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My wife let me bring home a mortar
A guy comes into the pawnshop, says he wants to sell a cannon.
I ask how big it is. He says it's in his truck, he'll go out and bring it in.  It looks like something that needs buying. I ask him what he wants for it. He says he doesn't know, what do I think it's worth? I don't have a lot of experience purchasing cannons, but have used $1/pound for buying anvils. So I offer that. He says ok, and I get my digital fish scale. Soon I am $50 poorer (but a mortar richer). I'm assuming it's a model of this.  The Dictator, used at the seige of Petersburg, VA. It weighed about 17,000 pounds more than mine. I see now how they 'aimed' the thing. The wheels and axle are eccentric. When firing, the wheels are off the wooden platform. It takes a lot of force to make it move on its base.  A stout pole in the end of the axle and moving it 180 degrees puts most of the weight on the wheels.  The pole would then be put in the holes of the wheel itself to turn the mortar. Then almost no effort is needed to move it. For elevation the same pole could be used to pry the lugs on the breech up or down, the barrel fairly evenly balanced between the trunnions.  For now it just spends time on the hearth, until the next seige operation presents itself.  Jim
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down to jap bikes that run and a dead Norton |
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02-05-2011, 02:45 PM
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I'm with Bill
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Scottsville Va
Posts: 24,186
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Some grapeshot and you are ready for the zombies.
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Electrical problems on a pick-up will do that to a guy- 1990C4S |
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02-05-2011, 02:49 PM
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Virginia Rocks!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Just outside the beltway
Posts: 8,497
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Those guys on Pawn Stars bought a mortar as well. It fired bowling balls about a mile in the desert. They paid like $5000 though.
Nice get, we need video of you firing it though.
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Rosewood 1983 911 SC Targa | Black 1990 944 S2 | White 1980 BMW R65 | Past: Crystal 1986 944 na Guards Red is for the Unoriginal
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02-05-2011, 02:53 PM
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Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
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Looks cool! I kinda expected it to too big for the hearth though.
 . Maybe try a golf ball or something.
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02-05-2011, 03:03 PM
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Used Up User
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Quote:
Ian
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'87 Carrera Cab ----- “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” A. Einstein ----- |
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02-05-2011, 03:26 PM
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the overwhelming urge of a 8 year old to blow stuff up is inspired
thanx
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"The primary contribution of government to this world is to elicit, entrench, enable, and finally to codify the most destructive aspects of the human personality." Jeffrey Tucker |
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02-05-2011, 03:31 PM
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krikey, don't give me any ideas. The bore is 1.64". How big is a golf ball?
Jim
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down to jap bikes that run and a dead Norton |
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02-05-2011, 03:38 PM
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19 years and 17k posts...
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mortar
Cool mortar. I believe that;'s a signalling mortar, used by the ship's crew to announce their arrival into port.
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Art Zasadny 1974 Porsche 911 Targa "Helga" (Sold, back home in Germany) Learning the bass guitar Driving Ford company cars now... www.ford.com |
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02-05-2011, 04:00 PM
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I'm with Bill
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Scottsville Va
Posts: 24,186
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    Just sayin'
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Electrical problems on a pick-up will do that to a guy- 1990C4S |
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02-05-2011, 04:09 PM
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Location: Lake Oswego, OR
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SWEEEEET!
Hmm. What is 1.64 diameter? Maybe you need to find yourself a friend with a lathe? Make some missle type things. Keep us posted. I like it. Larry |
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02-05-2011, 05:01 PM
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drunk and stupid
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,619
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Rick, you know the 'black powder' pic is off a weightlifting supplement of the same name right?
OP, video please. I'd probably kill myself with that! |
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02-05-2011, 06:14 PM
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Wandered off somewhere...
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A year or so ago I sold a bowling ball mortar. Would launch a 16# BB about 700 yards down range and outta sight vertically with about 4 oz of BP.
After that I built a tennis ball mortar out of high pressure SS pipe. Tennis balls need to be filled with water to keep them from blowing apart, but it will send one 300 yd down range with a small amt of BP. Fun toyz
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Mark... Porsche Boxster S 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon..Crush Orange |
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02-05-2011, 06:41 PM
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76' 911s Signature Edition |
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02-05-2011, 06:55 PM
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Senior Member
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Location: N. Phoenix AZ USA
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Tennis ball is about the right size.... we used to fill them with water and let them fly.
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2021 Subaru Legacy, 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins (the workhorse), 1992 Jaguar XJ S-3 V-12 VDP (one of only 100 examples made), 1969 Jaguar XJ (been in the family since new), 1985 911 Targa backdated to 1973 RS specs with a 3.6 shoehorned in the back, 1959 Austin Healey Sprite (former SCCA H-Prod), 1995 BMW R1100RSL, 1971 & '72 BMW R75/5 "Toaster," Ural Tourist w/sidecar, 1949 Aeronca Sedan / QB |
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02-05-2011, 07:09 PM
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Back in the saddle again
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Central TX west of Houston
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Very cool. Congrats on the interesting, fun, cheap purchase.
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Steve '08 Boxster RS60 Spyder #0099/1960 - never named a car before, but this is Charlotte. '88 targa  SOLD 2004 - gone but not forgotten
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02-05-2011, 07:46 PM
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Location: Reno, NV
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Google says a golf ball is 1.68 inches,, however I"m thinking the old british balls were a bit smaller "until 1990 it was permissable to use balls no smaller than 1.62 inches"
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"Todd" 98 Tahoe ,2007 Saturn Vue 86 930 black and stock, 80 930 blue tracdog 91 Spec Miata (yeah I race a chick car) "life"ll kill ya" Warren Zevon |
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02-05-2011, 10:00 PM
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Location: bottom left corner of the world
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Quote:
I think fill 'em with water, freeze them, then let 'em fly. I've got a few spare pounds of pistol powder that needs to get used wisely. |
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02-06-2011, 12:33 AM
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I'm with Bill
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Scottsville Va
Posts: 24,186
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Quote:
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Electrical problems on a pick-up will do that to a guy- 1990C4S |
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02-06-2011, 03:22 AM
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Quote:
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" Formerly we suffered from crime. Today we suffer from laws" (55-120) Tacitus |
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02-06-2011, 09:40 AM
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Wandered off somewhere...
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Do NOT use smokeless powder ! Not safe unless you really know what you're doing. Stick with black or a BP substitute like Triple Seven, which BTW, is a bit hotter that BP. Goex 2F Black is likely your best choice.
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Mark... Porsche Boxster S 2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon..Crush Orange |
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02-06-2011, 09:55 AM
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the stable a few years ago
2013 
1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet 3.2
MazdaSpeed3
Little Red
