24" to 30" Mystery sphere with access port(?) on the end.

PetesPockets55

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I was at a new permission (described in this link http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/651514-new-permission-bizzarre-american-arms-type-day.html) on Sunday at a newer development when I came across an area about 5' feet inside the privacy wall (about 20'-25' from a neighbors home outside the development) and littered with debris from a home demolition.

I got a nice signal (low to mid 80's if I remember correctly). The dirt was dense and packed which is more indicative of fill for a home slab, not loose beach side type sand like I expected. It took some time since it wasn't easy digging and I see what looks like an old plumbing clean out for large diameter cast iron pipe.
This is what I saw.
MetalDome10CroppedTight.jpg
And this is a real clean-out plug. (Almost all old ones are iron not brass like this image)
CastIronCleanout-Image.jpg


I enlarged the hole just to confirm that it is indeed a plumbing pipe but instead of whatever the "plug" is attached to being cylindrical like a pipe it starts to curve back from the "plug" in all directions like a sphere. :dontknow: This is where I finally got cautious and more careful with my digging since this area of Florida has the WWII training facility in FT. Pierce about 8-10 miles away. (Navy Seal UDT Museum Link- https://www.navysealmuseum.org/about-the-navy-seal-museum/the-origin-of-the-national-navy-udt-seal-museum )
Munitions and ordnance are still found every couple of years so it is best to be cautious.

More images to see if anyone can shed light on this being something dangerous or some benign garbage. Notice the grooved notches emanating from the "plug". They seem like they may be intentional and are not just a byproduct of the manufacturing process.
MetalDomeWCarrotForScale1.JPG MetalDomeWCarrotForScale2Close.JPG MetalDomeWCarrotForScale5Close.JPG

MetalDome8Close.JPG MetalDome9Close.JPG MetalDome9Close.JPG

I stopped when the hole got about 18"-20" in diameter. But I would say the "sphere" is about 24" -30" across. I can't imagine an older propane tank having this access point.

Thanks for looking and any input on an ID.
 

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PetesPockets55

PetesPockets55

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The super said the local PD came by and took photos to send to their bomb squad. He hasn't heard the outcome but I'm thinking they must not be too worried if no one rushed out to look more closely? :dontknow:

Great news!

My cat and dog agree (as long as I continue to feed them.)

Explosive Poop ?:tongue3::dontknow:
I think someone wondered if it might be the cover to a metal septic tank.
 

Tesorodeoro

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The super said the local PD came by and took photos to send to their bomb squad. He hasn't heard the outcome but I'm thinking they must not be too worried if no one rushed out to look more closely? :dontknow:



My cat and dog agree (as long as I continue to feed them.)


I think someone wondered if it might be the cover to a metal septic tank.

I don’t see any method of “access”. There would be bolts visible.
 

FloridaSon

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If this was reported to the police / sheriff here is what usually happens. Martin SO has their own bomb squad, they arrive and investigate. Sometimes st lucie sheriff calls Martin if in st lucie county. Indian River does not have their own bomb squad. If they cannot handle it or prove it to be questionable, they call Patrick. These channels are all automatic and have been in place regardless what the super says. (When we called in Indian River, Patrick EOD arrived within a few hours until the budget cuts.) Once the call reaches the SO, it becomes public record and the news media jumps on it. I worked in public safety during all the Indian River EOD finds during the 80s to 2012. In 2013-2014 military EOD combed st. Lucie, south Indian river and north martin east and west of the beach. They dragged magnetometers and other devices in the water, they analyzed the soil for traces of decomposed explosives and cleaned it all up when found. I am sure many devices are still buried. I found an artillery fuse not far from the SEAL museum.

I am thinking supe did not call 911 and report it. It almost looks like the top of an old fire hydrant but the 24 inch width would be too large.

OP you did the right thing. Hope to hear more whatever it turns out to be.
 

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PetesPockets55

PetesPockets55

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I don’t see any method of “access”. There would be bolts visible.
The only thing I could see that looked like a bolt was the one in the very center of the disc. But I didn't excavate to the edges of the convex metal "sphere-like" object so there might be bolts around the perimeter of it.



