Assembly Fixture For Cannon or other Models

[jjr2001]

It all started a long time ago while reading posts from this forum. I found this Cannon that Marv Klotz made.
Marv's is a firing model but I am just making mine for display. Model Deck Gun
I knew I wanted to build one but at the time (probably 5 or 6 years ago) I knew it was above my pay grade.
I figured that now was the time since I had my lathe and mill and a little knowledge (much from this forum) for this build.
The copy I am making will recoil, breech will open and is of the interrupted thread type. Still working on parts for the base.

First I had to find the magazine where the original plans were posted. March and April of 1945 Model Craftsman magazine.
Found the entire year for 1945 on the bay and snapped them up.

So I started making parts..The barrel first of course and then moving on down from there. So I have enough of it finished to do a bit
of assembly but no easy way to hold the parts in alignment. I had several work plates in the shop so I thought one of them would make a
good base and was just right for what I wanted to do. The

Here are the pictures of the fixture in use. It is the best way I could think of to hold 6 parts together to test for fit and function.
The end result of the fixture and it's capabilities are just what I was looking for. Basically two angle plates with two modified spindles at the top.

The two pins are made from 1/2-20 all-thread. One end of each is bored to match the trunnion pins. (other end left undrilled for future use).
Two brass knobs with fine knurls..(I can't pass up a chance to knurl!)
10-32 allen cap screws attach the vertical post to each base and a .260 slot in the base allows for coarse adjustment.
5/8" x 1 1/4" aluminum bar stock for bases and posts. Extra holes spotted for future use and the layout lines are left in place.
I made it larger than needed for future modification.
Posts are 4 7/8" long and the bases are 1 1/4" x 2" long.
Here's the pics: