USS Constitution by The Bitter End - Model Shipways - 1:76

[JSGerson]

All I can say is IMPRESSIVE!

 

Jon

[Der Alte Rentner]

Wow! talk about a labor intensive process..

 

In the end, it all comes down to the results. And yours are spectacular.

[The Bitter End]

Thank you to everyone for your kind comments. It really helps with motivation to keep struggling along.

 

T.B.E.

[The Bitter End]

Hello everyone

 

I have decided to attempt to make the cannon for this build myself(emphasis on attempt, this is very much theoretical at this point.

 

I wanted to go with the configuration mentioned in "close up" by Tyrone G. Martin which was kindly pointed out to me by @Marcus.K.. The cannon found on the gun deck of the Constitution in 1797 appear to have been 30 x 24 pounders with a barrel length of 8ft. Apparently these were 1ft shorter than the standard length for this calibre. The cannon were made by Hope forge and an original pair can be seen outside the buildings of Savannah college of art and design

 

 

Below is the basic drawing I used as reference along with excellent measurements provided by Marcus, I will not publish his drawing here until I get his permission but it was a real help in making this first version.

 

 

I began by cutting square stock of 10mm x 10mm from a leftover stump and turned it down to 8mm on the lathe. I then marked out the relevant lines dividing the sections and cut the tapers first and then refined by hand. This process was by no means perfect. I am using a unimat that a friend recently gave me, i have no experience on a lathe and my lathe belt broke. In the process I broke off the cascabel and had to remake it separately. I also had a fair amount of trouble creating a finish that was acceptable but I can live with this as it will be cast in resin anyway.

 

 

 

This cannon still needs its cross braces, eagle emblem and fuse protrusion but if anyone has any views on how it can be improved before I take those steps please let me know. this is my first attempt so I can imagine I will get away without a remake. I do feel the reinforcement protrusions may be a little to pronounced but I cant decide if this will be a pro or a con once painted black.

 

Haiko

 

[JSGerson]

Considering you said you had no experience with a lathe, was working with a piece of equipment you knew basically nothing about, and it broke, you managed to produce a gun barrel that looks spot on to your drawing as well as the one seen outside the buildings of Savannah College of Art and Design. Well done!!! Knowing nothing about casting, I look forward as to how you create a mold so that you can cast numerous copies of the barrel.

 

Jon

[Marcus.K.]

Excellent work, Haiko.

 

But I have to state: I did find those Savannah guns only due to @Force9´s research.

HERE he gave his hints - I just followed his steps 😄 

 

Concerning the short length of those early 24 pounder guns we know from James Fenimore Cooper´s 1853 "History of the United States Navy" about the events of the July 1812 "Great Chase one of the negative effects of those very short barrels:

Quote

 At  seven  minutes  before  two,  the  Belvidera, then  the  nearest  ship,  began  to  fire  with  her  bow  guns,  and  the  Constitution opened  with  her  stern  chasers.  On  board  the  latter  ship, however,  it  was  soon  found  to  be  dangerous  to  use  the  main-deck guns,  the  transoms  having  so  much  rake,  the  window  being  so  high, and  the  guns  so  short,  that  every  explosion  lifted  the  upper  deck,  and threatened  to  blowout  the  stern  frame.  Perceiving,  moreover,  that his  shot  did  little  or  no  execution.  Captain  Hull  ordered  the  firing  to

cease  at  half  past  2. stern  frame,  in  order  to make  room.

Its clear: the combination of a big rake, high windows and short gun barrels would allow the air pressure at the gun when fired to affect the ceiling of the after cabin. Another effect reported in Tyrone Martins "a most fortunate ship" was that the gun smoke was filling the gun deck with thick haze that it made further operations with guns very tricky.

 

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Marcus.K.