BUILDING
A
REPLICA NAVAL CANNON
MODEL CONSTRUCTED BY
JOHN ROBERTSON & LAURA MENZIES
We decided to build a replica naval cannon for the Wick Sea Cadets using four scrap 25cm diameter plastic wheels as a starting point. We obtained some wood, plastic pipe and a few metal fittings before making a start. Not having a plan to work to, we relied on information from books and the internet as well as looking at the real cannon near Gowrie Place in Wick.
As the cannon took shape it was decided to make the accessories to go with it. A photographic record of our project was kept as work progressed to show the various stages of construction and what materials were used.
Thanks are due to Mary Menzies and Christine Robertson for helping sew the gunpowder bags and the sponge.
We hope you find the following article informative and interesting and that you like the finished cannon.
The carriage was made on a plywood base with the two cheeks constructed from MDF board spaced with 45mm x 45mm timber. A router was used to simulate the joint lines between the different sections of wood. Eyebolts were added and the holes drilled for the axles. The wheels are plastic and were salvaged from a
skip.
The barrel was made from different diameters of plastic pipe, 150mm drain pipe for the first reinforce, 125mm water pipe for the second reinforce and 110mm drain pipe for the chase. MDF circles and an old doorknob were used to make the cascabel. A plumbing fitting and another MDF ring were used to construct the muzzle. A short length of plastic pipe was fitted with sleeves for the trunions and plastic rings were cut to size for the bands round the barrel. The vent plate was added and the vent hole drilled. The whole barrel was painted with textured metallic paint as an undercoat
These photographs show the barrel under construction with the chase and muzzle still to be completed.
The above photographs show the carriage having stain and wood grain effect applied. This was done with the aid of combs and cloths.
Starting to paint some of the metal parts and wheels. The rims of the wheels were covered with rubber rings cut from an old tyre inner tube. The trunion capsquares were made from sheet aluminium, the axles are threaded rods covered by steel tubing and the breech rope rings were bought from a DIY store. The barrel is shown before it was pained black.
Detail of the barrel. The muzzle has received its first coat of black paint.
The barrel and the metal parts of the carriage have been painted black
The wormer, rammer and sponge were made using brush handles. The head of the wormer was made using a drain-clearing tool and the rammer was turned from a piece of wood in the lathe. The sponge was made from a paint roller covered with material from a toy lamb
The brass monkey for holding the cannon balls was made from MDF coated with fibreglass resin and spray painted with brass coloured paint. The cannon balls were made from plastic toy balls which we painted with textured metallic paint and then painted black.
The quoin is the wedge used to alter the angle of the barrel for range. It sits on a block under the butt of the cannon. The stand for the tools was made from MDF and redwood. The thin priming wire for piercing the gunpowder bag was made from fence wire and fixed to the left upright and a tube to hold the tapers to light the gunpowder was fixed to the right.
The breech rope had eyes spliced on either end and a loop formed to go over the button of the cascabel
The bags for holding the gunpowder charges were made from white cloth and were filled with sealed plastic bags of sand to represent the gunpowder. They sit in a small wooden tray. A brass nameplate was fixed to the front transom
Gun crew about to demonstrate the firing of the cannon!