Id help please

[Stan]

I purchased this cannon ball in Va a few days ago.   I looked up the dimensions and weight in the artillery tables and believe it was some type of mortar shell (7.5 inches and approximately 44 pounds). 

Can anyone give me any advice on it's origin or type of mortar fired it? 

I'd like to make a fake fuze.  Can anyone give me an idea what it would look like?

More importantly is it safe? 

I have already used some electroysis to get the layer of rust off and want to paint it black.  Any opinions on that idea?

Thanks!

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Sir,
   I presume that your shell has a tapered fuse hole and should have two lifting ears (recesses), one on each side of the fuse hole.
the diameter and weitht suggests that it is an 8 inch mortar shell.
see the following link:
http://www.civilwarartillery.com/look under heavy projectiles, smoothbore, it is on the right first row.
   It would have a wooden mortar fuse.
Regards,
John

[Selma Brooke Gunner]

I agree with John. Jack Bell's book, Civil War Heavy Explosive Ordnance has some nice pictures of several 8" mortar shells.

[Lamar]

Here's the link to a recent thread on mortar shells.

http://bulletandshell.com/forum/index.php?topic=642.0

Does yours have ears (tong holes), & (if it does) can you post a picture?

[Stan]

Thanks everyone for your replies.  My mortar ball does have any of those tongs on the sides.

[Stan]

another photo

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Does or does not have tong holes?   
Does your ball have any hole what-so-ever?
If your ball has a tapered fuse hole but no tong holes, then you need to re-measure its diameter with a pair of calipers for accurate diameter and re-weigh with accurate scales as it is not a mortar shell.
John

[Stan]

The only hole in my cannon ball is the one where the fuze was inserted.  Are you saying this is NOT a mortar shell?

[Selma Hunter]

Gentlemen -

Not to state what appears to be the obvious, but methinks Stan is the owner of a 42 lb'er spherical shell, if his bathroom scales and the clearly evident surfaces losses are offsetting in any reasonable way.

Just my opinion as a rank amateur in such matters.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Bill,
  Since I don't get paid, I too am an amateur.
According to Jack Meltons web site, a 42 pdr is 6.84"     and weighs about 31 lbs.   I was thinking along the lines of an 8 " shell since there is some weight loss due to metal erosion.   This is why I wanted Sam to re-measure and accurately weigh again.
Best Regarrds,
John

[CarlS]

Hello,

I agree that it appears to be an 8-inch ball based on it's weight.  The mortar is about 45 pounds and the common shell pushes 50 pounds.  I don't believe that there ae mortar shells without lifting ears and this one does not appear to have the ears so that along with the weight makes my vote a smoothbore cannon shell.

Plus in looking at the tile floor it sits on, if the tiles are the standard 12-inch tiles then it appears to be about 2/3rd of a tile and thus 8-inches.

It certainly appears to have the corrosion properties of old cast iron and a tapered fuse hole so it looks good.

[emike123]

You could paint it black, but a better means of preservation would be to get someone like Carl or Pete to run it through electrolysis for you and then coat it.

If you want to go it yourself on this, there is a link off our commercial website to the process.

An easier method would be to wire brush it and then coat it with a rust inhibitor like Chesterton's rust transformer.  Afterward you could paint/stain it.  Many people prefer to stain shells with Dark Walnut shade rather than paint them black because Dark Walnut is a dark brown perhaps a little closer to what aged cast iron looks like naturally.  Then, when it has dried thoroughly, you should seal it with a few coats of spray satin finish polyurethane.

[Stan]

Emike,

Many thanks for your advice on painting.  I actually put it through about 6 hours of electroysis on two different sessions on my own.  It was a week ago so the air temp outside (and water) was pretty cold.  I guess that process helped a little. I am wondering if I should keep that process going based on the condition of the ball.

I'll have to check around the site to see some good examples of the painting.  My goal is to get this piece cleaned up and painted so I can display it in my den.   I also want to cap the hole with some type of authentic looking (wooden) fuze.

If you or anyone have any additional ideas please let me know. 

Stan

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dear Stan,
   First let me apologize for calling you Sam, its my darn eyesight.
I need to make a new drawing of a U.S. mortar and shell showing the typical wooden time fuse  that was used in them.
  I believe the members have about decided on your spherical projectile as an 8 inch shell due to the lack of lifting ears, possible diameter and weight comparisions.
    Disregarding the lift ears, permit me to illustrate a typical shell used by the British.
   The U.S. time fuse worked the same but had different markings and our fuses, for that size shell, had encirciling scored grooves at one inch intervals where the person preparing the fuse could saw off the lower end of the fuse to allow a shorter burn time.
Our fuse wells also did not have the threads to grip the fuse body. Hollar if you have questions.
Regards,
John

[joevann]

Here's a scale drawing I made years ago of the American wood fuzes.  If you have a wood lathe you could easily make a suitable model for display.  The originals are extremely hard to come by.