Gunsmithing: Building a black powder Cannon

[IndyGunworks]

One more update for today.... Figured out a way to get the barrel lifted by myself to get the irons off. Got the hole drilled on the bottom of the front trail metal. That allowed me to get the hingebolt into place. I will have to fit the hinge bolt a little bit and probably add a half inch or so more threads to the rods but thats no biggy. Hopefully if i can find time tomorrow i can start fitting the capsquares to the bolts that will secure them into place. will be tedious but should not be too difficult.

Dissasembled ready for drilling




Bolts in place ready for the barrel to sit back down onto the carraige.



And a close up of the hinge and key bolts.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Got a little bit more work done today. Here are pictures of the welder, the capsquare in progress of fitting it to the hardware, and a test weld to see how it would look on the capsquares. I dont know why the picture is upside down. its not like that on the computer and i dont know how to fix it.







I plan on adding a small amount of epoxy in the seam between the capsquare metal and the rod welded to the end to make it "flow" a little bit better. I dont have alot of room to work with and still allow it to hinge properly but i will do my best to make it look good. Unfortunately the roundstock may have to be welded right against the hole where the hingbolt comes through the capsquare. Ideally i would have liked at least 1/4 of an inch of material there but until i start cutting it down and test fitting the hinge i wont know if thats possible.

 

[30calmachinegunner]

Looking good

 

[IndyGunworks]

here it is not upside down

 

[IndyGunworks]

A few more updates....

Test fit



Looking like things will line up ok



WELDED!!!



Drilled a hole, and filed it square to get the key bolt in. Marked the rest of the outline for material removal.



Had to file it square but i took most of the material out w/ a hacksaw and small drill bit.



GETTING CLOSER... and looking pretty good.




The other hinge bolt when I bent it I just realized this evening that I didn't bend it straight enough. I am going to have to take it back to the welders so I can use his oxy torch to heat it back up and hammer it back into parallel.... i am not sure how that one got past me last time, but it put the breaks on for the time being.

 

[selinoid44]

This project is awesome! Cant wait for the video of the initial firing!

 

[IndyGunworks]

This project is awesome! Cant wait for the video of the initial firing!

I promise i wont charge to much for the viewings

 

[TJ Kackowski]

This project is awesome! Cant wait for the video of the initial firing!

I promise i wont charge to much for the viewings

Screw the video ... what's the cost of admission to watch this thing live fire? A pound of black power? A pound of bacon? Let us know when and where.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Screw the video ... what's the cost of admission to watch this thing live fire? A pound of black power? A pound of bacon? Let us know when and where.

Well, its a free invite to anyone who has helped me in any way during the construction, and there are plenty. But if someone were to offer a pound of cannon grade black powder i certainly couldnt refuse the invite.

A case of bud light lime straw-ber-rita would also get you the invite because those small cans will work as wonderful projectiles.

 

[moosehead]

Well, its a free invite to anyone who has helped me in any way during the construction, and there are plenty. But if someone were to offer a pound of cannon grade black powder i certainly couldnt refuse the invite.

A case of bud light lime straw-ber-rita would also get you the invite because those small cans will work as wonderful projectiles.

I'm glad you specified that they are to be used as projectiles. That stuff is pretty rough

 

[IndyGunworks]

I'm glad you specified that they are to be used as projectiles. That stuff is pretty rough

the only reason i bought the first case was to see if they would work in the cannon... which they do near perfectly... and the thin aluminum will allow me to cut the top off, make some slices down the sides, and fill it up w/ "shot"..... it will act like a shotshell wad. only problem is they cannot be reused.

 

[IndyGunworks]

Got one of the keys made.... It was a PITA. A metal cutting bandsaw really would have helped. I did all this with a hacksaw, and a hand file. took about two hours. One more to make and i will fit the keybolts to be snug on the pin. I also still need to weld the pins to the other side of the cap squares.

 

[1911ly]

It's coming along great! Keep the updates coming. You are getting so close to boom!!!

 

[selinoid44]

Plasma cutter or a metal bandsaw either one would be better then by hacksaw or file. Dang pardner that's some work. Lookin good!

 

[IndyGunworks]

Loaned out a few tools so I am dead in the water on finishing the capsquares for a while. I did get some other stuff done though.

Started filling in the rough finish of the barrel. Using bondo I coated the front half of the cannon.





After 80 percent or so of the sanding is done.... I think this will really help the looks once I get it painted.



crappy picture, but here is the water bucket... ordered the medium size, wish I would have ordered the small... this is going to look a little bit large hanging off the front of the cannon, but so be it.



Epoxy putty around the welds on the top of the linstock.... I blended it in a bit before painting it.



Primed and painted



Stained the head of the rammer.... Wish it turned out darker and I am not sure why it didn't. Last time I used this stain it came out REALLY dark. this time not so much. but it is what it is



And have the linseed oil applied to the shaft for both the linstock, and the rammer. The sponge is the only implement I have left to make.

 

[selinoid44]

A linstock is what carrys the lit match to the touch hole, correct? How does that work exactly?

 

[IndyGunworks]

Borrowed a picture to help with the explanation





The cotton rope is soaked in a potassium based solution that allows the rope to smolder. After I load the powder charge I will prick a hole in it through the vent with a brass pick. Then I will insert a hollow feather quill that has the inside coated with FFFF black powder. the top of this quill is belled to allow for a large surface area covered with easily ignited FFFF powder. You blow on the end of the smoldering cotton rope to get the ember hot and touch it to the top of the feather quill which almost instantaneously sets the cannon off.... that's why they call it "touching it off" Mine is two sided because sometimes the gasses coming out of the vent can extinguish the ember, and having two sides lit allows you to use one to relight the other.

 

[IndyGunworks]

 

[IndyGunworks]

OVER 8,000 views!!!! That's what its all about.

 

[selinoid44]

That's just cool stuff right there thanks for clarifying that.