Carriage expense?

[Coot]

We are talking about custom made wheels that are hand made. It is no problem (other than expense) to have one pair made. On the other hand, don't expect a discount by ordering 10. I have had a number of "one off" pairs made when restoring antique carriages.

 

[widget350]

I built a pair of naval carriages (slightly over sized for my and a friend's 5/8 scale carronades), and the lumber alone was a substantial expense - you don't use junk wood for these things. The raw iron (I hand forged the hardware) also wasn't cheap, but the material cost is insignificant. I put a lot of hours into those carriages, and if I were doing it for a profit rather than for a passion, my time - even if charging minimum wage (it's worth much more than that) - would make them extremely expensive. While most of the work at full scale is the same as roughly half scale, I definitely understand why the few companies that make them charge what they do.

 

[Odentheviking]

We are talking about custom made wheels that are hand made. It is no problem (other than expense) to have one pair made. On the other hand, don't expect a discount by ordering 10. I have had a number of "one off" pairs made when restoring antique carriages.

Yes, Clearly custom made wheels for a full size piece are very pricey! But mass production brings down the price of ANYTHING! For example: http://www.customwagons.com/store/...ref=1030&sid=l4m28qyksmnb5120d0809q3494kk3s22 This guy makes 15", 14 spoke, hickory cannon wheels for just $146!!! I would pay that for wheels in the 10" to 12" range.
And here is a question for you....... do you need this level of quality when talking about a 1/5 or 16th scale cannon that will mostly be on display in your home?

 

[Coot]

Each person has to decide for themselves what level of authenticity will be good enough for them and whether they can justify paying for that level. For a small scale generic cannon, I would not pay for custom work. For an original Verbruggen, generic wagon wheels would not acceptable (to me).

PS - there is a reason that I do not own full scale cannon........

 

[Odentheviking]

Each person has to decide for themselves what level of authenticity will be good enough for them and whether they can justify paying for that level. For a small scale generic cannon, I would not pay for custom work. For an original Verbruggen, generic wagon wheels would not acceptable (to me).

PS - there is a reason that I do not own full scale cannon........

+1!

 

[Coot]

Since it is Christmas, I will start a "wish list" :

Bronze three pound Grasshopper

Dahlgren 12 pound boat Howitzer

 

[Poor Private]

My wish list includes a scale Mt. Howitzer and all the implements( those things can get costly also).
A larger small cannon than my South Bend Continental.
A vehicle that can pull or carry them.

 

[buzz]

Im using heave wagon wheels made by the amish 24'' dia 2'' wide tire and fellow not dished but have held up great for $100 each + shipping
Cannon 2.25 bore love go bigger but then size weight to moveit around get to be to much my barrel alone is 104lbs

 

[Col. Batguano]

Just the metal from Trail Rock for a 12 pound Mtn. Howitzer will run you close to $2000. If you buy the 39"-42" wheels those are going to run you another $600 or so. So It'll be tough to get a carriage for less than $4000 based upon cost. Add in the cost of the tube from there.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

At the William Penn Museum in Harrisburg, there is a cannon that is supposed to be Rev war era. the wheels, about 5 ft in diameter, appeared to be iron plate riveted together. I was quite amazed and asked a "curator" who claimed the carriage was indeed original. To this day, I think he was wrong. Some of the Amish locally have dished wheels on their heavier wagons, but those are quite old. They just weld up solid steel wheels for the newer equipment.

 

[satx78247]

As little as 3 years ago the wheel-right, CHRISTAIN SWARY, of eastern Prince George County, MD was making dished heavy-duty wagon wheels up to 48" for sale at 500.ooUSD each. - Haven't talked to him recently.
(He will also make suitable axels, but I don't know the price.)

My GUESS is that IF you know a private sawyer, who cuts hardwoods "to order", that you could buy suitable timbers, the dished wheels & iron hardware for 2000.ooUSD.
(The Gift Shop at THE AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUM at the Smithsonian Institution has blueprints for most US-made ML artillery pieces. = NOT expensive, either.)

yours, satx