News

Virginia Military Institute FX 2004

Spring 2004 Timber Framing Project

Important Dates: January 30-Feb 1

February 27-29

April 2-6

For a number of years, a 42 pounder cannon (which fires a 42 lb shot) has been sitting on cribbing at the entrance to Fort Sumter. The National Park Service (NPS) would like to have the gun mounted on a proper carriage. For that reason, the NPS, the School of Building Arts (SoBA), and the Citadel have contacted the VMI cadets, under the direction of Grigg Mullen, for help in building the carriage. To that end, the VMI Cadets will be fabricating the gun carriage and lifting gin.

This project was a bit different from previous years' projects in that a large part of the wood work needed to be completed before the April 2 to 6 annual field training exercise (FTX) at VMI. Too much detailed work needed to be done in too small a space for the usual "throw 30 people at it and make the chips fly" approach to work. There was also a fair amount of metal work (wheels, elevating screw, bolts ...) to be fitted to the carriage.

After the wood fabrication was finished (in Lexington, VA) before the FTX, the pieces were carried to Charleston, SC for the April 2nd to 6th project. The time at Fort Sumter was spent assembling the carriage, fitting the ironwork, and placing the gun tube in the carriage.

The Cadets wiorked many weekends during the semester to prepare for the trip to Charleston. Guild members came to Charleston for the final assembly and gun placement April 2 - 6.

Historic drawing of the Fort Sumter carriage made from cypress.
This drawing shows what the VMI cadets and volunteers duplicated.

Photos by Paul Magann
Roll over any small photo for a larger view

Captions:

Two gin poles smoothed out and one more to go.
Cindy Mullen handing out some of her killer brownies.
Tray, a VMI cadet, is drawknifing off the rough edges left by the alaskin chainsaw gig. One of 3 oak gin pole legs.
Alaskin chainsaw gig used to slab off waste oak for gin pole rough cuts.
Drawknifing and spoke shaving one of the three oak gin pole legs. Man, was it ever cold that January morning!
Octagon pine decking parts are starting to go in place at Fort Moultrie where a new carriage will go.
Cadets relax after unloading new gin poles at Fort Moultrie inner ground area.
Cadet uses a welder's chipping hammer to loosen rust and old paint prior to a primer paint coat at Fort Moultrie.
A nice sailboat view looking over the wall at Fort Moultrie.
Pete assists Matt who is using a 10 1/4 saw to cut 3 x 9" treated timbers for a cannon's under carriage octagon decking at Fort Moultrie.
Crane lifting part 1 of 2 carriage parts over the walls at Fort Moultrie.
Close up view of the top of the new gin poles showing how the new ropes and block tackle fit in place
Cadets put their backs into this lift job.
Gin poles complete a short lifting (12") of canon but a catch prawl slips off its slot and the heavy canon drops hard onto the wood supports. A little blacksmith workings will bend one latch hook into a better alignment.
Full vertical view of lifting gin poles.
Early morning view of erected gin pole, block and tackle not installed yet.

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