Author Topic: Black Powder Cannon Plans  (Read 4450 times)

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Offline Youngunner

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Black Powder Cannon Plans
« on: July 31, 2006, 04:52:35 PM »
Hello,
I am a new member of your forum.  I am trying to repay my shooting instructor for all his time and effort he is spent training me.  I wanted to get plans for him and I to build a small black powder cannon. He works on the Star of India in San Diego and recently got interested in cannons.  If there is anyone that has plans to make a small mortor or cannon i would greatly appreciate it.  I tried looking all over the web, and this is the only site that looks like they know what they are doing. 
Thanks in advance,
Matt 

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2006, 09:58:47 PM »
That ship never was armed so something appropriate would be a swivel mount saluting gun.  These are available commercially (and expensively) but could be made in a home shop or a larger shop.

We have lots of plans; what is your machinist skill level?
GG
“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”
--Winston Churchill

Offline Youngunner

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2006, 05:25:49 AM »
Well he works on a few boats at the harbor, the "star" is the only one i remember.  I have not worked with metal, so i was hoping we could just buy a barrel, and just work with the wood, ect.  He also was a mortarmen in the USMC so i was thinking that could be an option.  They look more simple....but what do i know?

Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2006, 06:05:46 AM »
Hello,
I am a new member of your forum.  I am trying to repay my shooting instructor for all his time and effort he is spent training me.  I wanted to get plans for him and I to build a small black powder cannon. He works on the Star of India in San Diego and recently got interested in cannons.  If there is anyone that has plans to make a small mortor or cannon i would greatly appreciate it.  I tried looking all over the web, and this is the only site that looks like they know what they are doing. 
Thanks in advance,
Matt 

WELCOME!

You're off to a good start. 

You'll have to make a decision of what you want first.  Look through the sticky's for what is legal to make and what is not.

Once you've flipped the coin, there are LOTS of good folks here willing to help!

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2006, 12:16:55 PM »
Here's a nice although high budget option.

GG
“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”
--Winston Churchill

Offline Youngunner

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2006, 05:43:29 PM »
Saluting cannons dont fire a projectile right?  I am looking for something we can fire while we are also shooting our other toys.  That looks like a nice cannon, but maybe if it was bolted to a tire or something it would be a little cheaper  ;D   I ruled out a mortar, but i was thinking a small muzzleloading cannon.  Maybe that shoots golf balls or sand filled cans.  I am hopeing someone here was some plans we can use to get us started.  Thanks again for the tips.

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2006, 08:15:38 PM »
Take a look here and here and here for examples.  We have lots of plans; you need to look at what was made and pick one, or pick a freelance design.  A golf ball bore cannon (also can fire 1 pound spherical lead shot) will be about 5" in diameter; the cost for the raw material will be at least $150 (130 lbs approximately for a 24" piece.)  This will give you an all steel barrel which will need some care if used in an oceanic setting.
GG
“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”
--Winston Churchill

Offline Youngunner

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2006, 07:44:37 AM »
Thanks for the help ;D.  Well after looking at the cannon photos, i tend to lean towards the 3rd one.  It seems the most basic.  150 for the raw materials is not bad, i have seen golf ball cannons go for much more if you bought them assembled.  5" Diameter sounds fine, but would it be possible for the barrel to be maybe 36" insteal of 24?  Steel barrel should be OK, since we live a little inland.  But i am sure there is a protective coating we could appy when it is not in use.  I hope this give you an idea what i am looking for since i am not too sure as well  ???
Thanks again for all your help.

Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2006, 04:07:37 PM »
Another approach (not that there is anything wrong with the one you're following) is when you find a piece of steel (for free or reasonable cost) you envision the cannon inside it waiting to be released by machining all the non-cannon metal away.

That's how I first got started in '74 by finding a piece of hot rolled steel - still very scaley - that just screamed to me - I'm a mortar, let me out!

Steel is where you find it.  Check the local machine shops for end pieces (called 'rounds') and the junk yards.  You might be surprized.

