20 pound ball.

[Brian C.]

Here is my 20 pound ball, it has the hole going threw the whole ball, it was used for a shot put when I was younger. It may have been used for a roller of some type, but if it were a cannon ball, it might have been a chain shot or a leg iron ball. Who knows for sure.HH

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

You say the hole goes all the way through it... which enables me to reply with 100% certainty that it was never any kind of cannonball, nor Bar-Shot, etc, etc. I hope that's not too much of a disappointment. If you want to check my credentials for answering you with 100% certainty about it, see the "About me" section in my Profile here at TreasureNet.

 

[Brian C.]

Ok. So why are you so angry about my post. Later.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Angry? What? My reply to you expressed sympathy ("I hope that's not too much of a disappointment") along with the Factual answer to your question. (You asked, "if it were a cannon ball, it might have been a chain shot or a leg iron ball. Who knows for sure?")

 

[pa plateau hiker]

I see no anger in your reply Cannonballguy. You stated the facts. You have always impressed me with your knowledge.

 

[bman3725]

Gotta step up behind cannonballguy he his VERY knowledgeable in this area of history don't read any comment he makes the wrong way we are lucky to have someone with his expertise commenting and giving his educated insight just because he has a passion for it. I know one might think I know him on a personal level but I cannot assure u I do not. I have had several interactions here with him on forums and that's all but I've learned a lot from the guy and I have around 20 years experience in the field of question

As he stated my friend if there is a hole all the way through the middle of the item in question there's no way it was made for firing it out of a cannon. Think about what could happen with the hole gasses would be able to escape through it when fired which could be disastrous. It could be something industrial maybe?

Nice find just the same. Hope you find the answers to your questions my friend. Happy hunting

 

[Gunrunner61]

Brian your Question makes no sense, What leads you to think CBG is mad from the answer that he gave you.
It was direct, to the point, And showed sympathy toward you hoping it was a cannonball. I'm sure that He could care less about your find, And was just trying to help you on the Id. Personally I hope that the folks of his caliber Do not get tired of all the S^%# when they post an answer for the lot of us who don't know half of what we dig, And then ( seem) to get angry with the answer we get. CannonballGuy I'd just like to thank you for the time you spend on this forum and the information you supply............jmho

 

[Silver Searcher]

The item looks to have a seem, as I know nothing of cannonballs, did they have a seem I respect the fact it is not a cannonball, but was interested to know if they were cast whole, or made from two pieces. Or is the seem from the mold which made this.

SS

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Answering your (three) questions:
1- Is the seam from the mold which made this?

Yes.

2- As I know nothing of cannonballs, did they have a seam?

Some cannonballs do show a seam from the metalcasting mold, but most don't show a seam. The presence or absence of a casting-seam depends on the quality of the mold the cannonball was made in, and also on whether or not the manufacturer was being paid to remove all traces of a seam after the casting was completed. Colonial-era cannonballs often show a casting-seam, but by the time of the American Civil War, the quality of metalcasting molds had improved significantly.

I should mention here that Mill-Balls (a.k.a. rock-crusher balls from the Mining-&-Stonemilling industry) often -- but not always -- show a prominent moldseam. The reason is that on rock-crusher balls, the presence of a ridge-like seam doesn't matter ... but would cause problems with cannonballs, which MUST fit "smoothly" down into a cannon's barrel.

3- I was interested to know if they [cannonballs] were cast whole, or made from two pieces.

Cannonballs were never assembled from two separate pieces... they were always cast "whole." Here's a diagram showing the metalcasting mold arrangement for creating a Solid-Shot (not hollow shell) cannonball. The casting-mold itself did consist of two pieces, which were clamped together tightly for the casting proces. The mold's outer body is an iron container called the "flask." It contained tightly-compacted (or semi-concreted) sand, which is represented by tiny black dots in the diagram.

