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Michael A. Terrell

John Husvar wrote:

In article ,
(Doug White) wrote:

Keywords:
In article , "Newsgroup only please,
address is no longer replyable." wrote:
On Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:07:33 GMT in rec.crafts.metalworking,
(Doug White) wrote,
The last time I tried to make a clothespin match gun I discovered that
they've watered down "strike anywhere" matches to the point where the
modern ones (Ohio Blue Tip, I think) will no longer ignite in a match
gun. I was very annoyed.

Check what it says on the box; a lot of wooden kitchen style matches
are no longer strike anywhere, but strike on the strip only.

They are definitely strike anywhere, but they are a lot more wussy than
the ones of my youth.

Doug White

Yes they are, darnit! Makes campfire making a pain sometimes. Have to
resort to a bow drill or flint & steel. (Or a Bic lighter

My friends and I used to make bike spoke guns with old bike spokes and
matches. Take an old spoke turn the nut around and screw it onto the
spoke. Bend a handle of the remaining spoke wire. Stuff the nut with 2-3
ground up match heads and shove a matchstick in the end tightly. (It's a
compressed powder load Light another match and hold the flame on the
spoke nut. After a short wait, KABOOM!

Cracks like a .22 pistol shot. Much more powerful than one would think.
It once brought my father outside asking who was shooting so close to
the house. I showed him one of the things and he forbad me ever to do it
again.

Then he took me out and bought me my choice of a first handgun, a S&W
.38 Special. Said if I was old, smart and, determined enough to make
that thing, I was old enough to get a handgun and learn how to use it
properly and safely. I had to buy my own ammo, though; Paper route time!

I often shot with (and outshot some of) the Steubenville cops who used
the old sandpit a few hundred yards west of our house for a practice
range.

Oh, BTW, I was 11. Now, I'd probably be arrested and sent to Juvie Hall
for Making a Destructive Device, Then to a foster home. My parents would
be charged with Child Neglect/Endangering and Giving a Handgun to a
Minor or some such nonsense.

I made a toy gun from a broken window shade once. You would wind the
spring all the way up. then push the homemade trigger to release it, and
a small rock. It would send the rock about 40 to 50 feet, and hurt like
hell to get hit. I left a lot of bruises on a couple neighborhood
bullies. They would be so busy laughing at the way it looked, that you
could get a couple feet from them. Then you just waited till they
reached for it, and let them hit the trigger.

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida