Ideas for cannon ball extraction?

[scaredychicken]

re the expanding foam. I don't know if it is a terrible idea ? could be ?

I was initially responding to the need to build up the air pressure to make a suction or whatever, to pop the ball forward / create movement - I was not thinking that the foam itself would move the ball. Yes it probably creates a mess, but that is in my opinion, a minor inconvenience compared to the efforts of removing the cannon ball.

until we get a successful report, who knows what will resolve this puzzle

 

[grsthegreat]

If you have ever tried to remove expanding foam, you would know. The cannon would be destroyed. It took forever to get an area ckeaned up when one accidently let go inside a job box at work.

 

[Richard]

I still don't see a picture of the ignition hole

I guess I "see" it since I know where it is but here's a top view.

 

[Richard]

Expanding foam crossed my mind too.... for about 32 nano-seconds. I didn't like the idea. I don't know much about how much pressure it would have, but I felt two things.

1. It would be a mess to clean out (though maybe a good reason to fire cannon several times!)
2. There is a flat spot on the ball, so there is a "hole" (gap between ball and bore) where the stuff would just extrude itself out.


Right now my thinking is fix drill. I don't want to use my hand-held as this was putting out some torque. I would not want to hold that back with my wrists. The right angle gives me some leverage to better hold the drill.

Make no bones about it....one way or another, it is coming out. I don't know if I'm at a choke point in the bore or, more likely, the angle of the ball is getting it wedged. I was holding front of cannon with both feet while pulling on drill trying to pull ball out. It wouldn't move forward after a certain point. I THINK, but am not sure, that the ball got bound in there but that might be when the drill chuck bolt snapped.

Probably won't get to it now until weekend as I need to order part to fix chuck.

 

[Diggin It]

Why are you resisting cleaning/scouring/honing the barrel which would likely ease, if not solve the problem? Flat spot or no, that ball should travel easily. You're working against years of gunk that's going to have to come out anyways before firing.

And not knowing the last few years of history, do you have any way to have that whole thing x-rayed or otherwise inspected for defects?

 

[newbury]

Summer heat may be your friend. Get the darn barrel CLEAN. Get some grease or lube behind the ball. Try on the hottest days, after it's sat in the sun, maybe assist it with anything you have that will throw a flame. Then when hot lift it so you CAN drop it with a serious whack on a piece of wood (so as not to damage the barrel), but start off with gentle whacks.
Videos are required!

That was post 34.

Or the "firm whack" thread . . .

I'd strap the cannon and carriage complete assembly to that dolly you have with 2" ratchet straps. Then pick up the whole package and hang it upside down. Everytime you walk past it give it a shot of PB Blaster in the ignition hole. It'll come out.

And a firm whack!

Finally - with the last half dozen or so posts - we are now giving good advice.

And they are repeating -
Since the OP likes his drill bit, has got it moving and may not be able to hang it with a pulley and drop it down on a piece of wood I would now suggest he get some holes in the ball so he can rotate it to get it out.
/edit -
Or just roll another couple of balls in and use it for a cannon ball holder.

 

[Richard]

I'm not against anything. When I've been out, I've not found what struck me as the correct tool. Granted, I have not spent a great amount of time looking as I don't have time during the week while working.

There really isn't much gunk in there now. The sides are a bit coarse yes....but I've cleaned much (all?) of the gunk out. Don't forget, I DO have a bore cleaner so it is getting anything that's loose.

Regarding X-rayed/inspected.... do I have any way of knowing that it's been done or not? Yes. I can pretty confidently say (as in 100%) it's never E.V.E.R. been done. I don't know the last few years of history, in that, is it possible that my father or his wife were doing something with it? Yeah, I have no clue. But given that I wasn't there, I can be just as 100% sure that they've done nothing with it (as in firing) for years (and years). Wouldn't surprise me that it would be 30 or more. Keep in mind, he's 92 and simply moving it is an act of effort. He lived in Bluffton SC for years, prior to that, he lived on Hilton Head for 40 years so not many places that might like a big bang in their back yard.

To be honest with you, I'm actually surprised he's gone to the effort of keeping it over the years. Nothing but dead weight to move, no real "story" behind it, not a family heirloom that his Grandfather had when in the civil/revolution/other war.... He bought it when I was a kid.

I almost wish he'd gotten rid of this and kept the 1910 Hupmobile we had stashed in the garage. I'd love to have that today.

 

[MossRoad]

...
Or just roll another couple of balls in and use it for a cannon ball holder.

 

[MossRoad]

I'm not against anything. When I've been out, I've not found what struck me as the correct tool. Granted, I have not spent a great amount of time looking as I don't have time during the week while working.

...

Have you tried turning it off and then on again?

Oh, wait, that's computers.

Never mind.


In all seriousness, I appreciate you sharing this story with us. It's really interesting. Thanks.

 

[npalen]

Yea, that’s a terrible idea. That stuff is horrible to clean up and it wouldn’t work anyway. It doesn’t make a lot of psi expanding.

Yeah, you guys are probably right. I though about cleanup also and wondered if lacquer thinner would dissolve it. What got me to thinking about expanding type foam is the stuff they inject under concrete slabs to raise and level.