Author Topic: My brand new MORTAR (Read 2152 times)

Blaster · « **on:** March 18, 2006, 02:41:59 PM »

Received my new mortar tube made by Powder Keg (Wes) just about two months ago and have been looking for a nice mortar bed/platform. Since I am not handy at all in wood working, I decided to try getting a CAST IRON platform from South Bend Replicas (listed in our suppliers list). Just received the platform yesterday and today I anchored the tube on to it. I believe it'll work out just great. Here are three pictures of the set up. Note the trunion is need of some serious trimming and I'll have a machine shop do that for me. I have placed an mty powder can in the pictures for scale to make certain that I don't upset ole DD cause I don't want him to sling one of those Zulu spears in my direction.

Tropico · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2006, 03:31:18 PM »

Blaster it looks awesome !! I never thought about a steel carriage it looks just buffed. I hate to toss an opinion.,sometimes people can get iritated by it..., but....., If it was me ? I would not cut Wes's Mortar.,its to scale..., I would simply unbolt the pieces and remove the two center peices of steel., and spread the sides to fit the mortars width.,then have the local machine shop duplicate the two pieces of steel in the center. Thus spreading the carriage to fit the mortar ., and infact your mortar will be more stable for your effort. Actually the Mortar is 4 1/2 wide and the trunnion at 71/2 " If your steel is 3/4 " you could get your center plates at 6" . Dont hit me., its just a thought.,but I think a good one.

Double D · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2006, 06:05:54 PM »

Looks great. I'm with Tropico on the inserts. Make it a hair wider.

As far as powder cans go I couldn't care one wit if you have powder cans in your picture. On the other hand if you leave the the cans out Blaster Bob is gonna jump all over you.

It's going to take a lot more than that to get an assegai from me...If I can find one for myself.

Powder keg · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2006, 03:04:24 AM »

Great looking carriage Bob! I would widen it also. I guess it is bolted togather, and not a solid casting? I have seen castings that looked assembled and they were cast solid, that is why I ask. How bout some pictures with some smok?

Blaster · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2006, 03:10:53 AM »

Quote from: Tropico

Blaster it looks awesome !! I never thought about a steel carriage it looks just buffed. I hate to toss an opinion.,sometimes people can get iritated by it..., but....., If it was me ? I would not cut Wes's Mortar.,its to scale..., I would simply unbolt the pieces and remove the two center peices of steel., and spread the sides to fit the mortars width.,then have the local machine shop duplicate the two pieces of steel in the center. Thus spreading the carriage to fit the mortar ., and infact your mortar will be more stable for your effort. Actually the Mortar is 4 1/2 wide and the trunnion at 71/2 " If your steel is 3/4 " you could get your center plates at 6" . Dont hit me., its just a thought.,but I think a good one.

Well Tropico, thanks for that suggestion. Originally, I had looked into my local machine shop fabricating the entire platform out of 3/4 steel plate using another platform that I have for the pattern. I had originally measured the cross pieces to be cut at 6" and you are correct, that'd just be right for the trunion. I will see if the shop can duplicate what I have only make it the extra length. Doesn't look like much of a job - to me. AND, I am ALWAYS open to suggestions. Thank you Captn. Tropico.. Blaster

Blaster · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2006, 03:17:32 AM »

Quote from: Double D

Looks great. I'm with Tropico on the inserts. Make it a hair wider.

As far as powder cans go I couldn't care one wit if you have powder cans in your picture. On the other hand if you leave the the cans out Blaster Bob is gonna jump all over you.

It's going to take a lot more than that to get an assegai from me...If I can find one for myself.

Thanks DD. Nope, there's nothing you can say that'll get me to omit the powder cans in MY pix. Perhaps I should carry an extra mty can around with me anytime I have my camera handy - just in case.

Blaster · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2006, 03:25:46 AM »

Quote from: Powder keg

Great looking carriage Bob! I would widen it also. I guess it is bolted togather, and not a solid casting? I have seen castings that looked assembled and they were cast solid, that is why I ask. How bout some pictures with some smok?

Yeah Wes, it's bolted together which will make it a "piece of cake" to disassemble and get the two platform cross pieces to the machine shop to do their thing. You did an excellent job on that mortar tube and I'm planning on doing more biz with you in the near future. When the machine shop does fabricate the new pieces, I'm hoping to get a much thicker elevation screw for it, with a much more coarse thread, which I think would improve it's looks and won't take so many turns to increase/decrease the elevation. Perhaps like a screw out of a vehicle scissors jack. :-)

accuratemike · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2006, 04:25:29 AM »

Try this link for a 1"-5 acme screw & nut for $9
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?UID=2006031909165319&item=1-1746&catname=
I've been looking at them for the same application. Good looking mortar, MIKE

Blaster · « **Reply #8 on:** March 19, 2006, 11:34:26 AM »

Mike, thanks for the compliment and the suggestion. I have also thought of merely disassembling a large old C-clamp. Guess it'd also work. Bob :grin:

Will Bison · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2006, 12:39:21 PM »

Hey Bob, nice looking little shooter. That cast iron frame should hold up well under recoil.

Now if the snow would just stop..............

Bill

GGaskill · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2006, 01:05:52 PM »

Enco is another source for Acme threaded rod and nuts. This page is their listing for 3/4-6 but they have a bunch of other sizes.

Tropico · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2006, 01:12:25 PM »

I am but a small and humble pirate Blaster.,however being such I have had to make do with what we had...,I too used a C-Clamp.

