jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 12, 2014 11:34:40 GMT -5
Check these steel balls I just bought at the scrap yard. Some over 3 inches. HEAVY Most have rust pits. Wonder how they would look tumbled. Or done on a sphere machine ? What would the chromed ones look like if just some of it was removed ? Or Stainless rods were used to weld little stainless specks to it, then finished ? or braze brass spots...drilled with brass/copper/titanium rods stuck in it, then finished. Bought them to pedestal up for bookends, but should practice some metallurgical surgery first... HEAVY
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Post by Toad on Jun 12, 2014 14:21:24 GMT -5
Smells like a project...
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Post by pghram on Jun 12, 2014 16:43:11 GMT -5
Cool, are you going to tumble them?
Rich
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 12, 2014 16:59:11 GMT -5
Unlimited possibilities with those. But I don't think this is what they had in mind when they said he's got balls of steel...
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Post by catmandewe on Jun 12, 2014 17:34:26 GMT -5
Time to make a mini cannon!
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 12, 2014 19:23:53 GMT -5
Time to make a mini cannon! I am concerned that they were some kind of cannon balls catmandewe. ha. Not likely. Not sure what they are.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 12, 2014 19:25:41 GMT -5
Cool, are you going to tumble them? Rich I am going to have to tumble a few. Mixed with gravel ? Some way or another. they sure are heavy Rich.
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Post by pghram on Jun 12, 2014 21:30:19 GMT -5
What about w/ some sand as grit? Harder than the steel & I assume you're not trying to change the shape much. Definately only a few at a time.
Rich
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 12, 2014 21:38:10 GMT -5
What about w/ some sand as grit? Harder than the steel & I assume you're not trying to change the shape much. Definately only a few at a time. Rich Sand would get the rust off. I am not sure about #2 #3 and polish though. Any ideas? plastics? wood chips? rubber? More steel would get heavy if used as filler.
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junglejim
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 344
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Post by junglejim on Jun 12, 2014 21:39:36 GMT -5
I worked in the Dairy industry for 30 years before retiring six years ago and they look like check balls which were used to control product and CIP directional flows. When new they were rubber coated for a tight seal in the lines but being rubber they would wear out eventually and had to be changed out. Some would have the rubber completely off and they looked like that only not rusty. Looks like they have been outdoors for awhile. I think the one's we used were stainless and the biggest we used was 4".
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 21:41:12 GMT -5
send some to me, I'll polish them and send some back.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2014 21:49:26 GMT -5
I believe baking soda works. It's not the same as baking soda but in solution they are not chemically different. Sodium carbonate vs. sodium bicarbonate.
No shortage of sacrificial steel in your yard.
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Post by Rockoonz on Jun 12, 2014 23:08:40 GMT -5
Yep the electrolysis method works super on rusty gas tanks.
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Post by rockjunquie on Jun 12, 2014 23:15:12 GMT -5
Seems like you could do a lot of creative things with these. I think the rust pitted ones would look the coolest after they were cleaned up.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
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Post by quartz on Jun 12, 2014 23:30:16 GMT -5
Think maybe an out of business, or stopped doing it, ball mill operation. Ball mills are generally used to crush up rocks, often to obtain locked-in valuable minerals from its ore matrix. The size doesn't matter much to a point, perhaps explaining the variety. I've seen some balls welded on rods a couple feet long with a pivot point in the middle, and incorporated into wind whorlygigs. Have fun with it. If you are going to practice metallurgical surgery on 'em, gonna have to find something healthier than the scissors. Larry
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 6:41:36 GMT -5
I worked in the Dairy industry for 30 years before retiring six years ago and they look like check balls which were used to control product and CIP directional flows. When new they were rubber coated for a tight seal in the lines but being rubber they would wear out eventually and had to be changed out. Some would have the rubber completely off and they looked like that only not rusty. Looks like they have been outdoors for awhile. I think the one's we used were stainless and the biggest we used was 4". There are a lot of diary farms here junglejim. and a lots of dairy industry. Imagine you are familiar with the funnel shaped deal that is about the size of a lamp shade. The old non-stainless ones that have a nice rust patina sell quickly when my wife makes 'Industrial Pendant Lights' out of them. I am engineer and yet to figure out how those darn things work. Got some modern stainless ones too. The rusted ones are often stuck together and play hell getting them loose, often having to cut and sacrifice one to get the other apart. a honey do i do not like to do. I will say that some of the 2-2.5 inch balls have holes drilled in them. Maybe something to do w/a check valve ball. and most have some chrome typical of a check valve, but the rubber coating is new to me for a check valve, but makes perfect sense. The humidity here will rust most anything. Some of the rust pits are deep. Some are not very round. But I think you may have them figured for what they are.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 6:53:51 GMT -5
Think maybe an out of business, or stopped doing it, ball mill operation. Ball mills are generally used to crush up rocks, often to obtain locked-in valuable minerals from its ore matrix. The size doesn't matter much to a point, perhaps explaining the variety. I've seen some balls welded on rods a couple feet long with a pivot point in the middle, and incorporated into wind whorlygigs. Have fun with it. If you are going to practice metallurgical surgery on 'em, gonna have to find something healthier than the scissors. Larry Have you ever heard the term "he can mess up a steel ball" except a different adjective used for the word 'mess' Larry ? The photos do not show the occasional holes drilled in them. I have heard the term ball mill, but never educated on how they work. There is mining and ore removal in these parts. would a ball mill ball have a hole drilled in it and have chrome plating ? Some are out of round, making me wonder if they were used for a less precision operation though.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 7:04:13 GMT -5
Seems like you could do a lot of creative things with these. I think the rust pitted ones would look the coolest after they were cleaned up. I made a couple of bookends and they sold quick on easy Tela. Maybe Scott's sphere machine could sexify them and be attractive components of a bookend. Yes, the pitted stuff cleaned and coated w/acrylic coating is popular. I use a powerful pressure washer at about an inch away to blast loose rust, let it dry well, and coat it w/25% acrylic concrete sealer. Sealer is $80 for 5 gallons.
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 7:19:47 GMT -5
send some to me, I'll polish them and send some back. Scott, if you want to put them on the sphere machine PM me your address again. I just want to see photos of finish. They are yours to keep unless they are really pretty:).
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,182
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2014 7:26:55 GMT -5
Yep the electrolysis method works super on rusty gas tanks. My wife is mad scientist using muratic acid to make things rusty Lee. She makes new stuff rust and the turns around and removes it. Target is aged look, patina. We have not breached adding electricity yet.
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