I was rebuilding HMS Lion's stern guns tonight, 3 days before a battle. Why? Because the stern guns were built before I learned what I consider the most valuable advice on fast gun cannon building that I've heard. I know it's great advice, because I got it from Bob H... While I was ASLEEP. At the Brouhaha some years ago (my first Brouhaha with Lil Scharnie), Bob came to the hotel room that I was splitting with Brian Koehler. I was knocked out, so I slept thru most of Bob teaching Brian some tricks about building guns. But I learned that what I had thought of as 'normal' was not a good practice. [But I maintain the key to learning is to sleep through lectures/learning opportunities] I had been building my guns with the brass compression fittings that came with the Tees and the 90 degree elbows, etc, figureing that they came with the parts for the cannons, so they'd do the job. They do, kind of. But not as well as other things, because they're not made to stop gas flow, they're meant to stop water flow. So last night, when my guns wouldn't tweak well, and when holding one in my hand to test it solo, I could feel the gas leaking out of those fittings, I knew what was wrong. I'd made the guns before I knew better. The trick is to replace the brass bushings that come with the brass fittings with Delrin bushings. They come 3 to a pack for less than $2, and using them instead of the brass stops the leaks and makes the guns a lot more gastight, and thus makes a nice hard crack when fired. Thanks Bob! ps- some people avoid gas leaks by soldering most of their copper and brass pieces together. I don't, so that I can take the guns apart for troubleshooting. Just me being funny
Just remove the bushings, replace with plastic ones, and then I use the thicker, pink, "Pipe Thread Tape" plumbers use to seal pipes. My guns never leak... plus the tape holds well enough that I rarely need to re-tweak the guns every sortie like some do...
Nice thing about the delrin sleeve bushings is that they tend to give when tightened, which saves from crushing the tubing and still seals.
I like to solder the mag cap and the upfeed to the elbow. The connetions to the T I use the plastic comp fittings. Not only can you take them apart to trouble shoot, but you can turn your guns and mags to fit them into the ship. I don't know how you can sleep through gun tweaking, with bbs flying around the room. You're welcome.
I solder at the elbow. Both parts that attach to the T (The upfeed and mag) get the little plastic compression thing.
