trunion turning set up

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Jun 17, 2018, 08:58 PM
Frank S

1 Attachment(s)

trunion turning set up

While expanding the photos of my old eclectic computer screen background that I had made of some of my more memorable jobs and designs I stumbled on this one almost hidden like an Easter egg
It is a set up that I used to turn the trunions on a cannon that I was making for a reenactment drill team.
the set up required the use of 1 of my homemade steady rests a super spacer chucked at the bore end and a boring head with the cutter facing inwards on my 3 HP Bridgeport J head mill

Attachment 24397
the cannon bore was .300 wall 2" bore 4130 tubing embedded in the casting and it weighed around 300 pounds
Jun 18, 2018, 04:26 PM
desbromilow

Frank,

how was the bore tubing embedded in the casting?
cast in place, or pressed in later? (or glued in?)

if cast in, what was the process used to control shrinkage and assist in the alignment?

thanks,
Des

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank S

While expanding the photos of my old eclectic computer screen background that I had made of some of my more memorable jobs and designs I stumbled on this one almost hidden like an Easter egg
It is a set up that I used to turn the trunions on a cannon that I was making for a reenactment drill team.
the set up required the use of 1 of my homemade steady rests a super spacer chucked at the bore end and a boring head with the cutter facing inwards on my 3 HP Bridgeport J head mill

Attachment 24397
the cannon bore was .300 wall 2" bore 4130 tubing embedded in the casting and it weighed around 300 pounds
Jun 18, 2018, 08:03 PM
Frank S

Des, the bore was cast in place the pour was vertical muzzle up the mold was made of packed green sand around a wax model the wax was melted away.
the bore tube was 2.050" ID 3" OD 4130 with a half depth 2TPI left and right hand thread cut in the OD threaded on the butt end 3" deep @ 12 TPI then a flanged 3" long plug was made .030 over-sized the butt end of the tube was heated to 1000° for 20 minutes than the plug was screwed in place till it bottomed out and the flange was welded to the tube. A rig was built to lower guide and force if need be the tube in to the molten cast iron once the pour reached a few inches high the tube was lowered in place and held there though out the pour 2 large diameter sprews angling up from the trunions insured a complete fill of those once the pour was well past the trunions Sand plugs capped the sprew tubes it was 2 weeks after the pour was complete before the foundry got around to breaking open the mold mostly because they were busy doing their production pours.
Once I got the cannon barrel to my shop I turned ground sanded and polished the entire surface and ran a clean up home down the bore drilled the hole for the fuse and gave it to the customer to finish and mount in his cradle that he built I never got to see it fired but I had heard that their reenactments always ended with a big bang.
Jun 19, 2018, 12:23 AM
desbromilow

Thanks Frank... great to understand how it was done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank S

Des, the bore was cast in place the pour was vertical muzzle up the mold was made of packed green sand around a wax model the wax was melted away.
the bore tube was 2.050" ID 3" OD 4130 with a half depth 2TPI left and right hand thread cut in the OD threaded on the butt end 3" deep @ 12 TPI then a flanged 3" long plug was made .030 over-sized the butt end of the tube was heated to 1000° for 20 minutes than the plug was screwed in place till it bottomed out and the flange was welded to the tube. A rig was built to lower guide and force if need be the tube in to the molten cast iron once the pour reached a few inches high the tube was lowered in place and held there though out the pour 2 large diameter sprews angling up from the trunions insured a complete fill of those once the pour was well past the trunions Sand plugs capped the sprew tubes it was 2 weeks after the pour was complete before the foundry got around to breaking open the mold mostly because they were busy doing their production pours.
Once I got the cannon barrel to my shop I turned ground sanded and polished the entire surface and ran a clean up home down the bore drilled the hole for the fuse and gave it to the customer to finish and mount in his cradle that he built I never got to see it fired but I had heard that their reenactments always ended with a big bang.
Jun 19, 2018, 01:04 AM
Frank S

Des, On most of my builds both past and present. I tend to err (sometimes to the extreme) on the side of over explaining. I sometimes feel my dissertations may actually turn people off or prevent them from posting to a thread because they either are bored from my lengthy posts, or cannot think of anything to add or ask.
Among some of my favorite contributors here on these forums are in no particular order. Homemade Tools built by mklotz - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by Captainleeward - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by Paul Jones - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by Rick Sparber - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by jjr2001 - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by rossbotics - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by PJs - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by Toolmaker51 - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by thehomeengineer - HomemadeTools.net
Homemade Tools built by tonyfoale - HomemadeTools.net
I've been making things for going on 55 years pretty much all over the world but I have learned and many things from these guys I applaud their experiences and respect all of them. There are many more as well I just ran into a mental wall for their names
Jun 19, 2018, 01:25 AM
NortonDommi

Hi Frank S,
With regard to " I sometimes feel my dissertations may actually turn people off or prevent them from posting to a thread because they either are bored from my lengthy posts, or cannot think of anything to add or ask."
Your explanations are excellent and it is in the details that clarification of the process lies. Now come the next revolution or alien invasion I know how to build a better cannon.
Jun 19, 2018, 02:09 AM
Frank S

Thanks NortonDommi, you are another of the contributors who I follow with great interest
I don't know about a better cannon but it was very functional at 42 inches long with a 34 inch bore length 10" diameter at the butt and 8" diameter at the muzzle the 4130 tube made it much stronger than anything that could have been produced back in the day.
I would have loved to had been there the day they fired off a plastic sleeve filled with a 2 pound load of 3/4" ball bearings. at a guys barn from 150 ft. I was told it looked like the door had been hit by a mortar
Jun 22, 2018, 01:10 AM
DIYer


Thanks Frank S! We've added your Trunion Turning Setup to our Machining category,
as well as to your builder page: Frank S's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-trunion-turning-setup"> <img src="/uploads/215224/homemade-trunion-turning-setup.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-trunion-turning-setup">Trunion Turning Setup</a> <span> by <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/builder/Frank+S">Frank S</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/machining'>machining</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
Aug 9, 2018, 01:39 PM
Frank S

2 Attachment(s)

I found a couple more pics of the cannon
Attachment 25079
Attachment 25080
Aug 10, 2018, 08:30 PM
Paul Jones

Frank S,

You never bore me with me with your "over explaining" the construction methods because I always learn something new and interesting from you. Your more than 55 years of experience is very welcomed with me and thank you for all your postings.

Regards,
Paul Jones
Aug 10, 2018, 09:01 PM
Frank S

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Jones

Frank S,

You never bore me with me with your "over explaining" the construction methods because I always learn something new and interesting from you. Your more than 55 years of experience is very welcomed with me and thank you for all your postings.

Regards,
Paul Jones

My explanations are one of my vices I'll admit. A lot it it comes from my having spent countless years taking people with little to no mechanical aptitude qualities then eventually over time seeing many of those very same people become highly skilled individuals. Some have gone on to complete their engineering degrees and I know of a couple who have been accepted into KES (Kuwait Society of Engineers). Something that is not easily done for guys from the remote regions of India.
Sep 19, 2018, 03:15 PM
Toolmaker51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Jones

Frank S, You never bore me with me with your "over explaining" the construction methods because I always learn something new and interesting from you. Your more than 55 years of experience is very welcomed with me and thank you for all your postings.
Regards,
Paul Jones

Paul Jones and others agree, we're here for the whole mechanical pie, not just a slice. How many times have you looked up, hours after diving in one rabbit hole or another, satisfied good info has been absorbed? Inquiring minds want to know!

Since an industry exists where guys sit around all day and write technical manuals, I'd like to raise a point.
I'd say the most concise yet least 'wordy' are those involved with mechanical work; sometimes. The imported versions [not Japan] are usually miserable. I imagine they are written in mother tongue and translated by PC. It's certain 'their' PC's not a whit more technically literate in target language than Marv's, Frank's, and 40-60% of the other HMT.net crowd. When I have to add standard terms that should be there [like what designed and manufactured chassis, electronics and software in the first place] it is clear. The delineation is funny. One comes to mind is Harley Davidson; and say building up a crankshaft. It's rather precise, yet easy to understand. Mercury outboard engine manuals are good too. Not quite same for similar products, where text is awash in theory, descriptions of technique etc. As if one is written for an experienced hand, and other is more like educational material.

So when Frank S or any of the other great posters write, I believe they combine BOTH facets, aware thousand of levels exist in the potential readers. I like those who pound related facts/ opinions into descriptions, especially on stuff I don't know. My vocabulary receives all manner of benefit, when I look up _ _ _ _ _ ; that's WTF! moments before.
I don't mind the ^^^^^^^^^^^^ all over, telling me "Come on bud, study this!"
Jan 2, 2019, 06:22 PM
suther51

I for one would also like to thank all who post for most any explanations, the above named especially so plus others not coming to mind. I often have to initiate explanations with my boss as he often thinks I am all ready on the same page. So any who are as concise and inclusive with explanations as many here I most appreciate. The whole story + is all ways better than some part of the story. Any little detail can make all the difference in the world. Once a side comment that a hydraulic break booster would self energize if it saw more than 10 gpm made all the difference in fixing a forklift.
Thanks again
Eric