preserving old cannon ball

[Arky 1]

what would you do to preserve an old cannon ball to stop it from rusting or would you just keep it as found? thanks

 

[UCVRelics]

I have always done electrolysis on them to remove rust and then boiled them in wax to remove any excess moisture and the wax will also seal out any further moisture.

 

[Pollaco]

Hopefully you're referring to a solid shot when you use the term cannonball. I'm no expert but, Mr uscrelics.com does that boiling in wax work on other than solids? I don't know but I do care!

 

[UCVRelics]

I only use it on iron items such as artillery shells, bayonets, knives, guns etc that I have found.

 

[Arky 1]

Hopefully you're referring to a solid shot when you use the term cannonball. I'm no expert but, Mr uscrelics.com does that boiling in wax work on other than solids? I don't know but I do care!

yes it is a solid cast iron ball I am aware of the hollow exploding kind thanks

 

[Larryh86GT]

How much rust does it have? There are a lot of ways to go I think depending on the condition. Some photos would help.

 

[Arky 1]

How much rust does it have? There are a lot of ways to go I think depending on the condition. Some photos would help.

I am out of town but when I get home I will post photo's if you tell me how I do that? thanks

 

[JOHN42768]

Good luck with your project

 

[Arky 1]

Sorry for the delay lot of work going on this time of year, I have already got some of the corrosion off here are some photo's

 

[UCVRelics]

What you have is a very nice Confederate Cannon Ball with a wooden fuse insert. What is the diameter on this ball? Here is one from my personnel collection.

 

[Arky 1]

I can't take precise measurement but it is close to 4.5 and weighs right at 12 pounds so your telling me this isn't a solid cannonball? with the weight of 12 pounds and the diameter of 4.5 isn't that consistent with a solid round? what is the size of your fuse hole? thanks

 

[redbob]

I can't take precise measurement but it is close to 4.5 and weighs right at 12 pounds so your telling me this isn't a solid cannonball? with the weight of 12 pounds and the diameter of 4.5 isn't that consistent with a solid round? what is the size of your fuse hole? thanks

What you have appears to be a shell and not a solid shot and the down side of this is that it may very well still be loaded, so I wouldn't get too exuberant with it until it has been thoroughly checked out and if need be deactivated to render it safe.

 

[Arky 1]

I am defiantly going to have it checked thanks

 

[UCVRelics]

I would, as from the looks of the wooden plug and the weight I'm with @redbob on it still being loaded.

 

[TomV71]

I am defiantly going to have it checked thanks

Be careful!
Dont mean to scare you, but these things can still be deadly after 150 years in the ground.

Ten years ago, a guy was killed trying to clean one of these.
http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/05/03/civil_war_shell_kills_virginia_collector/

 

[Arky 1]

I don't plan on drilling a hole in it

 

[Arky 1]

my next question would be is there an expert in Arkansas that can deactivate it? with out destroying it

 

[UCVRelics]

You don't have to drill a hole as there are several ways to get that wooden plug out in order to remove the powder if it is in fact still loaded. I have deactivated many CW shells by drilling the a hole on the bottom as I didn't want to mess up the brass fuse and the put them in electrolysis but they way rustier then yours. I would soak it in water for a few days in order to soften the wood and then use an exacto knife to slide between the ball and plug and try and work it loose. It will take some time and patience but it is removable. I would do a little at a time then re-soak it to all the water to get into the spots you ran the knife. Be sure you do all of this while it is under water and you will be fine.

 

[redbob]

You don't have to drill a hole as there are several ways to get that wooden plug out in order to remove the powder if it is in fact still loaded. I have deactivated many CW shells by drilling the a hole on the bottom as I didn't want to mess up the brass fuse and the put them in electrolysis but they way rustier then yours. I would soak it in water for a few days in order to soften the wood and then use an exacto knife to slide between the ball and plug and try and work it loose. It will take some time and patience but it is removable. I would do a little at a time then re-soak it to all the water to get into the spots you ran the knife. Be sure you do all of this while it is under water and you will be fine.

The most important point is the very last sentence: steel + iron = sparks/heat which is the very last thing that you want while someone is doing this.

 

[mofederal]

I have a friend who used to defuse shells. He was pretty good at it. It's better and easier than working on hand grenades. I used to find many WWI to WWII ones. The Army tended to put grenade courses on Civil War battlefields. I wasn't relic hunting either. Just trying to work.