tmj Posted July 13, 2024 #1 Posted July 13, 2024 (edited) I'm curious about these reinforcement bands. Were they part of the original casting, or were those bands added 'after' the cannons were cast? I'm finding it hard to believe that they could have possibly been added as separate components, after casting, due to the complex geometries of the cannons themselves... as well as obvious blacksmithing and band welding problems. Please enlighten me as to the facts regarding the actual manufacturing process of those 18th century cannons and their curious reinforcement bands... Edited July 13, 2024 by tmj Keith Black, thibaultron and mtaylor 3 "The journey of a thousand miles is only the beginning of a thousand journeys!" Current Build; 1776 Gunboat Philadelphia, Navy-Board Style, Scratch Build 1:24 Scale On the Drawing Board; 1777 Continental Frigate 'Hancock', Scratch Build, Admiralty/Pseudo Hahn Style, "In work, active in CAD design stage!" In dry dock; Scratch Build of USS Constitution... on hold until further notice, if any. Constructro 'Cutty Sark' ... Hull completed, awaiting historically accurate modifications to the deck, deck houses, etc., "Gathering Dust!" Corel HMS Victory Cross Section kit "BASH"... being neglected!
Solution druxey Posted July 14, 2024 Solution #2 Posted July 14, 2024 It would take a chapter to describe the manufacture of cannon, but the bands you are asking about, named reinforces, were all cast into the cannon. Only very early wrought iron ordnance had separate bands applied (shrunk) over a barrel made up of longitudinal iron bars. There is a lot of information on the internet you could access on the subject. thibaultron, tmj, Keith Black and 1 other 4 Be sure to sign up for an epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series http://trafalgar.tv
Keith Black Posted July 14, 2024 #3 Posted July 14, 2024 mtaylor, thibaultron and tmj 3 Current Builds: 1870's Sternwheeler, Lula Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee Decorative Carrack Warship Restoration, the Amelia Completed: 1880s Floating Steam Donkey Pile Driver Early Swift 1805 Model Restoration
tmj Posted July 14, 2024 Author #4 Posted July 14, 2024 Thanks David and Keith! It makes sense now. I had no idea that really old cannons were made up of longitudinal bars with the 'reinforces' sweated around them like a metal band around an old wooden wagon wheel. That's spooky! I imagine that it wasn't the reinforces that failed on those kinds of cannons but rather the longitudinal forge-welded seams that went kaboom! I wouldn't want to fire one of those without a very long fuse, say 50 feet or more! 😮 mtaylor, thibaultron and Keith Black 3 "The journey of a thousand miles is only the beginning of a thousand journeys!" Current Build; 1776 Gunboat Philadelphia, Navy-Board Style, Scratch Build 1:24 Scale On the Drawing Board; 1777 Continental Frigate 'Hancock', Scratch Build, Admiralty/Pseudo Hahn Style, "In work, active in CAD design stage!" In dry dock; Scratch Build of USS Constitution... on hold until further notice, if any. Constructro 'Cutty Sark' ... Hull completed, awaiting historically accurate modifications to the deck, deck houses, etc., "Gathering Dust!" Corel HMS Victory Cross Section kit "BASH"... being neglected!
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