1/10 scale 1779 - 24 pounder build

[Paul Buchel]

I'm busy with this deck cannon, it's PB1 bronze, 12 inches long and .44 cal. The plans are from Jerry Howell, however, this will be a working cannon. The trunnions and powder (flash) pan to finish. The wood work is still to be completed.

Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

Regards Paul.
http://s1019.photobucket.com/user/pbuchel/media/Cannon013_zpsa4ef47ad.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3
http://s1019.photobucket.com/user/pbuchel/media/Cannon032_zpsbbf39b65.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2
http://s1019.photobucket.com/user/pbuchel/media/Cannon035_zps258a3f98.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
http://s1019.photobucket.com/user/pbuchel/media/Cannon039_zps7b3bcb36.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[ricky5042]

Very nice

 

[Paul Buchel]

Thanks Rick, I will send you a PM, Regards
Paul

 

[Wes/Tex]

Nice job! 43 more and you can build a scale U.S.S. Constitution!! :wink: :thumbsup:

 

[ricky5042]

Hi Paul
Cool I look forward to it

Rick

 

[Paul Buchel]

Thanks Wes, I will never start another one, far to much stress. What I find so disturbing about S.A. firearms control act, is that I cannot register this cannon, as I have built an illegal firearm, however, you do not need a black powder firearm permit. You do however need a black powder permit to purchase black powder

 

[MSW]

cool looking canon ... sorry to hear of the 'legal entanglements' ...

it's often hard to appreciate the depth of ignorance displayed by the powerful ... here's an example...

game warden come to my place... looking for a dog running deer (which is a big deal here- such dogs usually end up shot)
game warden, "do you own a dog?'

me, "yes, I have a stock guard dog."

G.W. "is it big?"

me "Ayup."

GW "Can I see it?"

me "sure, come over here..." we go down to the pasture and there's the dog, in the fence, doing his thing, guarding the livestock...

GW "Well, that's not the dog we're looking for."

Me "Care to tell me what this is all about?"

GW "Well, we've had reports of a pair of dogs running deer, and they took down a buck about a mile and a half (3km, more or less) from here..."

Me "Nope, this dog stays in the fence, but I have heard a bunch of commotion a while ago ..."

some more bla bla bla, then finally,

Me "So these deer chasing dogs, if the run a deer through my place, you want me to shoot it?"

GW "By all means, if you see a dog chasing a deer, you'd be doing me a big favor if you did..."

Me "If they're not chasing a deer, but they're trying to get at my stock, am I allowed ..."

GW "By all means, if you think any predator is menacing you, or your family, or your property, you can do what you think is appropriate, including destruction of the predator ..."

Me "So if a bear or a mountain lion come checking out the fence, I can shoot them?"

GW "Well, bear will usually wander away if there's something noisy, like your guard dog. As regards the lion, there aren't any mountain lions in the State of Vermont."

(now, this isn't the lions you guys have in SA ... these are 'catamounts' or 'mountain lions...' google up "felis concolor" they are smaller, solitary, a bit smarter, and usually eat deer, but will of course do a sick sheep or goat or whatever they can catch)

Me "So if I don't see one of these nonexistent lions, I can't shoot it with the gun I don't have?'

GW "Ayup."

 

[Paul Buchel]

MSW, so true, I nearly peed myself, what a wonderful story. The trunnions are nearly complete.

Many thanks, regards Paul.

 

[Paul Buchel]

Some progress, the trunnion bases and cap screws are complete. The Bronze caps will be knocked onto the cap screws using heat for a very tight fit.

Regards Paul.

 

[ChrisPer]

That is beautiful work. :hatsoff:

Well done.

 

[Paul Buchel]

Thank you ChrisPer. Today was a bad day, the powder pan slot was milled into the breach, then the pan was milled to size. The Silver soldering is killing me, we used the wrong solder, I will only know when we finish tomorrow. :shocked2:

Regards Paul.

 

[Musketeer]

That is beautiful work. :hatsoff:

Well done.

I agree. Some neat little details in those trunnions. :bow: :thumbsup:

 

I'm busy with this deck cannon, it's PB1 bronze, 12 inches long and .44 cal. The plans are from Jerry Howell, however, this will be a working cannon. The trunnions and powder (flash) pan to finish. The wood work is still to be completed.

Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

Regards Paul.

Nice workmanship indeed. But, the use of phosphorous bronze for a working tube worries me. A better bronze for this use is SAE 660.

 

[Paul Buchel]

I'm busy with this deck cannon, it's PB1 bronze, 12 inches long and .44 cal. The plans are from Jerry Howell, however, this will be a working cannon. The trunnions and powder (flash) pan to finish. The wood work is still to be completed.

Any advice or comments would be appreciated.

Regards Paul.

Nice workmanship indeed. But, the use of phosphorous bronze for a working tube worries me. A better bronze for this use is SAE 660.

Thanks Claypipe, I have taken note of your safety issues on the forum and I respect your comments.
I need to know the reasons for your concerns with PB1, it is the strongest Bronze available here!! Looking at the Goex chart the max load is 40 grains for .44 cal. I have not looked at the pressures involved yet, as am new to BP, however we have 16.5 mm of bronze wall at the breach ??

Regards Paul.

 

Metals used for the purpose of firearms should be able to breathe.

Phosphorous Bronze, PB1, lacks give. After repeated stress, metal fatigue, it will fracture far quicker than "bell metal" bronze. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but it will fail, and without warning.

Whereas SAE 660, is not as hard as PB1. It can give far more many times than PB1 and still retain it structural integrity. It will lend itself to become mis-shapen giving warning of catastrophic failure.

PB1 Bronze
Tin Sn 10.0 - 11.0 10.5
Lead Pb 0.25 max.
Zinc Zn 0.05 max.
Nickel Ni 0.10 max.
Iron Fe 0.10 max.
Aluminum Al 0.01 max.
Phosphorus P 0.50 - 1.0 0.7
Copper Cu Balance
Impurities 0.60 max.

Machinability Rating (Free Machining Brass=100) 30


SAE 660 Bronze
Tin Sn 6.3 / 7.5
Lead Pb 6.0 / 8.0
Zinc Zn 1.0 / 4.0
Nickel Ni 1.0 max.
Iron Fe .20 max.
Aluminum Al .005 max.
Phosphorus p .15 max.
Antimony Sb .35 max.
Silicon Si .005 max.
Sulfur S .08 max.
Copper Cu Balance

Machinability Rating (Free Machining Brass=100) 70

In short, metal for firearms must have a certain amount of give and take. Looking at the machinability rating, you can see how much harder PB1 is than SAE660.

 

[Musketeer]

I noticed the elongation for PB1 is 6% min., while that of 660 is 10% min. Elongation is the amount a metal can be bent, stretched, etc. before rupturing/failing. :hmm:

edit: more specifically:

"A mechanical property of metal that is the degree to which a material may be bent, stretched, or compressed before it ruptures. It is a point between tensile strength and yield strength and is expressed as a percentage of the original length."

 

[Paul Buchel]

I noticed the elongation for PB1 is 6% min., while that of 660 is 10% min. Elongation is the amount a metal can be bent, stretched, etc. before rupturing/failing. :hmm:

edit: more specifically:

"A mechanical property of metal that is the degree to which a material may be bent, stretched, or compressed before it ruptures. It is a point between tensile strength and yield strength and is expressed as a percentage of the original length."

I wish I had known all this info before I started :cursing: :cursing: Thanks so much for the depressing reply Claypipe!!!, the bronze is produced here in S.A. I will try and get the exact specs, not that it will differ much.
Thanks for the compliments Blunderbus, I will be posting more photos soon.

Regards Paul

 

[Musketeer]

I know exactly zero about lining barrels :haha: , but would it be possible to enlarge the bore somewhat and insert a steel liner? I don't know if liners have to be cast into a barrel or if they can be added after the fact, so just a thought. :hmm:

 

Even lining the barrel leaves a question of safety. The liner will swell on discharge. Sooner or later the outer skin may fracture and become dangerous shrapnel. Tick, tick, tick...

 

It is a great piece of craftsmanship. Spike the touch hole. Stamp the underside unsafe for firing. A wonderful display piece.