What is this?

[teammajic]

I foun this today while searching for a civil war campsite,never did find the campsite but found this odd piece anybody have a clue what it is ? The whole goese all the way threw and the hole is larger on the tappered end than it is on the other. Any ideas?

 

[bigfoot1]

bigcy....get google ghrome it made this site fly for me and I was going to have to give it up.it really worked for me....whatta differance

 

[darthoblio]

I also think it's part of a milling machine.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I think these are the casting irregularities that CBG was referring to.
1- shows a raised portion and
2- shows what looks like splatter.

These are not caused by rust and corrosion. The item shows no evidence of ever turning.

I also see these irregularities on the side and this is what brought me to the conclusion that is was not machined and must be decorative.

But I want to say this (and this is very important) the item is nowhere near being solved. And even after its posted solved, it can always be reversed.

Thanks everyone for your adding your knowledge and opinions.

 

[woodstock]

I guess anything is feasible about age and wear except the weld spatter part . Remember a stripped gear has smooth and rounded teeth . And we have no real idea how large the teeth were to begin with then ( if they are teeth ) At this point I think it's anyone's guess . And I fully respect the wisdom of CannonBallGuy and his civil war military item experience . And maybe I should have been more clear about the bore cleaner idea . I did say or I think I said it could have been made for cleaning the flash from the bore . It might be a single one of a kind piece made by a Blacksmith and not a production piece given to the troops . And you'd have to admit that during that period many company's were started and revised to supply the war machine and some of those were flash in the pans and obscure as fast as they began . So it might not be a piece he is or any of us are experienced with or seen , used in any manufacturing of anything ... it doesn't have to be related to military or even the period we think it's from . That's what makes it interesting , I mean it could even be a flag post top missing the Eagle ? Right ? I'm only giving my input to keep a open mind on this ID !
Woodstock

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

OK I will keep an open mind. It can be very hard IDing from a photo. I was going a lot on what the OP said that it was not worn. Of course he could be mistaken but he has it in his hand.

 

[woodstock]

And I do or I will as you ... I have dug pieces that I though were from Rosewell ! And I've dug iron pieces that had smooth corrosion , even kinda shiny . The bottom line is I really hope we can ID this together as a TreasureNet team cause whatever it is or whatever it was puzzles me and is a learning experience for those who crave understanding the past and the purpose behind this stuff ... some items are easy and others well ... are dang near impossible ! Woodstock

 

[teammajic]

It was found on a old farm the only other thing we found were two old horse shoes but the were 100 yards apart or better. I cleaned it with a brush and it was about 9 inches deep.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It was found on a old farm the only other thing we found were two old horse shoes but the were 100 yards apart or better. I cleaned it with a brush and it was about 9 inches deep.

That would be a hunk of rust in Florida. Old farm = oxen = ox knobs? Ox knobs or weights are heavy cast iron of about that size with the same size tapered hole but I am unable to find a match. I cant think of anything else other than the theories presented here.

 

[teammajic]

Iv been reading everybodys comments but i got to diagree on the gear theary iv worked in a machine shop and worked around farm equipment and heavy equipment all my life and its tonperfect to be a warn gear.thanks for all the comments and guisses and it was rusted pretty good until i took a drill with a wire brush and cleaned it up try to figure it out all i know at this point is that it a interesting piece when we figure thisnone out i got another piece i can post and we can see i we can figure it out .

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Iv been reading everybodys comments but i got to diagree on the gear theary iv worked in a machine shop and worked around farm equipment and heavy equipment all my life and its tonperfect to be a warn gear..

I promised to keep an open mind but I have never seen a modern gear wear evenly like this either. Actually it seems to show no wear at all.

 

[mical66]

i have no idea what it is but i will add in my 2 cents any way ,,lol
when i first seen the picture i thought it looks like a Knob Handle , i have some that are new items less then a year old used on Nautilus weight benches , now i am not saying that is what this item is ,, i was just surprised at the resemblance is all .
i will take a picture in 5 mins and post it so you can see what i am saying.

Now i am not a expert and all i go by is what i have seen in my life dealing with antique structures and the implements found in and around them , some from that era and some not , plus growing up in a time where you had to have knowledge in alot of areas to do alot of things . to me the ridges look to perfect to be wore down , it looks to me they were made the shape they are now .
and ty to BigC , i had never seen horn caps ( what we called them on the farm ) that had holes all the way thru them , ours were brass balls and had 1 hole for the horn to go in, but i do not think this is horn decorations either .
the closest ID i liked and agree that if Cannon says it is not artillary related then its not , but the idea if a wooden handle /pole goign thru the tapered hole and having a wedge driven thru the split end like a old hammer or axe makes sense to me,, now what was it used for ? no idea..lol

 

[mical66]

[DISCLIAMER] pictures are not a exact copy of OP's item , they just reminded me of it.



ok here is pictures, and again i am not saying these are nautilus knobs,,lol
but could they be knobs ?

 

[Paleopilot]

Just a guess of course...your fluted iron item looks very similar to a drive gear from an early lawn mower. Mozall mowers come to mind, but theirs were cylindrical instead of cone shaped. The gear would just be pulled against the wheel and friction drive the mower. I can't think of anything else it would have been good for.

 

[teammajic]

Heres a picture of everything i found that day i found the object we have been commenting on it all came out of about a 20ac field.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Looks like a sprinkler head, fence post cap and horseshoe.

 

[trikikiwi]

I've been scratchin' my head over this one ever since I first saw it
Right from the start, I have leaned toward it having something to do with 'counterweight'.

Could it be a counterweight to something like a barn door, such as a hay loft?

For example


Antique 20lb Cast Iron Barn Door Counterweight | eBay

On the TNet find, I can see how a rope might pass through the hole, be knotted and then hold the counterweight - and possibly more weights added to the flat surface facing upwards.

Just some thoughts.
Cheers, Mike

 

[yelnif]

Well teammajic, I wanted to add my observation which has not been mentioned yet; in pic 4- the hole is not centered and yet the 'lobes' still seem uniform. A tapered gear for mechanical usage would have had a centered hole to allow for uniform contact to its corresponding part/ gear. It kind of reminds me of an old truck drivers tire thumper. It would have been mounted on the tapered end of a wood handle (for weight) and thumped against the tire to check for a flat tire. To the trained ear this thumping sound would tell the driver whether or not his tires were all aired up or if he was getting a flat. In my younger days I worked at a truck stop, and one of the first things a driver would do when he got out was to grab his thumper and walk @ his rig hitting each tire- checking air pressure- and a lot faster than checking with an air gauge. Just a guess thou as I can't remember exactly what that weight looked like- but that's what I remember. Be looking forward to seeing this one getting solved- bugs me. HH

yelnif

 

[nuggy]

Seems to me if you put it on a large bolt with a nut and washer, it would wedge into something pretty tight when tightened up. No idea what though. Nuggy

 

[d2]

I think it is for grinding grain. I have a corn grinder and that is what the "grinder thing" looks like when you look down in the hopper...d2

 

[yelnif]

I think it is for grinding grain. I have a corn grinder and that is what the "grinder thing" looks like when you look down in the hopper...d2

d2 can you take a picture of the "grinder thing" or give us a manufacturer and part number/ description to look up? thanks- yelnif