I Got it!

[Leonredbeard]

I took Runnball's advice and put my nitrate into hot water, six tablespoons to a quart of water. This was the mix for Hemp cord that I found on that website. Then, while the water was good and hot I stuffed the hemp cord into it. Then, when I pulled it out after at least six to eight hours, I allowed it to dry to damp on a flat surface that wouldn't absorb water so as not to suck the nitrate out of the cord. Then I hung it up to dry in the house. Once dry there, I put it into the electric range oven at warm and let it bake for an hour.
So I took a short piece out this afternoon in soggy atmosphere and lit one end. Then I lit the other end with the first end. Both ends burned without quiting, occasionally sparkling along the outside. It scorched the wood I had it hanging over before going out in the middle. The coal on the end was always red and smoking. When I would snap the ash off the end the coal was hot and would not need blowing on to light the pan. Then I tried a piece that hadn't been baked and I had some trouble keepng it burning. So, when I hunt with it I will definately cut a piece twelve to fourteen inches so I can get a fresh piece out of the ziplock bag after an hour or so.
volatpluvia

 

[PitchyPine]

Sounds like i sent ya cotton rope for nuttin, maybe it will work for target use. :thumbsup:
Glad ya got it going :thumbsup:

 

[mazo kid]

That is interesting about the baking technique, where did you learn of that? I don't recall seeing that mentioned in articles on making match cord. Have you tried that with Lenn's cotton cord?

 

[Leonredbeard]

Pitchy,
I'll give it a try anyway.

Mazo,
It is really wet here in eastern Pennsyltucky and I knew it was not getting dry enough. I knew I could get it dryer by putting it in the oven. It isn't actually part of any recipe, it is just doing what I had to to get it done.

volatpluvia

 

[benvenuto]

hemp's good stuff

 

[Musketeer]

Just wait till the Feds hear that volat's smoking hemp (slowmatch, that is) in his backyard... :shocked2: :blah:

Volat, glad to hear you found a workable method. Humidity isn't something I'd considered, since it's basically nonexistant here in the AZ desert. I can soak a bunch of cord overnight, set it outside for an hour (or half an hour in the summer), and it's bone dry (not to brag or anything :grin: ). You mentioned keeping a piece in a plastic bag. Maybe yoou could pop a dessicant pack in the bag too, either ready made like These or perhaps someone knows of a cheaper homemade version? :hmm:

 

[Leonredbeard]

Musketeer,
Hee! Hee! Hee! I think the rope,once baked, will keep in the plastic bag. But desicant mightbe good.

Pitchy,
The rope arrived today. It looks to be three eighths. So I immediately stuck my shooting stick in the ground outside the window of the garage so I could see it from where I was working. I cut a six inch piece off and lit both ends so it would self index hanging on match keeping hook on the stick.
Whooooooiiieeee, does that stuff burn! Half inch long red coals on each end. Smoking the whole time. Then I went out and flicked it off the hook so I wouldn't scorch the stick anymore than I already had. It fell into the grass and just kept burning until the white rope disappeared in the middle and it was just an inch long red coal. That glowed untile there was nothing left to consume.
It is too large a diameter to use in the dog of the Lively Bounce, but it certainly will work for any lock that has a big enough dog.
Thanks again.
volatpluvia

 

[PitchyPine]

They call it 1/4 inch cloths line rope but it seems thicker.
Well now ya gotta reason to build another matchlock with a bigger dog. :thumbsup:

 

[Leonredbeard]

Pitchy,
Hmmmnn! Well, I won't be building for a while. Ms. Audrey and I are leaving for Mexico for two years as voluntary missionaries. I know the government won't let me build firearms there. But then that is not why I'm going. We will be in a town called Chapala on the lake by that name. It is about 40 miles south of Guadalajara.
I will have internet so I will be able to keep in touch.
volatpluvia

 

[PitchyPine]

Couldn`t be anything more important than spreading the word at this time. :bow: :hatsoff:

 

[bioprof]

Good luck on your new adventure. Keep an eye out for some of the native wood down there. There's a tree in the southwest called the screwbean mesquite that makes very beautiful gunstock wood. I don't know if it is found that far south or not. Even if you can't build muzzleloaders, maybe you can collect some wood for future builds or for smaller projects like knife making. God bless you and your wife for doing the Lord's work.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

You are a better Man than I Gunga Din!!!

:bow: :bow:

 

[Leonredbeard]

I do thank all you gentlemen for your affirmation and encouragement. I must say that this has been a dream of ours for a long time. So the sacrifices we are making seem slight compared to the delight and joy over being able to do this.
Thanks again.
volatpluvia

 

[Musketeer]

Volat, allow me to reiterate the best wishes of the others. Godspeed. :thumbsup: I'll miss seeing your latest muzzleloading contraptions, but at least you'll be in touch. Please continue to post as often as you are able and let us know how things are going. :hatsoff:

Btw, when do you and Ms. Audrey embark upon this mission? :hmm:

 

[Leonredbeard]

Musketeer,
We are planning to leave Leola, PA, USA on the morning of January 1, 2009. With a number of overnight stops on the way we plan to arrive in Chapala, MX on January 7. Our older daughter and her husband and two of our grandsons live nearby in Elizabethtown, PA, and we have been spending as much time as possible with them. Then we will stay in Ohio with my sister and her husband, then with our son, his wife and our other grandson in St. Louis, Mo. Then we stay with our younger daughter and her husband in Houston, TX. Then stay in Laredo, TX, then...
volatpluvia

 

Watch yer top knot in Mexico. Some parts aren't that civilized.

CP

 

[Leonredbeard]

Thanks for the warning, Claypipe. There are many dangerous places in the world. We will be watchful.
volatpluvia

 

[Leonredbeard]

I don't know what happened to my hemp in the meantime, but I had a fun time keeping it going while hunting deer yesterday and today. I managed to limp through both days with a hot match most of the time. Of course, it doesn't matter what you are carrying if you don't get a chance to shoot. I spooked the only legal buck I saw yesterday before I got a chance to pick up the 'lively bounce'. Our host was playing back up with his modern bolt rifle with scope. He was sitting 60 yards away laughing his butt off at the antics of of two old duffers with muzzleloaders and ADD. He saw three times as man deer as I did. He had to whistle and point for me to see most of the deer I did. The great white hunter I ain't. But it was good to share the time with two good old boys. Hee Hee!
volatpluvia

 

[Musketeer]

Sorry you came home empty handed, but as long as you hade some fun and shared some quality time with good friends, that's the most important thing. :thumbsup:

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

Volatpulvia, The wind has to be just right before you can get near a deer with a lit match! A human can smell the burning match 300 yards away! I have been through this and it was a hoot!!! I din't have any problem with bugs while I was hunting with a matchlock! It was great fun!
:thumbsup: