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| Model Expo Guns of History - Signature Series Napoleon Cannon | ||
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Moderators: Winston, aew
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| Author | Post | ||
| Joel Axenroth |
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 Registered Member #4579 Joined: Wed Feb 18 2015, 01:58amPosts: 15 | The model expo guns of history series is a group civil war cannons and related vehicles (limbers, caissons, forge) in 1:16 scale. Technically the only thing missing to complete a typical battery is the battery wagon but this could probably be scratched using the available parts. Although not perfect the finished model represents a reasonable facsimilie of the originals. The signature series consists of a Napoleon cannon and/or limber with walnut in place of basswood parts and wood used for the axle and trail instead of cast metal. As I wanted to make a firing model I had new barrels turned to replace the existing barrels from the correct bronze material that will handle the pressure of a black powder load. The bore is slightly under scale at .257 (should be .291) but I can live with the 3/100's discrepancy. Some of the Confederate made Napoleon's also were without the muzzle swell and this is type I had them replicate for me. For the most part this is a out of the box build but I will be replacing some parts as needed to make this into a more functional replica. Again, as this is a generic Confederate replica some minor deviations are permissable (at least that's what I tell myself) For those unfamilier with the Napoleon this is a quick description (mostly from wiki) the next post will start with the pictures: Although officially called the “light 12-pounder gun” in the North, this most popular smoothbore was better known as the “Napoleon”. It was named for a nephew of Napoleon I, Prince Charles Louise Napoleon Bonaparte, who became Emperor Napoleon III of France. The Napoleon was the favorite field gun of both armies. It was reasonably accurate as all ranges and was devastating when firing canister at close range. The Napoleon was robustly designed (in modern parlance it was “overengineered”) and was capable of firing large number of rounds (more than 1200 rounds for a six gun battery in a single engagement was not uncommon) without any noticeable distortion or wear on the tube. With a propellant charge of 2.50 lbs of lback powder, the Napoleon fired a 12.30 lb. solid shot to a range of 1,619 yards at 5 degrees elevation. The muzzle velocity is 1,485 feet per second (F.P.S.). | ||
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| Joel Axenroth |
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| Registered Member #4579 Joined: Wed Feb 18 2015, 01:58amPosts: 15 | Building the wheels (some of this is from an earlier build of a similar cannon the wheels are the same): Instructions  OK starting on the wheels here are the parts as they come in the kit. First is the paper template that is glued to the wooden jig for making the wheels and laying out the spokes, this also creates the dished effect of the wheels:  Then the main wooden jig board:  Here are the wooden wheel rims also made from 1/8" ply laser cut (scale 2"). You can also see the triangular "feet" for the jig inside one of the wheels and the strip used for making the square nuts (I will replace this with castings):  The wheel hubs are turned aluminum:  These are the basswood spokes. The ones on this version are identical but walnut:  I cut out the jig from the sheet and glued on the "feet" that space it away from the base to let the hub fit in the center hole. I wanted a more secure base for it (I will be doing 4 wheels for these two versions and more in the future) so I glued it to a basswood plaque I got from Michaels and also glued the center scrap from the wheel set beneath it leaving the center hole open. I then cut out and glued on the paper template with a glue stick. I then gave it a few coats of Krylon clear to protect it (note I think the hub is upside down in the photo refer to the photo's of the actual build [to follow] for reference):    [ Edited Sat Apr 04 2015, 12:12pm ] | ||
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| Joel Axenroth |
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| Registered Member #4579 Joined: Wed Feb 18 2015, 01:58amPosts: 15 | Here are the walnut spoke sheets: And the spokes cut out prior to sanding. As I am making two kits everything is double so I have 60 instead of 30 spokes (14 per wheel plus 1 extra x 4 wheels) I need to sand them to a half round (sort of a square oval) shape. If I am going too in depth with the pics let me know and I will only show the highlights:   | ||
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| Joel Axenroth |
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| Registered Member #4579 Joined: Wed Feb 18 2015, 01:58amPosts: 15 | I know I won't be using these for a bit but here is a quick picture of my two barrels versus one of the stock kit ones. The kit one isn't too bad in the signature series and represents the standard Napoleon fairly well. It doesn't show as good in the picture as in person the difference in color between the kit brass and the bronze I had these turned from but they are a deeper color that looks really good. Also the kit one is strictly non firing and these are definitely built to shoot. | ||
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| Joel Axenroth |
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| Registered Member #4579 Joined: Wed Feb 18 2015, 01:58amPosts: 15 | Slow progress I started sanding the spokes to shape: As well as cutting out the trails and cheeks. I will be laminating the trail pieces together:  | ||
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| aew |
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Arthur   Registered Member #1929 Joined: Wed Nov 30 2011, 03:05pmPosts: 3019 | I've got a couple of spokeshaves in by tool collection but I think they're a bit too big for those spokes!  | ||
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| Mike 41 |
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 Registered Member #702 Joined: Fri Feb 05 2010, 10:37pmPosts: 1249 | Hi Joel, Sanding the spokes would go a lot faster using a small drum in a Dremel tool. Mike | ||
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| Joel Axenroth |
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| Registered Member #4579 Joined: Wed Feb 18 2015, 01:58amPosts: 15 | They are a little over 1 1/4" by about 1/8" square at the small end my worry with the dremel is taking too much off. They only take a minute or so each anyway I'm just slow | ||
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| Joel Axenroth |
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| Registered Member #4579 Joined: Wed Feb 18 2015, 01:58amPosts: 15 | Sorry been working on a 1:8 Hale rocket launcher and rockets and all the parts for the rockets came in got kind of side tracked. I will try for an update this weekend [ Edited Sun Apr 26 2015, 02:14pm ] | ||
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