On 5/1/2010 12:42 PM, Flying Pig wrote:
Hey Skip:


Heh. We MOSTLY have all our systems working at once, but one or more of
them need attention fairly frequently...

I doubt I had 1/3 of your complexity and that defeated my attempts for
100% op so my hat is off to you for even coming close. Like I eventually
replaced all the parts (one by one) of the auto pilot yet it never
worked for more than a few hours. One single part was 2.5 boat units
too. Yikes.


A sea bean is a very hard nut-like shell, smooth-ish. Do a google for sea
beans, and you'll have the picture. After months, or sometimes, probably,
years, in the ocean, and more on the beach, they get weathered and checked.

Hearts are neat for fan pulls, drawer pulls, or big necklaces. Hamburger
and purse beans are nice for earrings, small drawer pulls, and necklaces.
Mary beans, very rare, are nice for Christians, as there's a cross on the
front imprinted by the way they're formed in the pod.

We use a flap wheel sander in the drill, then a buffing wheel on the bench
grinder, with, first, tripoli rouge, then a wax-and-compound designed for
boats, finished with a boat wax. Takes a really grungy bean and makes it
glow.

Gosb, you have lapidary power tools (bench grider??) aboard as well? I"m
surprised 47 or so feet do it for you. I think you have more power this
and that than I do onshore.

I am familiar with sea beans. Here they a

http://www.earthy.com/Fresh_Sea_Beans__8_oz_P1513.cfm

I did a search and I think there are two things which aren't at all
alike called the same thing or maybe let that sea bean float around
while and it becomes a hard thing. Beats me.