Author Topic: Walk the walk!!! (Read 5630 times)

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #30 on:** August 10, 2007, 12:31:40 AM »

My only request on height of grass would be short enough to see the post we're going to aim at.

Snakes aren't an issue - we'll shoot at them too.

Fur-lined critters are my friends, I understand reputations.

lance · « **Reply #31 on:** August 10, 2007, 04:15:44 PM »

Tim, just got half a case of goex from a buddy, want to try some? i don't know if i could stand to breath the air, after you fire 500 practice rounds with that stuff you use.............

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #32 on:** August 11, 2007, 01:34:00 AM »

I think half a case of Goex would put that poor golf ball well out of earth orbit and headed towards Mars !

But seriously, since there is no place around here to buy blackpowder anymore, I'm going to have to start working up loads with the pseudo-blackpowder.

lance · « **Reply #33 on:** August 11, 2007, 03:52:20 PM »

Tim, me and my buddy get Goex shipped to us, then we split the case. and it's cheaper than driving to Winchester VA. which is the only place i know you can get it around here, long drive huh. speaking of sending golf balls to mars, after work today, i was playing with the Dictator........ you are going to have fun with it........... i know 30 yard practice just wasn't in me today.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #34 on:** August 12, 2007, 01:07:50 AM »

I wonder (because of the curiosities of ingnition/burning powder under such a light projo) what the most accurate range for a golf-ball mortar is?

Shall I bring a 9-iron with me so only one person has to walk out and back and bring back the golf balls?

lance · « **Reply #35 on:** August 12, 2007, 03:46:29 PM »

well i guess we can test ranges too that day. leave your 9-iron at home, i kinda like the baseball glove ideal. really a 30yd charge is so weak, we can do it barehanded if ya want.

Rickk · « **Reply #36 on:** August 15, 2007, 03:08:21 PM »

crappo... here I go again...

This time I am going for a sort of "Heavy Metal" look. It is a busy time of the year for me, but I am going to try to sqeeze it in. Once again I have to figure out how to do stuff that I don't know how to do... I guess that is the part that makes it fun.

lance · « **Reply #37 on:** August 15, 2007, 03:30:15 PM »

Heavy Metal Look, i like the sound of it Rickk. hope it's cooler weather up where you are at.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #38 on:** August 15, 2007, 03:32:40 PM »

Yea. If it doesn't cool off a little, we'll have to arrange a night time shoot!

Rickk · « **Reply #39 on:** August 15, 2007, 04:40:03 PM »

It has been in the 90's during the day.

Up till this weekend the nights were in the 70's. For those of us that are too cheap to get air conditioning it was a bit warm.

It is finally dropping down to high 50's at night though... good sleeping weather at least.

m223 · « **Reply #40 on:** August 16, 2007, 12:21:40 PM »

Please send some of that 50 degree weather south when you get tired of it. 103 degrees here today with 50 or 60% humidity. I admit it I'm a wuss, and my cannon making is suffering because of my weakness. Stay cool gents. Tracy

lance · « **Reply #41 on:** August 16, 2007, 03:29:03 PM »

Quote from: Cat Whisperer on August 15, 2007, 03:32:40 PM

Yea. If it doesn't cool off a little, we'll have to arrange a night time shoot!

really that don't sound too bad, or maybe early evening.......... Tim, i'm booked Sept.8th, an important SCV event. The Maryland Division Commander is coming down here with alot of important folks. just so happens The Division Commander's g-g-grandfather is buried in Willis Va. There will be a grave dedication complete with cannon fire, among other things. lot's of other camps joining in too. so this will be an event you can come and get some pics of the battery in action, i don't think i'll have time to snap pics, plus it would be "out of uniform" for me to do that.............. what dates are you free for the mortar shoot?

lance · « **Reply #42 on:** August 18, 2007, 09:28:48 AM »

