Author Topic: noon day gun (Read 2722 times)

Zulu · « **on:** November 28, 2009, 09:02:03 AM »

http://www.littlegun.be/curios%20et%20antiquites/a%20canon%20solaire%20gb.htm
Anyone ever seen one of these? Does it really work?
Zulu

little seacoast · « **Reply #1 on:** November 28, 2009, 09:25:13 AM »

Yes, given a sunny day, the proper (marked) latitude, and a little fiddling for proper alignment to north. Can probably be adjusted for a variety of latitudes by a fair amount of fiddling. Note the long powder trough on top of the gun to give you a little "wiggle" room.

RocklockI · « **Reply #2 on:** November 28, 2009, 09:38:48 AM »

Dan has made several of these IIRC .

Gary

KABAR2 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 28, 2009, 10:41:50 AM »

Dixie Gun Works used to sell a kit for one of these, they show up as antiques on evilbay now and then.

intoodeep · « **Reply #4 on:** November 28, 2009, 12:59:51 PM »

Here is one I picked up a couple of years ago. I believe this is one of the kits that Dixie sold. It had a nice patina but, was a rough cast on the outside. So, I cleaned it up. This one is not nearly as nice as some of the older ones I've seen.

Before:

After:

Here it is firing a light load using a fuse. I couldn't actually wait for it to hit noon. So, I just moved it.....

BoomLover · « **Reply #5 on:** November 28, 2009, 01:31:31 PM »

Very nice! I think I'll build one using the .30 cal Hex cannon from Brooks! Should be the right size! BoomLover

KABAR2 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 28, 2009, 03:18:49 PM »

Yes that's one of the Dixie guns, you did a nice job on it!

Double D · « **Reply #7 on:** November 28, 2009, 03:26:34 PM »

Quote from: BoomLover on November 28, 2009, 01:31:31 PM

Very nice! I think I'll build one using the .30 cal Hex cannon from Brooks! Should be the right size! BoomLover

BoomLover, that gun won't work in Port Orford, no sun!

KABAR2 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 28, 2009, 03:32:11 PM »

Quote from: Double D on November 28, 2009, 03:26:34 PM

Quote from: BoomLover on November 28, 2009, 01:31:31 PM
Very nice! I think I'll build one using the .30 cal Hex cannon from Brooks! Should be the right size! BoomLover

BoomLover, that gun won't work in Port Orford, no sun!

It's Ok DD he got one O them Halogen lights!

BoomLover · « **Reply #9 on:** November 28, 2009, 03:44:57 PM »

What I'll do is catch the sun on it's once -a - year pass thru here and do it then! LOL! Other than that, it's the ol' Halogen Light Trick.....One thing we don't see here is that wet, white, cold sticky stuff that falls all winter long in those Northern Climates, so we don't go "Ice Mortars" out here! Now wind on the other hand...two weeks ago Monday, it was clocked at 94 here in town, 103 at the Lighthouse! Got to have extra powder to fire into the wind, otherwise it blows your projo back down your barrel, if it can even make it out! BoomLover

RocklockI · « **Reply #10 on:** November 28, 2009, 04:00:47 PM »

Quote from: BoomLover on November 28, 2009, 01:31:31 PM

Very nice! I think I'll build one using the .30 cal Hex cannon from Brooks! Should be the right size! BoomLover

Boomlover , Thats a great idea , I 'happen to have a hex barreled parrott as well . But in .22 cal.

I will put it on my short list of to do's ...in the time filler catagory .

Well at least to think about it .

That is a good idea , maybe we could have a "Time Off"

. We get everyone to order a small brookes gun

Then ...."IT ON !!!" Then on a predetermined day we can all load up our "Time Pieces" and then REPORT on the instant that the chime goes off .

Closest to 12 noon in his time zone wins ......? Of course ...what it is he wins ..........?

Yes I know Seacoast wont participate in a contest . Because of some .......inability to compete ? maybe ? digg ,digg .

But the rest of you guys ....We can go the the gold ! ....... The gold painted thinnage that one would win for ...this .. sort . of ....thinggyage .

and have some fun .....maybe even learn some more things to cramp our brains to the point of ...overflowing .

This will take more time for some than others ......Mike and Tracy !

If I was to say "lead follow OR get the hell outta the way !....YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY !!!" Tracy

Gary

intoodeep · « **Reply #11 on:** November 28, 2009, 04:07:39 PM »

RocklockI,

With all those new goodies of yours. You should be able to cast the parts up in one evening.....

BoomLover · « **Reply #12 on:** November 28, 2009, 04:15:22 PM »

I did jewelery casting, Gold and Silver, for many years as a hobby, lost wax process, lots of fun. But now, I'd rather solder the pieces together to come up with an item like this....Your on, Gary, I'll start mine after the holidays, when I can concentrate on the details! Question, I just signed up with PhotoBucket, how do I download from there to here? I'll go to the stickies and see what I can learn there, too...these computer gadgets are quite the detail oriented little critters! BoomLover

rmagill · « **Reply #13 on:** November 28, 2009, 04:21:59 PM »

I have had one of them for probably 15 years, never tried to fire it. I got mine from a oddity shop that was going out of business in Florence Oregon. One of those things, had to have it, then never tried it.

Double D · « **Reply #14 on:** November 28, 2009, 04:30:19 PM »

Quote from: BoomLover on November 28, 2009, 03:44:57 PM

What I'll do is catch the sun on it's once -a - year pass thru here and do it then! LOL! Other than that, it's the ol' Halogen Light Trick.....One thing we don't see here is that wet, white, cold sticky stuff that falls all winter long in those Northern Climates, so we don't go "Ice Mortars" out here! Now wind on the other hand...two weeks ago Monday, it was clocked at 94 here in town, 103 at the Lighthouse! Got to have extra powder to fire into the wind, otherwise it blows your projo back down your barrel, if it can even make it out! BoomLover

That's not true! Why I remember back in 1981 it started snowing about 10PM, visability was down 10 feet and it was all melted by 10:20. No body except me and the folks at Pitches Tavern even know it happened.

Yes, I do recall it could get windy at P.O. Wife and I find that the Port Orford rule when opening car doors applies to Cut Bank wind also. Only open two doors at a tiem if you want to clean the car out...Port Orford where I built my first cannon---a replica of a pipe bomb!

Double D · « **Reply #15 on:** November 28, 2009, 04:34:19 PM »

Quote from: BoomLover on November 28, 2009, 04:15:22 PM

I did jewelery casting, Gold and Silver, for many years as a hobby, lost wax process, lots of fun. But now, I'd rather solder the pieces together to come up with an item like this....Your on, Gary, I'll start mine after the holidays, when I can concentrate on the details! Question, I just signed up with PhotoBucket, how do I download from there to here? I'll go to the stickies and see what I can learn there, too...these computer gadgets are quite the detail oriented little critters! BoomLover

Look for the lines of code below your pictures and and click on the BBCode line, copy and paste that in your post, and the picture should show when you post.

RocklockI · « **Reply #16 on:** November 28, 2009, 04:45:59 PM »

Quote from: Double D on November 28, 2009, 04:30:19 PM

Quote from: BoomLover on November 28, 2009, 03:44:57 PM
What I'll do is catch the sun on it's once -a - year pass thru here and do it then! LOL! Other than that, it's the ol' Halogen Light Trick.....One thing we don't see here is that wet, white, cold sticky stuff that falls all winter long in those Northern Climates, so we don't go "Ice Mortars" out here! Now wind on the other hand...two weeks ago Monday, it was clocked at 94 here in town, 103 at the Lighthouse! Got to have extra powder to fire into the wind, otherwise it blows your projo back down your barrel, if it can even make it out! BoomLover

That's not true! Why I remember back in 1981 it started snowing about 10PM, visability was down 10 feet and it was all melted by 10:20. No body except me and the folks at Pitches Tavern even know it happened.

Yes, I do recall it could get windy at P.O. Wife and I find that the Port Orford rule when opening car doors applies to Cut Bank wind also. Only open two doors at a tiem if you want to clean the car out...Port Orford where I built my first cannon---a replica of a pipe bomb!

A replica of a pipe bomb !!!! thats a good one my first one was a copper pipe about 1/2 inch in dia. just jabbed into the dirt in my front yard in Charlotte

God must truly love Drunks and Fools ............

The door idea is law in southern Wy . If you open two doors at once ....well , there goes everything in the car .....INCLUDING a 20 dollar bill that is proly Ohio by now ....

