White oak

[WLB]

DD
Probably the easiest way to get white oak in the sizes you want would be to find a local saw mill.  There is a small mill near our farm (Indiana) that I could check out if you aren't near one.  
Bill

[Daveinthebush]

Hickory is a little denser than white oak and stronger.  It is used for hammer and axe handles and available in 2" boards.

Up here in Alaska we use it for sled runners on freight sleds.  It is almost indestructable.  

Other considerations might be: Hard maple and black walnut.  There both in the same range of density.

[Double D]

White oak is the generally accepted wood of choice for cannon carriages. Strength, weathering, size. etc.  

What I would like to find is some place a fella could buy the wood already cut and dried.  Say like some fella from Montana where it's about 70 miles between  trees, and none of them oak.

For myself now that I am in Virginia, I am going to do just exactly what you guys suggest and a big thank you for the idea.

[Cat Whisperer]

It seams to me that one of the more difficult things to do when building a cannon or mortar is building a good base.

Is there anyone out there that would be interested in building custom bases or building kits for others to make the bases?

Should I set up something like that?  Kits might be do-able.  I have no personal interest in doing it commercially, but perhaps we could get a discussion going here on design of such a kit.  I have CAD capability and could work with anyone out there to publish here generic plans for cannon or mortar.

[LivnDream]

hello   i mite be interested in the idea i have better woodworking skills than metal
well i have woodworking tools to build the bases but no lathe to make barrels

[lance]

hey Tim[CW] you know i work in the best custom woodworking shop in the area, i'm only one step below the boss. anyway i'd be glad to talk about maybe making wood bases, lance

[GGaskill]

Are we looking for carriages as models of originals or simply carriages in the style of originals using substitute materials?  A wooden wheeled carriage is great for appearance but an immense pain to manufacture.  If something of the style of my trials carriages (see images below) is acceptable, they are pretty easy to make.



The cannon carriage is all metal except for the axle but it could have a metal axle without much trouble.  The mortar mount is fir but a long term one should be constructed from white oak with a 3/4 plywood bottom or thick aluminum.