Tim, i didn't want you to get the wrong ideal about dates for the mortar contest. the Iron Cross Marker Dedication on Sept8th is at 12 noon. will probably last a couple of hours. if you want we can still shoot mortars that same day, will just be late afternoon or early evening.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #43 on:** August 18, 2007, 10:47:08 AM »

Lance - give me a minute to sort dates out - right in the middle of renovating a bath room - have to take the2nd truck full to the dump now.

lance · « **Reply #44 on:** August 18, 2007, 04:31:54 PM »

o.k. Tim, hey you were working on that bathroom during the New River Valley Shoot........ i did get to practice some today. i've never shot at 30yds before, but i think i did o.k. fired a few spotters to get the distance, found that 13 grains of FFFG goex did the trick. no cleaning between shots, in fact fired the 7 legal rounds in under five minutes. i was using my Confederate mortar that i machined on my poor little lathe. the powder chamber is 5/8 dia, i used no wadding, all the golfballs were Pinnacle practice, and they have had a hard life........... i measured the five best, i don't know in what order they fell. standing 30yds back, it looked like all fell at the stake. when i walked up, i found out different. anyway,here's the list: #1,2". #2, 26 1/8". #3, 39 1/4". #4, 59 3/16". #5, 81 1/2"........ for a total of 208 1/16"................ here's a pic that i took of it, you'll have to be logged in to see it. plus if you double click it, you should be able to zoom the pic.

lance · « **Reply #45 on:** August 18, 2007, 04:37:20 PM »

here's another pic from the mortar's view, don't want people thinking my grass is all dead. the target area is a place in the pasture that the horses like to roll.......... large chip bag on stake so it will show in picture. excuse the piece of leather i use to keep my paint all purdy on the base.

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #46 on:** August 18, 2007, 04:42:00 PM »

The 2" on is awfully nice. That is quite a spread on the others.
Good luck with the non-practice ones.

I've noticed that while firing my beercan mortar that the cans look
like they all land close to the flag. On closer inspection some are many
feet away, tho.
You win some and you lose some.

lance · « **Reply #47 on:** August 18, 2007, 04:45:22 PM »

what's sad, is that i don't know if the 2" one fell there or rolled there? but i had fun practicing, hope to do better for the contest.

Double D · « **Reply #48 on:** August 18, 2007, 11:19:26 PM »

Lance it doesn't matter how 2" got there, it's there.

You are now the first who not only talks the talk but walks the walk.

Learned a lot about your gun also didn't you?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #49 on:** August 19, 2007, 02:42:26 AM »

SO DD, are you going to submit an entry from the USA or from the USA?

Terry C. · « **Reply #50 on:** August 19, 2007, 04:21:37 AM »

Quote from: lance on August 18, 2007, 04:37:20 PM

excuse the piece of leather i use to keep my paint all purdy on the base.

Good idea! I'm going to look around and see if I can scratch up something similar for my mortar.

One of the first things I did, before I completely finished my Napoleon's field carriage, was to put a really big burn mark in the bare wood on top of the left cheek. The mark never did get sanded completely out, it was too deep. But the brass trunnion plates that I added later covered it.

Ever since then I bend the exposed fuse over, toward the muzzle, so that it lays along the top of the barrel. The residue from the burning fuse sticks to the barrel, but comes off with a flick of a fingernail. Doesn't hurt the barrel, and the globs of hot fuse residue stay off the wood.

2" eh? I'm just hoping that my 25' tape will be long enough to measure my 'group'.

Double D · « **Reply #51 on:** August 19, 2007, 01:10:32 PM »

Quote from: Cat Whisperer on August 19, 2007, 02:42:26 AM

SO DD, are you going to submit an entry from the USA or from the USA?

Sorry Tim, I'm not into golf.

Actually I never got access to the equipment I was promised access to in RSA.

I will be returning to america next spring---northern hemisphere spring and I will be able to get back in to some serious cannon shooting.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #52 on:** August 19, 2007, 01:29:36 PM »

So it's Republic and not Union? When did that happen - in decades?

Any who - we're looking forward to you're homecoming!