Live and learn .

gary

BoomLover · « **Reply #17 on:** November 28, 2009, 06:47:43 PM »

Just talked to Jim (owner of Pitches) today, says it must have happened on a day he wasn't there, either that or your telling tall tales! But, he agrees with the two-open door theory, says that's how they clean the Tavern out, just open the front and back doors at the same time! Blows out the Drunks and the Debris at the same time...as for the copy and paste stuff, I'll ask the local computer guru about that , sounds like something I used to do in grade school, but I'm not that smart anymore, lol...

Lines of code, is that like a Bar Code? Does it get scanned? Or am I being scammed? Just funnin' wit ya.....I'll figure it out sooner or later. BoomLover

Double D · « **Reply #18 on:** November 28, 2009, 07:11:19 PM »

Ben and Lucille Harrington owned Pitches back then...actually Lucille did, Ben had to many DUI and Drunk and Disorderly's to get a liquor license.

BoomLover · « **Reply #19 on:** November 28, 2009, 07:48:59 PM »

Don't think I know them, might meet someday, if they are still around...

Victor3 · « **Reply #20 on:** November 28, 2009, 08:48:05 PM »

Quote from: KABAR2 on November 28, 2009, 10:41:50 AM

Dixie Gun Works used to sell a kit for one of these, they show up as antiques on evilbay now and then.

Last time I looked, Dixie still had these listed for sale on their website.

Double D · « **Reply #21 on:** November 29, 2009, 05:11:43 AM »

Quote from: BoomLover on November 28, 2009, 07:48:59 PM

Don't think I know them, might meet someday, if they are still around...

You should ask Monty and Bill Cobb about Ben.

You do know that Capt. Tichenor had a cannon at Battle Rock! But it's wasn't a noon day cannon like we are supposed to be discussing in this thread.

Artilleryman · « **Reply #22 on:** November 29, 2009, 06:41:45 AM »

Do you load a blank in one of these in the morning and walk away from it, or do you load it a few minutes before noon and wait for it to go off? If you leave it loaded and unattended you can imagine what type of problems may arise. If you load it a couple of minutes before noon you might as well put a fuse in it and fire it. I am probably being much too practical.

RocklockI · « **Reply #23 on:** November 29, 2009, 06:49:30 AM »

Well I have just been surfing around ,I havnt found anyone that sells parts ?

Some pics but nothing currently for sale that I could find . Cannon Mania says they are working on one .

I couldnt find any at dixie guns .

Sure by todays standards you'd be outta your mind to load and leave .....as the laywers would have you for lunch .

In the day the stupid ones were weeded out at a better rate

. Now we keepem around and tellem to have kids .

mean mean mean .

gary

dan610324 · « **Reply #24 on:** November 29, 2009, 07:34:34 AM »

sorry if I make you disapointed gary
but I just made 2 sun dials
who knows , maybe there will be another one
but not yet for a very long time
got way too much musts and too little time and money to do them

MikeR C · « **Reply #25 on:** November 29, 2009, 01:45:06 PM »

This is my prototype, when I say noon, I mean NOON!

RocklockI · « **Reply #26 on:** November 29, 2009, 01:52:02 PM »

Quote from: MikeR C on November 29, 2009, 01:45:06 PM

This is my prototype, when I say noon, I mean NOON!

WOW

I bet 'that thing goes off between the tic and the tock of a noonday clock '

Also it looks scary accurate in a Mary Poppins kinda way . Some unfailing machine of the Empire upon which 'The Sun Never Set' . Indiana Jones kinda thing too . Take your pick .

Gary

Double D · « **Reply #27 on:** November 29, 2009, 02:06:58 PM »

Having seen Mike's work before, especially a breech loading swivel gun, instead of asking where did you get that, I will ask did you make that?

MikeR C · « **Reply #28 on:** November 29, 2009, 02:16:37 PM »

Naw... I have been collecting pictures of them. I have about 160 pics. Am gonna build one some day if I get the engraving in brass and stone whipped...
There are several pics of them not mounted to a round sundial, and one ona field carraige.

MikeR C

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #29 on:** November 29, 2009, 02:40:42 PM »

Looks like something Leonardo da Vinci might have invented.