If this was reported to the police / sheriff here is what usually happens. Martin SO has their own bomb squad, they arrive and investigate. Sometimes st lucie sheriff calls Martin if in st lucie county. Indian River does not have their own bomb squad. If they cannot handle it or prove it to be questionable, they call Patrick. These channels are all automatic and have been in place regardless what the super says. (When we called in Indian River, Patrick EOD arrived within a few hours until the budget cuts.) Once the call reaches the SO, it becomes public record and the news media jumps on it. I worked in public safety during all the Indian River EOD finds during the 80s to 2012. In 2013-2014 military EOD combed st. Lucie, south Indian river and north martin east and west of the beach. They dragged magnetometers and other devices in the water, they analyzed the soil for traces of decomposed explosives and cleaned it all up when found. I am sure many devices are still buried. I found an artillery fuse not far from the SEAL museum.

I am thinking supe did not call 911 and report it. It almost looks like the top of an old fire hydrant but the 24 inch width would be too large.

OP you did the right thing. Hope to hear more whatever it turns out to be.

Thanks for all the first-hand insight on the local finds and that procedural information. That helps and answers a lot of questions.

But the Super didn't call 911. You might be right, but last week he said he would reach out to someone he knew on the Dept. Yesterday when I was able to reach him he said an officer he knew came by last week and took images. He said he was glad I asked him about it again because it reminded him to follow up to see if it was anything serious. I took his word for it he had spoken with the IRShores PD and since nothing happened on-site in relation to the pictures (if they were taken), I assumed the PD determined it not to be a threat. (That expression about what happens when we assume something is coming to mind.) But, if as you suggest with the normal operating procedure, he didn't call anyone yet and no assessment made by a LEA, the situation might be up in the air. :dontknow: I'll "pester" him again today.

Just read your other neat find. Very interesting site you have their. HH and stay safe

Thanks and I'm trying to stay positive about the site. I haven't had time to get back to it yet. I know for sure where there are about 10 more cents!! :laughing7: I sure don't want to lose the permission but feel safety is most important.
 

FloridaSon

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You are right of course. If you can find some areas where it doesn’t look like fill you might find something. If you have time get on google earth. When you find your spot, and its not using the ipad, the pc version has a way to go back to older pictures of the property. Than might show you some paths or other clues. HH
 

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PetesPockets55

PetesPockets55

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Well I have an update on this thread. It wasn't quite as large in diameter as I thought. Only 18" in diameter.

I'll post more images and see if it rings a bell with anyone what this is.
I got back out to the site couldn't resist seeing if any agency had done anything with it since the super hadn't updated me. I wanted a few more closeups and noticed a more interesting repeating rectangular pattern about 5" from the center.
MetalSphere-4-Diameter-Arrows.jpg

I also wanted a better image of the "washer" and hex nut at the center. When I took this image I realized it wasn't a washer but part of the metal body of the piece. :icon_scratch:
MetalSphere-6-WasherCloseup.JPG

And there was a hole through the metal near the hex nut. :icon_scratch: At this point I was wondering if it was full of water from this pin hole.
MetalSphere-9-NutCloseup.JPG


So I started to clean the rectangles out to show them better and I realized they were pretty deep and there was no bottom to the design. Again it was a :icon_scratch:
MetalSphere-19-Pattern.JPG

At this point something was oddly familiar about this metal piece. After thinking about it some it dawned on me what it is and I dug it up.

MetalSphere-20-Extracted.JPG

Have you guessed yet what it is? Give it a guess and I'll be back tomorrow night and fill you in. The winner gets it! (You pick it up though.:laughing7:)
 

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PetesPockets55

PetesPockets55

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Ok, here is the big reveal. It's the base for an patio table umbrella.

The super laughed his a** off when I told him. On to bigger and better things. I can't say as I would have done the recovery any differently knowing that military ordnance has been found within two miles of this site.
Thanks to everyone who gave it a shot and provided images, links, and/or advice.
PP55
 

SusanMN

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Giggling. Sorry.
 

