Author Topic: 1819 Mortar? (Read 1206 times)

GLS · « **on:** August 15, 2012, 09:15:13 AM »

In April of last year while at Fort Sumter SC I saw the 10" 1819 mortar and thought it was the neatest looking thing. I brought questions to this board and received great answers from Cannoneer and Artilleryman. I also was pointed to the few pictures that exist of the mortar on its carriage by Max Caliber. This set a project in place as I just had to build a scale model of this. I scaled the motar down to GB size from the measurments I took while at Fort Sumter. I then had Ed (HMR Cannon) make a GB size barrel that is a beutiful peice of work. As for the carriage I scaled from the photos and had to best guess a few areas as there is nothing but a few photos showing what one of the carriage looked like. I looked at all the motar carriages/beds from 1800 to 1860 I could find to better guess some features. This thing was way harder to make than a naval carriage. It is now finished and awaits the test of smoke and fire. Want to thank all who help me on this project. On to the next project (this is somewhat addictive).

AS I first saw the motar at Fort Sumter

The photo of the carriage

Another carriage photo

GB bore 1819 mortar completed August 2012

armorer77 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 15, 2012, 09:50:35 AM »

Looking Good . Ed

Artilleryman · « **Reply #2 on:** August 15, 2012, 09:52:33 AM »

Very nice!

Cannoneer · « **Reply #3 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:06:59 AM »

Now that's sharp, really good job all the way around.

The Jeff · « **Reply #4 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:18:39 AM »

It looks great! Get some steel Fox balls for the ultimate thump when it comes back down.

onegreatshot · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:21:24 AM »

good work by both you and Ed. I see a strong resemblance to photo #2

DaveSB · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2012, 10:38:59 AM »

beautiful!

KABAR2 · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2012, 11:16:01 AM »

Very nice job, Please do not take this as criticism but I am looking at the one photo and am thinking that the wheeled section is removable

Note how the wheels are under the bed in this photo, I think the intent was to transport on the solid surfaces within the fort
and once at the emplacment the wheels would be moved out.... I can't picture firing a large mortar accuratly and having it recoil...... unfortunalty the second photo is washed out as to detail to be able to tell it the wheels are seperate or not.....

GLS · « **Reply #8 on:** August 15, 2012, 12:32:44 PM »

Kabar 2, I thought about that also. The picture is fuzy as it is a magnified section of a picture. In the original picture there are a pair of these mortars both sitting on wheels. The wheels on the model are like you said mounted on a solid steel axle with the carriage setting on top of it. The axle is held in place with a bolted on strap. In one of the photos if looked at under a microscope it appears to be mounted just that way. Again still a guess. I have found that shooting any of my other mortars wheels or not that the rearward recoil has not been very much when fired at a 45 degree angle.

Tod0987 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 15, 2012, 01:15:31 PM »

Very Nice!

Ex 49'er · « **Reply #10 on:** August 15, 2012, 02:42:14 PM »

Great job. Congrats on your build.

Double D · « **Reply #11 on:** August 15, 2012, 06:17:05 PM »

Quote from: GLS on August 15, 2012, 12:32:44 PM

I have found that shooting any of my other mortars wheels or not that the rearward recoil has not been very much when fired at a 45 degree angle.

I think you are in for a surprise.

Cannon Cocker · « **Reply #12 on:** August 15, 2012, 07:08:55 PM »

Great work on the whole gun. I see a lot of guns where either the tube or carriage lacks critical details. You took limited data and made a great scale copy.

Max Caliber · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2012, 05:31:47 AM »

Very nice work GLS. Looks like you used maple for the bed. A very good looking and well executed piece. The original pictures show both mortars on their wheels and at battery, so it would appear that the wheels were part of the mortar or they would have been removed at that point. If you look at the mortar as a whole, it looks as much a howitzer as it does a mortar. Would have been very handy to move about to quickly engage moving targets. The beds are well made down to the ornamental moldings, probably imported at that early date.

GLS · « **Reply #14 on:** August 16, 2012, 08:02:10 AM »

Thanks all for the complements. The carriage/bed is made of cherry. I have several tons of cherry and walnut lumber around so I just use what I had. A neighbor dropped off a couple more logs one walnut about 3 foot diameter and a two foot diameter cherry log. I’ll cut them up into thick planks to make some future carriages or mortar beds.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #15 on:** August 16, 2012, 08:51:01 AM »

Quote from: KABAR2 on August 15, 2012, 11:16:01 AM

Very nice job, Please do not take this as criticism but I am looking at the one photo and am thinking that the wheeled section is removable

Note how the wheels are under the bed in this photo, I think the intent was to transport on the solid surfaces within the fort
and once at the emplacment the wheels would be moved out.... I can't picture firing a large mortar accuratly and having it recoil...... unfortunalty the second photo is washed out as to detail to be able to tell it the wheels are seperate or not.....

Allen,
I can see what you're saying, but I think that's an optical illusion caused by the cast shadows of two handspikes that were lain on top of the wheel. I believe that the axle and wheels are an integral part of the bed's construction.

GGaskill · « **Reply #16 on:** August 16, 2012, 02:21:46 PM »

OK, I can buy that explanation as it looked like there was some kind of dolly under the bed to me, too.

GLS · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2012, 02:18:19 AM »

Test fired the mortar this weekend. Success. Video is of the chamber max loaded (200 gr 2ff) plus golf ball projectile. Sound is better on You Tube. Could not see the ball in flight but about 7-8 seconds later heard the impact in the trees about 300 yards distance. Going to order some Fox balls today.

Oceanexploration · « **Reply #18 on:** August 20, 2012, 04:27:47 AM »

Hello all, I thought you might enjoy this. Recently found on Governor's Island, NYC by our team along with other things. It's the largest mortar I've ever seen.

Cannoneer · « **Reply #19 on:** August 20, 2012, 04:40:34 AM »

Quote from: Oceanexploration on August 20, 2012, 04:27:47 AM

It's the largest mortar I've ever seen.

Did you mean to say that it's the largest shell you've ever seen?

KABAR2 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 20, 2012, 06:10:54 AM »

Quote from: Cannoneer on August 16, 2012, 08:51:01 AM

Quote from: KABAR2 on August 15, 2012, 11:16:01 AM

Very nice job, Please do not take this as criticism but I am looking at the one photo and am thinking that the wheeled section is removable

Note how the wheels are under the bed in this photo, I think the intent was to transport on the solid surfaces within the fort
and once at the emplacment the wheels would be moved out.... I can't picture firing a large mortar accuratly and having it recoil...... unfortunalty the second photo is washed out as to detail to be able to tell it the wheels are seperate or not.....

Allen,
I can see what you're saying, but I think that's an optical illusion caused by the cast shadows of two handspikes that were lain on top of the wheel. I believe that the axle and wheels are an integral part of the bed's construction.

Yes I have to agree..... when I looked at the photo I wasn't thinking of equipment like a hand spike laying on top of the wheel now that you pointed it out I see it!..... a issue solved!

Cannoneer · « **Reply #21 on:** August 20, 2012, 07:56:12 AM »

Good show, GLS; your prediction that the wheels wouldn't increase recoil to any great degree, seems to be correct.

GGaskill · « **Reply #22 on:** August 20, 2012, 11:40:52 AM »

Is that recovered shot iron or stone?