Author Topic: I've been spiked (Read 1380 times)

Squire Robin · « **on:** November 05, 2005, 06:07:19 AM »

I've been spiked :shock:

Went to clear the rust out of the touch but my drill stops just short of the bore on both cannon :eek:

I can only think someone has hammerred a case hardened sleeve down into the breech to block off the touch. This will require close investigation of the constriction before I start sawing so I'm cross posting and asking everyone who might know...

Have you ever heard of a gun being disabled like that???

Double D · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2005, 06:19:00 AM »

Is your vent a straight drilled hole or a threaded vent?

Squire Robin · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2005, 06:25:05 AM »

The vent is a simple hole, about 5/32". Is that significant?

Powder keg · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2005, 07:42:13 AM »

I think your best bet would be to use a simple EDM machine to burn the spike out of the vent. An EDM dosn't care how hard the spike is, as long as it is metal. You will need to make a couple of things but they work pretty good. I have plans out of an old popular mechanics mag. If you want I can Email them to you. Pm me your Email. Later,

Double D · « **Reply #4 on:** November 05, 2005, 08:11:34 AM »

I reread your post. Do you think that a sleeve has been put down the bore to block the vent from the inside?

I'm sure theis crew here will come up witha way to remove it!

Squire Robin · « **Reply #5 on:** November 05, 2005, 10:32:26 AM »

:-D

I used a long fuse from the front,

Should have put more in but my audience got worried, so only 1/4 lb :?

Powder keg · « **Reply #6 on:** November 05, 2005, 10:45:22 AM »

Great show! How do they sound?

Squire Robin · « **Reply #7 on:** November 05, 2005, 10:58:42 AM »

Only did one, more of a chug than a boom, should have told them the blank load was usually 2 lbs so 1/2 lb would be minimum. Probably didn't help lighting it from the front of the charge either.

I had a sheet of plywood 8 feet in front to protect a shrub, it rather spread the blast sideways.

Still fun though :-D

john pike · « **Reply #8 on:** November 05, 2005, 12:05:18 PM »

Quote from: Squire Robin

Only did one, more of a chug than a boom, should have told them the blank load was usually 2 lbs so 1/2 lb would be minimum. Probably didn't help lighting it from the front of the charge either.

I had a sheet of plywood 8 feet in front to protect a shrub, it rather spread the blast sideways.

Still fun though :-D

I am SOOOOOOO jealous,,,,

johnp

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #9 on:** November 05, 2005, 12:34:01 PM »

Ahhhhhh the thrill of firing AN ORIGINAL VINTAGE CANNON in a GENUINE ENGLISH garden for the first time!!!

One of the finer pleasures of life.

kappullen · « **Reply #10 on:** November 05, 2005, 01:39:33 PM »

Squire,

I would get a cobalt extension drill and go slow at it to get the plug out.
An edm job would be rather pricy!

Kap

CU_Cannon · « **Reply #11 on:** November 05, 2005, 03:46:38 PM »

From the Hand-Book of Artillery:
55. State how to unspike a piece.

If the spike is not screwed in or clinched, and the bore is not impeded, put in a charge of powder Â½ of the weight of the shot, and ram junk wads over it; laying on the bottom of the bore a slip of wood, with a groove on the under side containÂing a strand of quick-match, by which fire is communicated to the charge. In a brass gun, take out some of the metal at the upper orifice of the vent, and pour sulphuric acid into the groove, and let it stand some hours before firing. If this method, several times repeated, is not successful, unscrew the vent piece if it be a brass gun; and if an iron one, drill out the spike, or drill a new vent.

I would try drilling it out and go from there.

Articifer Tom · « **Reply #12 on:** November 05, 2005, 04:33:41 PM »

May be good reason it was spiked . Make sure you have a lined bore before loading this this gun up !!!. And breech plug , x-raying maybe in order.

Becareful! Tom

Squire Robin · « **Reply #13 on:** November 09, 2005, 09:29:15 AM »

I've measured it, I was wrong, ignore all before, it's an ordinary spike :oops:

So how did they do that? A red hot rivet perhaps???

It's had 80+ years to rust out, maybe I simply need a better punch.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #14 on:** November 09, 2005, 09:38:29 AM »

Quote from: Squire Robin

I've measured it, I was wrong, ignore all before, it's an ordinary spike :oops:

So how did they do that? A red hot rivet perhaps???

It's had 80+ years to rust out, maybe I simply need a better punch.

My guess (note: GUESS) is that it was a spike, driven in and bent over inisde. (A hot rivit would shrink when cool.)

CU_Cannon has given you the official published method of removal.

Drilling would be iffy. The steel being harder than the bronze would cause the drill to wander.

EDM - commercial is expensive and difficult to get into production model tanks. Home built would be a viable but slow process.

You could drill (oversize) down to it, switch to a spot-rivit-removal-bit (hollow core) then sleave it back down to the right size.

Flip a coin!

GGaskill · « **Reply #15 on:** November 09, 2005, 11:11:48 AM »

Since your gun was apparently submerged for some time, I am guessing most of the spike corroded away, leaving only a small portion in the vent held in place with corrosion.

I am assuming that a standard HSS drill doesn't cut the spike. Try making an extension drill holder for a carbide center drill and attacking with that (or maybe an extended center drill would work. If the spike is only case hardened, the carbide will cut through the case and an HSS drill will go the rest of the way.

Double D · « **Reply #16 on:** November 09, 2005, 11:58:30 AM »

Quote from: GGaskill

Since your gun was apparently submerged for some time, I am guessing most of the spike corroded away, leaving only a small portion in the vent held in place with corrosion.

George where did you come up with that? I don't rcall Robin saying they had been submerged? Were they submerged Robin?

What did Bill Curtis say about getting the spike out?

Could it be a case of good punch and bigger hammer?

Also is there any evidence the vent was originally threaded and the plug was screw down to the bottom of the vent?

Squire Robin · « **Reply #17 on:** November 09, 2005, 12:09:46 PM »

Never submerged as far as I know, I think the guns were spiked unobtrusively when they were used for display on a tourist schooner docked at Newquay after being retired due to the outbreak of WW1.

I think my next task is to get a mirror down there and see what it looks like from the inside.

I will get them out because I always win when it comes to things like this. OTOH it is always best to stop, think, consider the options and get some tools in before beginning the onslaught :grin:

GGaskill · « **Reply #18 on:** November 09, 2005, 12:12:23 PM »

Guess I inferred it from this post.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #19 on:** November 09, 2005, 12:24:36 PM »

If it were mine, and if I were to choose drilling, I'd do it this way - because of experience of putting in a drill into an existing hole (in steel) and having it wander.

I'd take a piece of tubing to act as a drill guide and slide it into the hole as far as possible. Then I'd take a very much smaller drill bit (extra long) and run a pilot hole down inside the steel spike. Then remove the sleeve and drill the rest of the spike with a larger bit, using the pilot hole to guide the larger bit.

Is that the best way, who knows, one option among several so far.

Double D · « **Reply #20 on:** November 09, 2005, 12:31:45 PM »

Quote from: GGaskill

Guess I inferred it from http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=75404" target="_blank">this post.

Oh...I thought you had some insider information and I was going to ask Robin about the treasure....Tourist schooner is no where as sexy as sunken ships and treasure....avast there matey!!!

GGaskill · « **Reply #21 on:** November 09, 2005, 12:44:13 PM »

Probably mentally merged the previous one with this one.