How do you build fast gun cannons? And what type is eisest to build? By that I mean with simple tools like screwdrivers and wrenches, even a cordless drill. Also I dont quite understand the solenoids, clippards, kips, acumulaters, and how to rotate it.
Building guns is an advanced level skill. Don't think that building them will save you significant amounts on the cost of your ship. When I chose to start building guns, I started out by buying tooling that isn't required for building the rest of the ship. I recommend the following at a minimum: Small drill press ($150) a larger one will also work if you have the space for it. Dremel bit $(8) there is a specific part number that I can't remember off the top of my head. A box of SS rivets ($35) This will last the entire club many years... Small parts springs (probably a minimun of $25) Again, the minimum order will keep a club going for years. I also strongly recommend you get a air compressor that will run a minumum of 135 psi working pressure. I also have a smaller stationary sander that I find critical to clean up bits of material from wood to fiberglass to brass. ($45) 1) cut a section of brass to the correct length of your barrel. Bore out an aluminum spacer to the OD of the tube. Superglue in place and let sit for a couple of hours. 2) Using the drill press, bore out the front of a elbow fitting. Make sure you are doing the right end! Test to see that the hole will take a barrel without binding. 3) Using the drill press, bore out the bottom of a T connector so the head of the rivet will fit into it. I then solder the verticle tube into the T fitting. If this is to be a sidemount, I solder the ring from a compression fitting on the top of the verticle tube. 4) build the bottom cap. Put a small drill bit in the drill press and put two holes in an end cap. Chop two 3/4" sections of small dia brass tube, clean up the ends and stick them into the holes you drilled in the cap. Touch with flux and solder into place. 5) Put the spring and rivet into the bottom of the T fitting. Look in through the magazine opening as you screw on the bottom cap until the top of the rivet is visible. Depending on the brands, you may need to shorten the rivet. When it looks good, superglue the bottom cap in place. 6) Cut the magazine copper to length. Cut a compression union in half and soder to one end. When cool, drill a small hole and put a 3/4" brass tube in and solder again. Now use a smaller drill bit to make sure the small tube is clear and a large bit to make sure the magazine is clear. 7) Put a compression fitting nut on the magazine and solder it's ring to the other end of the magazine. I build guns this way so that it is possible to field strip then to the point you can see the interrupter spring! 8) Assemble the various parts and add the small clippard hose. Use your compressor as an air source to test the functioning of the gun. It usually takes me a couple of weeks to do a batch of guns. I wil set up for one step and spend half to and hour and a half running the batch through one stage. I rarely do batches of less than five guns at a time. Often it is more like 10 or 15 as there is a lot of changing tool setups between steps. Stuff like clippard hose, copper tubing, rivets are not findable in small qualtities.
I second that. the last time I made my own Battlers connection style cannons, the cost of the raw materials was almost the same as what BC charged. I make others but only because I have a cnc mill that makes it much easier.
I disagree, I can build 10 guns for ~$100 in materials vs buying them for $285.00 (or $28.50 per from BC). On a battleship thats a cost savings of almost $100 (for a class 6 anyway) which is pretty significant. Granted I don't pay myself for the labor involved and I have all the tools to do it but it also lets me build guns that are better than the BC cannons which is worth something, and most importantly I know what im doing. Overall its probably not something you need to be doing on your first boat(unless you have some vets around that know how to do it and can help you out) but the vast majprity of the good captians I know build thier own guns cause you get better cannons and they cost less. Also it lets you experiment and play around with different designs to find something that suits you and your boats the best.
Not mentioned here yet, this site has a few good articles on building guns with pictures. Look under weapons or ship builds.... It's not easy but it is fun and can be quite rewarding...
Do Battlersconnection cannons nee accumulaters or are they set up to where you can hook them straight up to the air tank?
