Weekend Steam

80Case shared this video of his 50 HP Case engine on the sawmill at Pinckneyville in 2008. It is a good reminder for us because the Pinckneyville show is coming up August 18-21; next weekend. It's a great show, and maybe the temps won't be so hot this year.

Crankin' It Up

The Cotton Pickers recorded Blue Rose the same day as last week's selection, and it will move your feet! Push the furniture back to the wall and turn up the volume.

Oak Wilt's A Bummer

 I walked around this tree for quite a while hoping to see physical damage from a lightning strike, but finally gave up and cut a twig to find what I figured was there.

The discoloration in the new wood is a sign that the tree is infected with oak wilt, a deadly fungus that always kills oaks in the red oak group.  There were no other sick trees nearby, so this tree was infected by natidulid beetles that carried the spores to it.  I recommended to the homeowner that he take it down immediately, and maybe prevent the infection from spreading through root grafts to other oaks in his yard.  I had a saw with me, and dropped it for him, then checked the sapwood in the stump and butt log.

The disease had already reached the stump, as evidenced by the discoloration in the new sapwood.  The homeowner brought a load of firewood and a barrel, so he could burn the stump into the ground.  Even though he acted quickly, hope is the hingepin of his plan to keep it from killing the rest of the oaks in his yard.

Check these links to read more about oak wilt, and be on the lookout for symptoms in your trees every year.
1,  2,  3 

Can Crusher!

No engine show is complete without a homemade can crusher to entertain the crowd. This ingenious contraption is powered by an International engine, and uses a pump jack to provide the reciprocating action. On display at the SIAM show in June, 2011, at Evansville, IN.

You Could Be The Next Smiling Face At GBR!

 Major Chuck Ziegenfuss wins at the Rendezvous in 2009!

 Mrs. WhiteWolf wins at the Rendezvous in 2010!

Bea wins at the Rendezvous in 2010!

Donors have provided the best bunch of prizes ever this year, folks.  The list includes GLOCK, Hi-Point, Ruger, Weatherby, Woolrich Tactical, Pro-Ears, Leupold; and I am sure there will be hats, T-shirts, and more great gun swag from other sponsors.  You can't win if you don't attend!  The Rendezvous raises funds to provide voice activated laptops to wounded soldiers through Project Valour-IT, so please sign up and show your support.

Photo Credit: Derek The Packing Rat, who is one of the great bloggers you will meet at the Rendezvous.

Win A Ruger SR9C At Gun Blogger Rendezvous VI!!

Stolen from Mr. Completely's blog:  "The great folks at Ruger have come through big time in helping the Gun Blogger Rendezvous in our fund raising efforts for Soldier's Angels and Project Valour-IT. Ruger is donating a Ruger SR9C for our raffle. The SR9 series are a hot item right now, and I'm sure they can sell every one they can make, just as fast as they can make them!"

The Rendezvous this year is going to be incredible, with plenty of activity, and a better list of prizes than ever before.  Click Here to go to the Gun Blogger Rendezvous Site, send in your registration form, and make your reservations.  

Mr. Completely's August e-Postal Contest...

...is being hosted by Danno, over at Sand Castle Scrolls again.  This is the contest to enter this year if you have been shy about putting your handle on the Internet as a shooter!  The folks at The History Channel have joined up with Mr. Completely and are offering some Top Shot swag as prizes to the entrants!  In fact, you don't even have to shoot to have a chance to win!  You must, however, click over to Sand Castle Scrolls, download the target, and send a scan to Danno with your contact information.  I guarantee that you will have more fun if you also shoot your target, but it is not necessary to have a chance at winning.

Weatherby Is In As A Sponsor For Gun Blogger Rendezvous VI!!!

Weatherby PA-08 Synthetic Pump Shotgun

The pump shotgun is one of the most easy-to-use, no-nonsense firearms in the world. Our PA-08 pump shotgun carries that tradition forward in typical Weatherby function and style. Designed on a similar frame as our popular semi-automatics, the PA-08 features a dual action bar design that is straightforward, overbuilt and made for round after round of high volume shooting.

All Weatherby® PA-08 pump shotguns feature a ventilated top rib and brass bead front sight to aid in target acquisition. The vent rib works to dissipate heat in the barrel, promotes a smoother "swing-thru" and gives the shooter an excellent sight line for acquiring fast-moving targets. Each PA-08 gun comes with three application-specific, screw-in choke tubes.

Lightweight and durable injection-molded synthetic stockAll metalwork is matte black to reduce glare
Vented top rib dissipates heat and aids in target acquisition

Available in 12 gauge, 3" chamber

•26" or 28" chrome-lined barrel

Comes with three application-specific choke tubes (IC, M, F)
 

Swivel studs included

Here’s some more great news!

Weatherby will be having an in-person postal shoot during the range day event. Everyone’s invited to have a go with a new Weatherby S2 Vanguard (wearing some new Leupold glass, of course). We’ll collect the targets just for fun, but everyone who shoots will be in a drawing. 1st, 2nd and 3rd will win a raffle tickets for the Project Valour-IT drawing. A little more money is raised for a good cause and the prize could be pretty cool.

In addition, Weatherby’s getting together with our friends from SIG SAUER to have a Steel Challenge three-gun stage on Saturday. Once again, everyone gets to shoot on the clock, but we’ll be drawing for more raffle tickets for 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

This looks to be one heck of a Rendezvous!

Leupold Returns As A Sponsor To Gun Blogger Rendezvous VI!

 

Leupold is returning this year as a GBR-VI sponsor! They are donating a VX-R patrol rifle scope and two of their newest trail cameras to the raffle table.  Click Here to read about these exciting products!

The Rendezvous is only one month away!  Click over to the Rendezvous site, and register with Mr. Completely right away if you haven't already done so.  This promises to be a great get together this year, and you do not have to be a blogger to attend. Only registered attendees can win the raffle prizes, so you better head to Reno!

It's Hardly Like Work!

Back To The Old Grind!