It's raining again...time to build a cannon

[peternap]

It's raining so I can't work on the addition or fields or even fix the bush hog, so on to a project I've put off a long time, A cannon!

Don't ask...I just need one

I want one to fire massive amounts of shot or shrapnel or solid projectiles, just a giant shotgun.

I had picked up an old welding O2 tank a year ago. The first thing was to make sure it was empty. I could see pulling the valve and watching my cannon to be, become a torpedo. I screwed on a regulator and opened it up. Flat empty.

Then I had to pull the valve. That was tough. I strapped the tank to a metal frame with heavy duty ratchet straps, hooked an end of the world pipe wrench on, and pulled. Not a chance. I used a 5 pound sledge to convince it to turn, then screwed it off.

I measured the thread. Same thread as a 2.5 inch hitch ball I had. That would make a perfect breech plug and to make it better, the tank had a shoulder at the end of the thread to fit the plug to. That's the same arrangement I use on the muzzle loader barrels I make.

Next I needed to cut the bottle to length. This is where the project stopped yesterday. 6 months ago my son got interested in gunsmithing He borrowed my skil saw I used to cut steel. He brought it back and borrowed my band saw and hasn't returned it. I found out that he had returned the Skil because he had cut the cord off.

My other saws are at the other shop.

I got about half way through the tank with what I had and got tired. I'll finish today and square and crown the muzzle.

After that, I have to build the ignition lock, then the stand. This is going to be like the old ships swivel guns, just bigger.



Then I have to make and heat fit the muzzle bell and barrel bands, paint and I'm ready to go to the range.

Life is good when you are an eternal fourteen old!

[Windpower]

Seems I saw a tv program where they turned a gas cylinder into a cannon

they used bowling balls for projectiles I think

quite impressive

we need videos of this when it is fired you know.....

[MountainDon]

Don't ask...I just need one

I completely understand. I want one too. 

[MikeC]

Cannon to go:

http://www.hernironworks.com/cannons.html

Now, what to do with it?

http://www.buckstix.com/howitzer.htm