I've been spiked

[robinghewitt]

Au contraire mon ami, I have provenance :grin:

These were on a schooner owned by the Reed Shipping Line trading the South China Seas out of Cardiff. Presumably spiked when it became too dangerous and they were loaned to a tourist attraction ship parked at Newquay c1914 :thumbsup:

best regards

Squire Robin

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Au contraire mon ami, I have provenance :grin:

Presumably spiked when it became too dangerous and they were loaned to a tourist attraction ship parked at Newquay c1914 :thumbsup:

best regards

Squire Robin

:hmm: Well, whatever was used, their methods were ingeniously designed and t'was apparently applied only to frustrate one Squire Robin near a century later.

 

[bavarialand]

just out of curiosity, do you know of any reference material that tells how cannons are spiked-? it might shed some light on how it could have been done. maybe point you in another direction as to how to un-spike said cannon. :hmm:

 

[k.jacobfrost]

I'm just wondering if there is any reason you couldn't use a carbide bit on your drill to at least cut away at the obstruction so you could get it analyzed? Maybe even use a carbide bit with some extensions to drill out the touch hole?

I really don't know much if anything about cannons so please educate me if this would be a bad idea for some reason.

Frost
Keep up the work. I am looking forward to you getting them up and working.

 

[jeepwj992002]

I have read this year long+ saga in the span of an hour. I must say Squire Robin I am pulling for you. That most certainly is a cannon that needs to fire again. Can't wait until your next installment. :hatsoff:

 

[davy]

Ima thinkin Robin has done given up on it,
and is plannin on just lettin that obstruction "rust" on outta there! :hmm: :rotf:

Davy

 

[Scota4570]

I have been watching this with interest. Could the gun have been "Spiked" with thermite? Would that leave aluminum oxide, which would eat drill bits?

 

[Boomer]

Dagnabitt! I got excited when I saw there was posts to this thread, thought there might have been progress

I too am captivated by this thread & hope Squire Robin is soon able to clear the spike.

I may be way off base here but I bet the UK authorities would frown on that ole girl breathing fire again.

 

[greenneck]

Thermite consists of powdered aluminum mixed with iron oxide in some form; aluminum oxide is what will be left after ignition, along with melted iron. Thermite would not work for creating an obstruction.

After all these attempts, I am still a bit stumped why a super-modern tungsten-carbide or diamond drill bit would not work to get that vent hole drilled all the way through. But then again, our squire is a pretty knowledgeable and resourceful chap - he'd have that figured out a long time ago if it were that easy.

To me, life would be kind of incomplete without still having the squire's "break through" to look forward to. I'd say he should take all the time he wants.

Steve

 

[benvenuto]

Robin probably lent that spark eroder he was building to a neighbour working on his car, thats the kind of gentleman he is... :haha:

 

[robinghewitt]

After all these attempts, I am still a bit stumped why a super-modern tungsten-carbide or diamond drill bit would not work to get that vent hole drilled all the way through.

I could drill through but the bit would emerge in completely the wrong place after it had passed through the obstruction. The bottom end is hemisherical and the plug probably moved forwards a tadge as the rust behind it expanded.

Once drilled I'd have fewer possible ways to fetch it out :hmm:

I'm now thinking to cut a circular groove in the obstruction then expand a collet and pull. I have some 1" studding that should be good for a ton :hmm:

It all takes time. A week of work designing and building the tool followed by a 2 minute attempt. I do have a life beyond unspiking cannons you know :rotf:

Nemo repente sapit :thumbsup:

 

[rebel727]

I do have a life beyond unspiking cannons you know :rotf:
Nemo repente sapit :thumbsup:

That's too bad. J/K :rotf: :rotf:

 

[davy]

I do have a life beyond unspiking cannons you know :rotf:
Nemo repente sapit :thumbsup:

Well Robin ... you are light years beyond my ability on it .. BUT I would not be quittin my day job anytime soon quite yet! :hmm: A man's gotta eat in the meantime! :hatsoff:

Davy

 

[Blizzard of '93]

You can't get a drill bit onto the obstruction and drill the correct size for say, a 1/2" tap? Then tap it, run an eyebolt in and pull the obstruction? If all else fails how about a large lathe and steady rest? A good hand should be able to feel his way through it, especially if you can provide a drawing based on estimates of what the bore should be like, and probable measurements. I have a feeling you will succeed, and I'm hoping to see that thing MAKE SOME SMOKE!! :hatsoff:

 

[davy]

You can't get a drill bit onto the obstruction and drill the correct size for say, a 1/2" tap? Then tap it, run an eyebolt in and pull the obstruction? If all else fails how about a large lathe and steady rest? A good hand should be able to feel his way through it, especially if you can provide a drawing based on estimates of what the bore should be like, and probable measurements. I have a feeling you will succeed, and I'm hoping to see that thing MAKE SOME SMOKE!! :hatsoff:

Aint it the truth! But I would settle on just seein a clear un-fettered bore for now! :thumbsup:

Davy

 

[JIMinPHX]

Wow, I thought that this would have been over & done by now.

I guess that nobody took my suggestion about the spark eroder seriously. OK, there are still a few more tricks left in my little black bag.

Have you thought about dribbling a few drops of liquid nitrogen on the blasted thing then hitting it with your favorite punch in hopes of shattering it? I’ve had pretty good luck with localized freezing of press fit plugs when I needed to remove them. This is especially true if you can manage to grind a small dimple in the center of the plug that is big enough to hold a few drops. Generally speaking, the harder a metal is, the better it shatters when in the deep freeze.

Another option would be to make a jig with a drill bushing to hold a high roc bit true to the touch hole & drill away. Softening up the spike by annealing it with a torch first might also help.

 

[WRussell]

I like the liquid nitrogen idea. I remember at work some guy dropped a mouse into liquid nitrogen, then tossed it up in the air. The pieces were all over the place - then they melted...

Sure a lot of heat sink to deal with in this case, though. Maybe if the thing were heated & chilled a few times the differential expansion would loosen things up. Got a big enough freezer, Robin?

 

[robinghewitt]

I'll get my wife to ask for liquid nitrogen next time she goes shopping, but I don't hold out a lot of hope :hmm:

 

[WRussell]

You could start with dry ice (CO2). Much easier.

Also safer. The barrels should be well able to handle hot sun and arctic ice, but liquid nitrogen might just be a little too much.

 

[robinghewitt]

I am often amazed what you can buy in the land of the free, but I live in a pokey little town on the south coast of England, doesn't even have a cinema :grin: