Ideas for cannon ball extraction?

[Slowpoke Slim]

Ok,

As a black powder gun enthusiast, I can tell you that you absolutely DO NOT want to put ether in that breech and try to touch it off.

Good God.

Black powder is a low pressure combustion. Ether is not. Most of the black powder era guns that were destroyed by firing modern smokeless powders in them were killed because 1) the overall pressure of the charge was too great, and 2) the pressure came on much too suddenly for those old iron, steel and brass frames. The "pressure vessel" of your cannon chamber would never stand the ignition of a fast acting fuel source (like ether).

There is a very good chance that there is indeed a charge of powder behind that ball. The reason I say so is because anyone who knows even a little bit about muzzle loading guns knows you never seat a ball on an empty chamber, because as you see yourself, they are a bear to get out. The "cool" thing about black powder is that as long as it's dry, it will still go off after a century of sitting. Even if you get black powder wet, all you have to do is spread it out (like on a blanket or a workbench) and let it air and sun dry fully, and it's ready to go again.

I would approach this problem from the mindset that there IS A POWDER CHARGE in that cannon. Until such time as the ball is out, and you can visually prove/disprove it with your own eyes. So that means NO HEAT. At least not more than say direct sunlight shining on the cannon casing. NO torches, or flames or any other such things.

I like the idea of compressed air, or compressed water and air. You could try to inject some oil into the chamber side, then stand the cannon on it's muzzle so the oil seeps around the circumference of the ball where it's touching the barrel, and then try a shot of compressed air with the cannon still pointing down. If the cannon ball shifted downwards (at least once), then it should shift towards the muzzle as well. Can repeat this part several times to get the ball to move all the way out.

And I agree you should do your best to clean the inner surface of the barrel first. Make it easier to get the ball out once it starts moving.

 

[npalen]

Someone may have already suggested this but how about injecting expanding insulation foam behind the ball?

 

[etpm]

After you clean the bore as well as you can how about raising the canon so the muzzle is pointing down and then directing the water from a pressure washer into the hole? Please make sure that you are not in the way of any back blast. I have a 90 degree tip for my pressure washer and I have seen 45 degree ones too. These would help to keep someone out of the way of any back blast. Anyway, water will have a much harder time leaking past the ball than air and the water from a pressure washer is at a much higher pressure than the typical air compressor so the high pressure water just might do the trick.
Good Luck,
Eric

 

[CalG]

After you clean the bore as well as you can how about raising the canon so the muzzle is pointing down and then directing the water from a pressure washer into the hole? Please make sure that you are not in the way of any back blast. I have a 90 degree tip for my pressure washer and I have seen 45 degree ones too. These would help to keep someone out of the way of any back blast. Anyway, water will have a much harder time leaking past the ball than air and the water from a pressure washer is at a much higher pressure than the typical air compressor so the high pressure water just might do the trick.
Good Luck,
Eric

I wouldn't even use a pressure washer.

Town water is 45-65 psi.
Over the bore area , that's a butt load of force. ;-)

Plus, water would quell concerns over powder, and at garden hose pressure, no one is at risk of spray

Plus, if the ball moves , the "pressure" will drop rapidly, limiting any violent expulsion.
Add to the that the flushing action if the ball is just wedged with grit.
All that is required is an open touch hole and perhaps a rubber hose and stopper of some sort to adapt a garden hose fitting to a touch hole.

You might ask at the local harware store if they have them in stock or to order. Just to see the look on the store clerks face.

 

[airbiscuit]

Wrap some scotch brite around a piece of closet hanging dowel to clean the barrel as much as possible

Pour some 80 weight gear oil down the barrel and let it soak past the ball. The oil will help seal between the ball and barrel. Then use air again but be careful that ball may come out in a hurry even with only a few psi of air.

Grease gun, gravity. Done

Both ideas are good. They lubricate as well as seal. The grease gun approach basically turns the barrel and the cannon ball into a hydraulic ram. They use the same principle to tension the tracks on an excavator or a dozer. That should be enough force to dislodge a cannon ball! See 1:40

 

[4570Man]

Both ideas are good. They lubricate as well as seal. The grease gun approach basically turns the barrel and the cannon ball into a hydraulic ram. They use the same principle to tension the tracks on an excavator or a dozer. That should be enough force to dislodge a cannon ball! See 1:40

The grease gun would easily have enough power to push it out if you could seal the gun to the fuse hole. Assuming an air compressor lacked the power I’d probably try a pressure washer next since grease is expensive and it would take a lot to fill the whole cannon.

 

[airbiscuit]

Start with grease. If it doesn't drop out, end with air. Grease (or 80 weight oil) seals and lubricates.

 

[npalen]

Robot or human?

And then there's this.

 

[airbiscuit]

 

[MossRoad]

I'd try a gallo gun. We use this at my employer to clear clogged condensate drain lines. Simple. Blows a blast of CO2 down the line.

If you have a plumber or air conditioner friend, they should have one.

Worth a try.

Amazon.com

 

[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 !!!