Author Topic: K.I.S.S. bowling ball mortar (Read 20215 times)

Double D · « **Reply #60 on:** April 16, 2012, 09:23:38 AM »

HoBoy the toys, err ah I mean the tools came in the mail today. I'll call the farmer tonight and set up a delivery date...progress!!!

Thanks Tim.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #61 on:** April 16, 2012, 03:10:42 PM »

Quote from: Double D on April 16, 2012, 09:23:38 AM

HoBoy the toys, err ah I mean the tools came in the mail today. I'll call the farmer tonight and set up a delivery date...progress!!!

Thanks Tim.

Glad the toys got there! Use them in good health.

Double D · « **Reply #62 on:** April 20, 2012, 05:43:18 AM »

Not a bowling ball mortar but related, K.I.S.S. golf ball mortar No. 7 was sent to SAMCC Cannonmeister Colin two months ago. It has now arrived.

Colin has advised me that No. 7 will be one 21 gun battery that will fire the Birthday salute next month over Durban Bay for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Double D · « **Reply #63 on:** May 16, 2012, 06:00:05 PM »

Well every thing is in the hands of the Farmer-Machinist. Once he gets his part done then I will have to do the trunnion. I don't think that will happen before I get back next year.

Double D · « **Reply #64 on:** July 03, 2012, 12:10:21 PM »

Artilleryman · « **Reply #65 on:** July 03, 2012, 12:28:26 PM »

Very interesting. Did you record any distances?

The Jeff · « **Reply #66 on:** July 03, 2012, 01:19:25 PM »

Just for fun, I downloaded the video and counted the frames between liftoff and touchdown. Here are the results:

Ounces	Frames	Seconds
1.5	15	.5
3	28	0.93
6	54	1.8
8	120	4

And here's a graph:

I'm not sure if it tells us anything useful, but it'll be interesting to see how Seacoastartillery's tubeless mortar tests compare!

1Southpaw · « **Reply #67 on:** July 03, 2012, 01:25:03 PM »

windy it was 6' /30' /70' / last shot about 130 yards , Landed between the shrub rows . Buried it self at least 6" in the dirt after breaking branches . Angle was probably around 75 to 80 degrees . Interesting to see what distances it flew with out tube . Mine will launch a ball 100 yards with 1 1/2 oz of FG powder. The same charge in DD's chamber barely made it off the chamber.

Double D · « **Reply #68 on:** July 03, 2012, 01:53:42 PM »

Quote from: Artilleryman on July 03, 2012, 12:28:26 PM

Very interesting. Did you record any distances?

Looks like Ernie covered it.

Here is the plug set up for the shot.

Here is the plug after the 16 oz shot.

Cat Whisperer loaned me his boring bar for the project. Ron the farmer said it was to short and flexible so he made one.

Here is what is sitting in the back of my truck.

Ernie and I have to shoot our postal this week, so that means a trip up to his place. Might make day of it and work on the trunnion installation

GGaskill · « **Reply #69 on:** July 03, 2012, 07:03:20 PM »

Looks like it's going to be finished before you leave.

Double D · « **Reply #70 on:** July 04, 2012, 05:36:42 AM »

I don't know about finish before I leave...maybe the tube.

Southpaw says we should go the next step and drop the plug in the tube and reshoot with these same loads. I'm not so sure about that...Canada is only 5 miles away at the far end of the range....

GGaskill · « **Reply #71 on:** July 04, 2012, 09:07:44 AM »

Canada is only 5 miles away ...

I don't think that is a problem if you adhere to your "know where your impact area is" maxim.

And, as I recall, the BMEWS radar was pointed towards the Ruskies, not towards us, so they would have a hard time learning about it unless you landed one on an RCMP cruiser.

Double D · « **Reply #72 on:** July 04, 2012, 12:27:06 PM »

Quote from: GGaskill on July 04, 2012, 09:07:44 AM

Canada is only 5 miles away ...

I don't think that is a problem if you adhere to your "know where your impact area is" maxim.

That's the point....Canada may be in my impact area.

GGaskill · « **Reply #73 on:** July 04, 2012, 02:02:01 PM »

I was assuming that you would regulate your elevation and powder charge so that your shots would remain in the approved impact area.

Double D · « **Reply #74 on:** July 04, 2012, 03:04:46 PM »

Quote from: GGaskill on July 04, 2012, 02:02:01 PM

I was assuming that you would regulate your elevation and powder charge so that your shots would remain in the approved impact area.

Good point, Canada probably wouldn't approve of me launching bowling balls at them....I think 5 miles is a bit optimistic any way, but I do think a mile is doable.

I set the plug up on the drill press this afternoon to drill and tap holes. Then I remembered I was going drill & tap at southpaws because he has a 7/8" drill bit and I don't. I had to take it down and load it back in the truck. I weighed it on the spring scale and it weighs 145 lbs. The tube is heavier.

Double D · « **Reply #75 on:** July 05, 2012, 06:25:02 PM »

Spent the afternoon in Southpaws shop drilling and tapping

Posed action picture of an actual tapping process.

The results.

The other day when we tested the breech we forget to check the breech plug fit and ball fit. So we rolled the plug over to the barrel and tried to slide it in. Both of us working together could not get it in. Farmer Ron said he had a hard time trying to slide the plug, until he stood the barrel up and it just gently slide in place. So that what we did and that's what it did.

We dropped the ball in and it fit.

For some time we have been meaning to test a K.I.S.S. mortar with plug in and unsecured-not bolted in place. Since we had every thing in place we decided to do it today-why not.

The video:

I start squealing like a girl about a mile cannon when the ball hits the ground.

For you math geeks, the 1.5 oz load when 22 yards, 3 oz went 65 yards and the 6 oz load went 130 yards. We didn't see a need to test the 8 oz or 16 oz. loads.

There was no problem with the breech plug not being secure. It stayed in place and doesn't appeared to have move. When we pulled the plug out there was no sign battering if the seat in the barrel or breech plug.

Now when Southpaws son in law sees what we did his barley field there might be a problem.

Next the trunnion.

I need a 1-1/2" silver and deming drill, ouch they ain't cheap. Found one on ebay for $24. All I need to to do is drill two 1" deep holes, so a cheap drill should work....I hope.

Double D · « **Reply #76 on:** July 06, 2012, 04:09:13 AM »

Forgot a picture Soutpaw said I should take.

That last shot went so high that we almost lost sight of the ball. We had no way to measure altitude. At its peak the ball resemble the speck we see when Southpaws cannon is being shoot over 400 yards. It went and went and went.

GGaskill · « **Reply #77 on:** July 06, 2012, 09:47:28 AM »

I might have a Morse taper 1 1/2" drill; I will check when I get home tonight.

Double D · « **Reply #78 on:** July 06, 2012, 11:56:26 AM »

Quote from: GGaskill on July 06, 2012, 09:47:28 AM

I might have a Morse taper 1 1/2" drill; I will check when I get home tonight.

Thanks George, I got a drill.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #79 on:** July 07, 2012, 05:15:48 AM »

Quote from: Double D on July 06, 2012, 04:09:13 AM

Forgot a picture Soutpaw said I should take.

That last shot went so high that we almost lost sight of the ball. We had no way to measure altitude. At its peak the ball resemble the speck we see when Southpaws cannon is being shoot over 400 yards. It went and went and went.

ALMOST at max elevation!

Double D · « **Reply #80 on:** July 15, 2012, 07:13:52 PM »

Finished up the "Concept" drawing this evening.

I am going to pick up the wood for this in Idaho Friday.

Fred the Farmer will do the profiling this winter.

Still have to deal with the hardware issues and the wheels

Double D · « **Reply #81 on:** July 20, 2012, 02:23:07 PM »

I got the vent built last week.

I used a 4" 1/2-20 socket head and drilled a 13/64 hole. I had to buy a long drill to reach all the way through. Found a pack of 10 on Ebay for $11

As soon as I got this finished, I order my friction pimers

Today I am in Idaho and picked up some wood for the base.

GGaskill · « **Reply #82 on:** July 20, 2012, 04:18:27 PM »

Hope the checking on the piece on the lower left doesn't go very far.

Double D · « **Reply #83 on:** July 20, 2012, 04:53:44 PM »

Stump end of a fir log that has been sitting out drying in the high Idaho desert for 3 years after being cut from a standing dead wood.

The beams are 52 inches x 12 inches x 9 1/2 inches. The checking is not very deep and looks like it will clean up well enough

Final dimensions will be 41 1/2" x 11 1/2" x 9". So I have 10 inches of checked end to cut off. The saw dust come from the cuts was very dry.

Now I need to find a planer big enough....

The two smaller pieces are 50 " x 7" x 5". Only need one piece finished 19" x 6 1/2" x 4 1/4".

GGaskill · « **Reply #84 on:** July 20, 2012, 06:29:15 PM »

Only need one piece finished 19" x 6 1/2" x 4 1/4".

You aren't using a transom behind the trunnion? Or under the trunnion?

Double D · « **Reply #85 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:05:25 AM »

This is a solid base mortar, no transom.

Zulu · « **Reply #86 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:22:32 AM »

It looks like the guy on the right, just above the sponge head, is smoking a pipe and holding powder bags.

Zulu

Artilleryman · « **Reply #87 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:26:14 AM »

Not sure what they need a rammer head on the other end of the sponge for, or why the boy in the back ground has his hand up.

1Southpaw · « **Reply #88 on:** July 21, 2012, 02:43:31 AM »

The boy in the Background has to go potty ! The fellow holding the powder and smoking has made the young one's bladder nervous .

Actually the young fellow is holding a sword and is in the "on guard" position.

Zulu · « **Reply #89 on:** July 21, 2012, 03:33:48 AM »

Quote from: 1Southpaw on July 21, 2012, 02:43:31 AM

The boy in the Background has to go potty ! The fellow holding the powder and smoking has made the young one's bladder nervous .

Actually the young fellow is holding a sword and is in the "on guard" position.

I think he is holding a lanyard and is in the firing position.
Zulu