Some time ago I saw this linstock for sale on a some Civil War Collectors website.
I saw that and saved the picture for a future project. I though I would get a dowel and chuck it up in my lathe and make a linstock.
When I was over in Kalispell I went into Lowe's and was looking around for the copper parts to make the funnels and I notice the balusters. I picked up a couple of balusters that looked interesting. The longest of each type that was availalble
One, prepainted and with a square top is 42 inches long, the other unpainted in an oakish looking bare wood with a round top.
The cotton card I am using for slow match is 1/4 inch. So like in the real linstock I drilled a hole just up from the bottom of the top section. I made this hole 1/4. I found that i could not get the slowmatch cord though the hole, probably because of chemicals it has soak up. So I drilled the hole ot to 3/8.
A little further up the top section I drilled a row of holes. I cut the thop off at the top hole. I used the saw to cut between and connect these holes. Then with a rasp I opened up and tapered the holes to make a wedge shaped slot.
I added my slow match to finish the linstock.
I am going to shoot my Mortar this weekend and test these two linstocks out. Just testing them here at the house, the short one is to short for the low laying mortar. But it looks like it will work just fine with the Cairo Gun, the Parrot rifle, and the SAMCC field gun.
I still haven't worked out the spike. I am thinking about a Copper cap. Drill a hole in the end of the cap and run a short heavy nail the hole. Put some epoxy in the bottom, slip the cap on the end and cross pin.