Toy cannon mould?

**4V50 Gary** · June 18, 2022, 06:53 PM

Check out the images at this THR link:

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...#post-12329643

**4V50 Gary** · June 20, 2022, 09:03 AM

I shared the images with the NMLRA and asked that they send them to Dr. Terry Leeper of WKU. He taught us sand casting (buttplates/trigger guards) and is more knowledgeable on castings.

**4V50 Gary** · June 22, 2022, 07:31 AM

Response

Quote:

Overall this looks like a cannon casting pattern. Can’t tell if I am looking at an I beam or two pieces of matched channel iron with 1/2 a cannon pattern on each channel. The 4 holes in the iron piece is for locator pins to keep it properly alligned. Cannons have to be cast in the vertical format to avoid shrinkage issues along the surface of the cannon.

ballardw · June 23, 2022, 12:34 PM

I'm not sure I follow the reason for this thread or the other.
A question on why a two-part mould? Making a functional BP toy cannon?

**4V50 Gary** · June 24, 2022, 03:55 PM

I dunno why two piece. I know when you sandcast you have an upper and lower form, but the same could have been done with a solid form and not a mould like what was pictured. Fill each box with sand, tamp down, push form down, then put top box and fill sand down on it and push to pack. Separate top & bottom and then draw your vent holes and pour hole. Join the two halves together pour. When you break up the sand, you will get a one piece toy cannon barrel.

BobCat45 · June 24, 2022, 05:07 PM

This is just speculation based on the small amount of sand casting I did many years ago.

The fact that this has locating pins suggests that it was meant to be put on the bench, the drag (normally the bottom half of the casting flask/form) put over it, sand put in and rammed, the excess sand scraped off and the whole assembly inverted on the bench.

The the cope (top half) would be put on, sand rammed, sprue and riser cut, and then the cope lifted carefully off, the pictured artifact (both halves of the cannon, facing away from each other) lifted carefully out of the drag, cope and drag reassembled and the casting poured.

The locating pins would keep it all in alignment so the top and bottom would line up and keep the casting lined up - not sure what word to use, symmetrical is not quite right here.

Just a thought but it makes me want to get back to melting metal and making things.

June 18, 2022, 06:53 PM	#1
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	Toy cannon mould? Check out the images at this THR link: https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...#post-12329643 __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

June 20, 2022, 09:03 AM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	I shared the images with the NMLRA and asked that they send them to Dr. Terry Leeper of WKU. He taught us sand casting (buttplates/trigger guards) and is more knowledgeable on castings. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

June 23, 2022, 12:34 PM	#4
ballardw Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 1,411	I'm not sure I follow the reason for this thread or the other. A question on why a two-part mould? Making a functional BP toy cannon? __________________ -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ All data is flawed, some just less so.

June 24, 2022, 03:55 PM	#5
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,831	I dunno why two piece. I know when you sandcast you have an upper and lower form, but the same could have been done with a solid form and not a mould like what was pictured. Fill each box with sand, tamp down, push form down, then put top box and fill sand down on it and push to pack. Separate top & bottom and then draw your vent holes and pour hole. Join the two halves together pour. When you break up the sand, you will get a one piece toy cannon barrel. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

June 24, 2022, 05:07 PM	#6
BobCat45 Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Location: East Bernard, TX Posts: 523	This is just speculation based on the small amount of sand casting I did many years ago. The fact that this has locating pins suggests that it was meant to be put on the bench, the drag (normally the bottom half of the casting flask/form) put over it, sand put in and rammed, the excess sand scraped off and the whole assembly inverted on the bench. The the cope (top half) would be put on, sand rammed, sprue and riser cut, and then the cope lifted carefully off, the pictured artifact (both halves of the cannon, facing away from each other) lifted carefully out of the drag, cope and drag reassembled and the casting poured. The locating pins would keep it all in alignment so the top and bottom would line up and keep the casting lined up - not sure what word to use, symmetrical is not quite right here. Just a thought but it makes me want to get back to melting metal and making things.