I want to build a cannon, to shoot beer cans. Lots of beer can mortars out there, but haven't seen any cannons. Having trouble working up some figures and such though. Need to get an idea of tolerances in relationship to pipe schedule needed and so on. Any machinist, engineers, gunsmiths have some helpful input?

Think I found something:
http://www.buckstix.com/HowitzerBarrel.htm

i'd get the notion of using pipe out of my mind first.

When in doubt, beef it out.



 

why?

Sounds good. Make it WAY thicker than you think it should be, then go twice as thick as that.



 

I would definately not even consider using pipe..  

Unless you have a way to pour a cast barrel,  you'll need a lathe to either bore out a piece of 12L14 or make a breech plug and put internal threads on a piece of DOM ( .75 wall thickness is the minimum I would use.  Even then I would choose diameters that will allow you to press it into an additional piece of DOM to double up the first 12" of the barrel.    

Then you still need to make and install tennons.


The cost of buying a cast barrel is reasonable once you figure out the amount of work involved.  

id tell you to ask my high school friend but the cannon he built blew him into two pieces.



 

know where to buy a barrel capable of shooting projectiles?

Cannons and carriages
http://www.cannon-mania.com/ Cannon-Mania
http://www.museumandcollector.com/book.html Museum & Collector Specialties Company
http://www.pbocorp.biz/ Paulsen Bros. May not open completely on older computers
http://www.cannonsonline.com/ Cannonsonline.com
http://www.dixiegun.com/ Dixie Gunworks
http://www.dicannonworks.com/ DUCK ISLAND CANNON WORKS LLC & RBG CANNONS
http://www.hernironworks.com/cannonprice.html Hern Iron Works
http://www.mrduckscannons.com/ MRDUCKS CANNONS
http://www.wildimports.com/index.htm Wild Imports
http://www.users.qwest.net/~cannonmike/ Cannon Mikes
http://www.kansascannonworks.com/cannon_one.html Kansas Cannon Works
http://bna.bircherinc.com/ Beaufort Naval Armorers
http://www.buytheworld.com/cat0-54-155.html Big Shots of Idaho
http://brasswithclass.com/contact.php Canadian Cannon Company Inc.
http://www.jeffersonarmory.com/ Jefferson Armory
http://users.wi.net/~schneiderent/%60schneiderent/index.htm Schneider Cannons
http://www.loosecannongunworks.com/index.htm lLoose Cannon Gun Works
http://www.fireiron.net/fireweb502.htm Fire and Iron
http://www.bellmorejohnson.com/ Bellmore Johnson
http://www.samson-mfg.com/cannon.htm Samson Mfg
http://schroedermachine.com/customize.htm Schroeder Machine
http://store.yahoo.com/landfallnav/bronzecannon.htm lLandfall Navigation
http://www.palmersarmoury.co.za/ Palmers Armoury
http://website.lineone.net/~simonwest/index.htm WEST OF ENGLAND ORDNANCE COMPANY
http://bronzecannon.com/ The Antique Cannon Superstore
http://clovermachine.net/cannons.htm Clover Machine
http://www.aaamunitions.com/items_for_sale.htm AAAmunitions
http://www.tapco.com/product_list.asp?dept=33 Kenneshaw Cannon Company
http://www.osvaldogatto.com.ar/english/index.php Antique Weapons Replicas - Prof. Osvaldo Gatto
http://www.beartracktradingpost.com/ BEARTRACK TRADING POST
http://www.militaryantiqueshop.com/index.php Military Antique Shop
http://www.missouricannonworks.com/ Missouri Cannon Works

Wheels
http://www.rptrading.biz/WoodenHubWheels.html R & P Trading
http://www.windyhillwoods.com/wooden-wagon-wheels.html Wooden Wagon Wheels
http://www.puddleandpond.com/wagon_wheels/ Puddle and Pond
http://www.customwagons.com/wagon_wheels.htm Custom Wagons
http://www.jakesctp.com/ JAKE'S COUNTRY TRADING POST
http://www.sprayingequipmentsupply.com/wooden-wagon-wheels.html Spraying Equipment Supply
http://www.hansenwheel.com/Wagon%20Wheels.htm Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop
http://www.thespottedmule.com/Wheels.htm The Spotted Mule
http://wagonwheelmaker.tripod.com/welcome_.htm Old West Wagon Wheels Inc
http://schroedermachine.com/customize.htm Schroeder Machine
http://www.amishcraft.com/cgi-local/ddoptions.cgi?si=107526601878169141&id=1... Amishcraft.com

