A barrel of fun: Life's a blast for this Ontario cannon maker
Tony Walsh has lived in Lanark County’s Watson’s Corners since 1978; a lover of its geography and its people.
“Lanark County is sort of like a land-locked Cape Breton,” he smiles.
“Nice people. Nice area. To me, it’s heaven.”
After a 30-year military career in Canada’s Armed Forces, the former weapons technician and longtime, gifted blacksmith retired to this area.
Or so he thought.
Walsh, now 77, has never been one to put his feet up, or slow down. He’s too busy having a blast, exploring his explosive passion for history.
And cannons.
“As a blacksmith, I started doing metal work and making parts for someone who was selling cannons,” he says.
But when that person went out of business, Walsh got an idea.
“I had a whole bunch of cannon stuff that I had made up, and I thought I’m going to have to sell it. And to sell it, I ended making the entire cannon,” he chuckled.
“And that’s how it started.”
Before long, Walsh was taking orders from across North America. Civil War reenactors and museums wanted cannons.
So did Parks Canada, Signal HIll in Newfoundland, and the Halifax Citadel.
Walsh’s historically accurate cannons are shipped across North American to museums and reenactor groups. (Joel Haslam/CTV Ottawa)
For forty years, Walsh has been fashioning cannons to the highest specifications, using historic technical drawings and written descriptions from the era.
Gracing his property currently is a six pound breach loading rifle, modelled after a cannon designed by Britain’s Sir William Armstrong in the 1850’s.
“I really enjoy it because I try to duplicate Armstrong’s methods,” says Walsh.
“The man was a genius. The barrel was not one piece. One is shrunk on another, so the inside barrel is five ten thousands of an inch bigger than the hole it’s going in. I can make an Armstrong, from start to finish, in about two months,” he says.
“Just on its own, that’s $22 thousand.”
While most clients don’t launch projectiles from Walsh’s cannons (it’s more about the bang and smoke), his guns are capable of firing.
His confederate mountain rifle is used to fire at targets by reenactor groups in the US.
“It has to be accurate because they fire it live,” he says.
Tony Walsh uses a power hammer to flatten a bar of steel used in his cannon production. (Joel Haslam/CTV Ottawa)
Antique machinery is vital to production in Walsh’s shop. There’s a century old lathe and a massive power hammer, which saves the blacksmith time and energy when pounding steel.
At 77, Walsh does feel the wear and tear of the job. Building every component, including the large wooden wheels, can be physically taxing.
“Most of the wheels I work with are about five feet tall and weigh about two hundred and fifty pounds, so there’s no way you’re going to toss them around,” he says.
Despite the challenges of the job, seeing his guns work makes it all worthwhile.
“I’m having a ball,” he laughs.
So Tony Walsh’s adventure continues.
“Until I croak,” he smiles.
Seems there’s still lots of fire left in Lanark County’s cannon maker. His retirement will have to wait.
“I want to work to within three days of them shovelling sand in my face.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.