Wooden (tube liner)Signal Cannon

[okawbow]

I'd like to make a light weight 1/3th scale 6 pounder for a small schooner. I need it light weight enough to pick it up and put it a way below decks when not in use.

My thought is to make the cannon barrel from hardwood with a high strength steel tube liner epoxied in.

If this is doable; what tube would work best? Would a threaded plug or welded plug work best? What bore diameter for a 1/3 6 pounder? Would a small steel tube threaded into the larger tube work as a vent?

Could the tubing handle someone trying to shoot a projectile?

 

[okawbow]

1020 DOM tube? 4140 tube?

This will be a signal gun shooting blanks, but I would like it capable of holding up to shooting a projectile if someone else gets it in the future.

I want to keep the weight below 40 lbs total, so a standard 1/3rd scale 6 lb barrel and carriage is too heavy.

 

[hawkeye2]

I have a feeling that the liner would eventually bash it's way through the back of the barrel or shear off the trunions unless you welded the trunions to the liner. I might suggest that you destroy the gun after you have finished with it rather than let it fall into someone else's hands.

 

[zulu]

There is also the problem of getting a sturdy vent into the barrel in a secure fashion.

This is an all wooden gun barrel but I would never consider trying to make it shoot. There are just too many safety variables that would have to be overcome.
The barrel is 36" long
Zulu

 

[okawbow]

Good thought on the trunions. I guess I could make the wooden part of the barrel in 2 pieces and glue everything together after fitting the parts. I also could use a sort of "patent" breech plug, that the vent tube could screw into after drilling through the wood and metal, and tapping.

I've also thought about welding a rod inside the bore to prevent loading a projectile. It would make cleaning difficult, but could work with a brush on a rod, if the blockage was off center.

 

[okawbow]

Great looking piece, Zulu. I'm thinking my signal gun would be about 24" long, and have a similar carriage.

 

[sc45-70]

While the cannon police may not agree, in my opinion. If you order a thick walled gun barrel from a reputable barrel maker with a screwed in breech plug, it would be safe to shoot with the proper load for the barrel.

The barrel epoxied in the wood would not shoot through the breech of the wood as long as you have sufficient wood behind it.

If you bored into the sides of the wood tube and epoxied wood trunnions in with the grain at 90 degrees to the tube they should be strong enough to handle the recoil. Aluminum trunnions epoxied in would be a better idea.


You would need a long vent tube extending to the top of the wood, screwed into the steel barrel.

I don't think the cross pin in the bore is a good idea.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

SC45-70

 

[snidervolley]

zulu thats gorgous

im ready for any zulu that comes along

 

[zulu]

snidervolley,
Don't bring a pistol to a cannon fight! :blah:
Zulu

 

[TheDoubleD]

Something to keep in mind a wooden barreled cannon will not have the greater mass to reduce and dampen recoil and will need to be restrain as were the originals to keep it from flying off down the deck...even with blanks.

 

[flintlock75]

I think that any cannon you intend to fire blanks or live should be made of steel or bronze, making a fake cannon is great if all you plan to do is look at it. But if you are going to put powder down the barrel it should be a real cannon, anything else is an accident waiting to happen. There are several makes of swivel gun that you can use and mount to your boat. Just remember that if it fails, you are on a boat with nowere to go. Invest in a real gun of proper construction to shoot. :shake:

 

Nice photos. Not relevant, but a great advertisement for your business (again).

This is an all wooden gun barrel but I would never consider trying to make it shoot. There are just too many safety variables that would have to be overcome.
The barrel is 36" long
Zulu

 

[zulu]

Jack,
How is a wooden barrel not relevant to a thread about someone considering making a wooden cannon?

This was not an advertisement. I think you have a problem. Again.

 

I have to agree with Jack Wilson. People are violating forum rules. Especially displaying cartridge firing breechloaders.

Sheathing any sort of firing tube in wood or concrete, in my opinion, is a really bad idea. As the sheath dries out, it will grow tighter and tighter around the tube. Sooner or later, the sheath will splinter or shatter, sending wooden splinters or concrete chunks in all directions.

This has even happened with the use of cast iron.

 

Jack,
How is a wooden barrel not relevant to a thread about someone considering making a wooden cannon?

You said: "I would never consider trying to make it shoot".

How is your "wooden artwork" relevant to a signal cannon?