Shipwreck Timber - Questions? Conservation?

[rgecy]

I located what I believe to possibly be a framing timber from a shipwreck offshore here in SC.? The section is about 8ft in length with a slight curve and 10" x 10" cross section.? You can see the peg holes and it has about 10-12 along this section.? There are also three iron spikes running perpendicular to the pegs and one bronze or copper spike about 1/2" in diameter that appears to be driven from the planking side.? You can see from the pictures, one end has been heavily destroyed by ship worms and apparently the other was covered under the sand since it is so well preserved.

Any ideas on how to tell the time period?? How do I tell if the spike is bronze or copper??

How about conservation? What would be the best and easiest methed for a piece this large?? Would the sucrose method be easier than PEG? How would you conserve the iron spikes and remove any encrustation?

Thanks,

Robert in SC

 

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[EyeShine]

You could have it carbon dated. Some people of course still feel that the accuracy of carbon dating is debatable...

As far as figuring out if it's bronze or copper... As far as I know, copper is not magnetic, bronze is. Should have the tools to figure that one out on your refrigerator

 

[hollowpointred]

send a pm to conservator about how to preserve it. he does relic conservation for a living and is a real pro.im sure he will know what to do.(he could probably point you in the right direction about getting it dated as well)

 

[rgecy]

Here are a few other picts since getting it home.? I had to dig a hole and line it with plastic to keep the whole piece wet.

Does anyone have any schematics on ship construction that may lead to determining what part or section this may have come form.? I am sure it is a rib and seems to be pretty substantial in size.

Thanks,

Robert in SC

 

[FISHEYE]

http://war-art.com/18thc.htm

 

[ceolacanth]

RGecy

Is that an arrow stamped into the spike ?? I have marked it on the below pic?

 

[rgecy]

FISHEYE, Cool site, but I couldn't find anything relating to ship construction that would help me with this.? If there is a certain page, could you bookmark it and post it?

As for the possible arrow, I do not see any definate markings on the spike.? And it is Not magnetic. But I didn't think bronze was magnetic anyway and I don't think copper is either.

Something I thought would be a good clue as to where this framing timber would have been located in the ship design is the chamfer or flattened end with the notch cut in it.? Possibly where the rib joined to the keel or joined with another framing member.

Any thoughts?

Robert in SC

 

[ceolacanth]

Judging by the size and girth of timber I would say, possibly a frame fairing section, due to the fastners going through the wood in both directions and the peg hole spacing. But thats just my guess

Here is a link of a schooner being built maybe you can browse through and see something similar.
http://www.schoonervirginia.org/construction/constructphotosMARCH03.htm

 

[EyeShine]

Ya know now that I think about it, you're right... bronze isn't magnetic unless it's made to be. Sooooo nevermind on that one.

 

[billinstuart]

Kinda looks like the wood is charred....and why no marine encrustation?

 

[rgecy]

Bill,
I thought maybe the same thing about it being charred, but I think its just because it was under the sand/mud. Once I let it dry a little it started to lighten up.

As for the encrustation, I think it was burried for a good while and was recently uncovered, either by wave action or by a shrimp trawler. This area does not have much, if hardly any coral growth. The bottom here is very sandy and featureless and the waters are very murky and dark.

Does any one know when they stopped using Pegs like this?

Thanks,

Robert in SC

 

[billinstuart]

I assume this timber washed up? If so, two thoughts. I have encountered -2- timbers after the hurricanes here last year. The first was still moving in the surf, rolling on the bottom (it wouldn't float). It was heavily sand abraded, and the iron fasteners were polished clean, probably from having been washed loose by the storm and travelling a good distance along the bottom/shore. The second was a group of several timbers much like you have, a variety of shapes and conditions, including a 55' keel section. They were NOT sand abraded, which led me to believe they originated very close offshore from where I found them. Like yours, parts were relatively pristine, which I assumed to have been buried. Both were found close to a Mel Fisher lease site, but the fasteners(iron) indicated they were not Spanish in nature. I think. It took several months after the hurricanes for the last find to wash up, btw.

 

[rgecy]

Bill,
I think this wreck is fairly close to shore as well. The fasteners are pretty interesting. There are some iron, but it almost looks like they had some lead poured around the head to seal them. Is this normal?

Any ideas on what period this may be?

Robert in SC

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Found timbers similar last year, mostly off Rio Mar, Florida, after hurricanes. I didn't know which ones were old. There were so many. Workers put them in large piles and removed them from beach. Only saved one piece. ? ?check this ?http://www.treasureexpeditions.com/Galleon.htm