Parts source found via Instructables

BC Arms: Spud Cannons and accessories
http://www.bcarms.com/
These guys have got all kinds of modified dump valves, combustion kits, etc.

Also, this treasure trove of info
http://www.spudfiles.com/spud_wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Fighting the designed to fail mentality

A few days ago I posted about our carpet cleaner breaking, and needing a metric hose barb to fix it.

Not only does nobody, not even online places, not even the vacuum repair shops, stock M8x1 hose barbs, the Bissell company only sells the entire heater mechanism, which is about $50. And they ran out of parts stock a year ago.

Solution: A pair of brass 1/8 x 3/16 hose barbs, an 11/32 drill and a 1/8" NPT tap. $5 parts, $4 for the tap I didn't already own. Much better than new, since "new" was an incredibly fragile plastic hose barb. It's working pretty well now though I think there's still a kink in the hose somewhere.

So I'm finally getting the carpet clean, as I expose patches of it from under stuff.

Audiobook finished

Crown of Slaves by David Weber and Eric Flint

Very good side story from the Honor Harrington series. Fits in right about the book 9 to early book 10 time period. Lots of black ops bad-assery going on. Features several interesting characters from the series. I think this will be an important book, since clearly the battle against slavery is shaping up to be a major focus for future books.

(This book is available in the Baen free library: http://www.baen.com/library/

The narrator (Daryl Brennaman) reads SOOOO SLLOOOOWWWWWLLLLYYYYY - I played it on my Fuze at high speed, which made him a bit of a chipmunk, but I find I get used to that and don't even notice it after a few minutes. I would never have been able to stand him at normal speed. Heck, even at high speed sometimes it was still too slow.

Also, he does mispronounce a few key words, or at least, he pronounces them differently than the narrators of the main series. I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt since some of the words are proper names and maybe there's some justification for an alternate pronunciation, but then near the end he mispronounced a word which I don't think there's ANY doubt that he's saying it wrong.

Not a huge deal, but it did take me a moment when he started talking about the MAS-o-dons (pronounced as though they were a species of dinosaur) and realized "Oh, he means the mas-AH-dans." Whether he's got justification for his pronunciation or not, they should maintain consistency with previously-recorded titles, or perhaps consult with the author.