Cheroot Cane

[Powder keg]

Hello All,

I've had a little time waiting for my gears to be hardened and I decided to start a fun little project. I saw a picture of what is called a Cheroot cane on the internet. They were loaded with a blank and set off with a Cheroot, or cigar. I've wanted to build one ever since. I can't find much information on them and I only have a couple of pictures to go by, on this project. It is a fairly straight forward casting project. Here is my inspiration.


I built the pattern out of a type of recycled plastic. Can't remember the brand name. It is used to build decks. I really like working with this stuff. It machines like butter and is fairly rigid. You have to be a little careful how you hold it in the lathe and mill or you will smoosh it. To get pieces big enough I clean the surfaces with a band saw or jointer and then glue them up with Gorilla Glue, making sure I clamp it good. The joints are almost invisible. On this pattern the two round portions were made out of two pieces glued together. I then turned them round  using a center for a wood lathe that I made up. I could then chuck the cylinders up in a 3 jaw. After I got the profiles the way I liked them I set the part that goes into the shaft of the cane in the mill and cut the radius for the barrel to rest in. I then shaped the top of that with my band saw and belt sander.  The barrel and base were then glued together with super glue. I'm going to use Bondo to radius the joint between the two pieces.


The pattern looks a little different because I made the barrel just a bit bigger than the one in the picture. I did this for safety. I'll cast this as soon as I can, weather permitting.....

Wes

[Tropico]

VERY COOL !!! A Hand cannon for Grandpa !

[Santa Dave]

Fer us ol' geezers  who need a "leanin' stick" anywho thats a real winner! love it!
Dave

[copdoc]

That is the niced cannon I have seen in some time. You know you can take a cane on the airplane.  You better not try to take yours.  I am going to make one for my Dad. (and me)

[Cannonmaker]

Wes,  Cool look'n cane, might make everyone humble in church.  I have to see it when its done.  You may have to cast up a few extras.

Rick

[Tropico]

You may have to cast up a few extras.

I am hoping so as well .,thats awesome.

[Cat Whisperer]

I could see a variation - a double barrel - either side by side or superposed.


It looks like a shooin' iron.  People will recognise is as such.  (Which is ok because it's cute/cool.)

A hand gonne is not recognised by 'normal' people as a shootin' iron.  The reaction is "that's an interesting walking stick" when I walked down to the farmers' market with in on one Saturday.

[Cat Whisperer]

There is an elegance to it.

I'd make it in 1/4x1-1/2" fire cracker caliber.

[Evil Dog]

If you cast up a few extras and need a volunteer for "field evaluation", I'd be available.

[Powder keg]

I've been itching to get my foundry fired up and today was such a wonderful day, I couldn't resist. I made some new flasks and finished the pattern for this little cannon. Here is the barrrel lying in the Cope. I spread parting powder on everything and then ram sand over the parts.



After I have the sand rammed up I flip the cope over and dig out the sand down to the parting line. Here are a couple pictures of that. On the bottom picture you can see the lines I drew  in the sand to let me know where to cut.



Here is the cope and drag with the sprues gates and risers cut into the sand. After I put the two back togather it will be ready to pore in the molten metal. Raming up the sand and cutting the gates and what not took me about an hour.


My new burner had everything ready to pore in about 35 min. Before it took me over an hour most times. here is a quick peak inside my furnace. That is some scrap 660 bronze in there


I pored two barrels and some brake and clutch leavers for my bike today. After they cool down I'll post some more pictures.

Wes

[Cannonmaker]

Wes, the piece looks good,  I'm enjoying the weather myself.  Yesterday my son-in-law and I fired up my monster furnice and melted some Al into a ingot.  I do need to redo my nozzel. 

Rick

[Powder keg]

The pieces I pored turned out great!!! The best I've done in bronze yet! Here is a picture with the pieces still in the sand. I let them cool for 2 hours before I broke the flask open. The metal would still boil water.


Here is a picture of the as cast pieces before I've cut off the sprue and risers. The surface finish is pretty good. The only place where I see a problem is on the shank part of the cannons. There are some little pits on the top side. They should clean up though? I will try adding a small vent there the next time I cast these to see if that fixes the problem.


 

Wes

[Cat Whisperer]

I'll bet you melted down several family heirloom sets of silverware just to make a Sterling Silver cane handle - that's ok - but for the motor cycle handle?   

[Powder keg]

The camera gave them a silver tinge? They are 660 Bronze. I've been adding bronze to my Bike to make it look different:O) I've got a few more pieces to add then I'm going to paint it.

Wes

[rusty barrels]

I'm with some of the guys, if you should decide to make a bunch. I think it looks better than the original.

[Santa Dave]

How 'bout an update on this subject!
Or has real life inserted it's ugly head?
Dave
 (the proud possessor of TWO of Wes's works of art!)

[Powder keg]

I've been finishing up that coolant system for my lathe and decided to test it on these little guys. It worked great!!!



I now need to build a jig for my mill.

Later, Wes

[lance]

that is a neat project!!! somewhere on the net i saw one that the barrel had to be given half a turn to line up two red dots before it could be fired. i'll see if i can find the pic, that's if you want another project

[Cat Whisperer]

Wes -

Good to see your posting again - I've been meaning to do the same thing to my lathe.

Been snowed under at work - even weekends - then come home to work on painting house trim and renovate the upstairs bathroom.  Not much time for anything else.