quaker gun

[civilcannon]

Awhile back I had the idea to make up a pattern to cast a full scale 6 pound er in bronze so I started with  4" pvc pipe for a core then cut rings of 1/2" plywood and 1 1/2" Styrofoam. the rings are cut on a taper to match the shape of the barrel finally the  whole outside is covered with fiberglass cloth and resin shaped , sanded and painted. It turns out the bronze foundry that i was working with could not melt enough metal at one time..... for the barrel  and sprue system. This pattern weighs around 60 pounds and i have a lot of time invested. I finally went with a iron barrel from Hern but what to do with the pattern? My friend and fellow cannonieer Russel always wanted to be a pirate so for a recent living history event we decided to make a Quaker Gun ( or fake) cannon i read that the Civil  War troops  had them and the pirates could buy a wooden 24 pounder barrel at 1/10 the price of a iron or bronze barrel. So the pirate Quaker Gun was born. The carriage is light weight as well made from 3/4 oak plywood and mostly hollow with some 2x2"s for a skeleton. The entire piece weighs about 125#.

At the above event we pulled up with the Quaker on the back of a truck of course we strained and grunted like it weighed over a thousand pounds when 3 men unloaded it by hand. you should have seen their faces. I did go with solid oak wheels ( laminated) so they are the heaviest part of the piece.

How do you like the tri-corn Tropico?

Thanks: Civilcannon   

[Tropico]

That is a very innovative idea and one I am sure Russell appreciates., I think its great civilcannon.
I know it will add greatly to their encampment ! Nothing like  making the other pirates JEALOUS !!!


It shivers me timbers ta know thar be a 6 pounder in the camp !

[Terry C.]

the  whole outside is covered with fiberglass cloth and resin shaped , sanded and painted

Sounds like it should be plenty durable. Did you add a bore to the pattern? How deep?


I remember seeing a picture in a book of faux cannons used at a log/earthwork fort, but I don't remember where it was. The ends that were visible from the outside were carved into the shape of a muzzle, the rest of the 'tube' hidden inside was left rough (still had the bark on it).

[Double D]

Terry,
Page 60 of Cannons by Dean S. Thomas.

[civilcannon]

Thanks : Hay Tropico I like your coat it makes me JEALOUS so I may half to look into getting one. ( Dress like a pirate , com) ?

Terry :Yes the build began with 4" dia. PVC pipe that runs Thur the barrel from  the muzzle to the breach. The PVC pipe is capped of at the breach end with another PVC fitting and at the trunions the pipe comes to a 4 way fitting at 90 degrees to the bore. The trunions then come out at 4" ID then reduced to 3" ID to make approximately 3.5 OD to fit a NO. 1 field carriage. I sealed off the interior hollow part of the trunions with. rock hard water putty. Then I added the donut  shaped rings over the PVC core as I already explained.

I was thinking how could I make this piece into a carbide shooter like the old Big Bangs ? I thought about lining the PVC bore with aluminum pipe that would be more substantial then the plastic.  Don't know a easy way to put in the water tank for the chemical reaction? perhaps with a large dia. hole saw  from the bottom side then cement some kind of water reservoir underneeth so it dosent show I Can drill in from the top to make a port thru which I can charge the carbide  and then come up with a firing  or sparking devise any thoughts?

Thanks: Civilcannon     

[jeeper1]

A possible idea to make a carbide cannon.
Like you said, a sealed at the end aluminum sleeve that is drilled and threaded for an oversize  fuse hole liner. Then use the hole to add the water (possibly from a syringe) then the carbide. Make it large enough to use the quarter inch Chinese fuse. That way there would be plenty of room for loading and still look cool firing.
 

[Tropico]

Thanks : Hay Tropico I like your coat it makes me JEALOUS so I may half to look into getting one. ( Dress like a pirate , com) ?
 

I thought about them ., but have not ordered. Most of my kit is custom stuff to fit me. Kristi Smart  http://www.kristismart.com/   did my coat after I sent her my own home made pattern for the cuffs and sleeves and buttons. I am kind of particular on some of it. Also Simplicity makes a pattern ., and anything can be modified ., the trick is getting a seamstress to make it happen.

Jas Townsend is a good place to get some things . http://jas-townsend.com/index.php

Carlisles is a bit spendy but have a few nice things    http://carlislesonline.com/ 

Cannons being around for centuries really allows us to re-enact with one in so many differant ways..
I had great fun at the  civil war re-enactment I went to..., however playing pirate allows me a few more liberties.

[civilcannon]

 


Thanks: Yes I do want to keep it looking cool when firing  I will definitely go with the aluminum pipe with a breach plug I winder if the barrel is elevated at say 5 degrees if their will be enough water reservoir at the breach end then I can run water down the bore and charge the carbide thru a port at the top of  breach . I was thinking of a vent liner that is removable to charge the carbide and drilled for  a standard friction primer to fire with.

Thanks :Civilcannon

[Terry C.]

Terry,
Page 60 of Cannons by Dean S. Thomas.

Thanks. I couldn't remember where I saw that photo.

Cannons is one of the books I have here, but I hadn't look at it in awhile.

An odd thing: In the bottom photo, the soldier is putting what looks like a linstock to the 'breech' of the log cannon, at a point where the bark appears to have been removed.

No mention is made of these log cannons being functional in any way.

Could it be that they were drilled out to make smoke and fire? On the one hand that would make them more convincing, but on the other hand I can't see the artillerymen wasting powder when ammunition was in such short supply.

[Double D]

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[civilcannon]

Thanks: DD I hope this discussion is not to far OT.I did not have a powder can for the photo but the piece is full scale
( actually just a bit larger because I was planning for shrinkage). I found a scaled drawing of an English 32 PDR  in Round Shots and Rammers, by Peterson on page 37 and scaled ithe carriage  to fit the barrel.

Civilcannon

[Double D]

You are well within the scope of this board with this cannon.

The powder can is kind of a light hearted tradition here is is not  a requirement.   It is helpful when showing a gun for the first time to include something to give perspective.  A human works, but a couple of years ago Balster  Bob came up with the powder can and it stuck.

[Cat Whisperer]

....I did not have a powder can for the photo but the piece is full scale
....

It should have been a "Quaker Powder Can".