Is it normal to dream about building a tank

Yo Its LloydAsher I just have this stupid dream about making a tank at some point in my 40s when I got a chunk of land to mess with and some spare cash and time on my hands.

This is a dream that's on my: list of stupid dreams that will probably never happen but I still hold a little hope to try to do at some point in my life.

That being said I have very minor mechanical abilities beyond the basic jury rig. I have found potential ideas that could work.

Once again all of this is just some basic ideas that could maybe work.

For the turret part:
Got an answer for that: Track cranes, easy to find and are pretty cheap for the used ones. In the 5k-10k range. Most are rideable ones which fuck yes I want a console/mech controllers to control it.

The model that I would like would be (or a close enough relative) of the Manitowoc 3000 Lattice-Boom Crawler Crane.

Pretty much trash the crane part but keep the rigging (I'll get to that part later) that will cut down the weight of the entire project as the main gun will be in the center mass of the vehicle thus no counterweight would be needed to keep balance. That will take off like 20% or more of the weight right there!

The main gun:
For the main gun it would be just a simple modified cannon (idk if you need an actual civil war cannon or replica or if it can just be an iron tube) seated where the crane would extend out of the main chassis. The cannon would be attached to a chain on the ground while being hoisted by the old crane rigging allowing a rudimentary angle adjustment. The cannon will be guided by two steel (or more) beams welded to the floor and ceiling/ wall if it's close enough to it. So I wont be able to aim it on a horizontal axis but that was kinda the point of needing a rotating base. It's also due to the fact I dont want the horizontal recoil fucking up the internal components as rugged as they will be.

The sights:
The cannon being off center from my view in the cockpit I would need to install cameras on the top of the cannon so I can at least see what I'm aiming at. Run that to a screen in the cockpit and I'm set. Maybe add some crosshairs but that would only be if I'm aiming at something that would require me to angle it.

Firing control:
The ignition of the main gun: This is gonna actually require some trial and error with the cannon beforehand so I dont have to fuck with it as much when its installed and thus much harder to mess with it. I would want it to be an electronic firing mechanism but it would have to be able to withstand the backward pressure of a cannon going off as well as produce a clear spark to ignite the blackpowder. Maybe use a tugnsten filament or something more integrated to the cannon wall itself. Have that wired to a joystick trigger because it's more fun than a simple flip switch.

Failsafes:
Of course I would add an emergency fire suppressant if the ignition doesn't go so it doesnt fire at an in opportune moment. So it would probably just be a very, very sturdy valve on the inside of the cannon filled with water and maybe chemical fire retardant. Have it attached with a hose and reservoir above the cannon so I dont need to pressurize it.

Cannon shielding:
The cannon will have an internal sheild welded on the front so it would cover the hole from the original opening from the old crane without sacrificing the vertical mobility.

Ammunition:
While cannonballs are fun they are inaccurate with an unrifled barrel (and that's super expensive to do). Shells are illegal (since no one makes 18th century cannon shells anymore so not even a tax stamp will solve that problem). Sabots on the other hand didnt exsist in the modern sense (did exsist on grapeshot but where shitty). It would be probably an iron cast or similar metal holding the custom payload. The payload would be a bullet shaped solid slug with fins to try to at least stabilize the flight of the slug. The sabot would fall away when fired since it would fly off so to not travel with the main payload. Could fuck around with different shapes or maybe even make flichets (cause that would be fun) or even a large bolt within a sabot. Why sabots? Because they provide a superior seal and thus a superior velocity so higher accuracy (hopefully).

The main gun would of course be only a single shot. But I could mount auxiliary smaller cannons where possible, they wouldnt have the vertical maneuverability though (maybe recoilless but that would just add a back blast that would be more dangerous than what this retarded idea already has enough of)

To be completly honest I was already fucking around with the idea of a "modern" blackpowder cannon so that's why that idea is already thought out with some detail.

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I'm not I violent person ;D I just think it would be fucking awesome to own a tank... or would it be a mech at that point? (do mechs need arms?)

Best case scenario theres this mug will be on a show or something inspiring others to make stupid shit like this. Maybe battle them using a remote control that would be fucking awesome!

Worst case I would be the reason why black powder cannons would be illegal for personal use.

Sorry for the long drawn out post. I just wanted to get that idea out to see how the average Joe or Jane would think about the prospect.

Voting Results
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Based on 3 votes (2 yes)
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Comments ( 14 )
  • my_life_my_way

    Lol why does the feeling suicidal message come up on this post 😂 it must just be triggered by the word gun or something

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    • LloydAsher

      Probably because I said "I'm probably gonna kill myself by building or using the damn thing"

      Not suicidal just dangerously optimistic about my chances of building a tank.

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  • SmokeEverything

    It would be cool but you'd definitely need to up the armor on that or they'd be able to stop you pretty easy.

    If you've never heard of Marvin Heemeyer the american folk hero, You should look up what he did with his komatsu D355A in terms of armor plating construction equipment. Basically he used concrete sandwiched between metal plates and used cameras protected with bulletproof glass so he could see outside.

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    • LloydAsher

      I dont wanna make a killdozer 2.0 just wanna make something that shoots a gun. Plus I don't exactly know how fast the engine will go without the weight of the crane. If it goes only 4 mph I'll probably not armor it. If it goes like 10mph I'll give it some decorative armor plating.

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  • YE

    Personally, I think that you can prove that 'Feeling Suicidal?' notice wrong.. but please, comment anonymously.

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    • LloydAsher

      I perfer this comment section to be about the tank idea not the stupid auto suicidal awareness notice. I dont know how to repeal it.

      Actually just removed the problem sentence from the post. That fixed it.

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  • donteatstuffoffthesidewalk

    just get an excavator and a rifle

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    • LloydAsher

      Naw bitches love cannons.

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      • donteatstuffoffthesidewalk

        you do understand that crane tracks are flat and designed for maximum weight distribution while minimizin damage to surfaces so they slide around & git stuck real easy

        theyre made with prepped surfaces in mind not bombin around through the woods

        unlike grippy aggressive tracks on a tank with a fucktona horsepower or an excavator that can drag itself around with its bucket

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        • LloydAsher

          Thanks for saying that. Did not think about the perfered surface for a crane. What about logging cranes?

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          • donteatstuffoffthesidewalk

            how bout a skidder and a rocket launcher?

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            • LloydAsher

              Rocket launchers are illegal. Rockets under 1/4 pound are legal. Lets just say I'll think about it.

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