Thread: W.I.P. Making a pattern for a cannon.

Are you a pattern maker by trade, or one of the Jack of All, Master of None type, like most of us. Just wondering as how you found out this information?
Kryn

Yes I am one by trade.
Rarely do much of it these days but you never forget.

Hi artful bodgere,
It is nice to pick up the occasional job that requires the skills you learned as you're trade and as you say you don't forget I also get the odd job for a pattern now and then and it is enjoyable to draw back on those skills we (pattern makers) are getting thin on the ground these days unfortunately as with a lot of specialist trades machine technology is taking over from hand skills.
Regards Rod.

Is it legal to make a cannon? If he intends to fire it he has to have a special permit. It is a firearm. Not my concern but I am interested because, well...who doesn't want a working cannon?

In Victoria you only need a Category B shooters licence to own and use a black powder cannon. Don't know how you can satisfy the "Need to have" criteria.

Don't know the rules in Tassy.

That did cross my mind so I asked the client if it was legal to own such a thing.
He said that it was legal and all you needed was a license that had on it provision for a muzzle loading firearm. Not sure what the storage requirements are though.

BTW in Vic you need a B licence just to have it in your possession. Without one it will be confiscated and you will be charged so return it quick.

I'm not a metallurgist, but is cast iron the right thing to make a cannon from? I understand it's fairly brittle. Aren't most cannon made from bronze?

Originally Posted by Bohdan

Don't know how you can satisfy the "Need to have" criteria.

Its for his battleship.

Easy.

Originally Posted by NCArcher

Is it legal to make a cannon? If he intends to fire it he has to have a special permit. It is a firearm. Not my concern but I am interested because, well...who doesn't want a working cannon?

yes, you need the correct category Firearm Licence to own and use a cannon.

but more importantly, you also need the "correct" licence to make one. However, I doubt if making the wooden mold counts as making a firearm.


What I don't know is if the bore of a cannon is cast, or drilled out after casting. I have a vague recollection it is the latter.


Also, I'm really interested in seeing how the pattern for the crest will be made and fitted inside the "barrel" mold.

Originally Posted by ian

yes, you need the correct category Firearm Licence to own and use a cannon.

but more importantly, you also need the "correct" licence to make one. However, I doubt if making the wooden mold counts as making a firearm.


What I don't know is if the bore of a cannon is cast, or drilled out after casting. I have a vague recollection it is the latter.


Also, I'm really interested in seeing how the pattern for the crest will be made and fitted inside the "barrel" mold.

I do have a firearms license however I hope that is not going to be an issue making the pattern. The client has other cannons too and has told me he is licensed to have such things.
The bore of the cannon is going to be some sort of special steam-pipe material that will be fitted in the sand mold and have the cast iron poured around it. In other words it will be a type of insert that is cast into the final piece. The client showed me a bunch of pictures showing how this has been successfully done before.
The crest is out of my hands, client said that he has got someone else working on this (I think he said in epoxy resin). Will be surprised if it fits like a glove as the bloke making the crest has not seen the pattern.

Each State has different gun laws. All States have laws regarding cannons, some rather vague. If the OP does not have a firearms licence, they should not be in possession of any form of firearm requiring licence or registration.
To be in possession of an unregistered firearm or without an appropriate licence for that firearm
is in breach of the law. It matters not for what purpose you are in possession it is still illegal.
The cannon, if not deactivated, should be in the hands of an appropriate licenced individual or a licenced dealer.
If the cannon has been deactivated (barrel permanently plugged) it is no longer classified as a firearm and is just another lump of metal.

Didn't really want this to turn into a legal debate regarding firearms.
Client assured me he is doing nothing wrong.
As for a pattern made from timber. You could hardly call that a dangerous implement.

Hi Artful

There are a pair of wooden cannons beside the flag pole at the Derwent Sailing Squadron in Sandy Bay. Few realise that they are not genuine, but were turned from salvaged jetty piles.

Wooden need a license for a wooden cannon !



Fair Winds

Graeme