Author Topic: From Friction Primers back to Cannon Fuse? (Read 1858 times)

tkthorn · « **on:** April 16, 2011, 07:10:25 AM »

I have recently built a Naval model Cannon, the Tube was Lathe turned from a solid bar of 4140 steel and is 32" long. The Breech area is around 5" in diameter and a little over 4" at the muzzle swell with a 2" bore. I have always fired all of my previous Cannons using 1/8" Cannon fuse, with this Naval I have drilled the Vent to .200" and purchased some Friction Primers. The question I have is when I run out of the Friction Primers can I fall back on using the 1/8" Cannon fuse with the larger Vent hole? Will this be a problem?

tkthorn

rampa room artillery · « **Reply #1 on:** April 16, 2011, 08:45:51 AM »

no problem at all but more money in your pocket. because fuse is cheaper.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #2 on:** April 16, 2011, 09:08:45 AM »

Larger hole will allow you to use paper straws for quills if you want to.

BoomLover · « **Reply #3 on:** April 16, 2011, 09:12:33 AM »

I'm sure you meant 32", not ', but that is beside the point...your cannon is a real beauty! Good job! Now, I know you will be asked for pics of fire and smoke, so I'll do it first!

BoomLover

Zulu · « **Reply #4 on:** April 16, 2011, 09:16:48 AM »

Friction primers are almost a buck apiece!

I used to buy them 100 at a time.

Zulu

rifleshooter2 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 16, 2011, 09:57:23 AM »

I'd go to quills before fuse. The near instant firing is much safer. I only use fuse on my small model cannons Quills for anything 1 inch bore or larger for me. and they are CHEAP

rampa room artillery · « **Reply #6 on:** April 16, 2011, 10:21:16 AM »

the fuse i shoot is 1/2 sec per foot. for the really fast stuff, and 2 sec. per foot for the desent fast stuff, nothte normal 30 sec. per foot. like most people use. and its cheap and easy.

cannon fuse .com

Artilleryman · « **Reply #7 on:** April 16, 2011, 10:48:53 AM »

A fast ignition system is important to me. I don't want to be waiting after I say fire.

gulfcoastblackpowder · « **Reply #8 on:** April 16, 2011, 12:02:34 PM »

I used to use green fuse, but switched to quickmatch, and won't be going back. Fast, reliable ignition, and cheap enough to negate the benefits of making quills. Haven't used friction primers, and at their cost, I'd like to stay away from them unless I get a full size gun and need them for an event.

Nice looking cannon you got there!

tkthorn · « **Reply #9 on:** April 16, 2011, 12:36:02 PM »

In reply to Boomlover, yes 32 inches not feet.

You also requested some pics of Fire & Smoke so I included some. Not shown in these pics are the Trail Pointing Rings and the larger "D" Rings that I added later.
Thanks, tkthorn

Zulu · « **Reply #10 on:** April 16, 2011, 02:11:54 PM »

Quote from: tkthorn on April 16, 2011, 12:36:02 PM

In reply to Boomlover, yes 32 inches not feet. You also requested some pics of Fire & Smoke so I included some. Not shown in these pics are the Trail Pointing Rings and the larger "D" Rings that I added later.
Thanks, tkthorn

This is very nice, but I have to ask, why did you use 12 spoke wheels on a carriage that is supposed to have 14 spoke wheels?
Zulu

tkthorn · « **Reply #11 on:** April 16, 2011, 05:29:42 PM »

Mainly the ease of construction and the lack of white oak. A fellow that I worked with had an old barn on his property that had collapsed. This barn was built during the time of the Civil War. He had already arranged to have it taken down and removed and I asked him if he could get me some good pieces of White Oak before the barn was gone and he got me just enough to build this Carriage with a little left over. Talk about some hard wood! I drilled pilot holes for screws and would still twist the heads off. Adding a little bar soap to the threads helped a lot!

tkthorn

Zulu · « **Reply #12 on:** April 17, 2011, 03:05:45 AM »

tkthorn,
What an excellent use for some old wood. Do you have any construction pictures? I am especially interested in wheel construction.
Zulu

tkthorn · « **Reply #13 on:** April 17, 2011, 04:11:22 AM »

I could only find three snapshots that I scanned but somewhere I have more that I will post if and when I locate them.
tkthorn

Zulu · « **Reply #14 on:** April 17, 2011, 05:03:50 AM »

tkthorn,
I am very interested in seeing more pictures. Could you explain the process of how you "dished" the spokes? Are the spokes cut at an angle or the holes drilled at an angle in the hubs?
Zulu

tkthorn · « **Reply #15 on:** April 17, 2011, 05:30:07 AM »

The holes are drilled at an angle in both the hubs and the rims. I think it was somewhere between 3 and 5 degrees. I tried using my Draw Knife and hand hewn each spoke like the originals but this old oak was so hard that the knife would not shave it! I ended up cheating and taking the 3/4 by 1 1/2 inch blanks to my metal lathe and turning them down.

tkthorn

Zulu · « **Reply #16 on:** April 17, 2011, 06:21:07 AM »

Quote from: tkthorn on April 17, 2011, 05:30:07 AM

The holes are drilled at an angle in both the hubs and the rims. I think it was somewhere between 3 and 5 degrees. I tried using my Draw Knife and hand hewn each spoke like the originals but this old oak was so hard that the knife would not shave it! I ended up cheating and taking the 3/4 by 1 1/2 inch blanks to my metal lathe and turning them down.
tkthorn

That's not cheating. I can't even figure out how you plug in a draw knife.

Zulu

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #17 on:** April 17, 2011, 04:40:01 PM »

tkthorn

WELCOME to the board! You've got some NICE toys!