Sorry havent been on in a while. Lifes been hectic. But made the most beautiful easiest project to date. Forgot before pic. Was bleached white and dry as a desert fom exp to sun for 5 yrs. Threw some sodona red on it and it sucked it up like an alcoholic that hasnt drank in days lol

Wow! I Like It!

Very Nice!

Ok Jay, question and answer time, how'd you do it, hand carved? What did you use? What carving tools? What was your inspiration? What brand of stain did you use? 

Hey, you didn't think you'd get off that easy did ya!

46 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Ok Jay, question and answer time, how'd you do it, hand carved? What did you use? What carving tools? What was your inspiration? What brand of stain did you use? 

Hey, you didn't think you'd get off that easy did ya!

John, it was actually made by a local when i was in honduras. All pilots and crewchiefs got one and was hung in the on post bar "the lizard lounge" and when you PCSd to new duty station we did a tag out. Basicly where you and everyone say goodbye to eachother while getting hammered all night. You would staple your flight suit placard to the wall of history and then was given to you. I wish i had the exp and tools to make something like that. One day though in due time with perserverince patince and practice (and right tools lol) ill be to the point of being at that level. And just standard $5 mini can of minwax. Didnt even need to use prestain. Could litterally watch the pores and grain suck it in as i was applying it

Edited April 19, 20179 yr by Jay

Very nice momento of years past. A keeper and an heirloom for sure

 

Thanks for sharing

That reminded me of a project I made. I brought back a spent 50 caliber shell from Nam.  A couple of years ago I found it among some old stuff.

I shined and buffed it till it looked new. I then turned the front projectile to spec on my wood lathe.  Of course the wood I chose was Purple Heart. ( No, I didn't get a purple heart)

 

 I gave it to my grandson and he was thrilled to have it. 

29 minutes ago, Jay said:

John, it was actually made by a local when i was in honduras. All pilots and crewchiefs got one and was hung in the on post bar "the lizard lounge" and when you PCSd to new duty station we did a tag out. Basicly where you and everyone say goodbye to eachother while getting hammered all night. You would staple your flight suit placard to the wall of history and then was given to you. I wish i had the exp and tools to make something like that. One day though in due time with perserverince patince and practice (and right tools lol) ill be to the point of being at that level. And just standard $5 mini can of minwax. Didnt even need to use prestain. Could litterally watch the pores and grain suck it in as i was applying it

That wouldn't have happened to of been Soto Cano air base was it? I was on mission in Honduras for six months, we flew in through Soto Cano and out.

5 minutes ago, Ron Altier said:

That reminded me of a project I made. I brought back a spent 50 caliber shell from Nam.  A couple of years ago I found it among some old stuff.

I shined and buffed it till it looked new. I then turned the front projectile to spec on my wood lathe.  Of course the wood I chose was Purple Heart. ( No, I didn't get a purple heart)

 

 I gave it to my grandson and he was thrilled to have it. 

Wonderful story Ron! Thanks!

13 minutes ago, Ron Altier said:

That reminded me of a project I made. I brought back a spent 50 caliber shell from Nam.  A couple of years ago I found it among some old stuff.

I shined and buffed it till it looked new. I then turned the front projectile to spec on my wood lathe.  Of course the wood I chose was Purple Heart. ( No, I didn't get a purple heart)

 

 I gave it to my grandson and he was thrilled to have it. 

Thats a great idea!!! Before i had a fall out w my step father i had both "hockey pucks" oil/gas sturts from my helicopter i was in when we went down. Kept 1 for myself. The other i had 2 live 50s i popped the projectile emptied powder ground a half circ in side ot it and use part of shell as cigar holder and projectile bonded in center to snuff it. I still have the other. Armor peircing incindiary. Ill deff have to do the same and incop into a project! Thanks for the brilliant idea!!! Im a smoker so i use the other as ash $500 ashtray lol. Ill have to clean and use that as well! This is what they look like.

Edited April 19, 20179 yr by Jay

6 minutes ago, John Morris said:

That wouldn't have happened to of been Soto Cano air base was it? I was on mission in Honduras for six months, we flew in through Soto Cano and out.

Yes sir it was!!!! Spent 2 yrs there just outside of Comyagua! 1st of the 228th AVN REGT Winged Warriors A co Talons 04-06

Oh and despite the hospitals best efforts for me to lose my thumb healed up quite nicely. Stitches popped like 3 days after getting them. Had to lance it open and drain and debraid as they didnt even flush it and then cont proper wound care. So once i can afford new wood and have the time ill be making dust again! Cant wait!

Just now, Jay said:

Yes sir it was!!!! Spent 2 yrs there just outside of Comyagua! 1st of the 228th AVN REGT Winged Warriors A co Talons 04-06

Well all be darned, small world isn't it? All I remember is Tegucigalpa, I don't really know where I was at while in Honduras, we were in the middle of nowhere, didn't really care either, spent much of my time on guard duty, running comm, and pulling shift in the TOC on the radio.

 

When we arrived to Soto Cano, we came by Apache, we had a couple CWO's piloting our copter, they were Nam era guys, and they loved getting close to the trees, they called it map of the earth flying. I had a blast flying in. We got to hang our legs out and everything.

 

The first night in Soto Cano, we headed to the club, at that time a 2x4 frame up hooch with OD tent cover, (was it still like that when you were there?) and it was wild. Since I was broke upon arrival to Soto Cano I could not afford to buy beer at the club, but I had a bottle of Jack in my bags, I filled up my canteen with Jack for the night and nursed that and had a good time with my buddies. Woke up the next day felling pretty awefull, my canteen was empty, so I headed straight for the water buffalo, filled up my canteen and the danged OD plastic must of absorbed the Jack all night, cuz my canteen tasted like Jack for two months!

