YEEEEEEEEE-HAR

Squire Robin

I have enjoyed your ball pulling pictures. This has been one of the best threads here in a long time. Thanks for sharing all your adventures with us.
Now you can post all your restoring pictures as you go along.

 

What he said!! That was a VERY enjoyable thread!! Glad to see that you got it out and that you will be working to restore the old girl to be a shooter again. Good job and an excellent example of determination!

 

Don't think that some of us were following along just because of the possibility of "treasure" behind the ball.

I feel like we on this forum are practically your next door neighbors that keep checking in with keen interest to see how it is going.

The whole restoration process is fascinating to me (as I hope to one day be in your shoes as well! :winking: ) and want to learn as much as I can from your process!

Keep the pictures coming!

GoF

 

Robin,
Thanks for great entertainment!!! eace: :: :applause:
ARILAR :: :thumbsup:

 

With this level of encouragement how can I refuse :thumbsup:

I've just started to electrolyse the bore before it starts to rust again. I used bits of a plastic bottle glued onto the long anode to stop it touching the sides, then turned on the power before adding the electrolyte to make sure there weren't any shorts.

There's a spout and a lot of hot melt glue to make sure any drips don't run down the side and stain it white should it fizz up.

There's about 3.6 square feet of rusty iron to clean down there, by the brightness of the bulb I reckon it's flowing about 2-3 amps. If the bulb stays lit I'll leave it for a day or so.

Next job is removing what's left of the wrought iron pegs holding the wheels on. I think a special tool to apply extreme force is required :hmm:

 

Squire Robin,

Do you have an idea how long it will take for electrolyse to clean the bore?

 

Not really, when I tried to ease that ball the bulb started bright then faded, maybe I just have to wait until it fades again :hmm:

Next, the wheels so I can mount the barrels

There are 4 wheels remaining, (should call the trucks I suppose). One of them looks different to the rest in grain and has no fancy turning. All the axles have corroded, some more than others. The holes through the wheels/trucks have rolled on rusty axles and opened out really big. Half the pins that hold the trucks on may be worth salvaging the rest have snapped off flush.



I don't want to replace the axles because they are wonderfully old and the whole assembly has rusted solid. I think I just sleeve them with steel tubing where the wheel rubs, add wood to bring the wheel bores down to size and make everything else that I don't have. It may seem cruel to use the old wheels, but I think they will get lost if they get separated.

OTOH I am really open to suggestions on any of this :thumbsup:



Notice how the arched base of the cheeks is actually only a chamfer ::

 

Here is a newbie type question.

What exactly are you doing with the bulbs and wires and such? Maybe I should have paid attention in Chemistry class but how does all that get rid of rust?

Hush the rest of you... you were just too scared to ask the question! eace:

GoF

 

Hi GoF

Just Google for rust removal electrolysis

Here's a good one :thumbsup:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/rust.htm

 

I'm wondering if it would be good to make tires (steel?) for the wheels - stick the tires on with something that could be removed (melted out?) without damaging the original wood too much.

Interesting about the chamfer at the bottom of the cheeks. Now I'm wondering if that was typical (for slinging them with rope?) and if the drawings I've seen, and the models I've made, are wrong?

 

That was lucky. God must like me today, it missed :thumbsup:

 

It almost hit the other Cannon !!!!!

 

Ok this ain't fair!!!
Why can't I come and play tooooo
a Jealous Loyalist dawg

 

Ouch! :: There's that "Bump in the Night". I'm just glad no one was hurt or any damage was done. :blue:

 

You should make up two new carriages for these cannons, in the general shape of the original; these nice cannons deserve that. Pack that old stuff in a box for future generations to ponder over. And never work in your garage when your car is parked in it. :winking:

 

I got a call at 9 o'clock this morning from my sister in law to say it had fallen over, she put down the newspaper to soak up the electrolyte. Lucky I used washing soda not caustic :thumbsup:

It's now tied to the wall with rope so it can't repeat the performance. All refilled and flowing about 1.5 amps, the bulb lost it's fatter filament when it went over.

 

Robin, please start another thread, this one is getting long and taking time to load...

I will keep this as a "sticky post" for all to find easy...

Thanks, Musketman