Cannon wheels to Flywheels.

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Last weekend I went playing trains at the Bristol Model Engineering show in Thornebury. While there I thought I would do some early Christmas shopping in a charity shop. For £6 I bought a model of a brass cannon all 2.5 kg's (about 5.5 lbs) of it. Except for a couple of lengths of steel threaded rod it was all brass! I decided to make the cannon's wheels into fly wheels.

As bought.



Apart.



Part machined.



Machining finished.



Plugged, painted and balanced.



Swarf left, the long spirals are from the machining the plugs.



There are less blow holes in the casting than I thought there would be. So I now have two reasonably priced flywheels in stock.

Regards Tony.

 

[lomaxmotorsports]

I love it when I get to repurpose something! Great job making those look good!

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

What's to be done with the barrel?

Decided to see what the barrel would turn out like. So I have started roughing it out.

















The barrel seems to be responding well to its Alterations so I might continue the roughing out tomorrow.

Regards Tony.

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

Continued roughing out the barrel casting today. I have found a book I had on British artillery which gives an idea of proportions.













I might get some more done tomorrow.

Regards Tony.

 

[lomaxmotorsports]

So now what are you going to do for wheels on the cannon?

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

5.5lbs (2.2kg)



4lbs (1.8kg)



As bought.



As modified.



Today completed the roughing out and finished the barrel.









Alas not all the blow holes were removed but for the most part they are underneath.



When I have the materials I will make a wooden truck for the barrel.

Regards Tony.

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

As I have no immediate plans for the flywheels so I decided to clean up and paint the gun's carriage, make and fit an elevating screw and a pair of capsquares to hold the barrel in place so the model can be displayed for a time.





Regards Tony.

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

I have yet to find a use for the two flywheels that the model cannon would donate but while in a model shop I saw two plastic wagons wheels that would be suitable. They were a little rough and ready but machined quite well and I think look more the part.

Regards Tony.

 

[ShopShoe]

Tony,

That's looking good. I like the way you create new things from what you come across. The cannon is looking better with the new wheels.

I hazard to suggest that perhaps the axle ends would be improved with square nuts.

--ShopShoe

 

[Tony Bird]

Hi,

I hazard to suggest that perhaps the axle ends would be improved with square nuts.

Thanks, I think you are right, I used the only way that I knew of about holding wagon wheels on so their axles which was with a wedge that was put in via a slot in the wheel hub. I will do some research.

Regards Tony.