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"Whiskey" for compass?



 
 
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  #11  
Old December 18th 03, 12:16 AM
Corrie
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My uncle was in the Merchant Marines in WWII. He told me that the big
compass in the wheelhouse was filled with a half-gallon or so of
200-proof ethyl alchohol. They drained it, drank it, and replaced it
with water. No one was the wiser until they moved from the South
Atlantic to the North Atlantic and the damn thing froze...

Keep in mind, that's just an old sailor's story. YMMV. :-) He had
three or four ships shot out from underneath him, he said. Never
confirmed that independently, but I do know that he absolutely
**hated** July 4th firecrackers. Ever see a 60-year-old man try to
flatten himself under a chair?


Big John wrote in message . ..
Cy

From reading my posts you must know I pull the string on drinking many
times G Haven't tried Chucks Muzzle Loader yet though. However I
always heard they used Whiskey in the old old days to keep (compass)
from freezing ??? Do you know why/how they started calling it a
"Whiskey " Compass?

Believe someone told me to bubble and that's what I did? Worked for
over four years and I sold the bird.

I'd expect both systems to work and last a fair number of years and
then be rebuilt. Not expensive to do, just takes a little time and
effort.

Tnx for other side of the coin. Good to get several options (hanger
flying) out for those looking for what has been done.

Big John


On Tue, 16 Dec 2003 14:55:41 GMT, "Cy Galley"
wrote:

You were doing fine until you said that vodka was o.k. Alcohol is never any
good as it doesn't lubricate. Clear lantern fluid works very well.

I have always been of the "NO bubble" group. Any air will expand and create
problems at higher, lower pressure altitudes. That is what does in the
diaphragm.

 




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