« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: It is done  (Read 1021 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline cannonmn

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3345
It is done
« on: December 22, 2007, 06:21:53 AM »
Here's the restored 10-inch Spanish mortar with some of the replaced, original bolts and wood shown.









Logged

Offline Terry C.

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1215
  • Gender: Male
  • I see what you did there...
Re: It is done
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2007, 06:39:52 AM »
That's beautiful!


I think you're gonna need more powder...

Logged

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: It is done
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2007, 06:59:14 AM »
NICE work!

I realliy like the perspective of the powder can inside the bottom of the tube!

Tim K
Logged
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 Double D

  • Trade Count: (3)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12609
  • SAMCC cannon by Brooks-USA
    • South African Miniature Cannon Club
Re: It is done
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2007, 07:03:27 AM »
John,

I'm coming to your house to play, you got some neat toys!!
Logged

Offline lance

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1249
  • Gender: Male
Re: It is done
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2007, 07:20:45 AM »
 I LIKE IT!!! been keeping my eyes on finding ya some ammo for it, Have a Merry Christmas!
Logged
PALADIN had a gun.....I have guns, mortars, and cannons!

Offline intoodeep

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (5)
  • A Real Regular
  • *****
  • Posts: 776
Re: It is done
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2007, 08:12:24 AM »
John,

 Wow, that's a Beast!!! Looks like a hernia in the making... :D Anyway, it does look Good! Nice Job!


 
Logged
If you make it idiot proof, then, someone will make a better idiot.

Offline tnmike55

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8
Re: It is done
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2007, 08:52:36 AM »
Outstanding job!!!!!  What are the side plates made out of? Its hard to tell from the pic...MIKE
Logged

Offline Ex 49'er

  • GBO Supporter
  • Trade Count: (8)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1975
  • Gender: Male
Re: It is done
« Reply #7 on: December 22, 2007, 09:29:36 AM »
That is one fine looking mortar. I don't think I'd want to stand behind it when you touched if off, tho.
It kinda looks like it'll roll quite a ways on that there cart. ;D ;D ;D   Congrats on winning a kewpie doll!!!
Logged
When you're walking on eggs; don't hop!!

Offline seacoastartillery

  • GBO Sponsor
  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2853
  • Gender: Male
    • seacoastartillery.com
Re: It is done
« Reply #8 on: December 22, 2007, 10:13:08 AM »
     Absolutely first-rate, John!!  It really looks good.  Looking at these photos reminds us of that great visit we had to Florida to see all the Spanish artillery on the terraplien of Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine.  If you are still looking for shooting ammo for this mortar, we think you might want to consider Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty.  It is available in 25, 50 and 100lb. drums.  The staff at Ft. Ticonderoga in upstate New york used mortar shells made of this putty back in the 60s when they were giving British Coehorn firing demonstrations near the fort.  Range was about 80 yards.  Dry "poster black" can be used in the mix so you don't need to do any painting.  FYI

Regards,

Tracy and Mike

 
Logged
Smokin' my pipe on the mountings, sniffin' the mornin'-cool,
I walks in my old brown gaiters along o' my old brown mule,
With seventy gunners be'ind me, an' never a beggar forgets
It's only the pick of the Army that handles the dear little pets - 'Tss! 'Tss!

From the poem  Screw-Guns  by Rudyard Kipling

Offline cannonmn

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3345
Re: It is done
« Reply #9 on: December 22, 2007, 12:22:48 PM »
Quote
What are the side plates made out of? Its hard to tell from the pic...MIKE

The sideplates are bronze castings.  They are both marked to the effect they were cast in Havana Cuba in 1849, and weigh about 700 lbs. each or so.  The tube was cast in Seville Spain in 1784.  Looking at the bore, I don't' think it has been fired much.

Tx for suggestion about the putty.  We have two slightly undersized iron balls, about 95 lbs. ea., we'll fire with lighter charges and have something to protect the bore and fill up space a bit.  We're still thinking of filling basketballs with concrete since the bore is basketball diameter.  We'll have to support the basketball so it doesn't get out-of-round due to the weight of the concrete, before it hardens.  We'll try anything that will result in a shell weighing maybe 40-80 lbs. or so.

Logged

Offline Artilleryman

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1378
Re: It is done
« Reply #10 on: December 22, 2007, 01:58:25 PM »
Very nice looking mortar.  What does the tube weigh? 

I know of a six pounder gun crew that was using a material called hydra-stone for making cannon balls that they wanted to bust up when it hit, and so it would carry too far.  They used it at Greenfield Village back when we could still live fire there.   Apparently this material was used industrially for making molds. 

To support the basketball, inflate it and set it almost half way down in plaster.  Then when you fill it with whatever you can set it back in the mold, or better yet fill it while it is sitting in the mold.
Logged
Norm Gibson, 1st SC Vol., ACWSA

Offline GGaskill

  • Moderator
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5668
  • Gender: Male
Re: It is done
« Reply #11 on: December 22, 2007, 06:17:08 PM »
Taking Artilleryman's suggestion one step further, I would fill the basketball with water (so it doesn't want to float) and make a full around mould (in two sections) from hydra-stone or hydrocal.  Once that it finished, put the concrete in the basketballs while they are in the mould so they maintain shape. And use the fiber reinforced concrete so the balls don't break up on the first shot.
Logged
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 cannonmn

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3345
Re: It is done
« Reply #12 on: December 23, 2007, 05:07:02 AM »
Thanks for the suggestions.  We'll certainly be trying some of them.

Here's something we posted on NSSA board that has more info on the restoration, if you are interested in that:

http://www.n-ssa.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=31078#31078
Logged

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: It is done
« Reply #13 on: December 23, 2007, 10:08:51 AM »
Quote from: GGaskill on December 22, 2007, 06:17:08 PM

... fill the basketball with ....

Next were going to have Mortar Basketball competition!

Wooo Hooooo!

This will undoubtedly lend new meanings to the terms full-court-press, free-shot and slam-dunk!

NMBA rules apply.

Logged
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 cannonmn

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3345
Re: It is done
« Reply #14 on: December 23, 2007, 10:55:38 AM »
Someone told me a soccer ball is also 9.5 in., so we'll have to try that too.
Logged

Offline lance

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1249
  • Gender: Male
Re: It is done
« Reply #15 on: December 23, 2007, 03:24:51 PM »
Quote from: cannonmn on December 23, 2007, 10:55:38 AM
Someone told me a soccer ball is also 9.5 in., so we'll have to try that too.
cannonmn, i'll set up a net, you bring your mortar over. think we can talk Tim into being the soccer GOALIE..........
Logged
PALADIN had a gun.....I have guns, mortars, and cannons!

Offline Cat Whisperer

  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7493
  • Gender: Male
  • Pulaski Coehorn Works
Re: It is done
« Reply #16 on: December 27, 2007, 04:57:20 PM »
Direct fire - heck no.  Indirect fire the goalie might stand a chance to deflect the round - depending on where the sun is of course.

Logged
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 cannonmn

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3345
Re: It is done
« Reply #17 on: December 28, 2007, 03:10:27 PM »
Quote
What does the tube weigh?

The tube weighs about 1400 lbs. and bed with new wood in it is probably about 1600.

We were thinking of making a 4x8 platform out of 4x4's, but I think that's overkill.  We're going to start with a levelled area of sand or gravel, and put a piece of oak plywood maybe 4x8x3/4 to give us a nice smooth surface big enough to work handspikes on.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »