Ideas for cannon ball extraction?

[beowulf]

Since the ball can move a short distance, and since the barrel has been cleaned somewhat, I am wondering if the ball is misshapen so that once it starts to fall out it turns a bit and sticks due to a wider diameter across one part of the ball. Just thinking.

 

[Richard]

Since the ball can move a short distance, and since the barrel has been cleaned somewhat, I am wondering if the ball is misshapen so that once it starts to fall out it turns a bit and sticks due to a wider diameter across one part of the ball. Just thinking.

Can't verify yet but that's totally supported by how it's acting. One would think if you had a round ball in a round bore, you could ultimately pull it out. (I had BOTH feet pushing cannon back while pulling on the drill embedded into the ball via drill bit) with both arms and NOTHING was happening.)

 

[Root Cause]

Can't verify yet but that's totally supported by how it's acting. One would think if you had a round ball in a round bore, you could ultimately pull it out. (I had BOTH feet pushing cannon back while pulling on the drill embedded into the ball via drill bit) with both arms and NOTHING was happening.)

Thanks for including us along the way. I know its a lot to ask but a video seems appropriate for posterity. Asking for a family member of yours.

 

[CalG]

I can hardly believe you have not tried "starting fluid" spayed into the touch hole and then set off .

It's a method used to seat tire beads that has worked for many years.

Start with a small squirt and see how it goes,

Sure, gunpowder will do the same, If not pressed down, it will even go "Woosh!" instead of "Bang".

 

[Richard]

Yeah, I've done more tires than I care to recall. Those large backhoe tires are a real pain in the hiney!!

I actually stood up, walked to tool chest, reached up, GRABBED my can ether...stared at it while in my hand, paused. simply decided against it and put it back. Not exactly sure of the logic of why I put it back. Maybe I can chalk it up to "that little voice in the back of my head that said to put it back"??? Can't articulate any reason.

 

[2manyrocks]

You're smarter than to blow yourself or the neighborhood up. There's a lot of force at work when they use ether to inflate tires. That kind of force behind the cannonball could send it hundreds of yards in a split second.

 

[shooterdon]

Now that you have it moving it should come out. The lead will deform.

The toggle bolt idea will work but if trying to pull it out does not work, make up a sliding hammer and repeated blows should do it. Like a T post pounder in reverse.

 

[Raul-02]

A cannon worm

AC0830 Cannon Worm

Cannon worms were iron implements shaped like double corkscrews, attached to the end of a stave and used to withdraw unfired cartridges, rags or other debris from the bore of the cannon. Outside diameter is 2". Perfect for swabbing the bore and to unload when a shot misfires. Attach to any...

www.dixiegunworks.com

 

[dodge man]

I personally think any method, like starting fluid or a powder charge is a bad idea. I think the flash hole isn’t big enough to get a decent powder charge in.

 

[Jstpssng]

Pete's sake?

He's the importer of Japanese rice wine.



Bruce

Wrong thread. Didn't you mean to post this in the "Groan" thread?

 

[airbiscuit]

Lots of interesting ideas!!!
....
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.

......

So, I've got a wood boring bit (the kind that pulls itself into the wood) Milwaukee 1/2" right angle drill and an extension that just happens to let all this work.

Hmmm...can the pointed bit 'catch' the ball? YEP! Can it drill into it and can the auger part drill into it? YEP!! Now I'm getting excited.

The ball at one point, rotated WITH the bit. So the ball was rotating in the bore. I'm feeling this is good as it's not bound. So I start pulling the bit out. I get shavings crawling up the extension then bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz and nothing, no force against the torque... it's like the bit snapped?

Nope.

Turns out the bolt that holds the chuck on, snapped so the drill was moving but the chuck wasn't.

The ball is still stuck in the bore BUT it's much closer to the exit. It's gotta be close enough that once I get this chuck fixed, I'll probably be able to finish the hole and then I'm thinking take a sawzall to weaken it up and possibly cut it into quarters or maybe half.

We'll see but tomorrow, I have to order the bolt to fix this (happens to be a left handed thread to boot)

@airbiscuit , if a breech is an opening BEHIND the ball, I think this would be called a muzzle loader (??) There's one (big) hole in/out where you load things, and a small ignition hole in the back. There are pictures on the first thread that might illustrate all this.

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The OP dances to his own music. Says he doesn't want to drill into the ball, then drills into the ball. Says the bore is crusty, but only kinda cleans it (a 2 1/2"flap wheel mounted on an extension would make that bore clean and shiny). Use any 80 weight oil to lubricate the bore or help seal the ball if pushing with air blown through the touch hole - NOPE. Several posters have made suggestions that would have gotten the job done by now, but the OP is dancing to his own music and ordering black powder.

I believe he will get it out. To paraphrase Frank Sinatra "He'll do it his way"

 

[Richard]

Several posters have made suggestions that would have gotten the job done by now

We'll just have to agree to disagree.... then again, maybe you've been stopping by to look for yourself so you know all the facts first hand....could be I suppose.

 

[bcp]

Air hose to the touch-hole.

Bruce

 

[airbiscuit]

A cannon worm was used to do the job back in the day. Civil war reenactors May be worth reaching out to.

Unless you are sure there is no powder behind the ball, this could be a risky job.

This was post #12

AC0830 Cannon Worm

Cannon worms were iron implements shaped like double corkscrews, attached to the end of a stave and used to withdraw unfired cartridges, rags or other debris from the bore of the cannon. Outside diameter is 2". Perfect for swabbing the bore and to unload when a shot misfires. Attach to any...

www.dixiegunworks.com

 

[fidowanttobe]

We used a vibrating compactor on a half sheet of plywood setting on 4 old tires to vibrate very compacted mud from a chain from a rockrake. Looong story but it worked.
Seeing that process I would try it on that cannon nose down with a clean barrel.

 

[Carl_NH]

Since you have a 2.2" bore why not use a 2" hole saw to reduce the outside diameter of the ball? Since it's lead it should remove pretty easily and not hurt the barrel of the cannon.