Author Topic: Speaking of Carronades (Read 1190 times)

Max Caliber · « **on:** January 24, 2012, 04:49:57 AM »

Here is a 1/6 scale 12-pdr. Carronade on a two-truck metal garrison carriage that I finished last Saturday from parts lying around the shop for two years or more. The bore is .50 caliber.

jamesfrom180 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 24, 2012, 05:04:06 AM »

Very Very Nice!!

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #2 on:** January 24, 2012, 05:38:20 AM »

Wowee-Zowee!!!!!!! That sure looks great. A real work of art. Congrats!!!!!!!!

BoomLover · « **Reply #3 on:** January 24, 2012, 09:07:39 AM »

Excellent work! Looks real good! At 1/6th scale, what are the dimensions? BoomLover

Artilleryman · « **Reply #4 on:** January 24, 2012, 10:07:38 AM »

Very nice!

Zulu · « **Reply #5 on:** January 24, 2012, 10:28:58 AM »

Max,
Your work always looks perfect!

Zulu

The Jeff · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2012, 11:27:40 AM »

It really looks nice! All it's missing is a ball of flame on the far right!

Max Caliber · « **Reply #7 on:** January 25, 2012, 01:40:01 AM »

Thanks for the compliments.

BoomLover,

The carriage is 9.5 inches long and 4.6 inches tall at the trunnion. The wheels are 3 inches in diameter and are 5 inches outside to outside. The barrel is 7.5 inches long, 2 inches in diameter at the breech ring and 1 inch at the muzzle with a bore of .50. The weight is eight pounds. The bore should be around .77 at this scale but that would leave the barrel to thin for a shooter.

Bob J · « **Reply #8 on:** January 25, 2012, 02:19:24 AM »

Nice! Really Nice!

KABAR2 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 25, 2012, 04:23:37 AM »

I remember when you posted photo's of the parts.... you have have a nice little cannon there!

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #10 on:** January 25, 2012, 06:45:31 AM »

Another example of the excellence we have come to expect from you. A superb Carronade Max. Bye the way, is the tube painted. cast bronze or did you build an iron melting, cupola furnace in your back yard?

Mike and Tracy

Cannoneer · « **Reply #11 on:** January 25, 2012, 11:50:09 PM »

First-class, Max!

Max Caliber · « **Reply #12 on:** January 26, 2012, 06:17:27 AM »

Thanks, Mike and Tracy. I was waiting on someone to ask about the barrel. Yes, It it painted sand cast bronze. That is a very hard barrel to clean up because of the several projections and only the muzzle, chase and a part of the breech area can be worked in the lathe. The rest requires lots and lots of hand work so I took the easy route and gave it a thick coat of paint. I think it looks better painted anyway.

BoomLover · « **Reply #13 on:** January 26, 2012, 04:15:10 PM »

Max Caliber, another way to clean up small cast bronze such as this barrel, is to throw it in a tumbler with medium grit for about half a day, then into a fine grit mix for another 3 or 4 hours. A fine polish can be had with a felt, or cotton wheel on the mandrel of a grinder. I used to clean and polish jewelry castings this way, gold or silver, but it would work with brass or bronze, I think. BoomLover

dominick · « **Reply #14 on:** January 27, 2012, 02:25:07 AM »

Very nice work Max.

Max Caliber · « **Reply #15 on:** January 27, 2012, 04:46:20 AM »

Thanks to everyone for the compliments and thanks to someone? for the Kewpie. BoomLover, I used an oil bonded sand to cast that and it leaves a somewhat rough finish, about like 80 grit sandpaper and that has to be removed before it can be polished. For most things I leave the finish as cast. The fine grained water bond sand leaves a finer finish but has a tendency to wash out some when the metal has to be pored in a vertical position like a cannon barrel.

Double D · « **Reply #16 on:** January 27, 2012, 04:58:23 AM »

I still control the kewpie and you earned it.

Max Caliber · « **Reply #17 on:** January 27, 2012, 05:09:25 AM »

Thanks Douglas.

Cannon Cocker · « **Reply #18 on:** January 27, 2012, 01:23:01 PM »

If the details were any sharper you'd cut your self! Awesome.

1Southpaw · « **Reply #19 on:** January 27, 2012, 02:05:53 PM »

It never ceases to amaze me with the amount of talent on this board .
Very nice !!!!!

FDC · « **Reply #20 on:** January 29, 2012, 12:57:03 PM »

Very beautiful work, indeed. Question, though... did you pour that direct into the barrel cavity? That would explain your concern for washing out of sand due the impact of the melt being dropped from such a height. Something to consider if you ever do another cast is merely elevate the vent end of the mold and stacking sand blocks with sprue holes to mate and line up with your pour cup to compensate for the difference in elevation of the overall mold. I can draw you up a pic to illustrate that technique if you like. I've cast bronze for over 20 years as much as 240 lbs melts at a time.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #21 on:** January 29, 2012, 01:12:28 PM »

An illustration would be nice.

Max Caliber · « **Reply #22 on:** January 30, 2012, 01:56:10 AM »

Thanks FDC. I cast the barrel vertically in Petrobond sand and there was no sand erosion. I have cast barrels and other items with one side of the flask elevated and the process usually works well. Especially good for casting large thin items.

FDC · « **Reply #23 on:** February 01, 2012, 04:38:12 PM »

Ahhh.... so you do have a broader understanding of casting then... good work!!