Author Topic: New Cannon (Read 1561 times)

Matt Dixon · « **on:** July 10, 2007, 12:28:33 PM »

I was thanking of making a cannon out of bronze i this a good material to use? And what would be the best length for a golf ball sized boor the deepest i can go is 9.5" will that be good.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #1 on:** July 10, 2007, 12:33:56 PM »

Brass and bronze are good for looks, but steel (say 1018, 4140 and others) are much better for strength.

Three things go together, material, design and loading. A good design will account for all three.

What are you planning to shoot (competition, re-enactment or fun), where (range) and what for projectiles?

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #2 on:** July 10, 2007, 12:47:24 PM »

I was planing to shoot for fun and i wanted to shoot gulf balls.

lance · « **Reply #3 on:** July 10, 2007, 01:46:56 PM »

i'll give two thoughts that might help, steel can be painted to look like bronze or brass. or if you want to use bronze, well it dosen't take much powder to shoot a golf ball far...........

intoodeep · « **Reply #4 on:** July 10, 2007, 02:33:23 PM »

Matt,

You could make something like this if you are just shooting GB's.

lance · « **Reply #5 on:** July 10, 2007, 02:36:43 PM »

that's what i would do, golf balls work better in mortars anyway.........

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #6 on:** July 10, 2007, 04:37:41 PM »

OK so what i really what is a 6lb mt howitzer but i don't know what the specs are. Can anyone help Ive looked for 3 days now and so far nothing.

Thanks Matt

lance · « **Reply #7 on:** July 10, 2007, 04:42:12 PM »

have you e-mailed Rickk, he's one of the best for info, he knows all the links.

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #8 on:** July 10, 2007, 04:54:49 PM »

Thanks i just did.

Rickk · « **Reply #9 on:** July 10, 2007, 05:05:51 PM »

12 pdr http://www.longcamp.com/how.html --- look down the page and you will find a link to actual plans.

6 pdr http://www.greystarcannontech.homestead.com/star.html

several howitzers http://www.members.tripod.com/~ProlificPains/arty.htm

Rick

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #10 on:** July 10, 2007, 05:16:33 PM »

This will help big time. Thanks I'm going to have some fun!

GGaskill · « **Reply #11 on:** July 10, 2007, 07:50:24 PM »

I'm not aware of a 6 pounder mountain howitzer but the 12 pounder of 1841 plans are available from AOP. No. 25 is the pack version, Nos. 67 and 68 are the two prairie carriages. The packages contain much more than simply plans for the barrel and are well worth their prices.

Tropico · « **Reply #12 on:** July 11, 2007, 02:58:16 PM »

I got a few Bronze and Brass pieces......, They are my favorite guns . They don't rust. I bet you really like your end result when using these.

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #13 on:** July 11, 2007, 05:21:29 PM »

what size are they im trying to do it cheep tho

Tropico · « **Reply #14 on:** July 11, 2007, 06:40:02 PM »

Well they vary they start from 1" and go to Beer Can . My first and one of my favorites is a custom casting from an aircraft contractor., They did it with 80% stainless and 20% Nickel it is 30" long X 1.75 bore in a Queen Anne configuration The trunnion on it is well below center .., its special to me. Its from 1990.

Also I have a 1" made from 3" brass stock by Brooks USA its 12" in length..., Its a BIG lilttle gun .

I guess ya gotta go with what you can get? Good steel 1018 is tough.

Brass and Bronze are expensive today.,its like buying money.

I am not a machinist., but I would start with steel and save., then with experience and some money saved .,work for that cannon or mortar design you really want the most......, in a scaled down version..., and then do it in a bronze.

I am very proud of my Beer can mortar., its alot less material as in only 12" long including trunnion but with a beer can bore.
I think its the most for the least. I would say for one gun., its my favorite to shoot. A bigger boom and a shorter range with a visible projectile..., Mortars are just plain fun to watch !

In a cannon., the most for the least in my humble opinion is the 1" bore.

I have 3 in Cast Iron and a Steel tube liner. I love them. They are my biggest guns.
However my other 8 cannons are of stainless (Most don't like it.., but it doesn't rust on the boat) Brass and Bronze and they are FAR more maintenance free and much less on my mind about greasing and maintenance.

I am just simply not funded for HUGE BIG SCARY BRONZE GUNS or I would have gotten them as oppose to the steel.

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #15 on:** July 14, 2007, 07:33:50 PM »

Well i talked to my boss to see if i can make another cannon and he gave me the ok to make one and told me to use find a piece of scrap steel in the shop so that's what i did. I found a 22" by 5" peace of round stock i thank it is 4140. And i what to make a replica of a a mt howitzer but cant find plans. So right now I'm just free handing it. I haven't got far yet. But i wanted to see if anyone had any ideas on size or plans on it. But i would like to keep it a golf ball size just for the ability to acquire easy and cheap ammo.

Double D · « **Reply #16 on:** July 14, 2007, 07:51:44 PM »

Check your email

GGaskill · « **Reply #17 on:** July 14, 2007, 09:26:40 PM »

A 22" long mountain howitzer would scale out to 4.5" in diameter and 59.14%. Scale bore size would be 2.73" which is an odd size.

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #18 on:** July 15, 2007, 02:33:54 AM »

OK do you know what the size would be if it was a 50% scale?

GGaskill · « **Reply #19 on:** July 15, 2007, 07:06:47 AM »

OK do you know what the size would be if it was a 50% scale?

Half scale is the size we build in the cannon class (two were made in the recent class.) They are 3.8" over the breech ring (the largest diameter) and 18.6" long. We make them from 4" round stock and drilled them for golf balls. I could send a print if you like.

Both images are larger than initially shown.

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #20 on:** July 15, 2007, 07:31:52 AM »

Yeah that would be great that is just what I'm looking for! By the way nice peace.

GGaskill · « **Reply #21 on:** July 15, 2007, 12:10:02 PM »

That was made by one of the students in the recent cannon making class.

Matt Dixon · « **Reply #22 on:** July 17, 2007, 04:19:03 PM »

Well I'm almost there and thanks for the help and prints for that 1/2 scale 12lb is my next project tho. The one im making now is all by ear so far the boar is 2.60 beer can size 17"deep with a 1.5 by 2"powder chamber i still need to get it bored out. Now i making the Cascable im making it a separate peace then im having it welded on. The knob is 2" thank it will look good. And i will have pics later on in the week. So thanks and let me know what you thank.