A wooden breech for an iron chamber
 

This XV century rought iron falconet chamber has already been shown here.
It is presently laying on the lower shelf of my TV set stand, so i watch it a good couple hours per day.
As time went on, i wouldn't cease thinking abut its 'naked' situation, standing by its own on a little two forked base.
So i thought i would replicate the breech section of a falconet, in a stylized manner ... made of mahogany wood.
You may find this an awkward solution, but it brings some cosiness to the lonely chamber, anyway :cool: .
Having failed the calculations to allow for reasonable space in the back of the breech, to lodge the chamber flat wedge, i decided to minimize the problem by using a cilindrical device instread ... the front section of an old muzzle loading firearm ramrod :shrug: .

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What a clever and creative solution to displaying this rare relic.
Great DIY there, it really provides 'context'.
You are becomming somewhat a specialist in the early firearms field Nando!

Hi 'Nando,

Like Gene I like your presentation a lot. It comes very near the original function and is much better than using modern iron parts. Everybody will grasp the idea that the wood sybolizes the missing iron.

I would only suggest adding one little thing for completeness: a wooden wegde or shim to open or close the rear emptiness - just as would have been the case when the chamber was placed in the original recess of the breech of the barrel for firing. :)

Best,
Michl

Thank you Gene and Michl, for your kind words.
As i said, i should have provided more room in the rear, for the proportional use of a wedge.
But i will give it a second thought and ask the carpenter to help me on a wedge solution, within the available space ... Master Michl ;) .
'Nando

The carpenter is back from holidays.
Here is the new wooden wedge, to go more accordingly with the rest of the setup.
Your suggestion worked perfectly, Michl ? :cool:

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Hi 'Nando,


In studying your images of 'my' long-time breech chamber I cannot but repeat putting the stress on how unbelievably early this tiny piece is: its slender High-Gothic general shape, reflecting the even earlier Romanic style still rounded throughout, are clear indices of a date of origin of ca. 1440! ;) :cool: :eek:

They should in no way be confounded with the much shorter, stouter but also round Early-Renaissance objects of ca. 1540, like the ones salvaged from the Mary Rose, or the 'Portuguese' sample in Marcus' collection.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17547


Best,
Michl