Author Topic: Dahlgren Medium Boat Howitzer on Launch Slide-40 Scale (Read 1687 times)

shotgun31 · « **on:** December 27, 2008, 04:38:03 PM »

I just finished this project. It's a golf ball scale Dahlgren done except for brass plating the tube. Tough to reverse-engineer but have it now including the manufacturing fixtures. Can't wait for spring!
Shotgun

Double D · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2008, 05:28:00 PM »

I like what you built it looks pretty good. Fire and smoke must be next!

The pictures say a lot.

1. You have no wife and can put anything you want on the dining room table
2. Your wife was not home when you took the picture and you cleaned up before she got home
3. Your wife is tolerant and she may insist on firing the first shot.

BoomLover · « **Reply #2 on:** December 27, 2008, 08:20:16 PM »

Beautiful Job, Shotgun31! I.D.= Golf Ball, O.D.? Lenght of barrel? Type of wood used? Very impressive, one of my favorite styles! BoomLover

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #3 on:** December 27, 2008, 08:31:11 PM »

Very sharp looking design. Congrats on earning DD's kewpies!!!
Please submit pictures of this great looking gun into the next
calendar competition.

cannonmn · « **Reply #4 on:** December 27, 2008, 08:56:30 PM »

Fantastic. I don't think I can recall ever seeing anyone attrempt to make one of those boat carriages with the compressors etc., very nice. Do you by chance have a boat you will mount it in, or is it for dry land use?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #5 on:** December 28, 2008, 02:11:20 AM »

Simply elegant! A marvelous eye-pleasing mix of metal and wood.

It will be a fun gun at the range too!

What was your method of attaching the trunion?

EL Caz 66 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 28, 2008, 05:07:41 AM »

Very impressive, nice detail. looking forward to some FIRE & SMOKE!!

Victor3 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 28, 2008, 09:48:33 PM »

Man... That's a nice setup.

Awful small boat you got it mounted on there though...

cannonmn · « **Reply #8 on:** December 28, 2008, 10:06:46 PM »

Of course, the steel barrel is only your working prototype, and the bronze barrel complete with working percussion lock and tiny markings just like the big ones, that's in the works, right?

Well look at that, this'll be my one-thousandth posting here!

navygunner · « **Reply #9 on:** December 29, 2008, 02:38:36 AM »

Shotgun,
That looks great. I've only seen one other boat carriage and it wasn't finished as nicely as yours.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #10 on:** December 29, 2008, 03:12:53 AM »

Stellar craftsmanship Shotgun, and I'd imagine that eyes are only going to open wider when it has been brass plated. Come spring, and the commencement of thunder and fog, I'll be looking forward to a description of how the gun recoiled on the boat carriage.

Tim, I have the feeling that you are a moderator with a forgiving and magnanimous nature, so I don't think you'll hold a firebrand with an argumentative, just itching to sow the seeds of discord, personality such as mine in too low an opinion if I point out that the Dahlgren boat Howitzer didn't have a trunnion or trunnions, but an under barrel mounting lug.

Double D · « **Reply #11 on:** December 29, 2008, 06:52:14 AM »

Quote from: cannonmn on December 28, 2008, 10:06:46 PM

Of course, the steel barrel is only your working prototype, and the bronze barrel complete with working percussion lock and tiny markings just like the big ones, that's in the works, right?

Well look at that, this'll be my one-thousandth posting here!

John making and then taking note of such landmarks requires you to buy the huose a round. IPA please.

Shotgun how about telling how you constructed this piece?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #12 on:** December 29, 2008, 08:49:52 AM »

Quote from: Boom J on December 29, 2008, 03:12:53 AM

...
Tim, I have the feeling that you are a moderator with a forgiving and magnanimous nature, so I don't think you'll hold a firebrand with an argumentative, just itching to sow the seeds of discord, personality such as mine in too low an opinion if I point out that the Dahlgren boat Howitzer didn't have a trunnion or trunnions, but an under barrel mounting lug.

Yea, that thingey on the bottom - how was it attached?

shotgun31 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 29, 2008, 04:08:20 PM »

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and kind comments.

I took the plans from Antique Ornance Publishers (No 57) and scaled everything down to .40 scale. Bitch of a job.

Boomlover: length of tube is 27.4", bore is 1.76; golf ball = 1.68", that's .40 scale of the 4.2" 12 pounder cannon ball. Bore is slightly smaller than the 4.60 original 12 pdr, that should be 1.78. There's lots of windage in the original design! Breech is 3.60. tapers to 2.70 at muzzle. Wood is mahogony.

Cannonmn: I don't have a boat yet. I figure I'll ship out on a tanker, off Somolia--maybe we'll get some real action! 2 lbs of 00 buckshot would duplicate canister, to scale. Whatda think? Wanna go along? Really, it's intended to sit on top of a bookshelf. I'll shoot it, but it's really an "executive mood indicator".

