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Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:11 am
by R Cubed
Great work I presume you did not get a barrel with the other bits. But I really do like that barrel mmmmmmm.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:26 am
by cmpman
Nope, no barrel. Kind of expected when you are working with junkyard parts. I was out to the yard again yesterday and found some more bits and pieces of accessories. Found a storage case for the panoramic telescope, and the ends for the cleaning rods. I also picked up another Leopard barrel.....we are going to spin another one with some improvements.

The permanent snow held off this season until yesterday afternoon. This is about the latest I have ever been out to the salvage yard and not need snowshoes. Made for a slippery drive back with a metric tonne of barrel on the trailer.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 7:13 pm
by cmpman
Managed to get a couple more days on the gun during Christmas season. The lower bushing for the top carriage showed up but I had to make the upper bushing. I initially hammered them into the bracket, but could not get the upper to fully seat, so off to the press where I should have done them in the first place. Forty tons of pressure makes short work of the installation.
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Despite turning both bearings on my lathe to allow 3 thou of free-play onto the main pin, once they were installed into the bracket, the pin would not go through. Some careful honing soon had them go in very smoothly and without any slop.
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With the top carriage in place I was able to install the traverse mechanism and it's brackets. I am still missing the caps for the center bushings on the mechanism body...I may have to make those up as I have been unsuccessful in finding any. Things are a hodgepodge of finishes right now, ranging from primer to POR15 black, to bare metal. Although we are having one of the most mild winters that I can remember, it is still way too cold to paint.
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A recent trip to the salvage yard found the panoramic telescope case along with what I had hoped were cleaning rod ends. Turns out the ends are for a 155, so are no good to me. Like my daughter used to say when she was 3: "I don't get nothing".
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Here is the blasted and painted panoramic telescope case. I still have to find some O-ring material to use for the lid seal, replace one latch, and glue in some webbing onto the internal mount. Hardest thing of all though seems to be to figure out how to fit in the panoramic sight. Canada uses the C1 panoramic sight. I am not sure how much that differs (if any) from the US M12A7S sight.
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I also lucked into a half dozen 9.00X20 non-directional tires in very good shape which will replace the oversize 11.00X20 tires that are on the carriage now. I thought I would have to bring these up from the US, but it turned out there were some just 100 miles from me. I traded an old M104 trailer for them.
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The next job waiting will be the equilibrator assembly, and maybe the sandblasting of the arcs. At this point I am not sure my arcs are a matched set so once they are blasted and I can read the set numbers, I may be heading out to the salvage yard to mix and match with the remaining arcs.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2011 11:35 pm
by tankbarrell
Would those cleaning rod ends be available?

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:52 am
by cmpman
The ends are already promised to someone. I'll keep an eye out for more in the spring, they will be out in that yard somewhere.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:56 am
by tankbarrell
Ok, thanks.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:40 pm
by dwing
How does the finish of the final coat of paint look that is over POR15 versus the finish of the paint that is over normal primer?

I have seen the POR15, but never used it.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:59 pm
by cmpman
dwing wrote:How does the finish of the final coat of paint look that is over POR15 versus the finish of the paint that is over normal primer?

I have seen the POR15, but never used it.
I can't answer that yet, as this is the first time I have used it. I recently changed the frame on the wife's 75 Stingray vette, and after sandblasting the frame, coated it with this product. It seems as tough as nails. I used some leftover POR15 on the upper carriage because I had sandblasted it but did not have time to paint it before the cold set in. I didn't want it to rust over winter, and as well I have been considering using it on more of my restorations. It really does seem to seal the metal underneath it, and it takes a lot to scratch it. At least this way, if there is a blemish on the gun, it will result in the black showing up rather than the rust of bare metal.

I suspect that the finish will be a bit smoother as the POR15 tends to fill in a lot of the casting pores.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 6:53 pm
by Travis in Tally
Next time at the scrap yard see if yoi can find any extra traverse or elevation hand wheels (cranks).

Great project you got there. Man what a dream just run out to scrap yard and build some arty. Crazy

Wish you the best

Travis

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 7:10 pm
by cmpman
Well, I had hoped to start on the equilibrator assembly, but I realize I will be needing some bearings for the ends and as well, I am going to have to blast and paint the components before assembling. So I decided to assemble the shields and install the cradle. None of these parts are prepped for installation, but it will give me a chance to straighten out some of the bent parts, and make some of the smaller items that are damaged like the hinge pins or special nuts and bolts.

I had heard that it occasionally happened where the guys would roll a gun and tow it for a bit before they realized. The right is a little bent, but the left brackets and shield are worse.
Here is the left shield, and you can see that it is not exactly at 90° angles.
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Work with the press was slow. The armour plate has a memory to it.
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Here you can see the bend on the left forward shield bracket. I will have to heat this and gently straighten it.
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There was a little interference with the larger tires.
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In later Cdn service, the shields were cut to allow clearance for this size, but I am restoring this gun to approx the 1970 time period, so I had to do some quick tire changing over to the 9X20s.
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Here is a quick shot of the front with the shields temporarily in place.
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A side shot of the carriage waiting for the cradle.
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I had to wait for the snow to melt off the cradle before installing it.
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I initially tried to install the cradle with one arc left on, but that proved to be impossible. Best bet is to remove both arcs.
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The recoil mech went on without any problem.
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Time for the barrel. It requires the sling be moved once the barrel is most of the way in, and be repositioned further up. All in all it went on well.
One thing I will never regret is buying a North American made crane. At the auction I got it from, I had my choice between an OTC 2 ton model or this 3 ton model. I went with the 3 ton and have never regretted it. I could not imagine doing this job with one of those Chinese made cherry pickers.
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Once a few of the threads are showing, the nut will easily suck the barrel in.
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While it is starting to look like a gun, pretty much all the pieces I installed this weekend will have to come off again in the spring.
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Here is a last shot from the receiving end.
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Still lots of small jobs to do yet, and the main shield brackets are going to have to get straightened, which may require me break all the welds on them and straighten them before rewelding. But at least the parts will be properly fitted and ready for sandblasting in the spring.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 8:06 am
by geargrinder
Thanks for posting more pictures of the progress
on your 105.
Hopefully the mild winter weather continues so
you can collect more parts.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:12 pm
by bigbadwolff
Awesome! I've been wanting to build a replica to go with my M10 ammo traile but never realized there were so many parts! thanks for taking your time to post such in depth photos and info on this superb restoration!

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:16 pm
by MAVERICK
Blimey, you dont hang about do you, your have that finished in no time, great work :D




cmpman wrote:Well, I had hoped to start on the recouperator assembly, but I realize I will be needing some bearings for the ends and as well, I am going to have to blast and paint the components before assembling. So I decided to assemble the shields and install the cradle. None of these parts are prepped for installation, but it will give me a chance to straighten out some of the bent parts, and make some of the smaller items that are damaged like the hinge pins or special nuts and bolts.

I had heard that it occasionally happened where the guys would roll a gun and tow it for a bit before they realized. The right is a little bent, but the left brackets and shield are worse.
Here is the left shield, and you can see that it is not exactly at 90° angles.
Image
Work with the press was slow. The armour plate has a memory to it.
Image
Here you can see the bend on the left forward shield bracket. I will have to heat this and gently straighten it.
Image
There was a little interference with the larger tires.
Image
In later Cdn service, the shields were cut to allow clearance for this size, but I am restoring this gun to approx the 1970 time period, so I had to do some quick tire changing over to the 9X20s.
Image
Here is a quick shot of the front with the shields temporarily in place.
Image
A side shot of the carriage waiting for the cradle.
Image
I had to wait for the snow to melt off the cradle before installing it.
Image
I initially tried to install the cradle with one arc left on, but that proved to be impossible. Best bet is to remove both arcs.
Image
The recoil mech went on without any problem.
Image
Time for the barrel. It requires the sling be moved once the barrel is most of the way in, and be repositioned further up. All in all it went on well.
One thing I will never regret is buying a North American made crane. At the auction I got it from, I had my choice between an OTC 2 ton model or this 3 ton model. I went with the 3 ton and have never regretted it. I could not imagine doing this job with one of those Chinese made cherry pickers.
Image
Once a few of the threads are showing, the nut will easily suck the barrel in.
Image
While it is starting to look like a gun, pretty much all the pieces I installed this weekend will have to come off again in the spring.
Image
Here is a last shot from the receiving end.
Image
Still lots of small jobs to do yet, and the main shield brackets are going to have to get straightened, which may require me break all the welds on them and straighten them before rewelding. But at least the parts will be properly fitted and ready for sandblasting in the spring.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 6:57 pm
by cmpman
MAVERICK wrote:Blimey, you dont hang about do you, your have that finished in no time, great work :D
As I mentioned, everything that I put onto it this past weekend has to come back off once sandblast season starts. With the record highs we have been having these days, hopefully that will come sooner than later. Still plenty of time for the weather to turn yet mind you. But when you live in hell, things can only get better. And trust me, Manitoba in the winter is a special kind of hell. The base I am by, (Shilo) used to be used for arctic testing of the vehicles......Fort Churchill (up in Northern Manitoba) was also used by both the Canadian and the US military for arctic testing back in the day.

I brought in the recouperator bit into the shop today so I'll get a start on that. As well, I am still on the hunt for the M4A1 quadrant, the M21A1 and the M23 mounts along with a breech ring and a breech block. And of course, a fair list of the little pieces.

I missed out on a M21A1 telescope mount on ebay the other week. I wanted it bad, but 2 other bidders wanted it even worse. In the end it went for $1 less than it's buy it now price of $1500.

Re: Canadian C1 105mm Howitzer

Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:40 am
by R Cubed
Thats alot of money for a mount ..... Luckily I have got one on my gun but the level bubbles and adjusting knobs are all smashed up... I am hoping to get the shafts out and repair them at some point.

Did you know there is a Tech manual for the disassembly of the M21A1mount TM9-6103