Author Topic: 8 Gauge Project barrel (Read 3508 times)

Powder keg · « **on:** March 24, 2006, 01:37:56 PM »

One of the Forum members brought this barrel to me to see if I can finish it for him. It will be an 8 gauge signal cannon when finished. It has a couple of problems that I am going to fix. The trunions were never installed and they were way to small. The breech block needs to be finished. Also I was asked to make it look nice. Here are some pictures of what I have to work with.

I'm going to start with the trunnions first. They will be machined and screwed on with blind studs.

GGaskill · « **Reply #1 on:** March 24, 2006, 01:56:43 PM »

So how is the breeching system supposed to work?

Powder keg · « **Reply #2 on:** March 24, 2006, 02:08:44 PM »

The breach will work something like this when I get done.

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #3 on:** March 24, 2006, 03:59:54 PM »

COOL PROJECT!

Can't wait to see the blow by blow!

myronw · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2006, 06:26:27 PM »

Hi Wes,

It definitely looks like you've got your work cut out for you! I'm sure that it will be a real beauty when you're finished, though. Your new mortar on the other post looks like a real dandy, too. I still can't figure out how you find time to go to work... We all appreciate your efforts, that's for sure!

Keep smiling,

Myron

Double D · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2006, 08:38:18 PM »

Yeah, and I left about 1/2 ton of material in his shop on my drive by to Montana.

Powder keg · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2006, 04:05:27 PM »

This is one of those projects that has to have some fixtures made and some stuff figured out. I have been looking everything over and I've talked it over with my customer. I'm going to have to re-do the breech end. That means I am going to have to wack about an inch off that end. The bolt holes are just to sloppy to make it work and look good when I'm done.

There will be two breech bolt holes that have to be drilled straight and true with the world. If they are not, the breech won't work right. It might bind or be loose in spots. I am building a jig to clamp the barrel and hang it verticle off the back of my mill table. This way I can mill the barrel flat on the end and drill those two bolt holes. I almost have this built and will post pictures of the jig and results soon.

Later, Wes

Powder keg · « **Reply #7 on:** May 25, 2006, 02:56:22 PM »

I had my mill set up for boring trunnions and I went a head and started on this project again. I was going to screw them in but I think solder will be better. the barrel was two thin I think for hidden studs. I started enlarging the hole with an end mill then bored them out.

to locate the position of the trunnions in the jig I'm making to hold the barrel I needed to mill a locator in the end of the barrel. Here is a picture.

All of those holes will be gone when I'm done. the breech door will pivot on a threaded pin. the pin has to be straight and parallel with everything or it won't open and close very good.

To bee continued....

Powder keg · « **Reply #8 on:** July 23, 2006, 02:32:26 PM »

I got quite a bit done on my 8 gauge prokect barrel. I had some troubles last week and took me a bit to figure things out. The jig I made hit my mill and I had to re do the clamp. Look at the upper right corner you can se where the clamp is about to hit the collum on my mill.

Powder keg · « **Reply #9 on:** July 23, 2006, 03:13:26 PM »

To fix my jig I bent a piece of 1" keystocki to a 45 deg angle and drilled the holes here is a picture. You can see that I now have pleanty of room to work.

Here is a better view of the barrel hanging off the mill table.

Powder keg · « **Reply #10 on:** July 23, 2006, 03:31:04 PM »

I machined the old bolt holes away and cleaned everything up to dimension. I used my coaxial indicator and centered everything up. Then I drilled the holes for the breech door pins.

For the pins I used a type of bolt called a stripper bolt. They are hardned and have a ground area on them that is very precision. I plan on cleaning up the head on them and blueing them. Here you can see them installed on the barrel.

moose53 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 23, 2006, 06:55:43 PM »

Man that barrel looks good even making chips,it must be fun working with that big of a piece of brass.Think i might try to brass plate my next mortar.

Double D · « **Reply #12 on:** July 23, 2006, 07:31:52 PM »

Is that brass? Or is that bronze? The patina looks bronze!

Powder keg · « **Reply #13 on:** July 24, 2006, 12:08:38 AM »

It's yellow brass. Thanks for the compliments. I didn't start this barrel and I've hade some problems with it. The hole isn't centered near the breech end so I'm going to have to be creative there. After fixing the breech end the proponderance is off. To fix this I'm planing on making a stepped area tawards the front of the trunnions, to lighten the muzzle up a bit. I dont know how much it will take, I'll just have to try and see. It should look pretty good when I'm done.

Later,

myronw · « **Reply #14 on:** July 24, 2006, 05:39:20 AM »

Hey Wes,

That poor thing is looking good! I can't wait to see the finished product... Maybe you better start working on some drawings for a six, four, and two guage versionl! I'll bet you were sweating pretty good while you worked on it, with the weather we've been having!

Keep smiling,

Myron

guardsgunner · « **Reply #15 on:** July 24, 2006, 12:02:21 PM »

Looking good powder keg. I thought I would post a picture of an 1864 Travis gun barrel that operates in a simular maner.

It took a brass cartridge and fired by cap. The hammer is missing.

Santa Dave · « **Reply #16 on:** July 26, 2006, 07:58:42 AM »

Wow, PK!
Do you sleep?
Nice, Neat work (as Always)
I know getting the camera in there is a break in the process, but please, keep us in the loop!
For those who havn't been there, his shop is small, all the different things he can do in there is a result of the facts and abilities stored in his head!
As usual I'm envious!

Dave

Powder keg · « **Reply #17 on:** July 27, 2006, 03:31:03 PM »

This particular barrel has been a PITA!!! I had to bore the hole out on the mill because the hole isn't centered on the breech end

I have the bore fixed kinda and the shell fits in the bore

Here are a couple of pictures.

Powder keg · « **Reply #18 on:** August 20, 2006, 06:35:06 PM »

Hey, I got some more done. I fixed the proponderance issues. I turned the taper smaller on the muzzle end and filed and sanded the dings out of the barrel. The reamer I needed showed up and I started on the door. No pictures of that yet but here are a couple of pictures of the barrel.

There were a bunch of deep dings abd scratches in the breech end of this gun. I think they cleaned up nice.

Later, Wes

Powder keg · « **Reply #19 on:** August 29, 2006, 04:38:51 PM »

I'm getting to the fun part on these

I got the flat milled and the holes drilled and reamed. now I am setting up on my rotary table to mill the radial slot that will lock over the second breech pin. I made a sacrifical table out of aluminum to bolt these doors to that I can mill into and not mess things up. Here is a picture of the settup. The first thing I did was to bolt the rotary table to my mill table. I then centered the RT under the spindle of my mill. Then I bolted the aluminum to that and centered it under the mill spindle. Now when I rotate the table the pin stays stationary. The four big holes have socket head bolts in them and bolt the aluminum to to the table the two little holes are for the clamp to hold the door to the aluminum.

The door pivot hole then goes over the pin in the center of the table.

Then the door gets bolted to the aluminum.

Then using an indicator. I move the table of the mill over a certian amount, in this case 2.000". Now when I rotate the table I can cut a slot that has a 2.000" radius. this will let the door drop over the pin. Here is a picture of the slot.

These should finish up pretty quickly now that I have my settup and jigs figured out. I have to come up with a way to hold the door to drill and mill the socket for the handle to make it easier to open, but I think I have a slick trick figured out for that. I hope my explinations make sense?

To be continued....

freddo · « **Reply #20 on:** August 30, 2006, 02:19:23 AM »

They do indeed Powder keg Keep them coming This is fascinating stuff.

freddo · « **Reply #21 on:** August 30, 2006, 02:23:29 AM »

Just one question How did you stop that slot in the correct place relative to the hole for the swivel pin?

myronw · « **Reply #22 on:** August 30, 2006, 04:11:24 AM »

Hi Wes,

It's looking better and better!

Myron

EL Caz 66 · « **Reply #23 on:** August 30, 2006, 04:52:21 AM »

Wes,

WAY TO GO !! I'm siked !! can't wait till it comes all together.. Keep comin...

Thanks,
Ed

Powder keg · « **Reply #24 on:** August 30, 2006, 12:48:00 PM »

Quote from: freddo on August 30, 2006, 02:23:29 AM

Just one question How did you stop that slot in the correct place relative to the hole for the swivel pin?

I inserted pins into the pivot hole and the refrence hole and then scribed a line adross the top of them to the other side. I just quit turning the handle when I got to the line.

Wes

CU_Cannon · « **Reply #25 on:** August 31, 2006, 02:52:15 AM »

Great looking work Wes!!!

Brass is such a pleasure to work with. Once I can get some extra money together I’ll buy a chunk for my next barrel. With prices the way they are I may have to go with steel again.

Are you responsible for the carriage also or is that up to the owner?

freddo · « **Reply #26 on:** August 31, 2006, 05:31:46 AM »

Right! I can just make out the line on the second photo.

Powder keg · « **Reply #27 on:** August 31, 2006, 12:56:42 PM »

The carriages are their deal, I don't have the time right now anyway. I should have a couple more pictures of the doors tonight.

Wes

Chad G · « **Reply #28 on:** September 11, 2006, 12:40:14 PM »

Very interesting, anymore information on this, more pictures or a range report.

EL Caz 66 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 11, 2006, 01:01:53 PM »

Yes I agree we here need an update... tapping my fingers on my desk...