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
U.S.Army Retired
N 37.05224  W 80.78133 (front door +/- 15 feet)

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2006, 10:18:36 PM »
5" Diameter sounds fine, but would it be possible for the barrel to be maybe 36" instead of 24"?

Buying cannons (making them, too) is kind of like hot rodding and car racing (you know, speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?)  So the answer to your question is of course!  But it will cost more (and be heavier and harder to transport.)  If you want a model of a real gun, the diameter is proportional to the length, so a 5x24 gun would scale up to a 7.5x36 gun, which is starting to get into some heavy metal. 

...i tend to lean towards the 3rd one.  It seems the most basic.

Number three is 4X24 and 1" bore (45 lbs barrel weight); it is a 1/5 scale model of a USS Constitution 24 pounder in the English style of 1779.  The Dahlgrens and Brookes are about 75 years more modern (1850's, 1860's) and much simpler to make.

One can be a little less proportional if making a freelance design, but if you read some of our older posts, you will find more than one statement such as "when I built it, I didn't care about accurate replicas, but now I wish I had."  So that is something to consider.  The $150 estimate is for metal only; number three has about a hundred hours of now and then time in it (I've been working on it since late 2004), so figure a substantial labor charge if you have to pay someone to make one like it.

GG
“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”
--Winston Churchill

Offline Youngunner

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #10 on: August 14, 2006, 05:34:04 AM »
The USS constitution cannon is what i am looking for.  1/5 th scale (4x24)seems fine, i dont want anything too big.   What does it fire?  golf balls?  If you have the plans for this, i would be very grateful.
Thanks again guys for all your help. ;D

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #11 on: August 14, 2006, 10:04:14 AM »
It shoots 1" ball bearings or anything else 1" or slightly less in diameter (4 oz spherical sinkers are close.)  Golf balls are 1.7" in diameter which would make it 6.8x40.8 and about 220 lbs.

PM me an email address to receive the plans.  It would be best if you can use a .dwg file.
GG
“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”
--Winston Churchill

Offline Michael Az

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #12 on: August 14, 2006, 10:35:48 AM »
Quote
The $150 estimate is for metal only; number three has about a hundred hours of now and then time in it (I've been working on it since late 2004), so figure a substantial labor charge if you have to pay someone to make one like it.

 Lets say a shop had all the right manual equipment and machinist that could make this cannon in 75 hours. I would estimate the cost around $4,000. One of the biggest problems is making just one. It takes so much time to get all the tools out, grinding special tools, setup time. You might as well have two made, the second one would be $3,000.
Michael

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #13 on: August 16, 2006, 09:25:50 PM »
The plans I sent are what I used to make my gun but a definitive set of plans is available from the Naval Historical Center - Detachment Boston (the support group for the Constitution).  See the thread USS Constitution' s Best Kept Secret for details.
GG
“If you're not a liberal at 20, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at 40, you have no brain.”
--Winston Churchill

Offline cannonlover

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2006, 02:27:02 PM »
One of the sponsors of this site (Neff Cannons) has two golf ball shooters, but they are civil war light artillery barrells.  One is a 24 pound field howitzer and the other a 12 pound Napoleon.  He does have a naval gun, but the barrel is 1 1/8 inches.  You may want to contact him and ask if he could make the navel gun in a scale that will shoot a golf ball.

You mentioned just buying the barrel, and that is available from him.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy this forum.
Nolan Shaw
Neff Cannons and Machine, LLC
Rick's Brother-in-Law (promoted to Sales Rep during shows)

Offline cannonlover

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Re: Black Powder Cannon Plans
« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2006, 04:11:44 AM »
Cannonmaker's internet is down.  This is the owner of Neff Cannons.  He has been having problems with his internet provider, since he lives out in the sticks (way out in farm country, with the nearest neighbor over a mile away).  If you want to contact him you may have to call.  He has been told that DSL was just made available and he is going to switch over to that.

I hope you find the cannon that you want.
Nolan Shaw
Neff Cannons and Machine, LLC
Rick's Brother-in-Law (promoted to Sales Rep during shows)