. Those folks are true craftsmen. There is a big leather factory in Yoakum and they had a major fire in part of it last month. Many of the employees showed up in the late hours of the night to help move saddles, etc. from the fire. They saved a lot of them. This company hired a lot of people (in fact Yoakum is called the leather capital). But being in a small town, the company is doing the right thing and is going to rebuild and everybody will eventually get their job back. Glad that I'm not a horseman, those saddles are expensive. fritz

One thing good about being older than most of you here, is that I beat some of you to having the first grandchild (and a girl at that). Mine is almost a year old now, and is a good reason to fight the Austin city traffic to go up there and visit the kids. It wasn't nearly as much fun before the grandchild. Congratulations. fritz

Thanks bubbamauser, That's a very good tutorial on tig welding. It doesn't take the place of a few years welding practice, but is about as good a tutorial as I've seen. I see that the Harbor Freight setup has auto start and stop on the gas, and that's good. My setup, while of a higher quality and with the floating ball regulator, does not (at least I always have to shut off the valve on the torch to save gas when pausing for a time). But one thing I have learned is to just go ahead and buy a cylinder of argon instead of renting. That $6/month rent will eat you up if you are just a hobbyist weldor. I have had my cylinder now for over two years, and that would have been $144 just for rent of the cylinder. The rent will cost you more than the argon. Of course at the price it is not AC high frequency, which you would need if you wanted to weld aluminum also. Also high frequency eliminates the need to scratch start, the arc starts when the tungsten gets close to the work. But if you bought AC high frequency, pedal control, water cooled torch, it would not be cost effective for a hobbyist. But it would be easier to use. fritz

Were those all Meskins? The pics are a bit fuzzy. Wonder how many of them were illegal (in the true sense of the word)? I'm for immigration reform too----we have too many immigrants, and I don't want this country to look, act, and smell like Mexico. fritz

I have heard a lot about the feeding problems involved with using a short action cartridge (like the .308 or .243) in a 98/22 or similar long action. I can only say I have built about as many as anyone on these standard length actions, using the above calibers plus the 22/250, and have had no feeding problems. If you do experience a feeding problem, there are simple cures for it. Since you are undertaking a gunsmithing project when you do this kind of work, be prepared for things like this or that. Your case may differ, there are always differing opinions, like on the safety of the 1916 Spanish Nato. fritz

".The company has spent wildly getting us to look the same " Jerry, You may LOOK the same as all the rest of the employees of your company, but I have a C note that says you AIN"T the same. Give 'em hell. fritz

That's good news, Swamprat. I have relatives in Kansas (it's a grest state) and now they will be able to carry legally. Of course, they have been carrying for years. It just now makes it legal. fritz

I guess the court will decide this, but what court? One dominated with Delay people? Or an impartial court? There is a difference. fritz

Yep, Stephen F. Austin he ain't! More like a reincarnated LBJ. And I believe Tom Delay has drank from the public trough for too long now. But you know how LBJ did the same thing, it is hard to get these power mongers out of office with all their power base. That power base is made up of crooks and thieves like him, but they support him. And why not? Only a crook like him can get them all the things they have been paying him to obtain for them. If I may make a guess, I'll bet that him (and a whole lot of his party) will be history in a few years. It don't take but one election to clean house. fritz

Thanks Spiris, I have all the tanks, heater, etc. I just need to read the instructions when I get it. I'm getting bored with hot bluing and bake-on lacquers, so I thought I'd give the parkerizing a shot. Besides, some of the old guns I mess with were originally parkerized. I have a gas tube on a M1 Garand that needs touching up. fritz

Let me add my sympathies for you and the family. I have only a sister, and I know how hard it would be to lose her. Damned, losing someone at 35 years old is a lot tougher than losing them when they are old. I wish I could come up with a better reply to your post, but please realize that there are many of us here that share your loss. fritz

" Now we have two back doors & the one I chose to shoot out of is right by the Toilet window & the Missus happened to be in the toilet when I let fly !!!! Now I have never experianced the concusstion of a .223 in a confined area but she tells me it's impressive to say the least !" Solution---shoot out the other door, or get the missus to use another toilet. I always shoot out the door by our second bathroom. If you have only one toilet, holler something like the golfers do, "FORE". But if she ain't a golfer, she may not understand that a shot is about to hit the fan (so to speak). fritz

Anyone have any experience with the Lauer manganese phosphate parkerizing solution? I ordered a gallon of it, just for the heck of it. A gallon should be enough to immerse a barrel in. fritz

I just got their latest sale flyer, and that welder is $199, not $219. I shop at the Harbor Freight on Parmer Lane in Austin, and it is very easy to shop there. None of the hassle with the here today-gone tomorrow sales held by the fellows who sell out of an 18 wheeler parked in the back of a hotel or community center. I have gotten some fantastic deals from them, but we must remember that they sell Chinese tools. You must take that into consideration. On some items, it's OK. But on big ticket items like tig welders, I take my shopping to the local welding supply store. They know their products better, and are in a better position to steer you right. You might pay a bit more, but that's the way it is. fritz

