Author Topic: Firecracker cannon (Read 9062 times)

moose53 · « **on:** September 10, 2010, 07:22:08 PM »

Thanks to Seacoast Artillery's fine Re-Creation of the Krupp Seacoast Gun , I was inspired to make a couple of firecracker cannon for my niece and nephew . He is 10 years old and just may get the cannon bug for life , very excited about the idea of getting a cannon.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2010, 01:27:12 AM »

They look good, Moose!

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2010, 01:59:38 AM »

"You could put your eye out with that thing!"

(A GREAT opportunity to teach responsibility.)

An excitement that will be remembered for a life-time.

Terry C. · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2010, 07:50:15 AM »

Will they be getting trunnions?

moose53 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2010, 08:03:50 AM »

I found a robust design on you tube that incorporates the barrel directly into the carriage . Should be very kid friendly [yt=425,350]b5nPpexH5cw[/yt]

moose53 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2010, 04:23:59 PM »

Bored out one of the barrels today . The nubbin on the breech is left for ease of alignment when I attach the carriage base to the barrel. Then it will be removed.

moose53 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2010, 04:31:59 PM »

Had to post again pictures to big for more then one per post

1Southpaw · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2010, 04:40:48 PM »

Watched the video ,

Now I want to build one

Keep posting progress pictures please

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #8 on:** September 14, 2010, 05:12:29 PM »

There is something elegant about simplicity!

Is that tig or mig welded?

moose53 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2010, 09:16:51 PM »

I plan on mig welding it and then dressing it up by grinding . The elegant simplicity got my attention also

moose53 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 20, 2010, 05:51:35 PM »

Worked on my firecracker cannons today . Was able to test fire it , the 5/16 does look like it is a perfect size . The cannon shoots wonderfully , it would be easy to spend a few hours blasting away at things

moose53 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 20, 2010, 05:54:32 PM »

I have to post for each photo separably

moose53 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 20, 2010, 05:57:58 PM »

Notice that one side plate is threaded so the nut is just a lock nut .

seacoastartillery · « **Reply #13 on:** September 20, 2010, 10:27:10 PM »

A KISS design for sure. I love it! Thanks for posting your in-process photos, Moose53. Seeing the variety of methods by which cannons are made is extremely interesting to Mike and I. Keep posting those photos. Looks like you are doing a great job so far.

Tracy & Mike

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #14 on:** September 21, 2010, 02:13:50 AM »

No question about it. FIRECRACKER season is catching on!

Cool job!

little seacoast · « **Reply #15 on:** September 21, 2010, 02:54:59 AM »

Very nice indeed! Are you adopting?

dan610324 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 21, 2010, 05:52:38 AM »

its very similar in design as this one

Double D · « **Reply #17 on:** September 21, 2010, 06:00:17 AM »

You have to love the name of that patent holder.... J.J. Loud!

dan610324 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 21, 2010, 06:22:38 AM »

moose53 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 21, 2010, 07:14:11 AM »

Thanks Dan for posting that patent . I had no idea it was a official design

jeeper1 · « **Reply #20 on:** September 21, 2010, 08:24:41 AM »

The pictures posted by Dan are similar to my vintage 1890 cast iron firecracker.

dan610324 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 21, 2010, 05:57:30 PM »

no , its not similar
its exactly that cannon

dan610324 · « **Reply #22 on:** September 21, 2010, 06:18:17 PM »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John J. Loud's Fire Cracker Cannon

My first firecracker cannon was a Home Guard Safety Cannon. Up until that time I had never seen one before, but this little field piece intrigued me because it opened up like a break action shot gun. I studied it trying to figure if it was a pin-fire blank shooter when a broken firecracker fell out of the barrel. At once all was clear!

That was 1988 and the $50 I paid was the most I had ever spent for a cannon! We talked about it for weeks. Breaking the $100, $500 and $1000 barriers somehow were not the same. The Home Guard is a very nice shooter and has survived in several variations and MIB (mint in box) examples can still be found.

Patented Dec.. 27, 1887 in the US and June 26, 1888 in Canada it was manufactured by the Safety Cannon Company in Brookline, Massachusetts. The retail price was 50 cents. It is believed this toy was manufactured into the 1920's or even the 1930's by licensees. The Home Guard is easily identified by the six spoke wheels.

