Thread: How to make a REALISTIC cannon! Part 4

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Ahoy mateys. Good to see you again.

Now we're going to make your cannon come to life. Sure, it just looks like a pile of cardboard and foam (and it is), but soon your friends and enemies will gasp in terror and delight. Because of paint.




I like to make my props rather durable so I can use them again and again. So I decided to coat the entire thing with several layers of water based polyurathane. I use water based stuff because anything oil based will probably eat your cannon like acid before your horrified eyes.


After I gave it a protective coat, I sprayed the entire thing with a satin black paint.

AND WAS REALLY DISSAPOINTED.

I mean, it looks okay I guess. But it just didn't sell as cast iron. What was missing was some SURFACE TEXTURE.

So here's how I added some. Get some lightweight wall spackling and a sponge. Use the sponge to gently stipple the spackling all over the body of the cannon. You don't have to put it on thick or evenly. You're trying to make the surface just look rough.



Now your cannon looks like it's got some horrible skin disease, but that's what you want. Now take some medium sandpaper and GENTLY start to "knock down" the bumpy texture of the spackling. The idea is to get it so it just barely is there. This will give the impression that the texture is eating INTO the surface, like a real cast iron cannon would.

Now you can re-coat the whole shebang with several coats of water based urethane again to seal it and once again spray it black.

DAVY JONES LOOKOUT!!!!!




Now it looks real!!!!!!!!!!!! (insert more exclamation marks here)

Once it dries, get a friend and carry it to work, acting as if it weighs hundreds of pounds. Then hurl it at some unsuspecting guy and watch him have a heart attack. (okay I did this and it was funny but I don't recommend it).



Your cannon will impress everybody except your mom.

Next, I have to build a carriage for the darned thing out of 2X6s.

Thanks for reading my posts and good luck.

Cap'n Geoff

Talk about timing!! I just came in from skinning and staining my pirates chest, and I was thinking "I need a cannon to go with my pirate scene." So I hop on here, and low and behold. I find this thread!! That looks GREAT! Thanks for the inspiration!!

ok i really gotta say, this thing looks amazing. absolutely freakin amazing. great job and thanks for the tut

Best looking cannon I've ever seen on here!!!

Originally Posted by mem22

Best looking cannon I've ever seen on here!!!

I agree! That is the best looking home made canon prop I have seen. Outstanding job! I can hardly wait to see the finished prop!

Eric

that looks great

You know, it's really nice that you guys are all here appreciating my work.

And being as crazy as me. I thought I was the only one who like building this stuff!!

Great job. Love the look.
Rick

WOW that is amazing nice work thanks for sharing!

can you give us the scale of your cannon (sizes)?