Where to find 1/2 scale carriage hardware

[Kjohnson2383]

So I'm in the process of machining a half scale mountain howitzer with a golfball bore... I need to a find correct elevator screw and plate along with some other misc hardware... Any body know where to find the shooting implements as well- Thanks Ken

[rustychips]

Good luck finding anything in 1/2 scale, did see some wheels that were close they were 24" in diameter but should be 21"
if you have the ability to machine the barrel the other parts just take time and patience.Here is my post on a 1/4" scale mountain howitzer, I made everything except the flat head screws.
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,233465.0.html

Rustychips

[Double D]

1/2 scale wheel for  No 1 Carriage would be 28.5".  Have you contacted any of the wheel makers direct and ask for a 1/2 scale wheel.

Have you contacted any of our  Sponsors to see if they might make hardware for you?

[Double D]

1/2 scale wheel for  No 1 Carriage would be 28.5".  Have you contacted any of the wheel makers direct and ask for a 1/2 scale wheel.

Have you contacted any of our  Sponsors to see if they might make hardware for you?

Well George tells me you might be looking for a1/2 scale Mt. Howitzer when, dimension is different, but the advice is the same.

[rampa room artillery]

do you guys think that cast zinc would be ok for 1/4  hardware? for a carriage?   

 rick bryan

[GGaskill]

Zinc is pretty brittle so I would not use it for a gun that would be shot or exposed to much movement, especially over rough ground.  It would be OK for a display only piece.

[Cat Whisperer]

do you guys think that cast zinc would be ok for 1/4  hardware? for a carriage?   

 rick bryan

Zinc is use all the time in modern furnature hardware.  (It's the cheap stuff.)

IF YOU'RE casting it, why not brass?

[rampa room artillery]

rough ground,  come on we are talking about 1/4 scale,  to tall of grass and you wouldnt see the gun. lol 

   

[GGaskill]

If you are going to fire only blanks and carry the piece to and from the firing point, then it would probably be OK.  Your call.

[dan610324]

why not try ?? if you are going to fire blanks only
many cheap modern handguns use zinkparts
heavy loads with ball in an approximately 1 inch cal barrel and zink isnt anything I would try
but it also depend on what parts you want to do from zink

[Cat Whisperer]

Hmmmm. 

Nope.

Saturday night special CANNONs?

[gulfcoastblackpowder]

I certainly agree with the others that zinc is not ideal, though for non-critical hardware, I don't see a problem with it.  That is, parts that won't result in an injury should they fail.  Definitely don't use it for capsquares, axles, adjustment screws, or other parts that are load bearing or safety devices.  Of course, if you're going to do some of it right, why not all?  You'd end up with a mis-matched carriage if you used steel or brass for some hardware and zinc for the rest.  It'd be a shame to machine a nice barrel and make a custom carriage that looked strange or wouldn't allow you to live fire.

Try to fabricate whatever you need.  After trying, if you fail to produce a usable part, try again.  If you still can't make one, contact a sponsor.  You'd be surprised at what you can come up with if you try it, and as reasonable as our sponsors are, you'll almost always save money if you can do it yourself, and it will be a point of pride that you managed to make something you didn't think you could.

[rampa room artillery]

well i have to say , if you roll your 1/4 field gun to the line,  I want to see this.   as small as it is.    I would only want to cast the lunette, point rings. prolong hooks and handles. trunion plate, and cap squares    1/4 scale field gun would be 75 cal and I shoot 65 grains max. any thing over that is just a waste, for that cal. and you dont want any gun rolling back more then the length of the carriage.  you dont want a 1/4 scale gun rolling back 5 feet, that is dangerious,
   I guess, i am looking for a way to make affordable  1/4 scale hardware.  sense no one else is.   and i mean affordable. that means casting them. I can do loss wax casting to make small parts. with plasterparis.   if zinc is to weak then we could do a hard tin mix.  like matchbox cars. and everyoen knows how stronge those are,  its hard to kill them  no matter how hard you try, 
               maybe somebody could come up with a cost effective material to cast with.   


rick bryan

[dan610324]

scrap brass maybe
empty cases or whatever you could find

[GGaskill]

Depends on your melting capacity.  I would be satisfied with aluminum and it melts a few hundred degrees above zinc and many things are made from cast aluminum.