You will see this toy with ten-spoke wheels. Originally we called this the fake Home-Guard because of lighter weight and poorer fitting castings. But the ten-spoke toy has both the American and Canadian patents marked in the trail so we first thought it to be made under license.

However, we know that the company was operated by Mr. A. H. French, believed to be Loud's son-in-law. The current speculation is that while Mr. Loud was in charge of the operation, the higher quality six-spoke version was being manufactured. Then when Mr. French took over, some changes were made to reduce costs and increase profits.

The ten-spoke barrel is the same length and width as the six-spoke, but the wheels and drag are smaller. Also, the drag is hollowed out on each side where the pivot is so there would be less iron to drill through. This causes the sloppy fit. The barrel is also narrowed in the area of the drag pivot and when viewed from the top, there is a hole through between the barrel and the cheeks on each side. While we have several pieces of advertising showing the six spoke cannon, we have none for the ten spoke toy. Any help here is appreciated. Three distinct Home Guards have been identified so far, not counting our bronze version. They are the original, the ten-spoke and the split trail. The split trail cannon has a trail that is made up of a left and right casting.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

View J.J. Loud's Patent ********** View Home-Guard Cannon ********** View Split Trail Home-Guard Cannon ********** Lady Guard 1/2 scale Home Guard

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J. J. Loud's patent.

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Home Guard (front) Ten-spoke "Fake" Home Guard (rear)
Ray-Vin Bronze Home Guard 2001-2004 (only 50 made)

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Split Trail Home Guard
We believe this version was designed to get around Loud's patent. It is nicely made and looks just like the original, but it dosen't work as well.

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This is a half-scale version that was prototyped by Ray-Vin in November of 2001.
It is made from silicone bronze by the lost-wax casting process. It shoots lady finger firecrackers. We called it the Lady Guard. About five were made. It was too small and light weight to stay closed when fired. Nice to look at, but no fun to shoot.

sorry the pictures was lost somehow

Double D · « **Reply #23 on:** September 21, 2010, 06:29:25 PM »

http://www.toycannons.ray-vin.com/firecracker/homeguard.htm

dan610324 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 21, 2010, 06:41:34 PM »

now you was faster than me DD

Double D · « **Reply #25 on:** September 21, 2010, 06:57:10 PM »

Quote from: moose53 on September 20, 2010, 05:54:32 PM

I have to post for each photo separably

No you don't...just click on more attachments next to the browse buttons.

moose53 · « **Reply #26 on:** September 21, 2010, 09:03:04 PM »

Yes but the individual photos were too big to put two of them in one post . They range from 1.6 MB to 1.8 MB so its easy to put one per post

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #27 on:** September 22, 2010, 02:29:18 AM »

Quote from: moose53 on September 21, 2010, 09:03:04 PM

Yes but the individual photos were too big to put two of them in one post . They range from 1.6 MB to 1.8 MB so its easy to put one per post

Often what I do (it IS a little more work) is to copy the set of pictures to a similar name (with a -- following, so I can identify it's source), and to reduce the size of the copy (in MS Paint). That allows me to post more.

Double D · « **Reply #28 on:** September 22, 2010, 03:35:09 AM »

Quote from: moose53 on September 21, 2010, 09:03:04 PM

Yes but the individual photos were too big to put two of them in one post . They range from 1.6 MB to 1.8 MB so its easy to put one per post

So in your photo soft ware just resize them. For the internet forums 8 inches wide at 72 dpi is best.

moose53 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 22, 2010, 06:36:17 AM »

Yes I will try that , it has been long enough since I posted that I forgot what I did to size the photos.

This is a video of another design that shows some problems with hinge position and weight distribution , it opens up when fired .

[yt=425,350]V9ECa5Z-wCs[/yt] .

The barrel weight distribution of my design also lets it open up when fired , so I compressed the hinge by the hinge bolt such that it will support its own weight closed when held by the trail . Now it fires without opening up . The hinge can be made to operate smoothly by adjusting the bolt and lock nut and slightly relieving the exposed area around the hinge when closed.