Author Topic: Naval cannon for tallship (Read 1031 times)

capperbar · « **on:** January 14, 2008, 06:39:14 PM »

I have a chance to make a pattern to cast a bronze cannon for a Northwest tall ship. The criteria would be about 125 pounds max, an historical copy externally and put on a naval carriage. Fairly small bore as it will be used for salutes but strong enough for an occasional solid round. I think I may have another cast for my own use at the same time. We would use silicon or manganese bronze with no liner relying on a thick wall for safety. This will be in an marine enviorment on a deck washed down with salt water daily. Stainless just doesn't last long enough.
I like the cannons on the Morgan at Mystic Seaport donated by the King of Denmark but am looking for other ideas.
We are thinking of having the cannon cast solid and having the bore drilled with a local machine shop?
Any suggestions as to what to copy or problem areas to look out for.
Capperbar

GGaskill · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2008, 07:11:44 PM »

What era is your ship? Commercial ships tended to have guns smaller than warships and of earlier periods.

Soot · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2008, 07:41:20 PM »

Like this?

KABAR2 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 15, 2008, 01:06:49 AM »

A good source for line drawings of 18th. Century cannon would be Museum Restorations (Canada) printing of Treatise Of Artillery by John Muller, there are some very good examples in there.There are many good reference books on artillery printed by this company.[/color]

http://www.armscollecting.com/

Allen <><

cannonmn · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2008, 03:41:13 AM »

If I had to do that I'd sure look around for what's available off-the-shelf.

To do it the way you said, you will have to have a pattern made out of wood or other material, and that won't be cheap. What is your budget for the project? If you have to do all the stuff including making a pattern for one cannon, the cost is going to be high, not to mention if things don't go right and you have to do some of it over again.

If the ship owner has deep pockets and isn't worried about cost, then by all means do the trial-and-error way.

rusty barrels · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2008, 03:51:16 AM »

The Lady Washington and the Hawiian Chieftan were both done by South Bend Replicas as well as the trucks. They have a very good truck design for naval cannons. What tall ship are you doing?

lendi · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2008, 04:45:19 AM »

Here is a naval cannon and carriage that we sell. Barrel by RBG and carriage by DICW. The barrel is 30"long with a 1.25"bore It is cast in Everdure Bronze, deep hole drilled, and machined. Just a thought for your project.
Len

cannonmn · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2008, 06:09:44 AM »

I see places where the composition is listed as:

Everdure" Cu-95% + Si-4% + Mn-1% ...

What is the tensile strength I wonder?

Double D · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2008, 06:11:38 AM »

Have you contacted our sponsors to see what they can provide you? GBO Blackpowder Mortar and Cannon Board Sponsors

capperbar · « **Reply #9 on:** January 17, 2008, 08:39:00 PM »

Thanks for all the replies.
We would make the pattern ourselves as we do for the bronze fittings and pieces we need from the foundry now. The foundry has experience pouring cannons this size. Their small furnace melts 200 pound so that would be the upper limit. We may end up buying a a cannon yet. I do like that Engilsh cannon but would like to find some drawings for an American piece. We are a gaff rigged schooner from the 1920's about 130 feet on the deck. Basically an appropriate piece could be from about 1800 onward. I'll keep looking for a design.
I thought I had posted a reply two nights ago but must have goofed on the posting as it isn't here now.
I will post some pictures on the pattern if we get that far.
Thanks
Dave

KABAR2 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2008, 03:18:46 AM »

I think you will find most American artillery followed the British pattern into the 1800's by the 1830's or 40's French patterns were influencing our designs. American artillery design came into its own during the Civil War.
If you pour on you could pour a second selling it to raise funds for the schooner, just a thought.

GGaskill · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2008, 09:37:52 PM »

Take a look at this post in a different thread The ship dates from the late 1790's. Although the guns are cast iron, I suppose they could be cast in bronze also. Full scale, they weigh about 6500 lbs and are 10' long. My 1/5 scale one weighs about 45 lbs and is 2' feet long. You might be able to get a 30% one from a 125 lb barrel which you could bore for golf balls or 1 lb lead shot. You really should do four for each side of the ship for a serious broadside.

cannonmn · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2008, 02:17:25 AM »

Here's an idea for you. We posted something about this original 130-lb. bronze gunade swivel some time back. One advantage of finding an original in full scale to use as a pattern is that no one can ever argue that what you have never existed in that size. That can always be a problem if you take some other pattern of cannon and arbitrarily scale it down. We think this piece dates from ca. 1800-1830's, but we have no way to be sure. The slot is for a flintlock firing lock. We made a video about this you can find among our you-tube videos (search "cannonmn"), that shows how it would look with the flint firing lock.