Lead Cannon Ball, well... it was

OK, I'll regret asking this but where on earth did you get a mold for that size ball?

O' they make em.
They usually don't use lead for casting them though. Most of the guys I've heard talking on the forums about them use zinc.

Well I don't know where you live but I think in my after life I might consider moving there.
Cannons, three pound lead balls, rocky cliffs sounds like fun.
BTW how goes the black powder manufacture, at the cannon rate of consumnation one would need deep pockets otherwise.

Me want.

*sigh* I knew I would regret asking, very nice set up save for my discovering still another man that steals innocent cast iron skillets to melt lead in.

Added thought: My uncle used to build "Gatling Guns" which in it's day was considered a cannon that threw it's grape shot one ball at a time. On the one occasion a neighbor called the sheriff about his test firing the dispatcher told them to call back when he had run out of ammunition.

CANNONMAN said:

I called the the cops and asked them if I could shoot my cannon at my house.

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You must really hate your house!

So now!

We know where all the scrap bullet casting lead went!

You got it all!

rc

alienbogey, that's what I thought too.
Good luck filing that one on your homeowners insurance.

CANNONMAN said:

Ya know... You guys would be a lot of fun to shoot cannons with... at my house or a bit down range might be better. Yep, it goes through the BP. I saw a roller system pic on the front page of Moderator's list of excellent topics. I am in the land of "Swamp Coolers" and these parts are readily available at any hardware store around here. I acquired a good and ample supply of Willow and have made my first batch of charcoal. It may sadden Officer's Wife that I created the charcoal in my "Primo" smoker. [liken to a green egg smoker, just costs more.] I have a thread about building a roller ball mill and now I think I've got the design in mind. @6oz a wack it does add up. Forgot the pic of the 1/2" steel plate. Hope to remember that soon. Thanks for making my day. I think I'll call my insurance agent and share your thoughts with him

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*sigh* is there no appliance safe from the heavy hands and light fingers of an OMB on the prowl?

If you have good good "building" dry willow all you need is a 55 barrel. Drill or cut a 1" hole 120 degrees apart in the middle of each "band." Fill the drum with willow then with the top open light the willow at the bottom using a propane torch in the previously cut holes. when the willow near the bottom holes glow red plug the holes with clay. When you see a red glow in the middle band plug those holes with clay or sticky mud and the same with the top bands then last cover the top with a barrel lid or a piece of roof tin with a nice big (10 kilo) rock on top.

If you discard the fines this method yields large batch sizes of pyrotechnic quality charcoal at the cost of the barrel which in this area is about five dollars and leave the expensive smoker to... well, smoke meat as it was intended. Five gallon buckets with tops can be used to store the excess, they are usually readily available at any custom ag spraying business for the old "I can't help if they get in the back of your truck when I'm not looking" invoice. Or in a pinch, the plastic buckets some kitty litter is sold in.

Item last: the atrocities committed by the average OMB do not sadden me per se as much as the use of expensive items when with a little imagination cheaper techniques can be developed.