What I have been doing with my nights lately

[Redguru]

Supporting the modern version of the Roman miltiary (USN)


Video

[Redguru]

I am a Ground Electronics Technician at NAS Whiting Field in Florida. I maintain all the Air traffic control radio equipment and navigational aids.

[Manius Acilius Italicus]

Joe, thanks for supporting my old branch of service. Did you get my last message to you?

[Redguru]

No, Robert, I don't believe so.

[Manius Acilius Italicus]

Joe, I must be having trouble with the RAT server, as several messages I have sent out have not had replies. I was telling you that I noticed you were from Pensacola. My father was born and raised there and I have tons of family in and around the area, etc., etc. Can't remember the entire message, but glad to have you back online. Were you tdy or just tied up with work?

[Redguru]

Just tied up with work, Working a lot of nights as we have theser F-18's down here temporarily for night carrier deck landing practice.

[Manius Acilius Italicus]

Now that sounds cool. As for me, the rain has more or less prevented me from furthering my construction efforts much. I have completed the male side of the die to make the rivet rosettes for my helmet and starting on the female side. I really want to finish the helmet before I tackle another kit project. Trying to find someone to groove the brass brow trim now. That seems to be the bigest problem. Then I put on the brass tubing trim on the cheek and neck protectors and tidy up and it's history. The sword is on hold for now, as I want to get a good polish on the blade. I've even thought of waisting it...but that's another story. Do you have your full kit and did you make any of it yourself?

[Redguru]

I am trying to hold from republican to early Augustan time frame

My current kit includes self made:

linen tunic
caligae
quilted cotton subarmalis with pteryges
gourd canteen (recent thread)
Focale of single needle knitted wool
knitted wool udones
leather balteus
cingulum with 2" plates of .032" brass with repousse of roman style zodiac on each plate in .005" brass foil soldered on. The pugio frogs are also with .005 brass added on top with a hecate's wheel motif. (I know, not from a historical find but the artwork would be period)
butted .25" ID mild steel hamata
Bought items


Simple gladius from SOTW, needs work on scabbard. The pins attaching the rings to the scabbard are definitely not period.

garbage trooper helmet I am attempting to rework into either an Italic or a Gallic D.

Current Projects:

New Subarmalis made from quilting via box pleats in a tube and yoke pattern, similar to a recent thread.

Armillum with a Hippocamp in repousse.

New cingulum with repousse plates similar to Herculaneum.

Helmet as above

reworking scabbard for gladius

.25" ID hamata in alternating riveted and solid.

Hamata hooks repoussed as hippocampus as well.

I'm going for a nautical motif.

[Manius Acilius Italicus]

You made your own caligae? I want to make somem calvary boots. I don't know how historical they are, but saw some with closed toes, much like modern boots, but with the lacing system of marching boots. Any ideas on those?

[jvrjenivs]

You made your own caligae? I want to make somem calvary boots. I don't know how historical they are, but saw some with closed toes, much like modern boots, but with the lacing system of marching boots. Any ideas on those?

Search for Calceii. The Vindolanda fell boots for instance are closed boots and found within a cavalry fortress.

[Vindex]

Insus, son of Vodullus is wearing boots of some description - See Graham Sumner's reconstruction in various publications.

Edited to add: Sorry to hijack your thread Joe. Cool vid 8) . I often wondered where they practised this sort of thing :wink: