Gunsmithing: Building a black powder Cannon

[1911ly]

Yep. And it's a legit thread. Not a rep pyramid post. Way to go! And great updates BTW.

 

[dhamby]

I have been following this build rather quietly but this thing is awesome. Definitely making some progress and getting closer to the finished product. Can't wait for the video!

 

[IndyGunworks]

I have been following this build rather quietly but this thing is awesome. Definitely making some progress and getting closer to the finished product. Can't wait for the video!

Thanks for posting... When I was talking with 1911ly a while back we chatted for a little while about how I was wondering how many people are following or viewing this thread, but not posting in it at all. I bet there are quite a few, but I will never know. Either way, thanks for the support, that's whats keeping me motivated right now as I approach the not so fun part of the build... the finishing touches.

 

[top hat 45]

i've been following this thread too and have interjected my opinion several times, but to nick only. i'm also looking forward to the thing going bang.....daryll

 

[selinoid44]

The finishing touch is the fire to the touch hole!

 

[IndyGunworks]

Learning how to email photo's directly from my phone to photobucket has saved me a bunch of time! Here are all three implements completed with only the sponge left to make. Now to find a place to get the vent sleeved and installed and I can test fire her before doing all the finishing touches.

 

[1911ly]

Silly question. What's the tool on the right for?

When I see a project I think is cool I post in the thread to show my interest. I think it encourages the OP to post more about the project and I get to learn a little more. That's just me. Some people are shy :-) not me! lol

 

[IndyGunworks]

And I appreciate that... Sometimes it gets tiring taking all the pictures, uploading them, then making posts, only to have three or four posts in a row with no comment.... This forum is pretty good about it, but I have ask questions on the actual cannon forum where I am getting lots of help that have never even been answered.

the tool on the right is called a worm. After a shot is fired its ran all the way to the breech given a 1/4-1/2 turn and pulled out. It catches the rear part of the foil packet that held the charge and pulls it out so you don't have a build up of foil preventing the next charge from seating deep enough to be ignited. Period correct charges would have been wrapped in flannel, and this tool would have pulled pieces of flannel out to keep them from harboring sparks when you load the next charge.

Order of loading. Cover the vent (with leather if its not) to keep oxygen from entering the bore allowing embers to continue to smoulder. Worm to pull out fragments of cloth/foil.... Sponge, to extinguish anything that might still be smouldering. Insert charge. Ram it a little to ensure its fully seated. If the charge wasn't build WITH the projectile/s then you load the wadding and projectiles and seat them home. Prick the vent, this exposes the powder in the charge to the ignition source... its done with a pointed piece of brass rod..... Insert fuse, in my case besides test firing initially which will be with fuse, its going to be a feather or paper quill. Sight in the cannon, ensure areas all the way around the cannon are clear including the line of fire. Fire. IMMEDIATLY cover the vent to prevent oxygen from entering the bore.


Serving the vent is going to be difficult since I will not have a trained crew. I will probably find a piece of rubber to insert into the vent to do it for me, or sew some elastic material onto a piece of leather. I wont be firing anywhere near the rate of fire they would have in the 1700's so I don't have to worry about the barrel getting hot. more than likely I probably wont fire more than one shot every 10 minutes or so.

 

[1911ly]

Great explanation! I have never seen a real cannon fired so I just learned a little. Thanks! Keep up the good work.

I know what you mean about seen no responses to pic and info. It does make you wonder if anyone is interested and whether it's worth keeping up the posting. I do look at the view counts and base off of that too. This one is for sure a keeper! 8k Plus views. Amazing, keep up the good work.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Ironically I have only seen a real cannon fired once. It was about 15 years ago at a civil war reenactment and was the opening shot. Something went wrong and the rammer went flying across the field, ambulances called. Fast forward to a year ago when I started researching this cannon build and I cam across the article of that even and found out the guy lost part of his hand.

mostly though I wanted a project that nobody around me has ever done or been around before.... Cant get much more unique than a cannon right?

 

[Pete]

Been following since the first post. Very cool project. I recently saw a cannon competition on a show featuring the North/South Skirmish Association. Some of those cannons were pretty accurate. I'd like to see your cannon fire. Any test fire dates yet?

 

[Thegeek]

It's certainly not period accurate, but what about a magnet to cover the vent? Finding a flexible "business card" type refrigerator magnet should be pretty easy. Once you pull it off, you could stick it to the hinge between shots.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Great idea... I think I will do just that... I can stick it to the bottom of the barrel when not in use and it will never be seen

 

[IndyGunworks]

Been following since the first post. Very cool project. I recently saw a cannon competition on a show featuring the North/South Skirmish Association. Some of those cannons were pretty accurate. I'd like to see your cannon fire. Any test fire dates yet?

I am almost to the point where I can fire it now.... Once I get the capsquares secured properly and the vent installed it will be shootable. I will try to finish it first though because once I shoot it the first time I may loose motivation to "finish" the project. I do have a lot of irons in the fire as soon as it gets warm though, so if its not done by the middle of april it will probably be mid summer.

 

[selinoid44]

Ive showed this thread to probably 30 ppl. Being in SASS Im around smaller cannons all the time. Gotta love the percussion these thing give off. Last fall at the state cowboy shoot we were in cannon wars all weekend long. You just didn't know when one was going off. My wife was on edge all weekend.

 

[Thegeek]

Great idea... I think I will do just that... I can stick it to the bottom of the barrel when not in use and it will never be seen

I wonder if the shockwave would be enough to make it jump off the barrel though. Plenty of metal places to stick it. You could even glue a thin layer of leather over it it make it look period correct.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Great example... The following post I have cut an pasted from the other forums thread. I am looking for advice on finishing out the rest of the small details of the cannon, but its been almost 24 hours and I have gotten no response. In my experience that means the following questions will probably be left unanswered, so I will ask them here. I know most of you don't know what period correct would be or how things would be positioned on the cannon as well as the cannon pro's on the cannon forum would, but ill ask them here anyways and the ensuing discussion may help.

Ill have some photo's this weekend, as I have made a lot of progress with the cap squares. they are hinging now and both keys are near complete.

I do have a few questions though.

I would like some handles to attaché to the lower part of the trails to make maneuvering it easier. Here is what it looks like. What would you recommend?



I have thought about some folding wrought iron handles that I could bolt to the washer, or weld it to it.... they would hinge down out of the way when not in use and I think would look nice... 20 buck a piece. Not the widest, but would fit the purpose.

https://www.dimestorecowboys.com/retail/catalog/images/HDW5.gif

Open to any other suggestions for this.


Next question is about the rest of the hardware. How should I secure my implements to this. Leather straps with a buckle? Hooks? Should I have manila rope tied to this anywhere? How should I hang the bucket off the front, where can I buy the hook to hang it with.

I think you get the idea... I am looking to finish planning all of the finishing touch's that way I can paint once and be done and don't have to think about more stuff I want to add later. I would like to get everything installed now.

 

[indyartisan]

I saw some antique looking iron handles at Loews. They are in the hardware aisle with the door hardware.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I have checked most of the big box stores and have not seen anything that really interested me to much.

I think I am going to order these.... They will fit between the square nuts on the "washer" and I can just weld the handle to the washer. Still trying to find hooks, and to figure out how they would have carried the implements on the cannon.

 

[1911ly]

If freakforge chimes in he might have some input on making handles. He and his dad do forging. What about using trailer tie down D-rings? they fold down.