If I myself were into this carriage I would probably have the machine shop weld a piece of pipe no more than 1/16 bigger diameter than the thread diameter to the bottom of the steel that it is passing thru.,perhaps about 3/4" long....,this would give me less "Wobble" in my elevator. I used the top of the C-Clamp because it has a swivel head that can seat against the mortar at almost any up or down elevation it would be in. I would line up the mortar and outside plate of the carriage so the screw appeared to connect "Squarely and Straight into the mortar" ., drill the hole at that angle., then weld the pipe underneath.

I drilled 4 holes into the cut off piece of C-Clamp., and then used a 1/4"X 20 thread tap and picked up 4 1/4" X 20 Stainless steel bolts. and cut them so they would not interfere with my elevator screw., then cut the bolt heads off. and simply set the finished elevator screw assembly into the mortar sled and pipe. Also a piece of Leather contact cement glued onto the swivel head will not mar the mortar.

I have never done this before until now.,I am just now finished with mine.,But I am real happy with it....., (ducking for cover).

Cat Whisperer · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2006, 04:43:21 PM »

Here's another yard-sale source for the acme threaded parts ($2.95 on this one) if y'all can't afford a large c-clamp.

Tropico - Good job on yours, thanks for the pictures!

Blaster · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2006, 02:21:54 PM »

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions for the changes on my mortar base.
I have decided to merely use an old C-clamp that I have had for many years and had little use for. I'll just go the Tropico route and I believe that'll work out just fine. The machine shop is making my 6" horizontal blocks for the sled base and are going to make em out of aluminum which should save time in milling out the channel for the cross bolts. Soon as it warms up some, I'll start on the C-clamp elevation screw. Thanks again folks. Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

GGaskill · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2006, 02:36:03 PM »

... milling out the channel for the cross bolts.

Milling? I would drill holes through for the bolts.

Blaster · « **Reply #15 on:** March 20, 2006, 05:42:02 PM »

Quote from: GGaskill

... milling out the channel for the cross bolts.

Milling? I would drill holes through for the bolts.

Actually, I merely showed the folks doing the work and told them that the current pieces are 4" and I want replacements to be 6" and otherwise to be the very same. The originals were cast with a channel as if milled out - so the new ones will be too. The milled out ones will certainly be more adjustable than those if I had them drilled out. I believe it'll all work out OK. Thanks Gaskill. I sure wish I knew at least something about metalurgy and the machining processes but I don't and it's really too late to learn at age 70 (almost). :cry:
Blaster (Bob in So. CO)

Double D · « **Reply #16 on:** March 20, 2006, 06:05:59 PM »

Bob,

I would re think using the c-clamp rod unless it is fairly larger. The threaded shaft should be fairly substantial to resist the bounce of firing. Also if it is to small it will look disportionate and out of place.

Blaster · « **Reply #17 on:** March 20, 2006, 06:47:42 PM »

Quote from: Double D

Bob,

I would re think using the c-clamp rod unless it is fairly larger. The threaded shaft should be fairly substantial to resist the bounce of firing. Also if it is to small it will look disportionate and out of place.

Doug, the elevation rod furnished by South Bend Replicas (note the one they furnished in my picture above) is just a C-clamp screw and I'd certainly use one larger than the one that they furnished. I'm thinking of perhaps a 3/8" or 1/2" diameter rod with a coarse thread. Thanks DD. Blaster (Bob in very snowy So. CO)

Double D · « **Reply #18 on:** March 20, 2006, 07:28:50 PM »

3/8 is good, 1/2 better...we can't have no wimpy elevators here!!

GGaskill · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2006, 08:50:45 PM »

I sure wish I knew at least something about metalurgy and the machining processes but I don't and it's really too late to learn at age 70 (almost).

I had one guy in my cannon making classes who was over 70. Age alone is not a barrier to learning this stuff.

If the original piece is cast iron, I think it is a groove because it could be cast in place rather than machined after the fact.

Blaster · « **Reply #20 on:** March 21, 2006, 07:30:45 AM »

[quote="GGaskill
If the original piece is cast iron, I think it is a groove because it could be cast in place rather than machined after the fact.[/quote]

Correct GGaskill, it's cast iron and was cast with a groove, I'd presume to make it much easier to install and also for the time saving effect and with the groove, it's more adjustable to make the platform sides perfectly level. My machine shop just called advising the two pieces are ready to be picked up. We'll see how it looks hopefully today. Thanks!

Blaster · « **Reply #21 on:** April 05, 2006, 02:20:06 PM »

This will be my third try to post within the last ten minutes. I have the post already to submit but when attempting to preview it, I get a message that "this page is not available".
Got my new Powder Keg mortar back from the machine shop that made the cross members to widen the platform. Here is how is looks now and you can compare it with how it looked in my first post.

bloomautomatic · « **Reply #22 on:** April 05, 2006, 05:10:38 PM »

You can also try www.mcmaster.com for Acme rod and such. They have from 1/4" to 2 1/2". I've ordered stuff online at 4pm, had it shipped the same day UPS ground and received it the next morning! Prices on most of their stuff is pretty competitive, and sometimes you can buy by the foot or 3' section.

Vince

Tropico · « **Reply #23 on:** April 05, 2006, 05:10:47 PM »

Wooooo Yeeeeaaaaaah !! Thats the one Blaster., That looks awesome !., That steel and iron is a one of a kind sled., it looks really great. Please post a few more photos for us., if you like., its really sharp yer grandkids are gonna be fightin over this one.
Rich