Thank you Soot and Cat Whisperer for ordering your Krupp 'Firecracker' Howitzers. Mike and I know you will both have lots of enjoyment in shooting them! Thanks for your generous comments and support. If anyone else is wanting one of these guns, the window of opportunity is closing quickly. Our shop space is very limited and will only allow us to make 20 of these at any one time. I did miscount when I last tallied the orders so we have 14, not 16 of the available slots filled as of today. We will NOT be making more of these for about three years, if ever again. A word to the wise about availability should be sufficient.
Zulu, thank you for your kind comments. Now about talent, if we had half of your woodworking talent, we could do this work standing on our heads and spitting nickels!
Skip77, we agree with you that a great sense of power is projected by this small package. Glad you like it!
Gulfcoastblackpowder, We didn't forget anything, but instead used our powerful democratic system to chose a version that most people liked best. To promote the lower cost per feature and detail, this batch of 20 can have no options, but rather a unique combination of robust, powerful looks and precise, close tolerance, loading and firing mechanisms which can defy high prices, because of a well-thought-out-design which responds well to efficient methods of production. We like your idea of a barbette carriage, actually a chassis, which is compatible and can be integrated with the present, upper carriage we are making now. Mike and I really love these, because they work so well in seacoast fortress locations within the fort's walls or in a separate, water-battery. At the end of the run of 20 we might make a few of these available to any owner who wants a complete seacoast battery.
My goodness, Double D., don't write stuff like that about Mike; if he reads THAT he will become impossible to work with! A pompous machinist is a bear to work with. In the old days, about 30 years ago, working for the computer company, Storage Technology, I asked a very large, young, machinist with a huge bushy beard, "Well Bert, what would you do if you won the lottery?" It was only about one million in those early days. He said, "I would quit this place immediately, load my van with drugs, drive down to Florida and throw the best Beach Party they ever saw down there. I'd get rid of all that money in a week!!" Then, with his ego really pumped up, he said, "Those girls have never seen a beard like mine; they would be lining up just to meet me!" That guy had no self esteem issues at all! Please DD, don't create a monster!
On a more serious note, we have received two requests that we go back to the longer cheeks that we showed in a photo about in the middle of page 5. These were 8.00" long. We reduced the length by 1.100 which allowed for a steeper start of the big radius behind the trunnions which goes down to the short 10 deg. straight line then to the 12 deg. back edge. There were two important reasons for this change. One, it would allow the sliding Breech Block to be accessed for loading at increased elevation of the tube. Two, it would prevent the striker release T-handle from hitting the base plate if it was dropped or lowered via elevation gear adjustment AFTER THE KRUPP WAS LOADED AND COCKED thereby firing it unexpectedly.
We ask that you participate in an informal poll to determine if there are strong sentiments on going back toward a longer cheek. It would mean another substantial drawing revamp, but if the owners or people who are interested in this howitzer feel strongly about lengthening the cheeks we can do it WITHOUT VIOLATING DESIGN SAFETY which is above all other considerations.
The extra cheek length could be had by lengthening the brass Striker Handle .300". That and the extra breech length of .300" we have already committed to, by making the loading port longer for ease of projectile loading will get us .600, or the full amount of cheek extension which works out perfectly proportional with the old, woodcut posted today. We will show through photos the new, longer, 7.50 long cheek version and the former, short, 6.90 long cheek version. We cant do the original 8.00 long cheek version, because it violates the principles of Design Safety. Period.
We have also shortened the height of the cheeks on the third prototype by 1/4", and raised the rear of the cheeks by .200 and extended the length of the cheeks to 7.50 by adding a section of material which simulates the extended steel sides, achieving the "look" of the page 5 version without full 1'' cheek stretching. We will lose about 2 deg. of elevation off the 30 we now have, but you dont need 28 degs. for launching crackers or crayons! 5 deg. is all you need for 60 feet of cracker trajectory anyway.
****************** Please take a look at the photos below and be sure to let us know via comments on this thread or PM or email if your vote is for: Longer or Shorter cheeks. Thanks. ********************************************
Mike and Tracy
The contemporary woodcut of the 1866 Krupp Seacoast Howitzer that inspired us and continues to guide our design.
The first prototype with the 8.00" long cheeks which we cannot produce due to safety problems explained in the text of this update.
The second prototype with the Short cheeks which are 6.90" in length. These are also 3.50" high.
This is the third or current prototype with Long cheeks at 7.50" and sides that are 1/4" less in height at 3.25" in the trunnion area and .200 higher on the tails to hide the rear elevation screw bearing-box.
We think the third prototype brings the 'look' of the upper carriage back to this look of the 8.00" long first prototype which had safety issues.
