Author Topic: Where to Get Small Wheels?  (Read 1239 times)

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Offline CrufflerSteve

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Where to Get Small Wheels?
« on: June 16, 2005, 09:14:59 AM »
I've just received the breech loading firecracker barrel that Ray has been talking about. It is really well made. Very nice looking. Now, I need to put it in a carriage. I'm not too happy with a basic naval carriage since that doesn't allow much elevation. I'd like to shoot straight as well as air bursts.

The barrel is 4" long with no cascabel. It does have a somewhat howitzer look and I was thinking of some sort of siege howitzer carriage. I've seen pictures of howitzer carriages with wheels the size of the barrel and short carriages. That would allow for a fairly extreme elevation.

Any suggestion about wheels? Cannon-mania has wheels at 3" (cheap) and 5.5" (not so cheap). I'd like something in between.

Steve

Offline Trigger Mortise

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Where to Get Small Wheels?
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2005, 02:04:31 PM »
You could use 4" steel caster wheels.
These are smaller (2") caster  wheels on my 5/8" bore cannons.


Offline Cat Whisperer

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« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2005, 02:40:31 PM »
T.M. -

Haven't heard from you in a while!  GOOD looking shootin' irons!

Great idea on the (steel) caster wheels.  There are some coming in from China that look, shall I say, rustic.

I have one cannon I purchased, that was someone's project long ago, that has wheels made from steel with a flat rubber rim.  Most likely from an industrial source for wheels for moving heavy equipment.
Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
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Offline Double D

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Where to Get Small Wheels?
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2005, 02:48:39 PM »
Are you looking for spooked wheels?  Make them yourself.  I got plans.

Go through the links up on the Cannon rsource list oneo fthose whell sellers was selling some pretty small ones.

Offline CrufflerSteve

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« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2005, 04:21:58 PM »
Quote from: Double D
Are you looking for spooked wheels?  Make them yourself.  I got plans.

Go through the links up on the Cannon rsource list oneo fthose whell sellers was selling some pretty small ones.


I did check and it looks like Cannon-mania is the place. Most others stop at 10" to 12" or larger. Maybe a mountain howitzer look. They used large wheels and short carriages.

Any basic (translate: free) plans out there? It will be basic. I'll probably order the 5.5" wheels from cannon-mania. The plans don't have to be great. It will be pretty basic.

Steve

Offline Cpt Ed

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Small scale cannon wheels.
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2005, 10:12:51 AM »
CrufflerSteve:

You might look around at Thrift Shops, Flea Markets or Garage Sales for children’s toys. Sometimes you can find useable wagon wheels in plastic, wood or metal that will serve your purposes. Notice the image of the bottom of a carriage that was located a couple years ago at a Church Sale. The front wheels are 2” in diameter and the rear wheels are 3” in diameter. The axles and carriage bed are wood and the wheels are a sturdy plastic.

Since my interest is for the larger scales, I probably won’t use this item. If you are interested and can use the wheels, send me a PM and I will send this carriage to you for just the cost of the postage.

Good luck with your project.

Always think safety...be a More Complete Cannoneer.

"I HATE SMALL TOWNS BECAUSE ONCE YOU'VE SEEN THE CANNON IN THE PARK, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO DO."

Offline Evil Dog

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« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2005, 10:18:36 AM »
Check on eBay.... I see them there all the time.
Evil Dog

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Offline CrufflerSteve

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Where to Get Small Wheels?
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2005, 12:26:52 PM »
Quote from: Evil Dog
Check on eBay.... I see them there all the time.


I went and ordered the 5.5" ones from cannon-mania. I'm kind of busy so I'd like to make sure I'm ready for the 4th.

I've been looking at carriage designs. There is one interesting one, the Wiard which could handle 35 degrees of elevation! At the time, most carriages just did 5 degrees. I've found a so-so drawing in "Round Shot & Rammers" and a poor photograph of a battery of them in another. I haven't found much on the net. From the little bit I've seen its a cool carriage, much more modern looking than the other ones of the Civil War. One picture implied the barrel was raised by a screw through the rear of the barrel. I won't do that. I might take a few ideas from this and some from a mountain howitzer I'll call it a Weird carriage.

Steve

Offline rays89

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Where to Get Small Wheels?
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2005, 05:37:13 PM »
I made a set for a .30 cal Field howitzer 5 inch diameter, All I can say it was a lot of work, I was looking on trying to get a craftmaster wagon kit off of E-bay and examine those wheels, It would be neat building a micro Field cannon But the wheel situation is holding me back on that. I could get plastic wheels, But they look to cheap. I prefer to mess with Wood and brass.    I got the plans out of the Sticky section

Offline rays89

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Where to Get Small Wheels?
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2005, 08:40:42 AM »
Steve
   The breechloader cannon is the M-FC (Military-Firecracker), Its for firecracker usage only. It isn't adviseable to use black powder in it. Just firecrackers.  Just want to give you a warning on this. The M-BPFC (Mlitary-Blackpowder, firecracker) which is a muzzloader is the one to use a combination of 10 Grains FFG BLACKPOWDER and a firecracker. Increasing the load makes the firecracker detonate in the barrel so 10 grains is the optimum load