Even snopes, (those fellows who follow up on claims of the abnormal) have this to say about snakes-- Claim: Snakes have been used as hold-up weapons. Status: True. Origins: And more often than you might think too. Here's one such incident from 1998: INDIA - Muggers with snakes are terrorising women in central New Delhi, a newspaper reported today. In the latest incident three men with snakes draped over their necks and arms surrounded a three-wheeled taxi and started thrusting the snakes toward the passenger. The passenger handed over money and jewellery and the trio ran away. Police say the same men have attacked several other women. And another from 1994: Two people taking a late night stroll in Camden, New Jersey were robbed at snakepoint. A car pulled up near the couple and two men got out, shoving a black snake in their faces. Then two other men got out and went through the victims' pockets. Police said the robbers made off with $20 in cash, a $30 personal stereo and a $95 watch. "Robbed at snakepoint" -- yeah, I like that line Me too, fritz

"Copperheads however, make interesting hides if properly tanned. I'm going to make a hat band out of one some day. Even better would be a coral snake!" Wait until you have been bitten by one of these snakes that God has damned after the Garden of Eden affair. You just might have a flashback experience when you see that bit of snake on your head. Not for me. I say "Kill 'em all, and let God sort 'em out". Seems that the Marines (or is it the Army) has that same saying. fritz

"The smaller ones are rumored to be more dangerous as they have not developed venom control, and hit ya with everything they have." I have heard that too, and it makes sense. The adult rattler (or any other pit viper) has the inbred sense of controlling the amount of venom it injects into it's prey, so as to leave some in reserve. Talk of conservative snakes! The bastards are saving some for their next victim. And it could be you, but hopefully it will be one of the misguided few that occupy office space in some state conservation department. As to crows, I am old enough to remember the little siesos almost putting my father out of the peanut raising business. Peanuts were one of the few profitable crops around here when my father and mother were trying to scrape out a living on poor sandy soil. We were not blessed with the rich river bottom soils on the other side of the county (I still think my ancestors should have put that wheel back on the wagon and kept heading west). Crows loved peanuts, and the little bastards would wait until a farmer had dug them to the surface and then raid them before the thresher could get there. Ask anyone my age about crows! Note my new signature line. fritz

I figured there might be a vegetarian or two here, but these fellows don't help me in my line of work. I raise beef. fritz

Probably some good advise there, but too late for me. My kid went to college on a gas well scholarship. Yeah, all the royalties from it went to the University of Texas. He was smart enough to get a scholarship, but not dedicated enough (kinda like his old man). I now am planning for my retirement, and I'll be the first to admit that I do not understand all the ins and outs of the investing game. I figure that after all these years that I have been setting up annuities and savings accounts, the only way for me not to have enouigh to retire on is because the whole damned economy collapsed. And if that happens, we are ALL in the same boat. fritz

"I have to wonder though, if a copperhead would explode in the same manner as the did the last cottonmouth I killed. " I can tell you this---I have shot one coiled up in a cinder block (the hollow ones) with a 7mm mauser. I can not be certain which exploded first, the block or the snake, but after all was said and done--there was no more block and no more snake. I love it when that happens. fritz

I heard about that woodpecker story. The stupid bastards can't even agree among themselves if it was indeed an ivory billed pecker. And this is America, land of the free, home of the brave. Let me add one more adjective to it---"Home of the ignorant" (which includes tree huggers, snake lovers, and vegetarians). None of which are worth the sweat off my balls. fritz

The dog looks OK this morning, and it appears the bite was on the face after all. There was a little blood on the leg, but that probably came from the wound on the snout. She has the big head now (swollen) and will have to eat soft food and drink plenty of water for awhile. I remember my last lab got bit about three times, by a rattlesnake the first time when he took the bite meant for me, and he swoll up less each time. They seem to build up an immunity after a few bites. But the rattlesnake bite leaves a bare patch on the snout for a long time. One vet told me years ago to not worry about a bite on their head. And he said it wasn't necessary to bring him in. Another vet looked at him and gave him some shots to ease the pain, but that's about all that's needed. I find it hard to believe that any state would pass a law protecting the bastards, they are not an endangered species (let me rephrase that--they are very endangered around here, but for obvious reasons). Obviously any state legislator that would sponsor such a law has never been bitten by one of them I have, and I wish that everyone who likes snakes will get bitten by one. Not once (if the first bite does not do them in) but several times. Maybe they'll develop an immunity to the venom. We could use them as guinea pigs. fritz

It appears this is merely an inverter than inverts AC to DC. You will still need a regulator and argon cylinder, and will merely have a scratch start tig welder. For arc welding, it should be fine (DC) with small electrodes. I have welded many bolts with small rods on DC. Get one of their magnets to hold the parts together while you scratch start, and you maybe should get one of their automatic welding hoods that allows you to see the work as you touch it. Their warranty is available to buy, but will only cover breakdowns and not dissatisfaction with the product. fritz

Just a few minutes ago I heard one of my dogs yelp, and upon searching the yard with a spotlight, I saw a copperhead in the same place as the one that bit me last summer. I called for mrs fritz to bring the pistol while I kept it in the spotlight. I blew it into pieces, but it had already done it's dirty work. My best young dog was bit on the leg. The snake was real small, much smaller than the copperhead that bit me. But since the bite is on the leg, I have heard it is worse on a dog there. Tomorrow will tell. Dammit, I am tired of these snakes. To all of you out there, please do me a favor and kill every one of these God forsaken bastards that you see. fritz