Classroom civil war cannon prop

[m14msgt]

So I am a history professor at a local college, and I teach ACW about every 2 years as part of the curriculum rotation in the history dept. I am having a all-wood cannon with a pvc barrel constructed from a master carpenter so I can teach the students how the whole cannon loading/firing process went. I want to include as many cannon implements as possible, but don't want to spend hundreds of $$ on repro rammers, buckets, etc. from such fine companies like Trail Rock, etc.

I saw somewhere that someone made a rammer using a broom stick or perhaps it was a dowel rod and a paint roller. Any ideas?

 

[UCVRelics]

I us a big dowel rod from Home Depot (get a straight one) and the small paint roller covered in fake lambs wool for the swabs and wrap leather one for the rammer. These are CS styles.

 

[RedRover]

The "rammer" for field artillery was called the "sponge" as one end was used to ram, and the other to sponge the bore. Here's what it looked like.

The sponge was sheepskin/wool. you could skin a modern wooly wash-mitt to make it. Cut a rectangle, sew the seam, and then a circular cap on the end: turn it and put on the staff, and tack or wrap with twine on the bottom to hold it. The implements and carriages were painted an olive green color.

The vent is pricked to open the cartridge by a brass vent pick. looks like this.

 

[RedRover]

This is a field artillery haversack.

Shop online or at thrift stores, and you might find a similar leather purse, satchel, or lap-top case, which could pass for your purposes...

A cannon crewman wore a smaller tube-pouch on a waist belt. It contained the "friction primers" that were inserted in the vent in preparing to fire the piece. Again, a russet belt or leather pouch of some type might be extemporized for your purposes.

here's what a friction primer looked like. You could make one with some brass wire etc.

Here's what the lanyard looks like. The hook goes in the loop of the friction primer, etc.

Here's what the water bucket, for the sponges, looked like. Perhaps a black painted paint can with some chain might work for your purposes...

 

[m14msgt]

Thanks much for the ideas

I us a big dowel rod from Home Depot (get a straight one) and the small paint roller covered in fake lambs wool for the swabs and wrap leather one for the rammer. These are CS styles.
View attachment 457194View attachment 457195View attachment 457196View attachment 457197View attachment 457198

What did you use for the black iron piece at the other end?

 

[Missouri Swampfox]

Try this site:

How To Guides

Guides on How To make all manner of things to create, develop or improve historical impressions.

www.tastesofhistory.co.uk

 

[UCVRelics]

Thanks much for the ideas

What did you use for the black iron piece at the other end?

I got the wormer from Dixie Gun Works.

AC0830 Cannon Worm

Cannon worms were iron implements shaped like double corkscrews, attached to the end of a stave and used to withdraw unfired cartridges, rags or other debris from the bore of the cannon. Outside diameter is 2". Perfect for swabbing the bore and to unload when a shot misfires. Attach to any...

www.dixiegunworks.com

 

[m14msgt]

This is a field artillery haversack.
View attachment 457216


View attachment 457211


Shop online or at thrift stores, and you might find a similar leather purse, satchel, or lap-top case, which could pass for your purposes...

View attachment 457213View attachment 457214



A cannon crewman wore a smaller tube-pouch on a waist belt. It contained the "friction primers" that were inserted in the vent in preparing to fire the piece. Again, a russet belt or leather pouch of some type might be extemporized for your purposes.
View attachment 457218

here's what a friction primer looked like. You could make one with some brass wire etc.


View attachment 457220

Here's what the lanyard looks like. The hook goes in the loop of the friction primer, etc.

View attachment 457221

Here's what the water bucket, for the sponges, looked like. Perhaps a black painted paint can with some chain might work for your purposes...
View attachment 457223


View attachment 457222

What sized dowel rod did you buy for the rammer that you put the paint roller on and how did you attach the paint roller

 

[m14msgt]

I us a big dowel rod from Home Depot (get a straight one) and the small paint roller covered in fake lambs wool for the swabs and wrap leather one for the rammer. These are CS styles.
View attachment 457194View attachment 457195View attachment 457196View attachment 457197View attachment 457198

How Long is the Dell rod supposed to be?

I us a big dowel rod from Home Depot (get a straight one) and the small paint roller covered in fake lambs wool for the swabs and wrap leather one for the rammer. These are CS styles.
View attachment 457194View attachment 457195View attachment 457196View attachment 457197View attachment 457198

How long is the Devil Rod supposed to be I found one that's 6 feet long is that too long?

 

[Story]

@m14msgt

Have some potentially useful videos for framing the effects.

 

[m14msgt]

Wonderful! Thank you!

 

[UCVRelics]

How Long is the Dell rod supposed to be?

How long is the Devil Rod supposed to be I found one that's 6 feet long is that too long?

It depends on the size of the gun tube. I would just go 4 feet.

Waddell Hardwood Round Dowel - 72 in. x 1.375 in. - Sanded and Ready for Finishing - Versatile Wooden Rod for DIY Home Projects 6425U - The Home Depot

Make your home improvement projects easier using the Waddell Hardwood Round Dowel. Provides long lasting usage and durability.

www.homedepot.com

 

[m14msgt]

It depends on the size of the gun tube. I would just go 4 feet.

Waddell Hardwood Round Dowel - 72 in. x 1.375 in. - Sanded and Ready for Finishing - Versatile Wooden Rod for DIY Home Projects 6425U - The Home Depot

Make your home improvement projects easier using the Waddell Hardwood Round Dowel. Provides long lasting usage and durability.

www.homedepot.com

What was the diameter of the actual rammer rod?

 

[UCVRelics]

What was the diameter of the actual rammer rod?

They varied by the size of the gun. What type gun tube are you using?

 

[m14msgt]

Here is the finished product. A buddy of mine made this for my ACW class.

 

[UCVRelics]

Great classroom piece.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Which manual will you be using for your "drill"?
When you asked "What did you use for the black iron piece at the other end?" (post #5), did you mean to refer to the worm?
Have you made any shells (replicating weight) or primers?
Thanks!

 

[Dan Kohli]

That looks great. Although you may want to cut down the sponge's rod a bit.

 

[m14msgt]

Which manual will you be using for your "drill"?
When you asked "What did you use for the black iron piece at the other end?" (post #5), did you mean to refer to the worm?
Have you made any shells (replicating weight) or primers?
Thanks!

Yes, the worm. I have not acquired one yet. I have some wooden solid shot I painted black to replicate solid shot so the students could practice loading. No powder bag though. It's rudimentary but gets the point across to them and they enjoy it more than staring at a Power Point slide of a cannon-crew.

 

[m14msgt]

That looks great. Although you may want to cut down the sponge's rod a bit.

Yes, rammer is too long for this piece (which is not to scale).