Cat Wisperer: it has a loop under the barrel that started as a 2" piece of 1018 rod, turned down, milled with a flat on one side and fitted on a 1/4 piece of steel plate 2.00X2.60. 45 degree bevel cut on 2 sides of plate fitted into a dovetail under the barrel. Everything's welded.

Boomj: Golf ball + 1/4 cup of 2f may not have much recoil at all. 2 lbs of buckshot might have some recoil. And you're right--it has a loop.

Double D: Constructed of high pressure seamless tubing, 1.750 id, 3.75 od. Breachplug is 4" rod, turned down to fit 1.750X6tpi threaded, screwed into counterbore and breach face rounded from that. Cascabel screwed on, threaded with 7/8X6 acme tap.

Everything took a long, long time. Required me to learn how to operate a lathe and a mill from scratch. Those compressor nuts are hand made from 3/4" rod, and 1.75" rod, holes drilled on an old indexing machine! Tapped with a 7/8"X6 acme tap!

A machinist friend finshed the barrel for me. Moved from my former location, lost access to the machine shop I was using.

We're going to make another one, if I can find another piece of seamless tubing, 3.75od X 1.75id. Or, 1"id--we'll make a heavy (rifled) boatgun!

Regards
Shotgun

Tropico · « **Reply #14 on:** December 29, 2008, 07:50:57 PM »

Truly a work of art. Your tenacity and determination to build something so fine without actually owning the tools (having them always at your fingertips for constant learning and usage) is a testament to your character. There are many cannons that come thru here ., All of which I would be grateful to own., but there are a couple once in a while that set higher standards . For me this one is one of those examples. Thank you for sharing sir.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #15 on:** December 30, 2008, 12:59:42 AM »

Quote from: shotgun31 on December 29, 2008, 04:08:20 PM

...
Cat Wisperer: it has a loop under the barrel that started as a 2" piece of 1018 rod, turned down, milled with a flat on one side and fitted on a 1/4 piece of steel plate 2.00X2.60. 45 degree bevel cut on 2 sides of plate fitted into a dovetail under the barrel. Everything's welded.
...
Regards
Shotgun

Nice touch - that both precisely aligns it and keeps things strong.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #16 on:** December 30, 2008, 09:49:02 AM »

Quote

Yea, that thingey on the bottom - how was it attached?

Myself, I think I prefer the more mechanically accurate terms doohickey or dingus.

Terry C. · « **Reply #17 on:** December 30, 2008, 01:36:52 PM »

Doohickeies and dinguses (dingi?) are just glorified widgets.

What you have there is a pedunculated whatchamacallit.

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #18 on:** December 30, 2008, 02:41:13 PM »

Don't know how I possibly missed this thread. Shotgun31 you have done a very, very nice job on a carriage and tube that I've always liked. Historically made carriages, to me, seem to have a little more zing to their appearance. Glad you took your time. The excellent result was worth it!

Tracy and Mike

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #19 on:** December 30, 2008, 03:26:42 PM »

Thus far this thread has been widely varied including excellence in craftsmanship and evidences of widespread cabin feaver.

leesecw · « **Reply #20 on:** December 30, 2008, 04:28:24 PM »

Feaver? Is that in the same spelling class as thingydingy?

BoomLover · « **Reply #21 on:** December 30, 2008, 09:04:51 PM »

Shotgun, I got to add another comment... after reading your description of your efforts to make this piece, I'm even more impressed than before. I thought you had all the equiptment and tools handy, and had years of experience at this, but to find out that you had to learn to use the machines and tools first, WOW! And, that you are planning on making another one..double WOW! And, to pick a mounting such as this, hard to accomplish even with past machining experience, well, I don't take my hat off to too many folks, but I will to you! BoomLover

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #22 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:27:06 AM »

Quote from: leesecw on December 30, 2008, 04:28:24 PM

Feaver? Is that in the same spelling class as thingydingy?

You will note that in the statement of the rules for this forum we've specifically stated that we will NOT razz someone on their ability to SPELL. I do razz DD on his TYPING once in a while, but NOT spelling! (Well, maybe once.)

KABAR2 · « **Reply #23 on:** December 31, 2008, 10:40:55 AM »

You have built a great looking cannon! some kid you about the little boat to mount it on...... So when are you starting the scale steam drive for the launch?

Cannoneer · « **Reply #24 on:** January 01, 2009, 07:12:31 AM »

Quote from: Terry C. on December 30, 2008, 01:36:52 PM

Doohickeies and dinguses (dingi?) are just glorified widgets.

What you have there is a pedunculated whatchamacallit.

Very good! I had to look pendunculated up; and lets not forget the ubiquitous use of the word gizmo, and the more rarely used, gubbins.

Double D · « **Reply #25 on:** January 01, 2009, 07:20:55 AM »

We have a whole crew of Bill O'Reilly's here...