Author Topic: Hello Everyone!  (Read 2610 times)

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Offline mortarmaker

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Hello Everyone!
« on: January 12, 2008, 03:24:02 PM »
What an informative site! No, What informative people!

    You guy's all are great. I'm (very) new  to cannon and mortar building. A little background, I have allway's been "guided" to creating something out of nothing. I've been carving Pineknots (Wood spirits) and walking sticks for a few years now.  I am a machinist out of Lynchburg Va. I love the challenge of machining. I run 2nd shift at a great company, who I will leave undisclosed for now  ;), We are a very relaxed company, So I create thing's on my off time. I'm using a Haas cnc tool lathe, and a Haas sl-30 to turn the mortar. All the machines I use are Haas CnC. And it feels great to have unlimited access to them. I could probably fully make a 7 inch mortar in 2 hours. "dont mean to make anybody jealous" It takes all the work out of it. I have recently started making my 1st mortar. Though what I have designed is slightly more ornamental than your traditional mortars go.

       The only thing I have left to do is bore it and press a trunion through. And make a carriage. This will be a golfball mortar. It's 7inches long made of 1018 steel, with an o.d. of 2.625. I'm still a little leary on the depth of the bore and what size the powder chamber should be. I will get some more pics on here very soon of the progress. I'm very knowledgeable in machining, but less in cannon and mortar building. So I take it step by step. I look forward to exchanging info and getting to know some of you. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian

                                                                 
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Offline lance

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2008, 03:39:36 PM »
Hello mortarmaker,welcome to the forum! i see you're in  Lynchburg Va., i'm about 40 miles south west of Roanoke. i've also been known to carve wood every once in a while, anyway, looking forward to seeing your mortar when it's finished.
PALADIN had a gun.....I have guns, mortars, and cannons!

Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2008, 03:54:38 PM »
Thanks Lance,
 
        I believe there are a couple folks from around this area. And a fellow wood carver. I noticed you are part of preserving Civil War Artifacts. Thats awesome. I actually live about 10 minutes from historic Appomattox. It's great to go out there and try to imagine what it must of been like.

Brian

Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2008, 03:58:07 PM »
sorry bout the "artifacts".  I meant trust. huge difference! ;)

Offline lance

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2008, 04:10:50 PM »
 no problem about the artifacts, i've worked on some original guns too. What kind of base will your mortar have?
PALADIN had a gun.....I have guns, mortars, and cannons!

Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2008, 06:48:41 PM »
Not sure yet, I'm still thinking about that one. Probably something more traditional out of Oak. Still looking for ideas, but would like for it to be a little original. How many of these things have you built?

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2008, 07:07:53 PM »
How about some additional dimensions for your barrel; is the 2 5/8" the small diameter or the large one?
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 mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #7 on: January 13, 2008, 03:32:09 AM »
The smaller o.d. is 2-1/4 which is a little smaller than I would like. Hopefully with the smaller load (golfball) it should be o.k.  I was going to go with 1.732 on the bore. Which leaves a minimum of .259 wall thickness. I turned 3/8 rings on the front of the barrel and 1.5 inches down.

Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #8 on: January 13, 2008, 03:45:06 AM »
mortarmaker -

WELCOME to the forum!  It's a small world.  Lance lives in the next county from me.  I have driven through (now around) Appomattox many times - on the way to Richmond.  My brother's father-in-law (Mr. Judd) was in charge of the restoration of the park there.

Cool pictures!  Keep 'em coming!

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
Cat Whisperer
Chief of Smoke, Pulaski Coehorn Works & Winery
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Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #9 on: January 13, 2008, 04:13:53 AM »
Good to meet you Cat,

   It's great to have a couple of local people on here. tis' a small world.  Your brothers father-in-law had a great job! I look forward to getting to know some of you. Please forgive my lack of knowledge of cannons, If anyone thinks I'm about to do anything stupid, please relay the constructive critisism! though I do research and take advice, so I do learn quick. I'll keep you posted on the progress of my 1st mortar.

Brian

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #10 on: January 13, 2008, 07:27:40 AM »
OK.  So how large, where and how do you intend to attach the trunnion(s)?
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 MortarMan

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #11 on: January 13, 2008, 12:43:35 PM »
This is where my lack of mortar knowledge comes in. I would like to do a .750 single trunnion pressed through the barrel.
But I'm still not sure what my bore depth should be. I have kinda fished around on this site for bore depths, but get some differences.
The mortar I'm building now is more or less to get my feet wet. But I do want it right, so, any suggestions would be welcome and appreciated!


Offline Terry C.

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #12 on: January 13, 2008, 01:05:03 PM »
I would like to do a .750 single trunnion pressed through the barrel.

If you go all the way through, then your depth will be limited by the placement of the bore for the trunnion.


Typically, about two calibers is the common depth for a mortar bore. In other words, if you drop two balls in the bore, the second one will be about flush with the muzzle. Then you will need to add the chamber.

You will want to have at minimum, a thickness of metal equal to the diameter of the chamber between the bottom of the chamber and the hole for the trunnion.

As you can see, it adds up fast. But if your tube is long enough, then no problem.



Most mortars with side trunnions that I've seen here had trunnions that were either screwed or pressed into sockets from either side, then welded. They went in only deep enough for stability and not so deep that they would interfere with the bore and/or chamber.

A more common arrangement is as you would see on machined replica Coehorns, where the trunnion fits into a recess milled across the end of the tube, and is then brazed, bolted, or welded in place.