There is a very important reason why the mold had two holes. (One is called the filler-hole or "gate", and the other is called the mold's vent.) The reason has to do with worker safety during the metalcasting process. As you see in the diagram, the mold contains a large pocket of air, which is tightly enclosed. When the extremely hot (2,800+ degrees) molten iron is poured into mold, the air in the mold's "cavity" gets suddenly superheated and therefore expands very rapidly. if the only way for the expanding air to escape the airpocket is to rush back up through the mold's filler-hole, it blows molten iron droplets into the worker's face. So, a second hole was located at the very top of the mold, serving as a pressure-release "vent," so that the superheated air could escape harmlessly. Of course, the vent-hole had to be at the very top of the mold, or you wouldn't be able to completely fill the mold. Speaking of which... the vent had the additional benefit of allowing a worker to easily know when the mold had become completely filled. Instead of relying on waiting for the filler-hole to overflow, which would waste some molten metal, you look down the (shallow) vent-hole for the glowing molten iron reach the bottom of the hole.

If you want to learn more about that, and how to tell with certainty whether or not a metal ball is a cannonball, go here: SolidShotEssentialsMod

 

[truckinbutch]

Well I may have taken it a little hard, any post i have seen on a cannon ball in question, you tend to tell the finder it is or never was a cannon ball. May be you know your stuff, but we were never there when the items were maid or the use they might have had, we can only guess, I like to tell people nice find, as far as the bull.>..stop.Nt.

I think you owe CB Guy an apology . We are blessed to have a gentleman of his knowledge and experience willing to freely give his time here . I've seen him exhibit much more patience with posters here when they continue to argue with him because he explains to them that what they found is not what they wish it to be . He was trying to be nice to you .
Jim

 

[Tnmountains]

I think it has been determined to not be a Cannon Ball and CBG he has been kind enough to identify many cannon balls on this forum Brian C.
You posted in the 'What is It" section and you do not need to argue with people kind enough to respond to your post. If you do not like the honest opinions and responses I will be happy to remove your post. The only reason I have not deleted this thread already is that others have provided useful information on what it is not.

 

[Brian C.]

My first message mentioned that I did not know what it was used for,( who really knows what it was used for), if you read it again I never said it was a cannon ball. I am glad CBG posted the detailed info on the shot size, this clears up that part. I am glad all you posters stick up for the people that have knowledge on different items, I would do the same. Later.

 

[Tnmountains]

Thanks Brian Now maybe we can figure out" what it is" now that we know "what it is not" ? If it had a bar run thru it and rolled does it show use wear where it would be rolled? Ok I am tongue tied already

 

[Brian C.]

Here are acouple more pictures of the smooth ball, it may have been used for a rock crusher, or who knows for sure. I bought it 35 years ago at a flea market. Later

 

[Tnmountains]

Maybe the old pop eye dumb bells for weight lifting?

 

[nhbenz]

In the latest pictures I think I'm seeing wear marks (or rather "lack of wear" marks) from where it had a cup on each end, assuming those are opposite sides of the ball (its the type of thing where its hard to tell). I'd guess that would be indicative of it being held in place (on a bar) when in use, for what that's worth.
Does anyone know what the old time freight rollers looked like? Not that I would rule out a lifting weight.

 

[Digs68]

From what I can see, one hole is rounded & the other is a bit squarish, which leads me to believe it had some sort of mushroomed or hammered end on that side. Sort of like a rivet would be pounded flat. I'm guessing a rod went through & was expanded on the other end to keep it in place. Other than the seam, there is a raised area on the side of the ball. You can see it on the left pic of the most recent posted close-up pics, going up over the top. There is also a raised rounded lip around the round hole in that same pic. I think it was something like a crane counterweight ball, possibly with a hook or something dangling from the other end. They are (or were) used to control the cable and hook so it wouldn't swing so much in the wind, I think. I'm just making a guess. But I think it was something similar to that. What do you think?

 

[Paleopilot]

Might be, what is known in the tower construction industry, as a "Headache Ball". They were used to counterweight the cable when stacking steel. They came in all sizes and configurations. More cable, more counterweight is needed. That one would be good for a small cable. The larger ones are around 250 pounds and are cylindrical in shape.

 

[digging440yrs]

Balls like this were used in the early 1900s to roll on a floor to flaten and stretch new carpet and vinel flooring, this one looks to be a little larger then others ive seen, but may be in that catagory----

 

[Gunrunner61]

Just a thought here.....But boom trucks have an Added weight on the cable to help weigh the hook down on the
end of the cable, What size is the hole in it??...................HH