A Few Good Cannon...Brass and the CNC machine

The barrels are made from solid brass and are about 6" long and turned on the manual lathe. (at least half of the fun)
Trunnion caps are milled on the CNC from solid brass.
Wheels, Trail, Wheel Spacers are all from Polycarbonate and cut on the CNC.
4-40 threaded rod made from 2.5" long screws were cut to length.
Nuts were 4-40 plated but then milled down to a more scale size and then tumbled to remove the plating.

Two methods were used for drilling the trunnion holes in the barrels. One uses a tapered jig that can be held in the milling vise.
The second method uses an arbor that is held in the bore with loctite for drilling.

These were drilled only 3" deep and do not have a touch hole.....Don't ever plan on firing them!
Two of them are going to ROTC Cadre at Creighton University.

I always wanted to build some of these!

Cheers, JR

Yeh, a rush of $hit to me brain and I made one too ---------------- :-)


https://i.imgur.com/I58DJGC.jpg

Nice, I 'fought' on canons as part of the 'Sealed Knot' many years ago, Ray built them up from a heavy thick wall hydraulic tubing core with a decorative over-sleeve to give the correct profile, storage was a huge issue as once proofed they became registered firearms, building them had to be done in a very specific order, with the final drilling on the touch hole done at the proof house, not sure if you could even build one to fire (blank) now in the UK. Proof standards changed for the muskets too, even blank firing ones had to be proofed with shot or even solid ball, just in case someone decided to try to shoot it, Ray's canon's were at least shot proofed.

As an apprentice 1/4" copper instrument tubing was a standard thing we worked with, until someone discovered a B.A. bolt could be fired from it using Swan Vesta match heads as propellant, the holes in a steel locker door caused a lot of problems for the culprits, as I'd been a legal target shooter from an early age I had stayed away from such stupidity, thankfully no-one got hurt.

I'd love to turn up some canon miniatures, but I'd do the same, short drill so no-one could ever load and fire one, thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks NeiljohnUK, There was a time in the 1960's when my friend showed me how to make a cannon on the lathe and fire it with shotgun powder.
But that was then and I lived in the country. Now in the "big city" I don't have anywhere to fire them off so I just make the models..Just about as much fun!

Cheers, JR

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jjr2001

Thanks NeiljohnUK, There was a time in the 1960's when my friend showed me how to make a cannon on the lathe and fire it with shotgun powder.
But that was then and I lived in the country. Now in the "big city" I don't have anywhere to fire them off so I just make the models..Just about as much fun!

---

Not as much noise or fire but with the halitosis howitzer...

https://www.homemadetools.net/forum/...2297#post45039

you can at least fire a real, but safe, projectile and make enough noise to disturb your guests.

Marv, now that gives me an idea for a new cannon.
Make up an insulator for the igniter. Insert it in the bore and put a cork in the muzzle.
Probably sling that cork across my back yard..
Oh boy, the ideas!

Cheers, JR

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jjr2001

Marv, now that gives me an idea for a new cannon.
Make up an insulator for the igniter. Insert it in the bore and put a cork in the muzzle.
Probably sling that cork across my back yard..
Oh boy, the ideas!

---

How about airsoft ammo instead of the cork? Spherical like a real cannon ball and soft enough to not be dangerous.

https://www.pyramydair.com/s/p/Air_V..._rds_white/539

I would drill a slightly over-scale touch hole in the breech and rig a hypodermic needle to use to inject gas behind the airsoft ball. Then touch a flame to the touch hole and get a realistic firing.

Thanks for the idea Marv, I think that sounds like a good way to go.
After I get done with my Light Saber I am going to work on an "air soft cannon".

Cheers, JR