Author Topic: I made a signal device today (Read 3805 times)

rsilvers · « **on:** January 07, 2012, 02:24:12 PM »

I was going to buy a signal device on eBay for $45, but instead decided to spend six hours making one. Bore is 1 inch.

Of course I don't buy steel in bulk, so I probably have $20 into the steel, and so my labor was worth about $4 an hour. But, it was rewarding and can be a family heirloom - and you can't buy that.

Right now it is tumbling in black oxide.

Rayfan87 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2012, 02:43:45 PM »

You said its 1" bore, what's the o.d. of the steel? The wall thickness should be the same as the bore.

rsilvers · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:10:10 PM »

OD is 2.2 inches.

This does not shoot projectiles.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #3 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:22:53 PM »

Does it have a powder chamber?

Rayfan87 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:25:08 PM »

Its still a good idea to maintain the minimum recommended thickness. You may not intend to fire a projectile, but unless you plan on cutting it up at some point there is a good chance someone else will own it later who may not keep with the no projectile rule.

rsilvers · « **Reply #5 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:30:26 PM »

Quote from: Cat Whisperer on January 07, 2012, 03:22:53 PM

Does it have a powder chamber?

No.

rsilvers · « **Reply #6 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:31:43 PM »

I will laser mark the bottom with:

"SIGNAL DEVICE"
"NOT RATED FOR PROJECTILES"
"2012"

rsilvers · « **Reply #7 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:34:29 PM »

Quote from: Rayfan87 on January 07, 2012, 03:25:08 PM

Its still a good idea to maintain the minimum recommended thickness. You may not intend to fire a projectile, but unless you plan on cutting it up at some point there is a good chance someone else will own it later who may not keep with the no projectile rule.

I would have preferred to follow that rule, but this was the only bar I had, and I didn't have a 3/4 inch drill, and wanted a 1" bore.

Does anyone have experience to know how a 0.75 vs 1.0 vs 2.0 inch bore sounds?

I only have Goex FF now, but I plan to get some Goex Cannon - I assume coarse is best?

Is it really true that duct tape over the bore makes a better sound than just a wad? I find that hard to believe.

Is 400 grains too much for a max charge?

rsilvers · « **Reply #8 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:35:59 PM »

I tried to look up my records to see what kind of steel this is. It is either 4130 or 12L14.

rsilvers · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:37:05 PM »

Quote from: rsilvers on January 07, 2012, 03:31:43 PM

I will laser mark the bottom with:

"SIGNAL DEVICE"
"NOT RATED FOR PROJECTILES"
"BLACK POWDER ONLY"
"2012"

Artilleryman · « **Reply #10 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:37:49 PM »

How long is the bore?

rsilvers · « **Reply #11 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:40:20 PM »

4 inches.

Which brings up another question - how does bore length effect results?

Rayfan87 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:53:25 PM »

Max load for a 1" bore is more like 170 grains.

rsilvers · « **Reply #13 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:56:47 PM »

"SIGNAL DEVICE"
"BLACK POWDER ONLY"
"FG RECOMMENDED, 170 GRAINS MAX"
"NOT RATED FOR PROJECTILES"
"MY NAME 2012"

Artilleryman · « **Reply #14 on:** January 07, 2012, 03:58:18 PM »

From looking at the photograph, it would appear that the vent is located about half way along the total length. How long is the barrel?

Artilleryman · « **Reply #15 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:00:20 PM »

I looked again and the polish made it look like the vent was in the middle.

rsilvers · « **Reply #16 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:02:33 PM »

The vent is at the very bottom of the 4 inch deep bore.

flagman1776 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:06:20 PM »

I use a blank load of 300 grains of Goex cannon in my 1.25" bore X 20" naval bronze swivel. It's plenty loud & will occasionally roll the stand over. Although my gun does not follow the 3X bore rule, it does fall within Meuller's specifications.

rsilvers · « **Reply #18 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:08:27 PM »

If I ever make anything else, I will make the walls as thick as the bore. When looking around, I did not see anyone making signal cannon that way - even original ones. But I will - as I understand it must feel like a violation to enthusiasts to see one made incapable of being rated for projectiles.

rsilvers · « **Reply #19 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:11:15 PM »

I will have to read it:

http://books.google.com/books?id=vylEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #20 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:19:51 PM »

This is bronze.
Not quite the 1:3 diameter ratio.
Signal cannon, never (to my knowledge) used to fire a projectile.

Note the darkness of prior cracking/corrosion prior to ultimate failure.

FWIW.

(OK, I'll spell it out. Don't make the ASSUMPTION that if it is for BLANKS that the pressure isn't enough to explode the cannon.)

rsilvers · « **Reply #21 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:24:44 PM »

Maybe it was cast and had cracks to begin with? What was the max charge ever used in it? I heard that FFFF powder will make more pressure than F. Maybe that was a contributing factor?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #22 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:31:55 PM »

It was in 1964. I stood with 4 or 5 others 15' BEHIND it (Most Fortunately).

Used with blasting powder - very coarse, used in quarrying because it cracks granite less than black powder.

History of it? It had been used for many years as a signal cannon.

What I'm saying is, that when you light the fuse you really would like to know if it's a cannon or a bomb.

rsilvers · « **Reply #23 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:35:12 PM »

Can black powder ever detonate from packing it too hard with a dowel? Or would it only fire during loading if there were a spark from a previous usage?

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #24 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:41:11 PM »

Hmmmm. Play the game 'what if it goes off at _____ (insert point of time here____'.

If it goes off when you are packing it in with a ram rod?

A safety ram-rod is in the shape of a " U " so that when it goes off unexpectedly the part that you're holding slides effortlessly from you hand (which is beside the barrel and not in front of it).

ironball · « **Reply #25 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:41:44 PM »

rsilvers, nice looking, well built piece. A balled up slice of bread makes a nice wad, and I doubt you could overcharge it, since with a blank load, the excess powder would just get blown out the bore as a great big fireball.

ironball · « **Reply #26 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:45:37 PM »

Quote from: Rayfan87 on January 07, 2012, 03:53:25 PM

Max load for a 1" bore is more like 170 grains.

I have shot heavier loads in .58 cal rifles.

rsilvers · « **Reply #27 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:46:00 PM »

Quote from: Cat Whisperer on January 07, 2012, 04:41:11 PM

A safety ram-rod is in the shape of a " U " so that when it goes off unexpectedly the part that you're holding slides effortlessly from you hand (which is beside the barrel and not in front of it).

Is there some online source of 1 inch safety ram rods?

Victor3 · « **Reply #28 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:48:06 PM »

Quote from: rsilvers on January 07, 2012, 03:35:59 PM

I tried to look up my records to see what kind of steel this is. It is either 4130 or 12L14.

With either material (and considering the short bore length), I highly doubt you could blow it up even if you filled it with BP and seated a lead ball on top. Not that I'd recommend it, since using that much powder in such a short 1" bore would cause much of it to be blown out and wasted.

rsilvers · « **Reply #29 on:** January 07, 2012, 04:49:07 PM »

Thanks on the bread tip.

Does anyone have experience with 1 inch bore blanks to know at what point you get diminishing returns for the boom? In other words, what is the recommended load fo which there is no point in going higher?