distressed about shell

[speedenforcer]

btw Divedigger, I licked mine and didn't taste salty, what do you use for a test?))

I just busted a gut on that one. thanks for the laugh fellers.

[alwion]

I mighthave an answer for you on why cast iron rusts unevenly. cast aluminum rims for cars sometimes leak through the rim. General motors engineers determined that cast items ( and I expect cast iron to be the same) retain micro air bubbles in the casting, thats fine if only one or two line up, but considering were talking VERY small microscopic cavities, eventually some holes line up in such a way small leaks could occure. didn't happen on every wheel, sinch they are an inch thick, but maybe 1 in 50 to 100. I expect that water pressure eventually allows microcavity pentration, rust in those micro barriers between cavitied give way, eventuallyallowing for aditional penetration. we think of cast aluminum and steel as being solid, when actually its kinda porous. I hate the thought I've spent so much on 3 salt water shells I'm going to worry about forever, but I guess considering how long all these shells have sat in contact with water, we should be lucky we are not collecting rust imprints

[alwion]

BTW I fibbed, I really didn't lick it though it occured to me lol but being trained as a geologist I have chewed rock to see how grainey it is for identification. standard id for siltstone vs slate

[pipedreamer65]

Excellent thread here.  It brought me out of lurk mode.

Concur about the electrical contact point.  My method is to wrap bare brass or copper wire tightly around the relic or projectile.  I've seldom had to use drill holes, etc... unless it was a disarm hole that I could thread easily.  North Carolina UAB  currently has several round solid projectiles from Blackbeard's ship in electrolysis using wrapped wire.  Nothing wrong with Pete's method of drilling a tiny hole and flipping the bit.  Mash a little putty in there when finished and forget it.

I run salt water shells from 24-36 months.  Anything not running in a bath, sits in a water barrel that gets changed monthly.  The stuff in the bath gets a water change every two months or so.  Dive Diggers weekly change is better, but I just don't have the time.

After the 2-3 year electrolysis bath, I boil three times using fresh water.  Let dry for more than a week.  Then use special treatment to soak, coat and finish.

If you do a crap job, that's what you will get.     

[pipedreamer65]

Coating iron with wax or poly that still has active corrosion is worthless.  In a lot of cases this may even speed the process of rust up.

Too also add, many of the salt water projectiles that currently have problems with cancer, spiderweb cracking and rust pockets/bubbles were ran back in the 1960's and 70's by "backyard scientists" who may have been using battery chargers providing uneven amperage,  experimental electrolite, and who probably didn't run the relic for the needed time period or didn't change the water often enough.

Agree about marsh shells being worst.  They almost always lose their skin.

[CarlS]

I agree with the others: good and informative discussion.  Thanks for all the contribution.

alwion: The micro air bubble penetration makes sense.  Thanks for sharing.

pipedreamer65 and diverdigger:  The part you leave out with your process is the repetitive picking up and moving and rotating of those 50 to 125 pound or more items.  That can be a challenge in itself expecially for the ones with a softer surface that you have to worry about scarring.  Hearing all that's involved it makes those properly conserved shells seem like a deal!  Definitely a labor of love.

[pipedreamer65]

True!  I cut 4 and 6 inch pieces of pvc pipe for the shells to sit on in the bath.  You still have to be really careful with the soft ones.  Bad enough that they weigh so much but you also have to finesse them around to keep from doing damage.

Yep, if you want instant gratification or have no patience, you may want to find something else to occupy your time.

Thanks, I appreciate all the good info in this thread.

[acwbullets]

The varying rust levels of cast iron have to do with with how much carbon is in place. Areas of the shell with less carbon will rust with ease.

Has anyone ever done any research on how much Coke, if any, was imported into the South for making iron. This may explain why their Iron quality really sucked.

[alwion]

I'm sure the "mix" has alot to do with it. obviously purer metals, carbon steel, tool steel etc, would have a better consistency, which would account for it. cast is about bottom of barrel for iron based metal. I'm having trouble finding stainless that doesn't rust  lol. I'm going to work on my columbiad, to see if I can keep it from getting worse.

How do you lift and remove to continually change water or turn a 105lb round ball, and no "good luck" is not the answer I'm looking for

took me 20 minutes to get it upstairs the 1st time, oh I dread ever moving it

[divedigger]

I set mine on bricks and just roll it up and turn. I have a 15" ball that I do that with as well and it works great. Picking up the Columbiad is easy with a sling I got from a bowler. He says it is used for buffing. They aren't made for cannonballs so don't put your feet under it. I just ordered another one from ebay, they are also called see saws.And don't lean over if possible, straddle and pull straight up.  As for licking the balls, my wife noticed that all men that come by the table at a show stick their finger in the fuse hole, she says it must be a guy thing, I wonder what she would think if somebody walked up and licked one! "Hey man don't be licking my balls! "

[scottfromgeorgia]

As for licking the balls, my wife noticed that all men that come by the table at a show stick their finger in the fuse hole, she says it must be a guy thing,

Wonder why?

[divedigger]

my apologies for taking us down this path, David

[divedigger]

 to Pipedreamer65, to clear the air about water change times, Mike stated that I change water weekly, I think he got me mixed up with somebody else. The optimal run time would be 3 weeks and then change water, however I have never been able to do that. I change water every 4-8 weeks.  It has been an interesting thread, but we kind of got away from the origin which was alwion's shell starting to pit. Now I will quit hogging the forum.

[speedenforcer]