# Another Cannon



## lpeedin (Mar 29, 2015)

Again, no plans or drawings - just kinda made it up as I went. 





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## thomas s (Mar 29, 2015)

The cannon looks great. What type of steel did you use for the barrel I would like to make one like that.thomas s


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## lpeedin (Mar 29, 2015)

It's all 6061 aluminum. This one shoots a .250 steel ball (sling shot ammo) 


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## Cactus Farmer (Mar 29, 2015)

I'm building one a tad bigger. It's about 20 inches long and has a 1.125 bore. I'm figuring out how to mount the trunions. I had to make a steady rest to thread the breach and to build the steady, I had to make a tool post grinder.
Loooong project! The breach plug is welded after screwed together. One half of the caskabell is turned but the rest is a handy chucking point. A fitted plug, center drilled, is stuck in the muzzle so I will turn between centers and might be handy for boring and/or threading the trunion holes. It is a copy of a very small wooden cannon barrel I aquired years ago.
It's a 6 pounder, I think. It's the only cannon tube used by the Navy and Army. As for firing, it will discourage any interlopers from coming down my drive. Now, who knows how to made quick matches with the lanard pull? Oh, I can see fun on the horizion, or is that the sheriff coming to visit? Any one have any 1.125 balls laying around for test projectiles? I promise I'll return them ,if I can find them. They should be whole but may be slightly scuffed on the sides. Also,anybody need any ~1 1/8 punched holes?


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## thomas s (Mar 29, 2015)

lpeedin said:


> It's all 6061 aluminum. This one shoots a .250 steel ball (sling shot ammo)
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Thanks for the info. thomas s


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## thomas s (Mar 29, 2015)

Cactus Farmer said:


> I'm building one a tad bigger. It's about 20 inches long and has a 1.125 bore. I'm figuring out how to mount the trunions. I had to make a steady rest to thread the breach and to build the steady, I had to make a tool post grinder.
> Loooong project! The breach plug is welded after screwed together. One half of the caskabell is turned but the rest is a handy chucking point. A fitted plug, center drilled, is stuck in the muzzle so I will turn between centers and might be handy for boring and/or threading the trunion holes. It is a copy of a very small wooden cannon barrel I aquired years ago.
> It's a 6 pounder, I think. It's the only cannon tube used by the Navy and Army. As for firing, it will discourage any interlopers from coming down my drive. Now, who knows how to made quick matches with the lanard pull? Oh, I can see fun on the horizion, or is that the sheriff coming to visit? Any one have any 1.125 balls laying around for test projectiles? I promise I'll return them ,if I can find them. They should be whole but may be slightly scuffed on the sides. Also,anybody need any ~1 1/8 punched holes?


Please post some pictures when your done. With that size bore you may have to tie that down LOL thomas s


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## kvt (Mar 29, 2015)

lpeedin,   I looks great,  I bet it has a bit of punch when fired.  what size of aluminum stock did that start out with.  looks almost like 1.5 round  about 6 to 8 inch long.  
how are the trunions attached on this one.


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## lpeedin (Mar 29, 2015)

kvt said:


> lpeedin,   I looks great,  I bet it has a bit of punch when fired.  what size of aluminum stock did that start out with.  looks almost like 1.5 round  about 6 to 8 inch long.
> how are the trunions attached on this one.



1.250 round stock 6" long. Trunnion is 5/16".  I did it the same way - single piece held with set screw in bottom of barrel. I rebored the barrel after installing it. 

I want to make one next with .500 bore. I"ll definitely have to do the trunnion different then. 


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## kvt (Mar 30, 2015)

OK, with a .500 bore will you have to go with a heavier metal,  Brass or maybe steal to handle a larger load,  Otherwise I would think that you would have to have a real thick wall on it. 
And on the trunion,   in order to keep it out of the bore,  have you considered a grove around the barrel, and a piece machined, that clamps around it and its in the grooves.  If done right I think that it should hold, but may be more machining.   Although I have just started out again and may be out there.    Although I keep telling the wife I want one like cactus farmer is wanting to make.   I'll just use heavy wads in it, but she keeps saying NO.   I guess she does not want he cops at the front door.


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## bpratl (Mar 30, 2015)

Ipeedin, that is a great looking cannon. After showing my 6 year old grandson both of your cannon threads, I could nor resist in modifying a 50 year inherited toy iron cannon that I got from my father.  It was only bored in 2" and the fuse hole was 1/4" in deep on the 6" barrel. I re-bored the barrel to the fuse hole, added 15 grain of black powder with a tight paper wad and impressed my grandson with a lot of smoke and flash. My daughter would of killed us if she saw what we were doing.
The trunions were welded to the barrel. I am a little nervous about the recoil in shooting a .5" steel ball from this cannon.


