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Author Topic: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon  (Read 1365 times)

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Offline Cannoneer

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Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« on: April 14, 2010, 09:39:21 PM »
This topic is just intended to provide some cheap amusement. This miniature "salesman's model" Lyle line throwing gun was recently bought on a famous online auction site. While there's nothing all that funny about that fact, the price that this item went for had me rolling on the floor.
  "MEASUREMENTS: The cannons bronze base measures 4 3/8 inch long, 1 5/8 inch wide, and 7/16 inch thick. The tiny cannon is held to the base by four tiny steel flat head screws which show rust. The cannons base measures 2 1/8 inches long, by 1 3/16 inch wide, by nearly 7/8 inch tall. The cannon barrel is 3 1/4 inches long, with about a 1/2 inch diameter breech, and tapers up to slightly more than 3/8 inch at the business end. The barrel has a 1/4 inch bore which meets the tiny opening or fuse hole at the breech end. The unit weighs 1 pound 2 ounces."
This miniature was decribed by the seller as very rare, and I would certainly hope so, because it sold for $1,625.00.





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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline BoomLover

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2010, 10:46:13 PM »
 :o Cute, but not THAT cute! Wow, that is not a bargain basement price at all!
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Offline intoodeep

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2010, 04:40:35 AM »
BoomJ,

 The interesting part is that the seller just "flipped" this item (and did real well). I was the under bidder when it sold on the same auction site in Jan. I believe it was somewhere's in the neighborhood of $233.00.  Oh Well... :(  :(
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Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2010, 08:08:15 AM »
COOL IDEA!

I HAVE to make one or more.

I can see the scale hauser line and a "life saver" tied to it.   ;D
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Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2010, 07:41:19 PM »
Quote from: intoodeep on April 15, 2010, 04:40:35 AM
The interesting part is that the seller just "flipped" this item (and did real well). I was the under bidder when it sold on the same auction site in Jan. I believe it was somewhere's in the neighborhood of $233.00.  Oh Well... :(  :(

Intoodeep,
It always amazes me how just the way an items description is thought out and composed can generate such different degrees of interest. I didn't see the first auction, but this time I think there were 30 something bids, and I can imagine how this seller is now ecstatic, while the previous seller (if he or she saw this auction) is now in all likelihood more than a little bit unhappy about the whole chain of events. ;)


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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2010, 09:41:00 PM »
Quote from: Cat Whisperer on April 15, 2010, 08:08:15 AM
COOL IDEA!

I HAVE to make one or more.

I can see the scale hauser line and a "life saver" tied to it.   ;D

CW,
You know, one of our sponsors ("Duck Island Cannon Works and RBG Cannons") makes a beautiful ½ scale working model 'USCG Lyle Life Saving Gun' that they sell for a few hundred less than this model went for. If I had the scratch, I'd opt for the RBG model. See p. 12: USCG Lyle Cannon
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2010, 01:34:31 AM »
Yes.  But you know that I have a couple of lathes and a mill - and scraps of steel are FREE at work.
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Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
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Offline bilmac

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2010, 02:51:08 AM »
When I saw lifesaving in the heading, I thought of the thread where the guy is worried about workplace shootings but isn't allowed a weapon at work. How about one of these babys as a paperweight on his desk loaded and aimed at the door with a more efficient fireing system.
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Offline Cat Whisperer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2010, 07:51:01 AM »
I was thinking of firing a line with a life-saver on it over to the desk across the office.   ;D

It'd be more fun that just shooting rubber bands.
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Tim K                 www.GBOCANNONS.COM
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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2010, 08:33:33 PM »
Quote from: Cat Whisperer on April 16, 2010, 07:51:01 AM
I was thinking of firing a line with a life-saver on it over to the desk across the office.   ;D

It'd be more fun that just shooting rubber bands.

You'd have to experiment with charges to find the perfect load, and use a soft wad behind the candy so it didn't shatter into pieces when sent on its course. Once you had attained complete mastery of your gun and load you would be able to place the "life-saver" directly into the open mouth of your intended target. ;D
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline barefiel76

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #10 on: April 19, 2010, 04:43:22 PM »
Can you imagine getting hit by a gumball or worse yet jaw breaker? I think it would be a great way to make my staff think twice about bugging me with dumb questions. "Umm, can I leave early on Friday to get my toes......THWACK!!!" Oh and when you stand up, no is the aswer.

Just kidding.
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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #11 on: April 19, 2010, 06:17:07 PM »
Quote from: barefiel76 on April 19, 2010, 04:43:22 PM
Can you imagine getting hit by a gumball or worse yet jaw breaker? I think it would be a great way to make my staff think twice about bugging me with dumb questions. "Umm, can I leave early on Friday to get my toes......THWACK!!!" Oh and when you stand up, no is the aswer.

Just kidding.

Yeah, Barefiel76, I think the jaw breaker would be better left in the "just kidding" stage, but if you ever do get the irresistible urge to really blast off some sweets at someone's noggin, I'd personally only go as hard as a marshmallow, or maybe even a gummi bear. ;D :D ;D :D
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Desktop Lifesaving Cannon
« Reply #12 on: April 20, 2010, 09:25:43 PM »
Just like the price paid for the miniature Lyle gun that opened this thread, the amount this carronade went for was equally surprising to me, the only difference being that I was personally interested in winning this one. This item sold on the same famous online auction site as the Lyle gun, and it sold for almost the same amount. As far as I'm concerned the price paid ($1,594.59) for this carronade was way too high, I placed a hidden high bid early in the auction, but it didn't remain a winning bid for very long. I tried to find out if this rusted iron barrel had a steel liner, but the seller had no clue about cannons, and I finally gave up.
I thought we were supposed to be in an economic slump, how come these people are spending money like its going out of style? Anyway, I really would have liked to build a classic sliding carronade carriage for this thing, but it just didn't pan out.

"Large Antique Cast Iron
Ship Signal Cannon

Total Length is 20"
Barrel measures approximately 17"
Barrel depth is 13 7/8"
The caliber is 1 1/2"

Width is 6 1/2"

This cannon was a working cannon
As it does have a Fuse Hole

Shipping weight is 70 lbs"







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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.
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