Help with a GB Parrott Cannon. (1st Cannon Project)

[Asron87]

I finally (with the help of GBO) get to make my first cannon. My teacher said I can make a cannon this semester now that I have enough experience with a lathe. Sounds like a deal to me.

I'd like to make a 10-pounder Parrott Cannon scaled to shoot golf ball sized steel balls with a wooden sabot.

To start with,
Where can I get accurate dimensions for the cannon and carriage?
What's the best way to mount the cannon to the lathe?




 

[Victor3]

What's the best way to mount the cannon to the lathe?

 That would depend on a few things. For starters...
 
1. Are you making it from solid bar or constructing from tubing that has a finished bore diameter?
2. What's the largest diameter you can fit all the way through the headstock (not just the chuck)?
3. What's the longest workpiece that can be turned between centers?
 
 With answers to the above, and when you have the OAL length of the bbl and diameter of the breech, I'm sure we can help you further. 

[GGaskill]

Where can I get accurate dimensions for the cannon and carriage?

I think the best plans are from Antique Ordnance Publishers.  But they are full scale so you would have to scale them down to 1.719/3 = 57.3%.  Now that is going to be a pretty big piece, over 3' long.  And you will probably need a couple of 3' long drills and a long reamer shank if you plan to ream the bore.

You can cheat on the pilot drill length as you can drill halfway with the pilot, then drill almost halfway with the main drill, then finish the pilot hole using an extension drill holder in the now large hole.  If you are in a place with machine shops, see if you can find someone to gundrill the bore for you.  That would be much easier.  Maybe they would let you watch the process since you are a machine tool student.

What's the best way to mount the cannon to the lathe?

You can hold it in a chuck and steady rest for drilling and between centers for profiling; that will be the least of your problems.