Author Topic: Carriages for outdoor static display (Read 1018 times)

Zulu · « **on:** July 06, 2011, 12:19:14 PM »

I just finished a matched pair of ship carriages for someone in Florida who wants to display them at his beach house. He has a pair of 48" fiberglass barrels he got on Ebay a while back. He wanted the carriages to last as long as possible out in the Florida elements so I decided to make them out of treated pine. I had some on the wood rack that was totally dry and decided to use that.
I did not have the barrels in my possession.
First I developed the scale I was going to use and glued the wood together height wise and thickness wise to get boards big enough for the project.

Then I planed the 3" thickness down to the 2 1/8" that I needed. That's a lot of planing!

As usual, with my static display carriages, everything is made of wood.

I painted everything that is supposed to be metal black and stained the carriage with a special outdoor stain.
I think they look good for treated wood.

Hopefully, I'll get pictures of the mounted barrels.
Zulu

GGaskill · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2011, 12:26:55 PM »

How is that finish going to stand up to solar UV?

Zulu · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2011, 12:44:47 PM »

George,
It is "Sikkens" stain. It is made for outdoor use. I used two coats of a color called "dark oak". It dries with a satin sheen.
It will last only as long as it last.

I tried to talk him into paint but he wanted stain.
I have used the same product in my yard displays and it lasted about two years before it needed work. Of course, beachfront will have its own effect. $:-\$
Zulu

projector · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2011, 06:15:01 AM »

I give it a year in the Florid sun and salt air. Looks good though.

keith44 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2011, 07:53:28 AM »

Quote from: projector on July 07, 2011, 06:15:01 AM

I give it a year in the Florid sun and salt air. Looks good though.

If the owner does nothing, you're probably right. If the owner will provide some shelter and do some maintenance every few months

it should last a long time.

projector · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:03:25 AM »

I built a mahagony screen door for our front porch which faces South. (central Florida) It gets full sun in the winter and partial in the Summer. I gave it 4 coats of epoxy as a moisture barrier and 6 coats of a marine eurithane to protect from the sun. It turned out beautifully but lasted a year until the finish dulled and pealed in some areas where thin.

Of course I'm not much on maintenance and bright work on boats should be tended to anually.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #6 on:** July 08, 2011, 07:30:18 AM »

I hope you realize that when Obama finds out you're responsible for destroying all these trees, that you are going to be in some deep stuff; and I mean a lot deeper than your huge pile of sawdust!

As always, excellent work, Zulu.

rustychips · « **Reply #7 on:** July 09, 2011, 05:39:19 AM »

Zulu, your work is fantastic, went to your personal web site to look around, my wife found it hard to believe your cannon are made of wood, then I showed her the before paint pictures and I got a wow out of her. You take woodworking to a level I have yet to master. The person in Florida should be very pleased.

David

Zulu · « **Reply #8 on:** July 09, 2011, 06:41:32 AM »

Thanks for the compliments.
I really enjoy making carriages. It would be even more fun if I made more than $4 an hour.

Zulu

keith44 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 09, 2011, 07:07:35 AM »

perhaps the market could bear $4.01 per hour?

Sorry still kinda bitter after contract negotiations.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #10 on:** July 09, 2011, 11:56:29 AM »

Zulu,
Have you found anyplace reasonablly close to your address where you could fire some ordnance?

Zulu · « **Reply #11 on:** July 09, 2011, 05:30:40 PM »

Cannoneer,
The highest thing in the Houston area is a highway overpass. The only gun I have that shoots is my South Bend barrel in 1 1/2" bore on the white split trail carraige I made.
I have only fired it about 10 times with blanks.
I know no one that owns property where I could shoot.
Sadly, I have never live fired.

$:-\$

Zulu

Double D · « **Reply #12 on:** July 09, 2011, 06:51:04 PM »

Call Dave Higginbottom (936) 228-2448and see if he can suggest a place to shoot your cannon in the Houston area.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #13 on:** July 10, 2011, 03:24:09 AM »

Quote from: Zulu on July 09, 2011, 05:30:40 PM

Sadly, I have never live fired. $:-\$
Zulu

Didn't you fire bolts from the Parrott that you sold?

Zulu · « **Reply #14 on:** July 10, 2011, 03:34:27 AM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on July 10, 2011, 03:24:09 AM

Quote from: Zulu on July 09, 2011, 05:30:40 PM
Sadly, I have never live fired. $:-\$
Zulu

Didn't you fire bolts from the Parrott that you sold?

Cannoneer,
I had that Parrott for over a decade. It was a smoothbore. I ordered powder 50 lbs. at a time and probably shot 500 lbs. in total. It was all done at Civil War re-enactments and was all 12 oz. blanks.
The local law frowns upon slaughtering Yankees for the viewing pleasure of the public.

I cast zinc, lead, and aluminum round balls for it but never shot any of them.
Zulu

GGaskill · « **Reply #15 on:** July 10, 2011, 01:10:13 PM »

The local law frowns upon slaughtering Yankees for the viewing pleasure of the public.

Yeah, and that would probably work for the first shot only until the survivors fixed bayonets and charged.