[Boom Master]

Back from our jaunt to Hawaii for 9 months. Jet lag is over. Got 2 1/2 cars running with round tires and batterys charged up. No fan on the trucks air conditioning. Hoping for a fuse.... I'm usually not that lucky.

Seems the carb leaked fuel into the crackcase on the mower. That was fun to fix but needed an oil change for the season anyway. Dirt in the carb bowl holding the float open.

Got to move the office out of the bedroom and back down to the basement. Boy and his wife are moving back from Spain with our grandbaby.

Then we have to get the other bedroom set up for the baby and baby proof the house. Been a while since I've had to do that... 30 years I believe.

The wife is ALREADY on my case about using %$$#@! and &%^&%$! and %$#@! out loud around the baby. We are negotiating about the use of language in the basement and garage where the baby won't be. I used to swear in Klingon at work. May have to go back to that. The grand baby can then be quad-lingual. Spainish, English, Klingon, and Whinese.

The shop is calling to me. Voices in the night saying, "make paintball stuff".

Got a rule not to have more than two projects building at the same time. That might get broken temporarily.

The STKT (See Tank - Kill Tank) anti tank sabot round project that was half built when we left will be completed and tested.

Repair/upgrade to my walking tank so I can just PLAY paintball in it.

An 60-70 yard capable autorangefinder sighting system on my brand new, electropneumatic marker.

Building my first motorized on that mower body. Starting with adapting the hand controls on the ZTR mower to foot controls.

A new and improved autoloader or go for the Holy Grail of cannons and build an belt feed autoloader.

The Sports first 100+yard artillery piece.

Finalize the design, build, and field test another PVC based walking tank prototype that may turn into the world's FIRST commercially made paintball tank kit for sale. Trying to cut a deal with a woodworkers club that NEEDS Money to pay the rent on the their new 10,000 square foot building. They can make some cutting jigs for the pipe sections and box 10 kits or so at a time for sale. They get MOST of the money and I get to write off my paintball hobby as a business to go around and demo the walking tanks.

With the motorized tank insurance still not available, they might make some money...

It is great to be back in Missouri where the weather is not so BORING like it is in Hawaii. They still haven't fixed all the tornado damage at STL Lambert Airport.

[subyrally]

welcome back. i cant wait to see what you come out with next. keep us updated on the walking tanks, that could be really fun.

[JESTERTLS]

Well, glad that horrible 9 month sentence the islands is over. Must have sucked...

What new marker did you get?

[Boom Master]

Well, the weather is near perfect. The beaches handy and beautiful. The driving is strangely polite. But I will not miss the cost of everything you buy. A dozen eggs laid locally is $4.25 a dozen. Jar of peanut butter is $8. Gasoline about the same price as a gallon of milk at $4.40 a gallon. I will not mention the price of what they call USDA Choice Beef. I'm from the midwest and have been spoiled and blessed with the quality of the beef here. Chicken thighs are $4.59 a pound. Can't be a vegetarian here either. Vegetables are $3-4 dollars a pound. The 99 cent head of lettuce I bought yesterday would be $4.

The wife and I go to Puetro Vallarta Mexico in the winter and every 100 yards there is a beach front bar or restaurant. Oahu has very few where you can enjoy a sunset dinner. One at Kolina Resort where dinner, drinks and tip for two is $100. One by the Marina on the Nort Shore. $70 for two and up by the pipeline a tent with plastic chairs where you can get a dinner plate of shrimp kabobs for $13 each. In the winter months you get a sunset from some of the hotel bars/restaruants down in Wakiki. $80 for two. However, L@L and Popeye gives you dinner to go for $10--15 and we take our chairs to the beach and did a LOT of sunset picnics..

Ran into one couple that commented how CHEAP everything was in Hawaii. They were from Australia where they have a HUGE sales tax on everything you buy but very little income tax. They were going to raid Walmart for a two year supply of maybeline make up for his three daughters.

I was getting island fever in a big way. Seen what there was to see TWICE or more. Can't WAIT to go fishing. Locals and I shore fished. Never saw anyone actually catch dinner. The common theme there and here for 'fishing' seems to be an excuse to drink beer and hang with you buddies. You wife doesn't object as long as you come home smelling like fish bait and beer.

Housing to buy or rent is twice what it is here or more.

Now if you have SOME regular income but otherwise are going broke, spend your last $800 for a ticket to Hawaii and join their extensive homeless community. West side of Oahu has tent towns right on the beach. Bus line on the main road behind you to go get groceries and basics. All the beachfront is public and there are outdoor showers and public restrooms up and down the beach. No property tax for beachfront. More than a few have jobs and cars. Just can't afford the housing. Many have pets that most landlords will not allow at any price. It doesn't get cold or hot. Just wet occasionally and the west side of Oahu does not get rain half the year. Has cactus growing there. All those postcards pictures of the rainforests are from the East side where it rains nearly every day.

We paid $1800 a month plus another $400 a month for utilities, pet rent, and an second parking space. If our employer wasn't subsidizing our housing and groceries we couldn't break even living there with two salaries.

A great place to visit but take MONEY.. Maui is WORSE. Refused to pay $15 for a cheap $2 styrofoam cooler. $40 for bacon and eggs for breakfast.

[BlackAngelSS]

the real question is what does a nerf cost over there? lol

[Boom Master]

Mail order. No source anyone could find. Brought 40 for the scenario game. Came home with 12.

[f8user]

Originally Posted by Boom Master

The Sports first 100+yard artillery piece.

If my prototype works I may have beat you to it

[BlackAngelSS]

Originally Posted by f8user

If my prototype works I may have beat you to it

actually i beat you both to it 3 years ago .

[Boom Master]

The arms race is still on. A good sign that our Sport is evolving and offering new things for the scenario players.

BlackAngelSS, F8yserm So tell us about the design and operation about your artillery piece.

[BlackAngelSS]

Originally Posted by Boom Master

The arms race is still on. A good sign that our Sport is evolving and offering new things for the scenario players.

BlackAngelSS, F8yserm So tell us about the design and operation about your artillery piece.

its our mortar. a mortar is light artillery.It fires a 3 inch paint balloon about 70 yards @ 80 psi and 60 degrees or so.(cant remember offhand)

It fires a 4 oz 2 inch paint ballon 150 plus yards (or less depending on the angle of course)

Its a real simple design. you have to wack the valve to fire it. but it works very well and there are never and problems with the valve. you load it stright down the barrel like a real mortar. the 3 inch rounds make a nice mess when you get hit directly by them lol. we can shoot nerfs also buy why bother they cost way more and dont mark anything


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