Ideas for cannon ball extraction?

[Richard]

I normally don't really worry about outcomes for posters with problems but you REALLY need to report back how you got this out. It is an interesting problem to have.

The difference is, this isn't a problem......it's a challenge!

 

[Richard]

Lots of interesting ideas!!!

One thing about using grease or water sprayer or anything through the ignition hole is that the hole is only about 1/8" wide so aiming & holding things there present a bit of an issue. (if I take my grease gun, put it "on" the hole, the grease is only going to smear around and not really PUSH inside the hole).....or at least, that's the way I see it. Perhaps there are needle point grease fittings that allow you to inject grease (??)

Still.... I appreciate the thoughts. Rest assured....one way or another the ball WILL be out at some point. It's just that my first priority is to not destroy it during process if at all possible. If not, then the job becomes much easier because I can drill into it but, don't really want to.

 

[LouNY]

You can get a needle fitting for your grease gun;

 

[alexpops]

Wire brush the barrel bore above the ball then follow with a cylinder hone on a slow drill and an extension to get the bore smooth. Pick up a cheap AC flush kit from amazon fill with PB or WD or any other lube/solvent of choice to run through the touch hole until you get the ball into the clean barrel area. With the barrel tipped down over a bucket, you should be able to recover the solvent & reuse as necessary. Once you clear the ball, finish brushing/honing the bore where it was blocked, then have it inspected for cracks/structural problems before firing again.

 

[shooterdon]

This thread reminds me of a saying I saw...

"Sometimes you need to ignore the good idea fairy"

Trying to salvage the cannon ball is not important IMO. But if you must...then pumping grease into the breech area is safe. I would drill and tap for a zerk fitting through the flash hole. Once the ball is out, make a suitable plug to thread into the hole made for the zerk fitting. Drill a new flash hole in the fitting before inserting and use Loctite to secure.

The hole for the zerk will be shallower than the thickness of the barrel and not compromise safety too much if you ever fire it.

 

[TheMan419]

I really have no ideas for this but I want to follow the thread as it just is a different challenge than what we usually see here. Good luck! Nice looking cannon.

 

[beowulf]

I have no solution to your problem, but I have a dumb idea (my wife says I have many of those). What about - if it is possible:

-oiling the inside as others have said
- standing it up front part down for a gravity assist
- then putting ice in the rear (if possible) to maybe shrink the ball slightly
-then using a heat gun to heat the cannon from the outside, hopefully expanding the diameter just enough to let it fall out.

I don't know enough about the how temperature would affect the different metals in your situation, but I have used heat at times to loosen things.

 

[jpolcyn]

Rig up a grease zerk to the fuse hole and continue to pump grease into it. A Milwaukee m18 grease gun is good up to 10,000psi I'm sure that ball will come out.

Only downside is it could be a lot of grease you have to use.

 

[lpakiz]

I also encourage the cannoneer to drill to proper tap size, tap the hole to pipe thread (1/4-28 fittings are available) or 1/8"NPT, then try to push it out with a grease gun. If the volume behind the ball is large, fill with water or some less expensive liquid first, then pump it out. I'd face the barrel downward, so when you get it to move, gravity would help, as would "thumping" it on its nose.
i would avoid anything that has to do with explosive force, but heat applied around the base where the ball is stuck might also help.

 

[airbiscuit]

PICTURES of the breech would help !!!