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## lpeedin (Mar 30, 2015)

bpratl said:


> Ipeedin, that is a great looking cannon. After showing my 6 year old grandson both of your cannon threads, I could nor resist in modifying a 50 year inherited toy iron cannon that I got from my father.  It was only bored in 2" and the fuse hole was 1/4" in deep on the 6" barrel. I re-bored the barrel to the fuse hole, added 15 grain of black powder with a tight paper wad and impressed my grandson with a lot of smoke and flash. My daughter would of killed us if she saw what we were doing.
> The trunions were welded to the barrel. I am a little nervous about the recoil in shooting a .5" steel ball from this cannon.



Love it. Looks like you have the tools to build one from scratch - go for it. 


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## bpratl (Mar 31, 2015)

lpeedin said:


> Love it. Looks like you have the tools to build one from scratch - go for it.
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Thanks, I have the tools but don't have the time. What can we expect for your next cannon project? Are you Going to follow *Cactus Farmer's* foot steps and build a 20" 20 pounder?   I have been dreaming of building one for the last 30+ years. Thanks for the inspiration guys. Bob


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## lpeedin (Apr 1, 2015)

A little destruction 






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## Cactus Farmer (Apr 1, 2015)

Ouch! That would hurt.


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## bpratl (Apr 1, 2015)

Great shot....need to see more videos.
When are we going to see that 20 pounder in action?


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## furpo (Apr 1, 2015)

This is my version.  Button inside house,  LP Gas and 15 cfm blower.
8' barrel schedule 120 8" pipe with 5" bore.  Great door bell!
Neighbor 5 miles away expect me to announce the opening of Deer season!


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## NEL957 (Mar 14, 2016)

I wish I had not seen this, now it will haunt me for years. I was going to make one years ago 30+ and the wife changed my mind. I do not know if I can resist it this time, old age does not mean we make all wise decisions. I know I will be in trouble. Keep up the nice work and I'll try not to visit too often.
Cheers


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## ScrapMetal (Mar 15, 2016)

NEL957 said:


> I wish I had not seen this, now it will haunt me for years. I was going to make one years ago 30+ and the wife changed my mind. I do not know if I can resist it this time, old age does not mean we make all wise decisions. I know I will be in trouble. Keep up the nice work and I'll try not to visit too often.
> Cheers



My wife keeps nixing my attempts to get cannons, gatling guns, and a "pill-box" for our front yard/porch.  She always says something about me being too anti-social to begin with... 

I'll will at least make myself a cannon one of these days, just need a bit bigger lathe.

-Ron


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## NEL957 (Mar 15, 2016)

A neighbor of mine has a blueberry farm, he has a propane cannon that is on a motion detector. I was thinking about making something in the same fashion. Make up a rotary cylinder as it turns on-off gas and sparks and ignitor. Just a noise maker!


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## dlane (Mar 16, 2016)

Made this one a while back it shoots wine corks, the trunnion clamps into a groove 



	

		
			
		

		
	
 It can shoot straight up to



	

		
			
		

		
	
Not quite as fancy but I had some spare powder to use up.


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## NEL957 (Mar 16, 2016)

I like it, nice job. You'll are feeding the flame.


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## ScrapMetal (Mar 16, 2016)

A simple cannon but cool none the less. 



NEL957 said:


> A neighbor of mine has a blueberry farm, he has a propane cannon that is on a motion detector. I was thinking about making something in the same fashion. Make up a rotary cylinder as it turns on-off gas and sparks and ignitor. Just a noise maker!



I'd have to make a non-firing cannon and use sensors and electronics so that it would "follow" the movements of anyone walking by.  Hmmm, now that I think about it, my wife may be right, I am a bit of a "sick puppy"  

-Ron


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## dlane (Mar 16, 2016)

ScrapMetal said:


> I'd have to make a non-firing cannon and use sensors and electronics so that it would "follow" the movements of anyone walking by. Hmmm, now that I think about it, my wife may be right, I am a bit of a "sick puppy"



Make one with a camera in the bore


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## NEL957 (Mar 17, 2016)

I drove truck over the road for 6 1/2 years and that was my handle on the CB radio. Sick Puppy
Cheers


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## Don Krag (Apr 14, 2016)

Nice! I love cannons. I build recreation medieval ones. Here's a pic of my most recent one. A 6" caliber mortar. Breech was turned from 4140 6" dia x 8" long rod, heat fit 4" deep into main tube, then pinned in six places and welded along exterior interface. Powder chamber is 2" x 3". Min tube is lined oilfield equipment component (2" thick 4130 steel with hardened 1/4" stainless liner). Trunnions are a solid 3" mild steel rod welded to the rear of the breechblock. We fire 6" x 6" concrete slugs a few hundred yards (bottom half of windshield wiper fluid jugs filled with concrete and cured fit perfect).


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