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Posted

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters
carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls. It was
necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to prevent them
from rolling about the deck?
The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one
ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen.
Thus, a supply of thirty cannon balls could be stacked in a small area
right next to the cannon.
There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from
sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate
called a "Monkey" with sixteen round indentations. But, if this plate
was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution
to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys."
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much
faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped
too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon
balls would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally,
"Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!"

Posted

In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters

carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls. It was

necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how to prevent them

from rolling about the deck?

The best storage method devised was a square based pyramid with one

ball on top, resting on four resting on nine which rested on sixteen.

Thus, a supply of thirty cannon balls could be stacked in a small area

right next to the cannon.

There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from

sliding/rolling from under the others. The solution was a metal plate

called a "Monkey" with sixteen round indentations. But, if this plate

was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution

to the rusting problem was to make "Brass Monkeys."

Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much

faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped

too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon

balls would come right off the monkey. Thus, it was quite literally,

"Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey!"

 

Not according to Snopes

http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.asp

Posted

 

 

PUHLEEEEZE!!!!

We regularly get up to 60+" of ice during our winters. :tease: :tease: :tease:

im just talking about the next few days lol. Id fish in that, but man o man would i be drilling alot of holes and working for fish. There would be no sitting thats for sure lol
Posted

I foresee a sudden drop in your rum stocks in the near future.

 

Gonna be a balmy -20 Sunday, so I think I'll be sledding out to the cabin site and wielding the Stihl. :D

Posted

We have a saying down in Cajun Country.

 

When water gets hard you have gone North to far.

 

 

I get grumpy here in Virginia when it gets below 25 F and really don't like it when you feel the hairs in your nose freeze

 

 

Art

Posted

thanks for making us feel grateful for our weather, i just want enough cold for safe ice down here

 

who needs the extra 3ft of ice anyways ? ... LOL

Posted

I was watching the weather on TV last night and noticed the temps in your neck of the woods. I kinda shivered a bit, then thought of you and kinda snickered a bit and thought, he better get that auger extention handy!

HH

Posted

Dave better you than me lol.I remember -40 growing up and still going out tobaganing.Could not imagine that now.Hope you get a good start on your property,and please update with your progress!!Think you'll need a third extension this year on your auger? :wallbash: .

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