Cannon Ball pattern
Cannonball paattern
Sitting on a wooden sabot
Name/Title
Cannon Ball patternEntry/Object ID
L2026.1Description
Wooden pattern for making iron cannonballs in the 18th and 19th century. This pattern would have been used for solid shot.Use
A wooden sphere served as a pattern for making iron cannon balls. The pattern was pressed int a two part box filled with sand or clay. The wood was removed and molten iron was poured into the mold through a sprue or feeder. After cooling, the mold was broken apart and the rough cannon ball removed. Excess iron such as the sprue and the seam where the two halves met were filed off. Some balls might be reheated and hammered to improve the smoothness and shape of the ball. A caliper or ring gage would be used to test the ball and make sure it was within the necessary tolerance for the cannon's bore. The finished ball was often coated with black paint to prevent rust.Collection
Revolutionary WarCategory
Lititz History, Revolutionary War