Cannon plans
http://www.jerry-howell.com/1779.html
http://www.deltapress.com/ Beer Can Mortar
http://www.dixiegun.com/ Dixie Gunworks
http://www.marylandsilver.com/ordnance.htm Maryland Silver.com

Other Blackpowder cannons
http://home.att.net/~galahs/index.htm Candy Cannon
http://www.sundialalarms.com/how.html Sundial Alarms

Locks
http://www.cannon-mania.com/ Cannon-Mania

Fuse
http://www.cannon-mania.com/ Cannon-Mania
http://www.cannonfuse.com/fuse.htm Cannon Fuse
Back Creek Gun Shop http://www.blackpowderva.com/ Winchester, VA. 540-888-3349 call for shop hours

Friction fuses
http://www.cannonltd.com/ Cannon Ltd
Back Creek Gun Shop http://www.blackpowderva.com / Winchester, VA. 540-888-3349 call for shop hours

Slowmatch
http://www.metamuseum.com/us/SlowMatch/index.cfm The Slow Match Web Site
http://rope.ws/ Cotton rope
http://www.gregwatson.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Nitrate&PARTNER=google Potassium Nitrate
http://www.dixiegun.com/ Dixie Gunworks Product # MI0201 Matchlock Fuse
http://www.samselsupply.com/ Samsel Supply cotton rope

Quills (paper straws)
Back Creek Gun Shop http://www.blackpowderva.com/ Winchester, VA. 540-888-3349 call for shop hours

Powder
Schuetzen Powder LLC http://www.schuetzenpowder.com/ Swiss, Schuetzen and Elephant Brand Blank Powder, Click on distributors to find a distributor in your area
Powder Inc http://www.powderinc.com/ offers shipments in five pound lots
GOEX http://www.goexpowder.com/
Maine Powder House http://www.mainepowderhouse.com/
Hodgdon http://www.hodgon.com/
Back Creek Gun Shop http://www.blackpowderva.com/ Winchester, VA. 540-888-3349 call for shop hours

Ball moulds
http://www.cannon-mania.com/ Cannon-Mania
http://www.wildimports.com/new_page_3.htm Wild Imports
http://www.jt-bullet-moulds.co.uk/moulds.html JT Bullet moulds
http://www.users.qwest.net/~cannonmike/ Cannon Mikes

Smoothbore Machine, G.E. Everitt
3900 Greentree Road
Stow, Ohio 44224
Ph. (330) 688-1556

Jim Mathisrud
3035 Salem Av SO
Minneapolis, MN 55416

Cannon balls for shooting
http://www.pbocorp.biz/ Paulsen Bros. Click on Ammo
http://www.cannonltd.com/index2.html Cannon Ltd Click on Implements and Accessories
Jerry Wolberg [email protected] 1 pdrs 1.75 dia. $80.00 for 40 rounds plus shipping and handling. 701-226-6124

Implements
http://www.cannonltd.com/ Cannon Ltd
http://www.dixiegun.com/ Dixie Gunworks

Zinc suppliers (ZAMAK)
http://www.eazall.com/diecastalloys.aspx Eastern Alloys, INC.
http://www.biganodes.com/index.html Mid America Alloys
http://www.tekcast.com/casting1.htm Tekcast Industries

Semco Enterprises
475 Wilson Way
City of Industry,CA 91744
PH (626) 333-2237

Videos
Artillery Games

Books
http://www.museumandcollector.com/book.html The Complete Cannoneer from Matt Switliki
http://www.specialtymile.com/southbendreplicas/index.htm South Bend Replica The Complete Cannoneer
http://www.lautard.com/ Guy Lautard Machine operations books

Clubs, Organizations and Associations
http://www.n-ssa.org/ North-South Skirmish Association
http://www.americanartillery.org/ American Artillery Association
http://www.calweb.com/~arline/ BLUE AND GRAY SKIRMISH ASSOCIATION
http://cannonshooters.org/ Northwest Territories Light Artillery Volunteers
http://www.mlagb.com/cgi/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=cannon Muzzle Loaders Association of Great Britain
http://www.melfisher.org/cannonsurvey/glossary.htm Mel Fisher

Just for fun
http://www.cannon-mania.com/fun.htm

MISC. links
http://www.cwartillery.org/artillery.html
http://www.civilwarartillery.com/main.htm