How Common?

[IrishCharlieM]

Hello All

New member here. I have been surfing the forums for about a month now and decided it was time to join. My wife is just coming around to show some interest about my new obsession. LOL. I was talking to her last night about a few different things posted on this site and she reminded me of a few objects we have in our storage.

She was born in Key West (Navy Brat) and lived there until she was 12. Her father was an avid metal detecting fool along the Key West beach front. Her mother last night was recalling the day in 1975 my father in law found two connon balls. One was about a 12 inches down just in front of the fort, and the other just off the beach. I am trying to locate them in our storage unit, however my mother recalls when we put them in storage she was remarking that the balls were about half the size of when they found them.

Question is how to preserve was left of them and how common are connon balls along the beachfront?

I will post some pics of them as soon as I locate them.

 

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[hbeaton]

just curious as to where in virginia beach you are from? I was born and raised there, graduated from Kempsville High School.

HH!

-Hunter

 

[JakePhelps]

Those aren't common to find detecting! For preserving i would first use steel wool and get off a little bit of rust then spray it down with wd-40 or something to preserve it Conservator could probably tell you but hes gone missing

 

[hollowpointred]

to preserve iron objects you can soak them in very warm(not hot) linseed oil for 7 to 10 days.then place the item in a warm oven set at the lowest setting untill it is completely dried.after it is dry it will have an "artificial" look.it can be made to look more natural by smoking it with a candle or if its a large item an acetylene torch by using a high acetylene and a low oxygen setting.of course remove the rust by soaking the item before trying this.each day clean it up a little more and change the water untill it is sufficiantly cleaned.

 

[Bo Hott]

Wow I've never heard of a cannonball losing it's size. I dug a 3" solid shot a few months ago and it was still the same size as it was when fired. A friend told me who has dug several artillery pieces from the CW to buy a brass brush drill bit and polish the rust off with it, then use a thin laquer to coat it with. Here's how mine turned out.

 

[DugHoles]

I don't have any info but am learning how to clean up a cannonball when I find one.....

GL & HH,

DugHoles

 

[IrishCharlieM]

Thanks for all the tips .
Finding them in storage is proving tougher than when my father in law found them.


LOL