The fuse

[KHarris01]

Got a question for everyone. Brand new to this whole thing. Got a canon kit and we are trying to figure out how and where to drill the hole for the fuse. The only thing I know is that the directions say to use a 3/32" for it. Where on the barrel do you do that? Just go through the top half? Is is supposed to be done at an angle? Anything else I need to know?
How many grains of black powder should we use? And what kind?

Here are the specs for it:
Overall length is approximately 9",front wheel diameter 1 1/4" and rear wheel diameter is 1", and bronze barrel 8 1/4" with 1/2" bore.

Thank you!

[armorer77]

Measure the depth of your barrel , subtract 1/4" and drill .  A  3/32" is too tight unless you have access to 1mm fuse . 1/8" minimum . I recommend a #29 drill  .136" Easy clearance with 1/8" fuse no excessive gap . Armorer77

[Double D]

Before you go drilling holes, tell us a little more about your  cannon kit.  Where did you get it?  Who made it? What is it made from? What caliber is it?

For smaller caliber I agree with Ed #28 works fine.  For larger guns #21 or 20 works better.  Especially if you are going to use quill made fro paper straws.  Maximum size sound be .200

[BoomLover]

I might add...welcome to the forum! His advice is right on as to the diameter of the fuse hole. He has been building excellent cannons and mortars for quite some time, and in fact, I have one of them. You will enjoy this forum, lots of great guys, and excellent info to be found here. BoomLover

[Cat Whisperer]

KHarris01  --

WELCOME to the board!

We'd love to see some pictures!  and later of smoke and flame.

What DD is getting at (asking for details) is KNOWING that the tube is safe.   

We take things like that very seriously (and DD has taken the responsibility to raise the issue  ).

[dominick]

For small bore cannons, I use the bore diameter divided by 5 to get the number closest to the vent/fuse size.  3/8" bore = 5/64" vent and 1/16" fuse:  1/2" bore = 7/64" vent and  3/32" fuse: 3/4" bore = 9/64" hole and an 1/8" fuse.   
 Also,  Spin the drill at a high rpm with lots of lube and very light pressure clearing the bit often. I also use a 1/4" in front of the back of the bore for the location.   

[Winger Ed.]

How many grains of black powder should we use? And what kind?

Once you've determined your's is actually safe to shoot, etc., etc.

What I've done for cannons about this size--- that we built (on the 'sly') in High School Metal Shop:

Un-roll 3-4 'Black Cat' fire crackers.  Yeah, it was 3-4,,,, no, not 10 or 12.
Pour that silver looking, flash powder down the barrel.
Put one of the 'black cat' fuses where it needs to go,
then cram the unwrapped paper from one of them down the barrel with a common pencil.

There ya are..
But.... NEVER!!!... I mean it now...
Never!!, ever!!! stuff a sling-shot ammo, type of ball bearing down on top of that powder charge.
And if you do,,,,, NEVER!!! light the fuse... I'm warning ya--- Don't do it..

If you do, when it comes out of there--
That ball bearing is more than capable of going through the door of your Mom's 1964 Buick 'Electra 225'.
It can also knock BIG!! chunks off of bricks.... like the ones your parent's house is made with.
One of those ball bearings can also go through both sides of a (old style) steel garbage can.

So, Never!!!,,, never/ever.....
No--not even once, should you put one of those evil things in your cannon.

[Cat Whisperer]

Winger Ed -

WELL PUT !

 

[Double D]

G 
How many grains of black powder should we use? And what kind?

Here are the specs for it:
Overall length is approximately 9",front wheel diameter 1 1/4" and rear wheel diameter is 1", and bronze barrel 8 1/4" with 1/2" bore.

Thank you!

I don't recall seeing this in your original post.

There is a chart in the sticky post at the top of the forum called Safe loads and construction check it. 40-45 grain Fg or FFG should be maximum.

What kind of bronze  did you use,  and what is the diameter of the barrel over the chamber?

[Terry C.]

Sounds like this kit.

[MikeR C]

you might consider finding fuze prior to drilling your hole.
If you look here:

http://www.skylighter.com/mall/ignition.asp

You will find 1.4mm "cross-match" fuse. I have some from them only it was 1mm when I bought it. a 1/16" hole worked fine. For the 1.4mm I expect a 3/32" hole would work fine.

These people have fuse also (and they supported our cannon shoot):

http://www.cannonfuse.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=2

But their smallest fuse apears to be 3/32", too big for your 3/32" hole.

Good luck with your vent!
MikeR C

[seacoastartillery]

     Mike and I have used fuse from every on-line fireworks company, but the type we buy in quantity is the very hot 1/16" Chinese fuse from Pyrocreations at this website:            http://www.pyrocreations.com/ignition___fuses

     The reason we like this fuse so much is that a #45 drill bit is perfect for an .082" dia. hole which will allow easy insertion of this small, but mighty, fuse which burns very hot and has not failed us even once.  We are 180 for 180 on successful firings of our 100 pounder Parrott seacoast gun.  For small cannon, a large hole is unnecessary and wasteful of what little pressure you have in a half inch dia. bore.  In our case and your's, smaller vent dias. are more efficient and look a heck of a lot better as well.

Good luck with what ever you decide on,

Tracy and Mike

[Rickk]

I can't measure it because it is out in my shed, which has about 5 feet of snow over it at the moment, but the old CVA .50 caliber kits took a snug 1/8" fuse. I doubt they were drilled over .150". I assume they drilled them for 1/8" fuse because back then it was the only fuse one could really get.

Like Mike and Tracy said, 1/16 fuse might be a better choice for .50 cal.

1/16 fuse availability tends to be erratic. When they have stock in stock, buy plenty. One can never have too much fuse. Store excess in a zip lock bag inside an ammo can so that moisture stays away from it and it will last a long time.

[Forward Observer]

I built one of these Dixie kits back in the  mid 70's--not with the naval  truck, but the same barrel with the field carriage.   It's basically a 1/8 scale model of an M1841 used extensively in the Mexican war. 

 I used a 3/32 bit just as the instructions indicated, but the 50ft coil of fuse I bought from Dixie at the time was also 3/32ths, so it is a tight fit.  I've always had to sort of screw it in to the hole by turning it opposite of the  fuse twist so as to not unravel the fuse.

 I also drilled it about 3/16 inch shorter than the depth of the bore.  Not quite the 1/4th recommended by Armorer77, but close enough--plus I had no outside guidance at this point.    I can tell you that this put the center of the hole 11/16ths from the rear edge of the base ring, which looks esthetically right from the outside.

I probably should bore the hole out larger, but I don't fire it enough to worry about it.

The biggest job was polishing up the rough cast barrel.   I was living in an apartment at the time and had no work bench and limited tools.   I did most of the grinding and turning work on the barrel with the thing jammed on a leather wrapped drill bit chucked in a hand drill, which I held clamped between my knees.

Obviously, I had more strength and energy than good sense back then.

I've posted these before, but this is how mine turned out.
 
 

Good Luck on yours and be sure to post a picture when finished.

Cheers