British light six pounders

[Zulu]

These are a matched pair of British  Light Six Pounders that I made out of 2 X 12's from Home Depot.  I have a lot of hours in them.  They are full scale with 55" barrels with a 3" bore.  The carraige is a 1600's garrison carriage that I copied from a picture in Round shot and Rammers.
they are very cool and live in my house.
Zulu

[RocklockI]

those are one of my all time favs .

ever think of putting one of those on a grasshopper carriage ?

[Zulu]

RocklockI,
I have never thought about it but I have to tell you that as it is I have hundreds of hours in these guns.  A grass hopper carriage would demand a whole lot more time and would take up more space in my living room.  My wife is very understanding but I don't want to push it.
Zulu

[Double D]

Send her to her mother's for a week.  When she gets back say,  "huh, those they were here before, just waiting for the customer to pick them up."   Would never work with my wife, but who knows might work with yours.

[irishman]

Zulu,

     You are one fine craftsman!

                                    Michael

[cannonmn]

Those really have an artistic touch, very nice!  The custom hardware on the sides seems to blend in with the lines of the carriage, overall, and the dolphins.  What a unique hobby (or business) whichever it is for ya!

[RocklockI]

RocklockI,
I have never thought about it but I have to tell you that as it is I have hundreds of hours in these guns.  A grass hopper carriage would demand a whole lot more time and would take up more space in my living room.  My wife is very understanding but I don't want to push it.
Zulu

i fully understand negotiations with the better half , but DD is right ! we are not talking barrels here .

and IF you put out one per month , or even two months ..... her 'understanding' may come around at maybe 2500 bucks per . maybe more .

all if you use the right wood ,sorry i dont remember what you are using  .

jmho ,and i could be wrong ......but......

[Victor3]

 I think you just set a kewpie doll record, and with only 16 posts under your belt...

[Double D]

I gotta tell you, it never ceases to amaze me the creations you folks come up with,  The skill and craftsmanship that you folks display is incredible.

But these Wooden guns, wow, they are something else. They are amazing. I am seriously impressed.  Zulu you have a skill to be envied.  I for one woild like to see build pictures tracing "two by four to trunion cap", please!

[Zulu]

Barrel secret revealed.
By now some of you have figured out that all the wood necessary to make a barrel like this,when glued together, would weigh quite a bit and be a heavy load for a lathe.  I have the biggest lathe that Delta makes but it wouldn't handle that kind of load.  So I came up with this idea.  Make it in sections and peg it together.  It works great for barrels that have a seperation point.  It does not work for barrels like an ordnance rifle because you could never hide the splice.
Zulu

[Zulu]

Double D,
Your comment above is one of the best compliments I've ever received.  Since then I have been working on another gunade (or carronade with trunnions) so you can see how one of these comes together.
Here is what I have so far.

Raw materials

glue together

ready to trim



trimmed and ready for the lathe

[Zulu]

makes a lot of sawdust

on the lathe

[Zulu]

Lots of work

[Zulu]

This is what I have finished to date.  Now that the easy part is finished the hard part begins.  Boring is tough work.
I will keep pictures and post as I make more progress.
Zulu

[Boom J]

Excellent!

[Double D]

Hey you guys how I feel about paint...I may change my mind!!!

[RocklockI]

I think I'd stain it a light golden hue , and polish it .

So it would have light bronze color still with all the grain visable . As I understand there were a few bronze ones made . You could tell folks '...yes , it is damascus bronze '

Chestnut Ridge make a nice military walnut , which is pretty red and matches the old US military stock colors . You could delute it to lighten it up . I'm trying to think outside the usual dark brown .

Not that you see a dark brown wooden carronade every day either . ,

BUT NO paint ! it'd be a bad thing to cover up all the grain .

gary

[Zulu]

I would like to make a gun out of oak or some other hard wood.  These pine boards were drops from another project and were free.  Oak would take a stain much better but would be kind of pricey.  I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it yet but I don't think I am going to paint this one.
Zulu

[RocklockI]

i think they look good with the lamination lines , there are no knots that i see . painting it black .....if the customer ordered them black ..short of that i just woundnt paint them . it's alot lot of character to cover up to look like cast iron ...?

[Zulu]

There is no customer.  I'm making this for fun and because Double D asked me to.  There are no knots either.  I try to be knot free.  It turns better.
Zulu

[Double D]

Do you need my shipping address?   

[Zulu]

I'll just ship it to that same address I sent all that money to okay?
Zulu

[Double D]

I'll just ship it to that same address I sent all that money to okay?
Zulu

Uh-huh, yep!!!!

[Boom J]

I'll just ship it to that same address I sent all that money to okay?
Zulu

No wonder you got seven, and I didn't even rate a half a kewpie; I wish I would have known!

[Double D]

Finished products get kewpies, espeically new designs.

[RocklockI]

a customer request would be the only way i would paint something like that . i'll stand by that .

i think if you got your name 'out there' as a carriage guy you'd be busy . for some of us even in pine .

how long would it take you to turn out an unfinished generic naval carriage ? so people could put on their own proper hardware and paint ...for those who would dare  , for say a 24 inch tube ?

gary   

[Boom J]

Finished products get kewpies, espeically new designs.

Well, Okay then, I feel better now, I thought maybe you just didn't like me.

[RocklockI]

Finished products get kewpies, espeically new designs.

new designs Doug ? i think i know what you mean but ...new designs ? i like the old designs too .

 ...i know i know , NO more kewpies for you ....

[Double D]

Smee isn't finished yet. When finished it will be evaluated for a Kewpie. Smee is new design to this board!!

Kewpie goes to selfbuilts.  Michael and Dom and M&T could get a Kewpie for their creations, but a buyer couldn't.  If some one bought a barrel from a seller and built a carriage, that could get a kewpie. Or if they bought a carriage and built a barrel that could get kewpie.

There are other Kewpie criteria, for instance, I gotta like the cannon and I gotta think about kewpie when I see the cannon.  Thats why some kewpies aren't awarded at first post, but days later when I remember--hey I'm over 60. Other criteria, I make up as I go along.

The snow Mortar is the only post dated Kewpie.

Direct up loads don't get a Kewpie because there is no way for me to post the kewpie with the cannon picture that I like.

[RocklockI]

Many are called but few are chosen . The three you mentioned , Michael ,Seacoast , and Dom are automaticly 'in' for sure !

everyone else must scratch and claw for for the prize ! some will never make ...'the doll' .

i like your rules ! ]

if and when smee is found worthy  , i'll be honored . a doll is the sure sign of a job well done .

gary