Blak bart

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:laughing7::laughing7:
Me too !! Haaaa !!
 

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PetesPockets55

PetesPockets55

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Giggling. Sorry.

:laughing7::laughing7:
Me too !! Haaaa !!

I'm laughing right along with both of you. It slowly came to me what it actually was. Sort of like putting a jigsaw puzzle together without the benefit of a picture. The pieces slowly fit together until an image finally appears.

The sequence of latest images follows my journey on how I finally got an answer.
-I cleaned up the curved surface and verified the diameter and that's when I noticed the rectangles, which looked too ornate for anything dangerous. :icon_scratch:
-I got better images of the 3" diameter "washer" only to realize it wasn't a washer but a continuation of the curved surface, indicating it was a cast metal item. Hmmm...
-I tried to make the rectangles more visible by cleaning out the dirt in the recess. And they kept getting deeper (+-1") until I could see the metal was only 1/4" thick! :icon_scratch:
-I literally sat back, put my thinking cap on, put the pieces together in my mind and laughed at myself :laughing7:, followed by a forehead slap and :BangHead:.

I get a kick out of finding stuff, learning, and being able to laugh from time to time, even if it's at myself.
 

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Ok, here is the big reveal. It's the base for an patio table umbrella.

The super laughed his a** off when I told him. On to bigger and better things. I can't say as I would have done the recovery any differently knowing that military ordnance has been found within two miles of this site.
Thanks to everyone who gave it a shot and provided images, links, and/or advice.
PP55

Thats what they told ya :P

And even if it was... umbrellas not tied down are still dangerous in Florida. :)
 

Blak bart

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We had our own little scare down here in ft. Lauderdale !!
 

SusanMN

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And at least you weren’t there watching the bomb squad uncover it. That would be less amusing.
 

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PetesPockets55

PetesPockets55

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Thats what they told ya :P

And even if it was... umbrellas not tied down are still dangerous in Florida. :)

I fell for it hook, line, and umbrella. Lots of flying umbrella videos online.

...We had our own little scare down here in ft. Lauderdale !!

That's ironic since I was discovering what my "mine" was the very same day. The one in the link sure looked convincing for an "inert" device.

Um yeah... if i were detecting and looked up and saw that... ummm... back step master !

Absolutely! And the size of it doesn't hit you till you see it on the forks of the bobcat.

And at least you weren’t there watching the bomb squad uncover it. That would be less amusing.

Would love to witness one be detonated from a safe distance though.


Great ID.Even better you let us know,I,ve been waiting for this.

Glad to finally have an answer myself. It was bugging me the super hadn't been more timely about notifying the authorities but at least I got a good laugh out of it.
 

xaos

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Ok, here is the big reveal. It's the base for an patio table umbrella.
Did they still blow it up?

OMG..the naval mine...the reporters ...jeeez...

Marked "INERT" is pretty self explanatory......damn....at least they did not try to explain if it was marked "ERT"
 

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PetesPockets55

PetesPockets55

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Did they still blow it up?

OMG..the naval mine...the reporters ...jeeez...

Marked "INERT" is pretty self explanatory......damn....at least they did not try to explain if it was marked "ERT"

Well.... I haven't tried to blow it up yet but that might be interesting to see the neighbors reactions if I try. :headbang:
No officials were involved in the umbrella stand that I know of.

I thought it was neat "INERT" was on the side of the mine in Bart's link. It does seem self explanatory.
"Knucklehead" might be on the umbrella stand if I look hard enough or if I stand on it!! :laughing7:
 

Blak bart

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Did they still blow it up?

OMG..the naval mine...the reporters ...jeeez...

Marked "INERT" is pretty self explanatory......damn....at least they did not try to explain if it was marked "ERT"

If I walked up on that early in the morning and saw the inert written on it I would have that thing in my man cave !! Imagine trying to drag that sucker to the car !!
 

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