[TheForge] In a pickle now!

[WinnonaD]

Well, the cannon project has run into a snag.

The barrel is a 660 bronze tube (4" OD 2" ID 24" long)
The barrel is to be sleeved with a steel tube (1018 2"
OD 22" long).

A machinist friend (used-to-be-friend?) told me to use
"0.001 per inch" for a press fit, (but I don't think
he considered the depth - it has to go in 22")

The steel sleeve measures 2.000", so I reamed the
bronze to 1.998" with an adjustable hand reamer (a
considerable job!)

I started running the sleeve into the bore this
morning with my 6 ton jack and a chain. The sleeve has
a very slight taper for about the first 1/2" to get it
aligned and it pressed in fairly easy for the first
couple of inches and slowly stared to tighten up. I
drove it a couple of more inches with the sledge
(first mistake!) before my stubbornness subsided and I
said to myself "This is too tight!"

Then I tried ta get the sleeve back out by driving it
with a bar from the other end. It went a ways and kept
getting tighter. Even heatin the bronze tube with the
torch wouldn't get it free. (I may have mushroomed the
end of the sleeve a bit driving it with the bar -
second mistake!)

In any event, I'm in a pickle now with the sleeve 6"
into the bronze 'n' tight as he!!

I left a message fer my friend who has a 50 ton shop
press. When I get a hold of him, I'll see if we can't
press the sleeve out.

Got a real nice memento now to - a big triangular burn
on me forearm from the hot bronze (third mistake).

Somehow my enthusiasm fer cannon-buildin's at a low
ebb right now - $400 worth of material (and a couple
of weeks work) what ain't together the way it otta be!

So, instead of getting stubborn again, I'll wait and
see if the press will do the trick - that means
staying away from temptation by staying out of the
shop!

Lawrdy I hate MONDAYS!

Calamity (bordering on calamity) Jane

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