Enrty Level GB Mortars

[armorer77]

Hello , I would like to first say Thanks for a great forum , I have learned a lot here since being bitten by the cannon bug . I have been a machinist for about 20 years and I am hearing a lot of interest in a low cost shooter to get started while saving up for a bigger and or better tube . I have the time and the tooling to build a few GB mortars if there is enough interest . Also I would like to pay off a $175.00 custom reamer . I am willing to be a paid advertiser if there is enough interest . I will be selling a 4" long GB tube that delivers a 100 yd shot  that you can see .  Cost is $50.00 plus shipping .   This is not an ad , this is a survey . Thank you . Armorer

[Double D]

Bill,

I moved this post here instead of the trash can, for your action.

I PM'd the guy and let him know why I moved his pst, and CC'd you.

 

[Graybeard]

Since he stated he wants it to be taken as a survey not an advertisement to sell I'm gonna move it back to the Mortar and Canno forum for the time being. Armorer you will need to become a paid advertiser before you start selling product to the members via this site. The cost to post ads here to sell your product is $200 per year.

Doug we'll leave it on the forum for perhaps a couple weeks max or until enough folks have indicated they do have an interest so he can make an informed decision. At that time he must decide to become an advertiser or not and we'll proceed from there.

[KABAR2]

Armorer,

Perhaps a photo or drawing of your planned mortar, caliber and a description of material being used
would of help, also how you intend to attach the trunnions would of help.

Thanks,

Allen <><

[armorer77]

First , Thank you Greybeard . I should have put more detail in my first post but here it is . The tube is hot rolled steel 3 1/4 O D 4 in. long . powder chamber is 5/8 by 1 in. deep . Bore is 1.730 reamed finish . The trunnion is a 3/4 in. rod welded across the base . I will try to get a photo tomorrow .

[Cat Whisperer]

Armorer -

WELCOME to the board!

I saw this (when at WORK the other day) and hadn't had a chance to respond.

First let me suggest reviewing the design and materials for comment.  As I've said before, one MUST KNOW whether it's a cannon or a bomb when one lights the fuse.

There are standard 'rules of thumb' that are minimum standards used by AAA and N-SSA for any cannon or mortar used in their competitions - these are GREAT guidelines to follow.

For golf-balls there is very little pressure - but if one were to use a golf-ball size sphere of iron, zinc or LEAD, the pressures would be quite different.

Specifying the steel would be GOOD.  Not just something like "HRS" as there are a lot of steels that it COULD be.  Having the  NUMBER of the steel says a lot more of the quality of steel used.

Design is also critical - is there a full thickness of steel ALL around the powder chamber?  (Sides and behind it?)

Are the inside corners of the bottom ot the bore and the bottom of the powder chamber rounded?  (That reduces stress risers - making the device MUCH  stronger.)

Cheap is OK (near and dear to my heart actually); but SAFE is MANDATORY.  I am speaking from having seen a cannon explode from 15' away; AND survivied a number of years as a teenager having lit a lot of fuses to things any rational person wouldn't come near.

Powder chamber of 5/8 x 1" deep is a bit large to get only 100 or 200 yards.  With a 2 caliber long bore (+ or not powder chamber) it only takes 30 or so grains of fffg to get 100 yards from a golf-ball.

[armorer77]

Cat Whisperer , Per the rules of the forum this is not an ad for a specific product . This is intended as a concept survey . I just need to know the level of interest in a small inexpensive Golf Ball mortar tube before I take the plunge and spend all the up front money to be a paid advertiser . When I do put an ad in it will include all details . Size , construction , materials , etc.  For the purpose of this survey only , I ask you to accept that I will offer a quality product . Thank you . Armorer

[Tropico]

As a consumer and not a machinist myself I agree with Cat Whisperer . Before I would show any interest ....., I would need to see it. I have bought many cannon and mortars from board members....., I am happy with them all. Of course all of them were discussed on the forum., and I was able  to see them before my interest decided what my wallet was going to do. Good luck to you on your endeavor and hopefully I will be able to get a good Golf-Ball mortar cheap (Actually I don't have a G-B yet., and I do want one)
Rich

[Graybeard]

I've never yet seen threads of this type serve much of a useful purpose. Sad in a way.

There is a large potential audience here for such products. What a potential new maker needs to know is just how large is the potential market he seeks. The answer is never a simple one. You are not going to get a commitment from anyone short of them seeing the actual object you wish to sell yet a potential new maker who is not yet in business of supplying them can't exactly offer that.

Some where along the line one side or the other has to take it on faith and commit or the new supply will never come to be. I think a better question to be asked might take the form of a poll with the question being this:

Would you be a potential buyer of a GB mortar of high quality if the price point of it were $xxx. Fill in the blank on what you think you'd need to get to make it profitable.

Folks can then vote yes or no to give some feel for the potential. but never assume all who vote will become a buyer or all that don't won't become buyers. There are no magic wands to help you make such decisions.

When Doug and Tim first asked for this forum I question the interest in mortars and cannons. They assure me the interest was there. Clearly it is as this forum is about the fifth or sixth most used on the site. That's a huge potential market of thousands. No one is going to guarantee your share of that market. Only your presenting a quality product at a reasonable price and folks trying them and being happy with them will do that. I don't even know enough about the sponsors here to know if you'd be in competition with any of them since cannons just isn't an interest of mine personally.

Some times ya just gotta take a leap of faith and get out there on that limb and start sawing while hoping you don't bust your butt on the ground before you're done.

[GGaskill]

I just need to know the level of interest in a small inexpensive Golf Ball mortar tube before I take the plunge and spend all the up front money to be a paid advertiser.

I am sure there is interest but don't expect to get rich from the market.  Getting rich comes from addressing the high cost market, not the low cost one.  That being said, don't undervalue your product if you don't want the customer to undervalue it.  Unless you want to be subsidizing your customers, you have to charge enough to cover the cost of advertising.

Also, while I make my golf ball artillery to 1.72" bore so I CAN shoot 1 lb lead shot, you might make yours smaller so people CANNOT shoot 1 lb lead shot.

[armorer77]

To everyone who gave their input , Thank you . I have learned what I wanted to know . It is time to let this thread die .
  When I can save the cash I will be in contact . Again , Thanks to everyone . Armorer