Well off topic. Thought I'd share pics of my small scale firing cannons
 

Outstanding!!! I love your displays!!!

Did you make them from scratch or are they "kits"??? Are there plans available???

What powder do you use??? Where do you find the fuse cord (or whatever it's called)??? Or are they direct-fire (hold a punk to the powder hole)???

Out of curiosity...why didn't you use brass???

Again...They are beautiful!!! (I am jealous)...

Thanks for your comments. All for cannons are factory built. The smaller navan cannon was a kit. As for the Naval display, that I built from scratch using details from the many 'Adm. Nelson Royal Navy era" books I have. They all fire black powder, muzzel loaded and fire via a fuse. The fuse can be cut as long as you wish. Both black powder and fuses should be available at most gun shops that sell muzzel loading rifles. The 'block powder' might be harder to come by. Most use 'Pyrodex' now, a black powder replacement that can also be used in cannons. They can be fired with a ball, or just waded to fire a salute. Larger small scale cannons can fire golf balls well over 800 yards. And the can get much bigger (read $$$$) from there. My plans are to buy some barrels and build my own carriages. Love to turn my own barrels, but I have not the exp or equipment.
Bill

Thanks for your responses, Bill!

I've always been fascinated by the idea of scale model cannons since the movie "Beau Geste", where the one brother gets shot by a scale model cannon on a scale model ship...(I have it on DVD now)... ;)

Perhaps when i fanally get some time to myself, I'll turn a brass barrel and make up a hardwood carriage...If I can find some plans, or good pics...

I live/work only a few miles from Fort Niagara; they have reenactments a couple times a year...I'll have to go there and see what they have in the way of naval cannons...(Fort Erie is only an hour's drive away, too)...

Postino,
There are plenty of plans to be found online for black powder naval cannons. If you wish to buy a used one, there are plenty that show up on Ebay. Just search ' black powder cannon' or 'salute cannon' or 'brass cannon' or just 'cannon barrel'. There will be a selection.
Good hunting!
Bill

Postino:
I am attaching a photo of a brass 24-pounder scale model that I built a number of years ago. This is modeled after the guns on the USS Constitution. The plans are in the February 1969 issue of Popular Mechanics. My barrel is 9"long, which I scaled up from the 5.483" length in the plans. I know that that was a long time ago, but you can still find old copies on line--at least I found one.

It was a hoot to build.

Neil Young

Very nice!!! I gotta make one of these!!! :D

Postino:
If you have trouble finding the back issue of Popular Mechanics, PM your e:mail address and I can send some photos of the pages. A sample photo is attached, to see if it is readable.

Let me know.

Neil Young

Insthumpy.
Beautiful Cannon and carriage! Someday I hope to learn to use a lathe. Thanks fpr the pic.
Bill

Those have to be a hoot to shoot! "Give 'em a broadside, Me Hearties!"

FN

I wish I had your guy's talent, really outstanding!



Ed

Me, too! :p

Thanks for the info on the Pop Mech, Neil! I found a copy on eBay and bought it! ;)

Lessee...That'll make about eleventeen projects on my ToDo list... :rolleyes:

Postino,
When you get around to that eleventeenth one, we want pics of the progress.

Postino:
Thought you might be interested--after about 40 years, I have finally put the finishing touches on the USS Constitution 24-pounder. This involved building the correct hardware; ring bolts, square nuts vs hexagon, etc. I also got the colors correct. This is done to fit into a large scale battlestation that I am building to go with the gun. I have also built exact scale blocks and tackles for gun training and the correct breeching anchors, etc.

Neil

Very cool!

I noticed there are three types of special interest: cut-away, engraved, and miniature.

Miniature is my taste. Love those baby ones.

Nice work, Neil! :thumbup:

...But the brass and natural wood have me convinced that is the way to display... ;)

I agree that the brass and stained wood make a much more impressive stand-alone presentation. Believe me, it was painful to cover over that bright barrel with cannon black. However, for my current project, which will display the gun in an accurate representation of the actual installation, it needs to look like the actual gun. I just finished building a model of the USS Constituttion and the battle station is a companion piece. I hope that the final product will overshadow the changes in the gun. I'll post photos when I'm finished. I'm attaching a photo of the ship.

Neil

Neil..Really something to see my Friend! Outstanding!
Jerry

Thank you Jerry. Your comment means a lot to me, as it comes from a master craftsman.

Neil

Great work, Neil!

I love the USS Constitution. When I used to have Boston layovers, and if I had time, I'd go over walk the deck. Last time she was in dry dock, to I got to see the undersides.

FN