Privy 1 Group Shot and Shotgun Electrolysis

Kiros32 · Dec 1, 2009

Halfdime and I have been digging outhouses in an old ghost town here in PA. We posted a pic of a few of the bottles from the first completed pit the other day, but here is the group shot. Not bad for one privy eh?

And in the second privy, that we started this past weekend, we found this shotgun. Pretty cool find wherever its found, but in a privy? Interesting to say the least. I started electrolysis tonight and here are a few pics before and after 2 hours of cooking. It seems to be coming along well.

Before

2 Hours into cooking...

vwayne1 · Dec 1, 2009

Nice finds. Digging the old privy holes is fun. You would have more luck with that barrel if you use stainless instead of copper in your tank.

Kiros32 · Dec 1, 2009

vwayne1 said:
Nice finds. Digging the old privy holes is fun. You would have more luck with that barrel if you use stainless instead of copper in your tank.

Well I am using a method posted by BuckleBoy, and I am consider him a tried and true relic hunter, so I will see how this works for a day or two. I have used stainless steel in the past, but figured I would try the copper tubing this time.

DigginThePast · Dec 1, 2009

Congrats on your great selection of finds. :icon_thumright:

Privy digging can leave you feeling flushed with success.

The Beep Goes On · Dec 1, 2009

Holy S**t! Those bottles (and insulators) r awesome! Thanks for sharing.

Mr Ripley · Dec 1, 2009

Some very nice stuff you found there!

The Reese Chemical bottle is interesting, they came in green (for internal use) and cobalt blue (for external use, considered a poison). I believe they were both prescribed for a condition not discussed in polite company... :wink:

I have the blue one which can be seen in this thread:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,258669.0.html

Mr R

halfdime · Dec 1, 2009

Excellent pictures! I'm hooked on privies, I'm afraid!

scratcher · Dec 1, 2009

vwayne1 said:
Nice finds. Digging the old privy holes is fun. You would have more luck with that barrel if you use stainless instead of copper in your tank.

Not to be a PIA, but I'm pretty sure that stainless use creates chromates in your electrolyte, which is nasty stuff. I'd steer clear of it to be sure.

fistfulladirt · Dec 1, 2009

Cool digs! Wonder how the insulators ended up in the privy? ffd

jrsherman · Dec 1, 2009

Hey Jared,

You guys are cleaning up up there, congrats!

Those are some nice poisons there too, as well as the rest of the bottles and insulators.

As far as the stainless steel vs. copper goes, I don't think it makes too much of a difference on iron. I have read that at the very end when you're using copper, it can cause a coppery sheen, but :dontknow:

. Its old iron anyways.

As far as the chromates go, if you use stainless extensively and drink it or bathe in it, you may eventually have problems. If you do ANY electrolysis, you wind up with some small amounts of hydrogen coming off, which could be flammable(if you contain it into a ballon, set it near the stove, or do like the idiot on youtube, popping hydrogen bubbles with a lighter in your kitchen ::)

). If you follow your standard safety precautions, you should be fine, and I think you've got the handle of it :icon_thumright:

.

Looked like you guys wound up doing pretty good at the group hunt, really wish I would've made it out there. I hoped I could catch y'all again, but looks like I'm about to depart Virginia, with the exception of possible visits.

Take care and keep at it!

Josh

halfdime · Dec 1, 2009

Fistfulladirt said:
Cool digs! Wonder how the insulators ended up in the privy? ffd

They were actually attached to each other with wire; they probably got there like everything else - a convenient place to dispose of something!

Kiros32 · Dec 2, 2009

jrsherman said:
Hey Jared,

You guys are cleaning up up there, congrats!

Those are some nice poisons there too, as well as the rest of the bottles and insulators.

As far as the stainless steel vs. copper goes, I don't think it makes too much of a difference on iron. I have read that at the very end when you're using copper, it can cause a coppery sheen, but . Its old iron anyways.

As far as the chromates go, if you use stainless extensively and drink it or bathe in it, you may eventually have problems. If you do ANY electrolysis, you wind up with some small amounts of hydrogen coming off, which could be flammable(if you contain it into a ballon, set it near the stove, or do like the idiot on youtube, popping hydrogen bubbles with a lighter in your kitchen ). If you follow your standard safety precautions, you should be fine, and I think you've got the handle of it .

Looked like you guys wound up doing pretty good at the group hunt, really wish I would've made it out there. I hoped I could catch y'all again, but looks like I'm about to depart Virginia, with the exception of possible visits.

Take care and keep at it!

Josh

Are they shipping you out again Josh?

seger98 · Dec 2, 2009

Absolutely outstanding digs! :thumbsup:

lumbercamp · Dec 2, 2009

If you have any scrap pieces of lumber laying around you could build a frame and double layer heavy plastic to lay the barrel in. Would be a lot quicker then doing it a section at a time. Copper will deteriorate during the electrolysis process. You might want to use iron, not stainless steel.

Kiros32 · Dec 2, 2009

lumbercamp said:
If you have any scrap pieces of lumber laying around you could build a frame and double layer heavy plastic to lay the barrel in. Would be a lot quicker then doing it a section at a time. Copper will deteriorate during the electrolysis process. You might want to use iron, not stainless steel.

Thanks for the advice. I have a Brute trashcan that I am going to use tonight so I can immerse the entire gun. I just wanted to see how well this setup worked before I did it on a larger scale.

halfdime · Dec 2, 2009

Kiros32 said:
lumbercamp said:

If you have any scrap pieces of lumber laying around you could build a frame and double layer heavy plastic to lay the barrel in. Would be a lot quicker then doing it a section at a time. Copper will deteriorate during the electrolysis process. You might want to use iron, not stainless steel.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I have a Brute trashcan that I am going to use tonight so I can immerse the entire gun. I just wanted to see how well this setup worked before I did it on a larger scale.

Would electrolysis work on the toy trucks?

Kiros32 · Dec 2, 2009

halfdime said:
Kiros32 said:

lumbercamp said:

If you have any scrap pieces of lumber laying around you could build a frame and double layer heavy plastic to lay the barrel in. Would be a lot quicker then doing it a section at a time. Copper will deteriorate during the electrolysis process. You might want to use iron, not stainless steel.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice. I have a Brute trashcan that I am going to use tonight so I can immerse the entire gun. I just wanted to see how well this setup worked before I did it on a larger scale.

Click to expand...

Would electrolysis work on the toy trucks?

I think it would just eat them away completely considering how thin the metal is.

allen · Dec 2, 2009

great job on those bottles !! :thumbsup:

jrsherman · Dec 2, 2009

Nah they're not shipping me out, I"M shipping me out :laughing7:

It's been a long and bumpy road, even for just 6 years, but I'm at the end of it thankfully. Friends, Family, school and a job are going to be my new priorities. At least more so than they were. :thumbsup: