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Offline Dross Drunk

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New Mortar Pix
« on: May 27, 2008, 02:28:33 PM »
Well I have 2 pieces finished, I promised a couple of pix of them at rest I hope they post properly


 This is a siege/dictator mortar I had machined by a guy in Middle MI.

 I think it may be a bit off on the 1 caliber rule,but I feel it will be very safe as others like it were tested to the extreme,and showed no signs of any stress at all.

 The barrel itself is 6 inches long made from 2 1/4" 1018 mild steel, the bore diameter is 0.875" the trunnion bar has been shrink fitted into a channel in the barrel base,then welded to attach permanently.

 Then the whole piece was ground and finish sanded then blued for protection.

 Living in the Mid South we have plenty of storms and it always leaves a need for something to be rebuilt or repaired so I had plenty of wood in my salvage pile to choose from.

 Looking at the ones made just prior to and during the civil war I noted that the north made many on sled type mounts for ease in moving in winter ,and I just took that idea and went a bit further, making it sleigh like.

 It still lacks some of the accessories I intend to add,but for the most part this is the piece, for a decoration I used an antique military uniform button with the needed 13 stars and eagle,as that would have been about the only thing available to them in the field,although I'm sure that was the least of their concerns.

 I will be posting pix of my other piece this week,and by the weekend I hope to have some still frame pix of both of them puffing smoke.

 This is my first piece so any advice or comments are more than welcome....thanks all...




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Your efforts towards 100% safety are nearly impossible,and to assume you have achieved it, is the height of folly........

Offline Dross Drunk

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Re: New Mortar Pix
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2008, 02:48:00 PM »
 OOPS!!

 Just for clarification, the trunnion bar is 0.750" and is 90% channel set, and the bore depth is 4" and honed to a glass smooth inner surface,leaving 1 1/4" solid material at the breech end........
 Also a 3 inch threaded throw is added to the front for changing the angle of fire, an inner door brass hinge door stop, and a recessed nut were used to accomplish this.
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Offline Double D

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Re: New Mortar Pix
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2008, 03:36:21 PM »
Hey it looks like you got your password fixed...great!!

Have you ever heard my litany on paint...oh never mind.

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Offline Dross Drunk

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Re: New Mortar Pix
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2008, 04:43:35 PM »


 The paint issue ...

 No I haven't heard, if you're referring to my choosing to have it blued, I guess I have no excuses other than I wanted something that looked a bit older,then what plain polished steel looked like, it was a bit too bright for me, plus I thought with a little oil I might be able to keep rust down to a minimum.......on the outside anyway...

 I really can't wait to see it's first fuse and flash, that will roughen it up a bit instantly with all that bluish white frost over everything,and smelling to high heaven........."rotten eggs in the morning, it smells of victory"

 and by the way I too am glad about the ID issue......Singed Beard just wasn't my speed.....fingers crossed
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Offline Terry C.

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Re: New Mortar Pix
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2008, 04:54:28 PM »
Nah, DD is talking about carriage paint.

It's become sort of a rite of passage around here, you'll get your turn...
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Offline Ex 49'er

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Re: New Mortar Pix
« Reply #5 on: May 27, 2008, 06:02:42 PM »
You might want to put something on that there rear platform to cover it when you shoot it so that varnished finish doesn't get little black spirals burned into it from the burnt fuse blown out of the touchhole. Maybe a piece of cardboard?
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Offline seacoastartillery

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Re: New Mortar Pix
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2008, 06:51:11 PM »
     We like your mortar; it looks very well built and solid.  A mortar bed needs to be solid for function AND looks.  Yours does,  and you are correct, it looks like it could negotiate snow drifts as well as any we have seen.  Don't worry about the finish; some look better painted and some are better stained and varnished or tung oiled.  Mike and I think you have chosen a really nice finish for this type bed or mortar sleigh. 


Quote from: Double D on May 27, 2008, 03:36:21 PM
Have you ever heard my litany on paint...oh never mind.

     All we can say is ever since he retired about 6 weeks ago, he has mellowed out A LOT!  What ever happened to the tough talking Marine, "Paint it before you Post it, mister"?  ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
     Looking forward to fire and smoke pics.

Regards,

Mike and Tracy
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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 Dross Drunk

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Re: New Mortar Pix
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2008, 06:59:51 PM »
 Burnt Wood !!


 I indeed already have a very nice cut piece of brass, that will be screwed on the platform just behind the mortar barrel for that very purpose,I had thought of that early on. I was just in a hurry to post the pix and didn't get it attached yet as I wanted the clear coat to harden some more first.

 I kind of thought that's what the other guys were talking about when they mentioned carriage paint, because without the plate you would need a new paint job after each firing session I would imagine, and without sanding it all the way down soon the carriage would out weigh the mortar many times over , so that's why I opted for the brass plate,, but thanks for the input...

 Thanks so much for the positive feedback also, I had hoped to make the first one a little more raw I used hand tools and sandpaper for the cutting ,and finishing no electric anything for authenticity, at least as far as far as the woodworking goes, I doubt door stops and cap nuts were big back then,but I had to cheat a little....
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