Old steel gold pan? Or, hubcap? Or? A math problem

Duckshot

Silver Member
Sep 8, 2014
4,455
9,643
trapped on the earthly plane of causation
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Today I located this metal pan at a barn sale in south eastern WI. It looks suspiciously like a 10-1/2" steel gold pan. I would like some help in math. I know that most hold pans have a 30* angle. What are the angles on a right triangle that measures 2.5"x2" with the hypotenuse excluded?

The pan has a bottom diameter of 5.5" , a rim diameter of 10.5", and it is 2" between bottom and rim. Could this be a gold pan? Or perhaps a dairy related item of some sort? I have not been able to find any mark. It is deeply pitted but no pin holes.

All I can remember from highschool geometry is that I had a real pretty redhead sitting next to me. :laughing7:
 

Kantuckkeean

Bronze Member
Apr 30, 2009
1,608
1,879
Cornfield, IN
Detector(s) used
F-22, cheapo pinpointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Since we don't have a photo, I'll give the math a try, although I'm super tired. If I'm understanding that you have a right triangle with legs measuring 2" and 2.5", I get angles of approximately 51.3 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2" and 38.7 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2.5".

Kindest regards,
Kantuck
 

OP
OP
D

Duckshot

Silver Member
Sep 8, 2014
4,455
9,643
trapped on the earthly plane of causation
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Since we don't have a photo, I'll give the math a try, although I'm super tired. If I'm understanding that you have a right triangle with legs measuring 2" and 2.5", I get angles of approximately 51.3 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2" and 38.7 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2.5".

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

Cool beans.

I have no idea if that is correct or not. :tongue3:
 

mh9162013

Full Member
Mar 22, 2019
180
139
KY
Detector(s) used
Fisher Research Labs F2, Equinox 600, Pro-Find 35, & Garrett Carrot.
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting

GopherDaGold

Silver Member
Dec 12, 2009
2,817
3,356
St. Charles County, Missouri
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Pro, Tesoro Vaquero, Bounty Hunter Land Star, Teknetics Delta 4000, Minelab Equinox 600, Garrett Carrot
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Negative 6 alpha.
In former Soviet Russia I was physicist.
Here, I am janitor.
20190426_072757.png

Kidding aside, a picture would help.
 

BillA

Bronze Member
May 12, 2005
2,186
3,218
Drake, Costa Rica
historically gold pans have been made of many materials, by different methods, and in a plethora of shapes and sizes
no pic necessary, if you need a gold pan go ahead and use it
now it is a 'real' gold pan

Bill
 

TommyB

Hero Member
Jul 24, 2013
563
860
OC, Calif
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Whites Surf PI & Whites DFX
Primary Interest:
Beach & Shallow Water Hunting
If you use it and FIND gold, then it is a gold pan
 

OP
OP
D

Duckshot

Silver Member
Sep 8, 2014
4,455
9,643
trapped on the earthly plane of causation
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Charlie P., you are speaking to a man that loves his pies, and this ain't no pie pan.

What I can't finger out is what a small metal gold pan would be doing at a barn sale in s.e. WI. Ain't no gold around here.

It might be a dairy/cattle care type item. Seem more plausible, but I really don't know.
 

OP
OP
D

Duckshot

Silver Member
Sep 8, 2014
4,455
9,643
trapped on the earthly plane of causation
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Could be that Charlie P..

No pictures today. Sorry.

It is a round pan which is seamless and it has a rolled rim. It measures 10-1/2" diameter at the rim and 5-1/2" diameter at the base. The run between base and rim is about 3-1/4". It is two inches high.

That's a forty-one word description. Only 959 words to go and it's a picture. :dontknow:
 

OP
OP
D

Duckshot

Silver Member
Sep 8, 2014
4,455
9,643
trapped on the earthly plane of causation
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Well, I took about 2-3 gallons of old gravel and sand that I often play with. I found a small flat flake I must have missed earlier. With the rust rubbed off by the gravels the pan is mostly black with a bit of rust and steel color mixed in. Real easy to see a flake in this calico colored pan.

Must be a gold pan. :laughing7:
 

Oct 5, 2014
31,886
35,425
Massachusetts
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Garrett: AT Pro, AT Gold & Infinium; Minelab: Explorer SE, II; Simplex; Tesoro: Tejon & Outlaw; White's: V3i
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Quick calculations: Angle=38.66 degrees and volume approx.=104 cubic inches.
 

IMAUDIGGER

Silver Member
Mar 16, 2016
3,400
5,194
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
historically gold pans have been made of many materials, by different methods, and in a plethora of shapes and sizes
no pic necessary, if you need a gold pan go ahead and use it
now it is a 'real' gold pan

Bill

I have an old light weight frying pan that I'm pretty sure doubled as a gold pan at one time.
 

tinpan

Silver Member
Sep 4, 2004
4,664
1,586
Eaglehawk
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
GPX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hi , Could be a Chamber Pan finding brown nuggets in the dark . TP
 

huntsman53

Gold Member
Jun 11, 2013
6,955
6,769
East Tennessee
Primary Interest:
Other

Trezurehunter

Gold Member
Mar 22, 2003
17,885
21,474
Illinois / Oklahoma
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
8
Detector(s) used
Minelab Equinox 800 - Fisher CZ 5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I can help you with the math : Google it ! Sorry, I'm better at Business Math.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top