bang30
Posts:1213
 |
| 08 May 2007 15:15 |
 Alert
|
CATAPULT
i just made this one today for a friend' the handle is about 3 and a half inches long from prongs to stem' and just short of a inch from prong to prong''.. iv used the new chube elastic that you get on the black widows' but some prefere the old sqear black elastic better'
.
i dont like a wide set of prongs so i tyed some sticks in the early spring so the prongs grow close and they are ready now '.. the ultamit pot filler..
.
to make the shot holder ' you need to cut out the toung of a leather boot' cutting to holes at each side and tying you elastic'.
.
i use good strong string to tye my elastic too the leather and prongs and then curfully melt some plastic around the and over the string for more strenth'
.
to make your shot' you need to get some led and melt it over your fire 'in a tea spoon and punch some little holes in the ground and porr your led in and let it go cold!! ..then when cold pull out and its ready to shoot!
.
i can take pigion rabbit' or pheasant ' with mine'..iv seen some catapults sold at fairs for around £100'
.
.
its very rare that a Gypsy man will sell his catapult' he will use it for years'
i seen my uncle win a bet that he could take more with a catapult than a man with a gun' iv seen many a Gypsy man win this bet'
.
i can remember we was pulled next to a old corn mill' and it was full of pigions and asked owner if we could cull some for the pot''..he was more than happy' and we lined the roof of three 23 foot trallers with pigions all took fith catapults!!.. |
|
|
|
|
Bajan
Posts:363
|
| 09 May 2007 11:30 |
Alert
|
Hey there guys ,
In years gone by here catapults were used by men from all walks of life, but its a skill very rarely seen now.
My ex was unusual in that he developed skills when growing up mostly lost by his generation like the catapult and also throwing, making and mending fish nets of various sizes and names for different kinds of fish. He's the only person I've ever seen catch fish in the sea with his hand. Watching him dive when spear fishing was to see a human become a fish and he would free dive down to 80/90 feet.
I never enjoyed seeing him kill birds or lizards with his catapult or air-rifle. Oh by the way, over here a catapult is called a "guttaperk" - I've no idea where that came from!
Have you two ever thought of flying bumble bees? That was another "skill" of his... caught the bee somehow or other, then put it on a block of ice which sorta makes it sleep, carefully tie a string on, wait for it to wake up and then duck and dance around like mad cause when it flies to the end of the string, it comes directly back at ya angry as hell... I had fun watching that though, giggle 
|
|
|
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 09 May 2007 15:50 |
Alert
|
| i wouldnt kill just for sport' but iv got to say' a swallow in mid flight!!. now thats a shot and a half!! |
|
|
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 11 May 2007 20:14 |
Alert
|
forgoten trades' in the sun news paper today
.
1. knocker up..
2 .knife grinder'..
3 .rag and bone man'..
4 .cat meat man'..
5 .fluffers'..
6.lamplighter..
7.red flag man..
8.mush faker
9.weel tapper..
10.muffin man..
..
i will right down what they all are wene i do my PC sorted' LOL
theres some cushty old jobs amungst them' do you know them all' |
|
|
|
|
nomadbill
Posts:200
|
| 12 May 2007 21:54 |
Alert
|
| Hi all,
When we was kids we used to make our own bows & arrows, spears & catapults. I've not used a catapult for years now though, shame cos where i'm working theres pheasants & rabbits all over the place - don't think i could hit one if my life depended on it!
.
I remember as a kid that every time we discovered a new toy or weapon, it'd be confiscated. Under the sink in our house was a heap of catapults, pea shooters, spud guns, bows & arrows....... |
|
|
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 15 May 2007 21:30 |
Alert
|
.
i done a bit of rag and bone years ago'' but we used to drop bill's in the morning and collect at tea time when every one was home'.. wool was the best to get' ..
when we took it to sell it went by weightt so we used to wet the rag's ''
.
years ago in the 60's you would drop bags for wool and give 50p a bag' you would get about £1 proffet on a guna ' well you would drop around 800 to 1000 bags in a day ' in the 60's that worked out cushty luver''.. but the cream ran out when all the new nilon came on the go''
.
good days' |
|
|
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 15 May 2007 22:16 |
Alert
|
my dad bought 20 ducks ' but between the dogs the fox and us we are down to 3'
but we are keeping theses safe' they are prope comicle''
.
we just had 15 chickens took in one night last week'' we forgot to close the shack door' and the fox ate them' and we had a nice cockerell aswell'
.
but weve only got 3 chickens now'' but i might get a black red??
.
so its 3 every of thing sal''.. bangboy'' |
|
|
|
|
valerierackly
Posts:971
|
| 16 May 2007 14:27 |
Alert
|
| it sounds like you need an electric fence riggin up for a few days around your pens, Bang. I'dlike one around my garden but my hubby wont let me.It would keep the dogs and foxes and children off my nice grass, but i 'm not allowed.awww. you getone they're easy to make. |
|
May the peace of the LORD be with you always. God Bless |
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 16 May 2007 15:39 |
Alert
|
hi valarie' your right ' i have got an elictric fence' but i use it for the horses'' .
i might have to get a second one? .. only thing is the fence is about £80' the full 6 fowl thats left is only worth £20 '' lol .. think i'll take my chances with the fox'.. bangboy' |
|
|
|
|
valerierackly
Posts:971
|
| 16 May 2007 19:08 |
Alert
|
| you can make one with a battery and some fencing wire. you just need some crocodile clips, and just put it round the out side of the pens, and clip it onto the charged battery. its enough, just dont touch it as it gives you a bit of a jolt. |
|
May the peace of the LORD be with you always. God Bless |
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 16 May 2007 23:21 |
Alert
|
we did put an electric fence around them before and it did work'' i'll get something sorted again'
the trouble is we like to watch them picking and scrapping around in the field' .. but what can ya do if they are being took?
i could allways get some battary hens and plug them in lol''...take care bangboy' |
|
|
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 17 May 2007 15:02 |
Alert
|
| weve got them locked in now' '' its a bit late after the ate 4 ducks'' |
|
|
|
|
Dinah
Posts:0
|
|
bang30
Posts:1213
|
| 23 May 2007 20:12 |
Alert
|
| good old game that was'' i seen on or two people still doing it'' good photo'' |
|
|
|
|
vetteyd
Posts:10
|
| 17 Oct 2007 05:10 |
Alert
|
i love this,
the kids and i would spend ages looking for the best handle for a catapult, the ol man used to make us the best ones and always told us about taking the heads of his mums flowers. we used a very nice bit of rubber that comes from a spear gun(diving - we live coastal aust)
bit of hollow curtain rod and finger off a rubber glove shoots chick peas a good distance. and each of the kids has been my protector with his bow and arrow, although mostly spent unsuccesfully hunting rabbits and birds. nomad bill, our "weaponary" always ended up under the sink as well |
|
|
|
|
Victor
Posts:166
|
| 19 Oct 2007 17:34 |
Alert
|
| I am proud to see a Rom/gypsy, at work, he looks to me over fourty years old, or maybe less,I think that any job that a Rom does he should be proud of it!he should consider himself lucky, because in Romania or the Balkans any work for uneducated Rom. is said to be Taboo, just for being a Rom, I just cannot understand those people who discriminate, they don't seem to have any consious, they must have a God! are they not afraid from Him, for being so cruel to a human being! where is the international media to tell the world how our Rom, suffer in those countries, or don"t we count, Victor |
|
|
|
|