Of course, on the originals it was all cast as a single piece so trunnion placement didn't present these problems.

Offline phalanx

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2008, 01:13:19 PM »
Terry:
Aren't some trunnions on a Mortar cast into it from the mold?
I know some cannon tubes are ,the good ones are cast steel with liner,then they are Milled to spec.
Its just for my knowledge ,I know Mortar man is building his on his machines.
And i don't know anyone who has a forge.
In this time i Command ,That you take the Secular to Jerusalem .
There you rid the Holy City of the Scourge of Islam , Make the streets run red with the Blood of those who wish to wash Israel and Christianity from the face of the Earth.
Constantine III

Offline Terry C.

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2008, 01:22:21 PM »
While you were replying, I was editing my post to included original mortars that were cast in one piece.

There are some members that are casting bronze, and there's even been some talk about iron casting, but it's not very common.

Most replicas here, at least the ones made by members and not purchased, were machined. And machining that which was originally cast in one piece can throw in some curves.

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #15 on: January 13, 2008, 01:49:43 PM »
If you press your trunnions into shallow pockets in the sides of the tube and weld them in place, there will be sufficient wall thickness for a reasonable chamber.  The pockets do not need to be real deep as the weld will be what is resisting the recoil thrust.

There are two basic styles of mortar; the rear trunnion and the side trunnions.  Rear trunnion is the older style.  In your case, you would cut a groove across the back of the barrel with an end mill cutting on the end (or a boring bar) that is a little deeper than the radius of the trunnion (same diameter), slip the trunnion bar into the groove and weld in place.  That would maximize the depth of chamber you could use.

Experience seems to show that a small diameter, deep chamber works best with golf balls.
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.”
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Offline seacoastartillery

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #16 on: January 13, 2008, 02:00:58 PM »
Terry C.,

     About the machining of things that used to be made of cast iron, how very, very, very right you are!!  Your post is about as clear and concise as I have ever seen.  The Norway Mortar post by Max Caliber back in mid Oct. had a picture of a mortar which is the only one I've ever seen which appears to possibly have a through hole positioned solid, one-piece, trunnion.  It could be cast in one piece, but those sharp intersections where breech meets trunnion do not indicate that.


http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,128098.msg1098463777.html#msg1098463777


Regards,

Mike and Tracy
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Offline irishman

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #17 on: January 13, 2008, 02:04:22 PM »
George, not to hijack this, but, how small a diameter and how long would be optimum?

                                                      Michael

Offline MikeR C

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #18 on: January 13, 2008, 02:13:23 PM »
Mortarmaker,
You might consider looking here:

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,127789.0.html

It looks like chamber dimensions on a golf ball mortar can influence ignition, at least if you are shooting at short ranges. This post has dimensions on several golf ball mortars including the powder chamber.

Thx
MikeR C

Offline MortarMan

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2008, 02:19:20 PM »
I think I'll go with the rear trunnion. My barrell is only 7 inches long. Though I'm not a big fan of weld.

It would be possible to used oversized material and mill the trunnions 1st. then 4 jaw it and turn the barrel . There would be some hand working to do behind the trunnions though. Just a thought.

Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #20 on: January 13, 2008, 02:32:04 PM »
Thanks Mike C.

  That's what I was looking for! ;D

Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #21 on: January 13, 2008, 03:06:54 PM »
Question,

     Don't mean to sound too dumb! But, when rear mounting your trunnion on a mortar, what keeps the barrell from kicking back?

Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #22 on: January 13, 2008, 03:27:07 PM »
Good question.

If the tube is able to move, it will.

One method is to cut the cavity in the base of the mortar such that it fits into a 'pocket'.  No place for it to move, and the trunnion straps hold it in place firmly.

If it could move and the trunnion straps hold tight then the tube and the base recoil as a unit.

Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
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Offline Double D

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #23 on: January 13, 2008, 05:00:37 PM »

Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #24 on: January 13, 2008, 05:21:28 PM »
Cat,
Would you still be able to adjust the angle? I got questions out the wazoo, sorry!

DD,

  I have looked at the posts you showed me, Did you make your's from seemless? Sometimes simple is the best way. Cats pics wouldn't come up.  :-[

P.S. I'll be sure to include a powder can in my upcoming pictures!

Offline Double D

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #25 on: January 13, 2008, 05:28:58 PM »
Yes it was Seamless that Cat supplied us.   

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #26 on: January 13, 2008, 07:21:08 PM »
But, when rear mounting your trunnion on a mortar, what keeps the barrel from kicking back?

Not quite sure I understand what you mean by kicking back.  Of course it recoils like any gun.  If you mean flip the barrel such that it points to the rear, as long as the trunnion is on bore center, there is no lever arm to cause that.  The whole mortar could tip over to the rear if there is not sufficient extent of base behind the point where the bore axis intersects the bottom of the mount.  But that is usually not the case.
GG
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Offline Max Caliber

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #27 on: January 14, 2008, 03:02:00 AM »
Here is another type base.

Max

Offline mortarmaker

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #28 on: January 14, 2008, 04:12:52 AM »
Yes, I meant when the barrel pivoting back 100 degrees or so on the trunnion! I guess you have to have tight trunnions.


Yeah max,

I don't think that 1 is going anywhere!! How would you change the trajectory on that 1!

Offline GGaskill

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Re: Hello Everyone!
« Reply #29 on: January 14, 2008, 05:30:57 AM »
I guess you have to have tight trunnions.

Not so.  The weight of the barrel is enough to keep it pointing forward unless the trunnion is off center.
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