 

That same day we Apache'd out to our camp where I would stay for about six months, providing support for the Honduran Infantry and our own who was working side by side with the Hondurans. I met a lot of great Honduran soldiers in that camp, man they worked hard! Their command had them out doing PT before us, and their PT was brutal. They did PT in their own uniforms they wore all day long, they were a bit ripe too, I remember the smell as we all holed up in our bunkers during guard duty, we'd shadow a Honduran soldier, train them how to, etc. My soldier, I forgot his name, I nicknamed him Snaggle Tooth, he was missing a tooth in his front. He and I became pretty good buddies.

I'll never forget my time there.

I think I remember now, we flew into Tegucigalpa via C5 Galaxy from Panama, Howard Air Base, where my home base was at the time (Ft. Clayton), then from Tegucigalpa we flew the Apache to Soto Cano.

11 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Well all be darned, small world isn't it? All I remember is Tegucigalpa, I don't really know where I was at while in Honduras, we were in the middle of nowhere, didn't really care either, spent much of my time on guard duty, running comm, and pulling shift in the TOC on the radio.

 

When we arrived to Soto Cano, we came by Apache, we had a couple CWO's piloting our copter, they were Nam era guys, and they loved getting close to the trees, they called it map of the earth flying. I had a blast flying in. We got to hang our legs out and everything.

 

The first night in Soto Cano, we headed to the club, at that time a 2x4 frame up hooch with OD tent cover, (was it still like that when you were there?) and it was wild. Since I was broke upon arrival to Soto Cano I could not afford to buy beer at the club, but I had a bottle of Jack in my bags, I filled up my canteen with Jack for the night and nursed that and had a good time with my buddies. Woke up the next day felling pretty awefull, my canteen was empty, so I headed straight for the water buffalo, filled up my canteen and the danged OD plastic must of absorbed the Jack all night, cuz my canteen tasted like Jack for two months!

 

That same day we Apache'd out to our camp where I would stay for about six months, providing support for the Honduran Infantry and our own who was working side by side with the Hondurans. I met a lot of great Honduran soldiers in that camp, man they worked hard! Their command had them out doing PT before us, and their PT was brutal. They did PT in their own uniforms they wore all day long, they were a bit ripe too, I remember the smell as we all holed up in our bunkers during guard duty, we'd shadow a Honduran soldier, train them how to, etc. My soldier, I forgot his name, I nicknamed him Snaggle Tooth, he was missing a tooth in his front. He and I became pretty good buddies.

I'll never forget my time there.

Very small world!!! Yes on backside of airfield "the dark side" was still like that but closed down. Had sheetmetal style hooches with comm latrine in middle of em. Had wood hooces for officers by the tiny joke of a PX and wood hooches for work. By the time i left they built a hanger and had a giant clamshell for the contractors. From what i know now they have actuall barracks w running water and all.... soft lil sobs lmao. And omg yes. The hondo cadets always out before us for pt getting the crap smoked oit of em in dress uniform and had to run EVERYWHERE they went. And boy oh boy were they ripe! I did take advantage of the hooch maid and boot shiner for $60 a month. You could have puke on floor feces on ceiling etc come back from work a d was spotless. Wake up and mirrored boots at your door. Only reason i did that was so i had more time to drink smoke and joke lmao

Awesome! I was there in 89-91, did my lil John Wayne in Operation Just Cause then flew into Honduras for another mission. I don't remember much, we arrived near sunset, got our racks set up, locked up our rifles, and we took a walk to the club, and proceeded to get hammered. All I really remember that night was getting in a shouting fight with my sergeant, woke up the next morning, he couldn't remember what it was all about either. No harm no foul. Then we flew out to our base camp. Didn't see Soto Cano for months after until our way back to Panama.

I just visited our Facebook Page for Ft. Clayton Panama a few seconds ago, and I put out a call to anyone else on that mission who can remember the area of our camp, I am curious now.

Thanks for bringing back memories Jay, I enjoyed it.

14 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Awesome! I was there in 89-90, did my lil John Wayne in Operation Just Cause then flew into Honduras for another mission. I don't remember much, we arrived near sunset, got our racks set up, locked up our rifles, and we took a walk to the club, and proceeded to get hammered. All I really remember that night was getting in a shouting fight with my sergeant, woke up the next morning, he couldn't remember what it was all about either. No harm no foul. Then we flew out to our base camp. Didn't see Soto Cano for months after until our way back to Panama.

I just visited our Facebook Page for Ft. Clayton Panama a few seconds ago, and I put out a call to anyone else on that mission who can remember the area of our camp, I am curious now.

Thanks for bringing back memories Jay, I enjoyed it.

No problem! We went to panama for counter narc before crossing into colombia. Spent about a week there. I was LOVED by my command. So there we were at the pool at a 5 star hotel (Paid tdy!!! What a heck of a travel voucher to fill out) and my CW4 and CO sat me down and we polished off a bottle of blue saphire gin. (I will NEVER drink gin again hahahaha) CW4 was so hammered he tried doin something busted his butt on the deck and ended up rolling into the pool! BUT his gin never left his hand or spilled! Held it level above water got up took a slug and got a sh*t eatin grin on his face and said yeah thats right i just did that! The 3 of us laughed so hard we darn near peed ourselves hahahahaha. And no TY for the memories!!! My mem is shot from brain injuries but if ya start to hand crank the mem shell spin up quick!!!

Edited April 19, 20179 yr by Jay