Logbook for Cannon Project

3/97

Decided to do a cannon for class project. Looked on the Internet and in Encarta for ideas and pictures. I found some information and pictures on the Internet at these sources:

…….http://poco.mountain.net:80/vcamp/cannon.htm

…….http://www.web-card.com/cannonsmith/canpic3.htm

…….http://www.enterprise…ervillage/canon_us.htm

…….http://www.valu-line.com/`vansyoc/napoleon.html

3/97

Decided to go with the style of cannon shown at:

http://www.web-card.com/cannonsmith/canpic3.htm. This type of cannon is called a the Napoleon Model 1857. The type of model I plan to make is just a rough model of the basic shape of the cannon. There will be 5 to 6 parts built roughly to scale based on the pictures found at the source listed above. Took rough measurements of cannon from pictures and made sketches.

3/97

Took measurements on sketches and made autocad drawings. Decided that the wheels would be very hard to make and may need to find some wheels on a toy or by them from a hobby shop.

3/12?/97

Drawing were reviewed by Professor Hugh Jack and notes were made about concerns and questions. Revised drawings to correct for problems pointed out in notes and cleaned drawings up. Changes made included increasing the material above the dowel which locates the cannon barrel to the frame. Also changed diameter of cannon from 0.60" to 0.625" because of available end mills at work.

4/5/97

Worked on frame for 3.5 hours at work. Had one problem when the 1/8" drill bit broke when I was drilling the hole for the dowel that holds the barrel of the cannon to the frame. The drill bit broke because I did not back out of the hole soon enough to clear the flutes on the drill bit. The flutes became plugged and the drill bit locked up against the wall of the hole. I was able to drill from the other side and pound out the broken drill bit. This took an extra half and hour before I was able to ream the hole with a .1876 reamer. I also found some mistakes in the process plan which made the machining of the frame more difficult. One of the mistakes was having the groove for the barrel to nest in machined last. The main reason for this was due the fact that I did not have the cannon made and wanted to wait in case I decided to change the design of the cannon barrel. The problem with waiting was that there was no square edges to clamp against to hold the frame while the mill end entered the work. The solution was to make two blocks with the same angle as the edges of the frame so that the frame could be clamped in the vice tightly. I plan to finish the blocks and the groove next week when I am done with the cannon barrel.

4/7/97

Worked on polishing the frame and made the axle at work. The polishing was done with a polishing wheel that could be mounted to a drill. The polishing wheel was made by 3M. I could not finding any part number or description of the polishing wheel on the wheel itself. Polishing the frame and making the axle took 1 hour.

4/11/97

Called several hobby shops to try and find some plastic or wooden wheels that have a style that is close to the kind in the pictures. Was not able to find any wheels at any of the hobby shops listed in Grand Rapids or Holland.

4/16/97

Made the cannon barrel at the shop in the Eberhard building in Grand Rapids. Took 2.5 hours and part of that time was spent learning how to use the lathe and getting and idea of how to cut the profiles I want. Finished the barrel with no problems.

I asked several guys in class if they knew where to find wheels that would work for the cannons that we were making. One of them said that Wood Supply in Grand Rapids has the wheels that would work for the cannons. Wood Supply did have what I wanted. They are on 29th St between Brenton and _______.

4/17/97

I made the blocks to clamp the frame in the vice and cut the groove. I polished out the nicks due to the clamping blocks and polished the barrel as well. I assembled the cannon and everything fit together well.