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  1. #1
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    Aug 2013
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    Country: Wales

    Default World's smallest Corliss Cannonball?

    Here's an unusual one to get me started!

    The ball measures only about 7/8" of an inch diameter, the base just over an inch square, and it stands about an inch and 5/16" tall.

    Turning the small knob on the right hand side of the base very slowly turns the inner ball via a worm gear drive.

    Hope you like it and thanks for looking
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Corliss1.jpg   Corliss2.jpg   Corliss3.jpg   Corliss4.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    Default

    Very cool. It certainly caught my attention. Looks to be all brass? Doug

  3. #3
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    Default

    Yes the base and the inner and outer balls are all brass with steel inserts for the center compartment and front combo lock. Weighs about 2.5 ounces, so it's a lot easier to move around than a full size one!

  4. #4
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    Nov 2005
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    Seattle WA
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    Default

    Ok that is the first pocket version of a safe I have seen.

  5. #5
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    Mar 2009
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    Eastern United States
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    Country: United States

    Default Very cool safe

    You have just made my week. That is the coolest sample safe I have seen. Please tell us how you came to own it, or any other details.

  6. #6
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    Default

    Thanks for the comments- I wondered how long it would be posted before I had to explain a bit more! Hope this doesn't ruin your enjoyment of it, but it's actually one I made only about 5 or 6 years ago.

    I've always had a strong interest and fascination with the American cannonballs and money chests as here in Britain we had nothing like them apart from just 2 candidates- the Chatwood Cylinder safe and a square-bodied, round-door Chubb. I won't elaborate on those as I've seen they've been discussed on here many times before.

    I'd made several larger model vaults and cannonballs over the years, and had the idea for the tiny Corliss when I was sorting through a box of old antique brass handles, knobs and safe drawer fittings etc.

    At the time I was actually starting on a 'smallest' miniature working model of the York Cleveland FRB door- it was about one inch diameter and was to have the 16 working bolts operated by the centre hand wheel. Simplified 'working' admittedly, in so much as in that size it obviously wasn't going to have working combo locks the size of grains of sand! But a working model nonetheless.

    I was actually making the CFRB door with the intention of getting it in the Guinness Book Of Records, but on contact I found that unless the record already exists they will not consider assessment for new, likewise if it is a so-called 'subjective' category they will no longer consider entry. This was disappointing, but I can understand their reason. I had encountered similar with building a tiny miniature steam engine- something made to a different specification to what they have as reference, in order to achieve the record, is very difficult for them to determine and assess, it instantly becomes 'subjective', and they've made those rules as a result of controversial subjects and attempts in the past.

    Anyway, the end result was that I decided to hold fire on the CFRB model in favour of the tiny Corliss- I'd only made breech-lock and threaded door cannonballs before, and using an antique cast brass knob for the main outer 'shell' of a Corliss-type seemed a good idea! Once I'd figured out the construction it all went from there- Lots of very fiddly hand filing, shaping, lots of turning, intricate boring and milling done under magnification etc. I was originally going to enamel it and give it some lining detail, but decided on the 'antique' brass look in the end.

    It's a fun piece though, and always creates a bit of interest

  7. #7
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    Oct 2009
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    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    So can I come live with you? You have certainly not ruined anything. If you haven't already, check out the wooden salesman sample of the Corliss Planetary model I was lucky to photograph on a trip out West. It is buried in a Corliss posting I did several years ago. I think you will like it. Doug

  8. #8
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    So can I come live with you?


    Yes I've had a look at the older posts on the Corliss and other cannonballs- there's some great stuff been posted

  9. #9
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    Just realised how that reads if you don't take any notice of the smilie- that was a 'yes', to; 'I've seen the older posts........'

    Wasn't a 'Yes', to; 'you can come and live with me sorry Doug'!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Frankfurt Main
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    Country: Germany

    Default

    I just traced your ip and packed my bags, expect me to be at your place with a rented van and enough to eat by Wednesday evening!

    Just kidding of course

    This is a cool little safe I have to say and I see you do a lot of stuff yourself and obviously also have the right machines to do that! Any chance we gone see your replica vault doors one day? I would also like to have a miniature round vault door myself one day :)

    Someday maybe!

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