This is an odd ad!

[Private_collector]

Good God! How could anybody view these as some sort of eyesore!?!?

Excellent score Rob.

Why are these things NEVER down the road from me.....even if the road was 1000km long.

[rnixartillery]

Amazing situation ,good luck with the purchase !


Rob....................rnixartillery.

[Rob Fast]

I hope this all works out. Oh, and keep your eye open for the limbers that might in the neighbours backyard being used to store paint cans. I need one. Cheers Rob Fast

[rob love]

Oh I wil Rob.

There would appear to be more 25pdrs in that neck of the woods. Here is another of the poster's ads from the same region; note the lawn ornament: http://www.kijiji.ca/v-maison-a-loue...ationFlag=true

[Wayne Hingley]

Very nice Rob. Im sure the 25 pounders will enjoy their new home in Friendly Manitoba. That's a heck of a road trip (2500km each way)!

[rob love]

Thanks Wayne

A guy has to do what a guy has to do. I may end up asking for someone in the Ottawa area to stash one of them for a bit (calling Bob and the gang)......I can pick the first one up, stash it in Ottawa, head back for the second and run it home, then retrieve the first one at my leisure.

[Peter Duggan]

Rob,

Congratulations !! While I have no interest in owning an artillery piece, I was quite disturbed by this story and had approached my Minister of Finance to try and save them. Here's hoping that they were manufactured in Sorel, QC, true Canadian veterans.
I'm confident that the Hammond gang will provide the storage space, if not, please consider Cherry Valley as an option.

Peter

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by rob love

Thanks Wayne

A guy has to do what a guy has to do. I may end up asking for someone in the Ottawa area to stash one of them for a bit (calling Bob and the gang)......I can pick the first one up, stash it in Ottawa, head back for the second and run it home, then retrieve the first one at my leisure.

I know there is space in the Ragweed Ranch after last weekend. Two parking spaces of mine were freed up with "stuff" headed to Jason Ginn's.

I can vouch for the Hammond Barn's security measures and reliability. The challenge will be to stage the piece(s) on top of something that won't settle into the sand and grow trees through the gaps.

Let me know if and when you are passing through, and will see if there is anything I can contribute to the recovery.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Good God! How could anybody view these as some sort of eyesore!?!?

Excellent score Rob.

Why are these things NEVER down the road from me.....even if the road was 1000km long.

Making someone sell those because of a municipal 'eyesore' bylaw is obscene. There was a similar instance here where an old guy had a collection of antique farm tractors. All well painted, maintained, almost invisible from the road and carefully trimmed grass around and under them. The old guy dies and before he's in the ground his widow is told to get rid of them or face a fine. She did. A great deal of history and her husband's investment were gone. How dare they.

[rob love]

Thanks for posting the photos Rob.

Just home about a half hour ago and am pretty zonked. Hopefully I can sleep in a little tomorrow, then unloading can begin.

Not sure when I'll be heading back to Ottawa for the second one.

[Gordon Yeo]

Rob

I talked to Ross last night, it sounds like you had some full days and lots of help. Aren't you glad that the Ontario collectors are so helpful and there none of the difficulties that removing things from the West creates.

Glad to see they went to a good home and help expand your collection. I'll be out to see them some time in the future.

Gord

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Gordon Yeo

Rob

I talked to Ross last night, it sounds like you had some full days and lots of help. Aren't you glad that the Ontario collectors are so helpful and there none of the difficulties that removing things from the West creates.

Glad to see they went to a good home and help expand your collection. I'll be out to see them some time in the future.

Gord

Yes, very full days. When we went to St Huberts, I had to stand for a while as every muscle in my body started to cramp up.

As I have mentioned, without Bob and crew showing up, I would have been doing a lot of hand winching. At best I would have had the close one on the trailer and to Bob's for Tuesday evening, and then spent Wednesday hand winching the second one up the hill. I would have ended up backing the trailer onto the grass to pick it up once to the top of the hill, but even so, the first leg of the winching had to have been at least 70 feet, and all of it uphill.

I can promise you this: after seeing Bob's winch set-up, I'll be setting up similar on my trailer. I actually picked up an old Warn 8000 pound winch for the trailer last fall which has been kicking around the shop ever since. It will be on the trailer soon enough, hopefully for the trip back to Ottawa.

I think Bob mentioned some poaching from Saskatchewan. Perhaps I may be able to help out on that one, but I'll have to work out the details.

[RHClarke]

Originally Posted by rob love

...Not sure when I'll be heading back to Ottawa for the second one.

Take your time. It is not often that a 25 pounder gets deployed at the Hammond Barn. We will be lifting the spade so it won't be in contact with the ground and after Bob and Grant have some time on the gun (preserving it with heavy oil), the breech and muzzle will be sealed. The traversing table is leaning against a sea can awaiting the next rain to wash the dirt off its bottom side.

Let us know if you have any instructions on how you want the gun stored. Right now it is hidden from view by a HUP or two in the back field. Enjoy your kip!

[rob love]

Perhaps one extra item that could be covered is that big gash on the plate over the spades. Winter is coming and I would hate that it would fill with water and then split the frame. Or is that just a Manitoba thing??

I am already searching the internet for some parts sources.

[RHClarke]

If you want to share in the experience of recovering a 25 Pounder, see the video at the following link: https://youtu.be/5m5_uRLBSDU

Some observations:

Rob L is a lucky man - first, his wife permits him to play hooky for a week, next he finds two guns and buys them before the rush of bidders, then both of the guns had wheels that turned (although one set of wheels had to be replaced - the nuts actually came off without a struggle), and the rain held off until the guns were loaded. Rob was assisted by fellow restorers from Ontario, who came along not only for the experience, but to help a guy who is well-known to help others in the hobby.

The video only shows the winch pulls and not all of the hard labour that went into keeping the lawn pristine, and the gun rolling. The slope in the video looks gentle, but it was fairly steep. Things went well, but it took some effort to move the guns safely. A look at Rob's shirt says it all. It was a hot and humid recovery, but very a satisfying day.

[rob love]

Well a little update. I have been trying to get that recoil mechanism back up on the gun to where it should be. Had two chain hoists tight enough that you could pluck the chains like a guitar, and no movement. Added some heat in certain spots and still no movement, even with the sledge and a block of oak trying to assist. I kept spraying it down with penetrating oil every time I went by it.

Managed to chain up a 5 ton jack to the back of the breech, and pumped to as hard as it goes. No luck.

Brought out the medium artillery this weekend. A Enerpac portapower with 10 ton (20,000 pound) cylinder with chain attachments. Wrapped a 7/16 chain through the trunnions and attached the cylinder to the back of the breech. Pumped her up, and suddenly it seemed like movement. Alas, it was a link on the 7/16 chain that had failed. Set it all up again and still no luck.

So yesterday I headed out to my favorite scrapyard to pick up a spare in case I have to torch off the cradle. This one is a little worse for wear, but I think it will clean up OK.

House renovations continue in earnest, so gun time is limited.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

... There was a similar instance here where an old guy had a collection of antique farm tractors. All well painted, maintained, almost invisible from the road and carefully trimmed grass around and under them. The old guy dies and before he's in the ground his widow is told to get rid of them or face a fine. She did. A great deal of history and her husband's investment were gone. How dare they.

Funeral at noon, auction at 2:00pm.

[Robert Bergeron]

Amazing story !