Stainless Steel

[acoop101]

Any Opinions on Using Stainless Steel for a cannon, again we have a surpluss of material form a paying customer who does not want the excess stock, any opinions on making a titanium aloy cannon as well, both of these cannons would be made from 1.5 inch bar stock for a 50 caliber cannon. Any opinions on these two materials and any sugestion for what the best possible material is would be much apriciated.

[cncswiss1]

Ti is very sensitive to notch failure= make sure there are no sharp edges and the fillets are generous. I have no idea to it's ultimate applicability to the actual barrel. what alloy? 6-4?

[Cannonmaker]

Titanium work hardens real easily.  when cutting you need to keep the tool cutting at all times.  The strenght is good although Ti is quite light in weight.  Ti having a Density of 4.507 g/cm3 is apx 57% lighter than Iron with a Density of 7.87 g/cm3.  Due to the light weight the recoil would be much grater.  One plus would be the corrision resestance.  The biggest problem would be the drilling and boring. 

If you try to machine a tube, let us know how it works.

The A10 Worthog has a Titanium bathtub around the cockpit.  Ti has the highest strenght to weght ratio of the Metals.  Has good armor plating capabillities.

Rick

[jeeper1]

Ti has the highest strength to weight ratio of the Metals.  Has good armor plating capabilities.

Burns good too.

[CU_Cannon]

I would sell the Ti and get some good steel or bronze.