I find in an interesting happening that I will have two friends in Durban (even for a few days) at the same time. An old college friend is passing through in September.

lance · « **Reply #53 on:** August 19, 2007, 01:54:03 PM »

Quote from: Double D on August 18, 2007, 11:19:26 PM

Lance it doesn't matter how 2" got there, it's there.

You are now the first who not only talks the talk but walks the walk.

Learned a lot about your gun also didn't you?

Double D, i'm glad you started this project. i've learned there is still lots to learn, a million questions are running through my mind................. Terry C. thanks for not making fun of my apron, it was a piece of leather that i cut a half circle the same dia. as the tube. i hate burning up a paint job......Tim, this don't mean you are off the hook. we still have til the 10th. i have 3 mortars to learn about.You coming over here and face me like a man?............... i'm still talking the talk Double D

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #54 on:** August 30, 2007, 05:39:27 AM »

Quote from: Rickk on August 15, 2007, 03:08:21 PM

crappo... here I go again...

This time I am going for a sort of "Heavy Metal" look. It is a busy time of the year for me, but I am going to try to sqeeze it in. Once again I have to figure out how to do stuff that I don't know how to do... I guess that is the part that makes it fun.

Mike and I just bought a 12-pack of inexpensive golf balls, read that "CHEAP" golf balls. Just like Rickk, we are venturing into uncharted territory here. And, you know what, he's right, that IS the part that makes it fun! We just figured out how to turn the outside of our junior, 1:20.81 Scale, "Mallet's Mortar" , golf ball mortar so that the profile looks pretty good. The 1018 round went from 30 pounds down to 6 Lbs. in four hours. We both vowed NOT to turn this into a major project, but already more and more details are creeping into the drawing. It was going to be smooth-sided, now it, the drawing, shows 6 iron straps to bind the sections together. It was going to be a straight cylinder bore with a drill point transition to the chamber; now someone has added a hemispherical ball-seat. A simple band at the top has become a project for the shaper, with all the clamping strap holding slots in it.
Don't want to garbage up your "Just Do It !! ", get going right now, thread here, so maybe Mike and I should start a new one with a few pics. Crimean War Behemoth Inspires Golf Ball Mortar.

We too, blame DD for this!

Mike and Tracy

Rickk · « **Reply #55 on:** August 30, 2007, 07:07:51 AM »

Tracy, check e-bay for golf balls... tons of them on there. I paid about 10 cents each for 200 of them critters.

Double D · « **Reply #56 on:** August 30, 2007, 09:40:36 AM »

Quote from: seacoastartillery on August 30, 2007, 05:39:27 AM

We too, blame DD for this!

Mike and Tracy

I accept full responsibilty and am very remorsefull....not.

I can see the next step in this...somebody is going buy 200 EBay balls...then weigh them out and measure them so they have seven all the same...

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #57 on:** August 31, 2007, 04:35:28 AM »

Lance, thanks for showing your leather apron for the mortar bed. We will use that excellent idea, because we are probably going to paint our Junior "Mallet's" mortar with white paint and burn marks certainly would show up on that surface.

Rickk, we really don't know if a large quantity of golf balls will do us much good. We have nary a tree within 3 miles of our prairie range, so no real reason to go for a long-range leaf srtipping shot. If we ever do need a bunch, we will certainly take your advise. Our used heat-treat furnace purchased on E-bay works like a champ! So does the geometric die-head we won on a bid.

DD, we know you spotted the word "paint" in the first line here. Paint, paint, paint, paint, paint, and Paint!! That's as much painting as you will ever get out of us, so enjoy it!!

Regards to you all,

Mike and Tracy

Double D · « **Reply #58 on:** August 31, 2007, 01:48:32 PM »

Mallet's Mortars didn't have a bed. So why paint nothing. Or are you going to paint the mortar white?

lance · « **Reply #59 on:** August 31, 2007, 05:16:03 PM »

I sure am glad people like my leather apron, maybe we can paint or stain our aprons to match our beds, don't want to get them mixed up