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Author Topic: GB Falconet  (Read 870 times)

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Offline TonimusMaximus

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GB Falconet
« on: April 24, 2010, 10:30:08 PM »
Hello everybody!  I'm brand new to the board.  I want to build a mini golf ball falconet.  I was planning on using a hydraulic cylinder from a fork-lift or something similar.  I was thinking the cylinder would hold up to propelling a roughly 700 grain golf ball without issue, but I was wondering what you guys think.  This is just going to be my starting point.  I'm not planning on firing steel or lead out of this, I'll build another one for that later.  I just want to build this and get into cannon firing.   :D  Thanks in advance!
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-Springer "Loaded" Stainless 1911, and a load of long guns.  Soon to add my first mortar.

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Offline little seacoast

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2010, 02:28:06 AM »
Welcome to the board.  A falconet is definately something a little different and pictures will be required. Someone here will have the info you desire and lots of advise too.  Please think safety on this your first project!  ;)
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Offline dan610324

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2010, 04:13:34 AM »
welcome here

take an evening or two to read a little about safety and cannon building here in the stickies

its a lot to think about when you are planning a cannon build
so be sure that you make a cannon thats safe to use from the beginning
even if you not want to shoot anything else then golf balls you will never know what the next owner will do with it
it wouldnt be fun to hear that the guy you sold it to blown himself and his family into pieces

so please read as much as you can find here before you decide anything about design

this is a very interesting hobby , but dangerous if you dont think about safety first .

some hydraulic cylinders may be good and some dont
but all I have seen have been way too thin in wallthickness to be used without an shrinked on reinforcement surrounding the powder chamber

minimum wall thickness should be equal to the bore diameter
so for a 1,75" bore that mean an outer diameter of minimum 5,25"
the breachplug is also very important
it must have a good design and be as strong as the rest of the cannon
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Dan Pettersson
a swedish cannon maniac
interested in early bronze guns

better safe than sorry

Offline Double D

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2010, 05:00:01 AM »
Having seen a good number of folks come here looking for advice and having based on that experience a pretty good idea what your are thinking based on what others have asked I suggest you start at the top of our forum and reading the stickies.  There is lots of good stuff there but the place to start is with the safe loads and cannon plans.  Lots of good design info in that sticky's

The cylinder or tube of most hydraulic units, by them self do not have thick enough walls to be safely made into a cannon.  The rule of thumb for cannons is the wall over the chamber area should be equal in thickness to the diameter of the bore.   If you can find a cylinder with thick enough walls, it might be a good place to start.

You are going to need to make a breech plug  and fit it to the tube.  This breech plug if made with a howitzer chamber would let use a thinner walled cylinder for the barrel.    You will find links that describe how to make and install a safe breech plug in the safe load and cannon plans sticky.

Something we preach here, yes preach..do not build you cannon for what you will shoot in it, build for it for what the next guy to own it will shoot in in it.  We don't build bombs we build cannons.  Even blanks can blow up a cannon.

You could also contact our sponsor and see if they will build you a tube.  You might find it cheaper in the long run.

So welcome to the board! Get busy and start building, we are waiting to se the smoke and fire!!

Semper fi.



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Offline RocklockI

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2010, 06:31:42 AM »
You did good by finding the site B4 you made your 1st cannon !

You will be wasting alot of powder on a GB . Nobody I know is satisfied with GB's in cannons ,mortars are another story . They just arc out in all directions . Fox balls are the way to go .

I'd agree with Doug your first gun maybe cheaper in the long run if made by a sponser , plus you'll know excatly how a safe cannon s/b made .

Falconet .....Thats a great idea  :o . Long and lean will there be any decorations on it we need some more earlier guns around here .

Gary





 
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Offline carronader

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2010, 07:24:25 AM »
I got to agree with Gary     not enough early stuff    would be good to see someone going after a falconet   and you get instant Forum Cred from those of us with Taste and Sophistication    watch out for the Montana Mauler     will probably try to fill your head with dirty little pots (mortars)
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Offline TonimusMaximus

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2010, 11:43:23 AM »
Quote from: RocklockI on April 25, 2010, 06:31:42 AM
Fox balls are the way to go .

Forgive me for being one of the un-initiated, but what are fox balls?
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-Springer "Loaded" Stainless 1911, and a load of long guns.  Soon to add my first mortar.

-USMC Corporal Hess Sherrod B:6/6/84 D:4/6/09 I miss you, my brother.

Offline GGaskill

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2010, 11:59:47 AM »
Welcome to the club--Fox Balls.
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Offline TonimusMaximus

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2010, 12:03:17 PM »
Duh.  I read that sticky yesterday and completely forgot about it.  Thanks!  Anyways, I just picked up two new guns at the show today, so maybe next week I'll start looking for a barrel for my falconet.
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-Springer "Loaded" Stainless 1911, and a load of long guns.  Soon to add my first mortar.

-USMC Corporal Hess Sherrod B:6/6/84 D:4/6/09 I miss you, my brother.

Offline TonimusMaximus

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2010, 11:49:45 PM »
Okay.  So sourcing a used hydraulic cylinder in the Phoenix valley is more difficult than I first thought.  I'm still looking, but if anyone has any ideas for possible locations where I may find one... :-\
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-Springer "Loaded" Stainless 1911, and a load of long guns.  Soon to add my first mortar.

-USMC Corporal Hess Sherrod B:6/6/84 D:4/6/09 I miss you, my brother.

Offline dan610324

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Re: GB Falconet
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2010, 02:17:52 AM »
as you are planning to build your own cannon I assume that you got access to a lathe , or ??

if you have I would recomend you to forget the hydraulic cylinder and search for a solid bar instead
a barrel machined from a solid bar is the ultimate in strength

just remember that the outer diameter should be 3 times the bore in the chamber area and 2 times the bore behind the muzzle swell if you use steel , cast iron would need more to get the strength enough to withstand the pressure

a suitable steel bar will also most probably be much easier to find



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Dan Pettersson
a swedish cannon maniac
interested in early bronze guns

better safe than sorry
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