Where did the Americans' cannon come from?

[earlwb]

I would just like to see the process of casting and finishing any of these cannon ! :thumbsup:

They had a episode on the PBS channel, Nova I think, that went into the trials and tribulations of casting cannon barrels a few years ago. I thought it was quite fascinating to watch. I'd like to see that episode again myself.

I ran into this one where this group were casting a bronze 24 pounder and it is a good watch too. This is all lost art kind of stuff so they had to reinvent the techniques involved for it
http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/32981

 

[colmoultrie]

I believe you are partially correct, but the Iron Act forbade any new rolling and slitting mills. Existing foundries were "grandfathered" in, so to speak, although that term comes from the late 19th century and literacy tests.

 

[wmaser]

Just an aside...Fredrick The Great happens to be my Great, great,great (six times, I think) Grandfather. The child, Emma, not to his wife (whom he could not stand) but to his concubine, (my gggggg Grandmother, Daughter of Potsdam Castle's Gardener. The family received dividend checks from the royal family until they emigrated to the USA in the late 1800's, at which time they were disowned.

 

[Zonie]

So, if someone in the family after they emigrated had a son and named him Freddy, would he also be known as "Fredric The Not So Great"? ? ?

:rotf:

 

[AZbpBurner]

years ago the trade of foundry was a trade secret. only to be passed on to family. i taught foundry for 34 yesrs through a university in the art dept. had to find out alot through reading an lots of tryal and error, i did cast two bronze cannons before i left and retired, love em.

My Great Great Grandfather ran a foundry in Algona, Iowa. His son, my Great Grandfather, learned the trade, then went across town to start his own operation. Apparently the ol' man didn't like the competition, so he ran his son out of town & he went on to work as an engineer for a steam tractor company - lots of work with cast iron fireboxes & grates, and he went on to build his own foundry in Ortonville, Minnesota. My Grandfather (my Dad's Dad) worked as a pattern maker at the foundry, and eventually went off to get his Teacher's Degree, just in time to be drafted for WWI. Since he was experienced in foundry, mechanics and was a brand new "Teacher", the Army sent him to San Antonio to teach combat flying. After the War, he taught foundry for Cass Technical School in Detroit. The school had a foundry operation on their 5th floor. Eventually Grandpa began teaching High School for the Detroit Public Schools, which at the time, were World Class for educational Quality.

 

[Artificer]

Just an aside...Fredrick The Great happens to be my Great, great,great (six times, I think) Grandfather. The child, Emma, not to his wife (whom he could not stand) but to his concubine, (my gggggg Grandmother, Daughter of Potsdam Castle's Gardener. The family received dividend checks from the royal family until they emigrated to the USA in the late 1800's, at which time they were disowned.

I got extremely excited to learn from my Sister, our Family Historian, that we had a rather famous Swiss/German/English Gunsmith in the family Ancestors. Turns out it was Durs Egg.

However, much to my chagrin and disappointment, it was my GG Grandfather's Brother who married a Girl from the Egg family, so there is no direct connection. SHUCKS!!!

Gus

 

[tenngun]

If you have any English in your ancestory there is an 80% you desended from Alfred the Great, a 60 % chance from Bjorn Ironside. Never read a stat on it but I bet that sort of thing holds true for the French and Great Charley, Germans and Barberosa.

 

[jmforge]

The would not have been made of what we call "cast iron" today. Much too brittle.

 

[steam1993]

The would not have been made of what we call "cast iron" today. Much too brittle.

True, cast iron is brittle, may be they used WROUGHT IRON. But as steel was also known by then they may have used a alloy of some sort.

 

[Zonie]

The art of casting and annealing malleable cast iron has been known for centuries.

Malleable cast iron's more ductile nature is more forgiving of sudden stress and it is much less brittle than common cast iron.

I suspect cannons were cast using this type of material.
This would also explain why "just any old foundry" was not used for casting and making cannons.