✅ SOLVED Civil war round ball ?? help !!

[DIGGING1971GUY]

Everything in the photo besides the ball is just for size comparison and were not found with the round ball .

It is pretty heavy it seems kinda soft and nicks easily. What else could it be ?

Any help would be great and thanks for looking .It weighs 2.2ozs

 

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[A/CMan]

May be pewter?! Old pewter turns black like that cause it had lead in it.

 

[DIGGING1971GUY]

Hi,there is no black on this ball ,sorry might be bad camera quality
Actually it has green on it .

 

[aurumdigga]

It looks like yellow metal in that scratch. It shows up as yellow metal against the green.

I think you are from Ga. as I am. Generally, copper degrades a penny with a rough covering of green oxidation. This thing looks odd since the oxidation looks smooth and green.

Hope you find out what kind of metal does that after being in the soil for a long time. Great but odd find.......2.2 OZs.....ouch!

Just thinking about it, I would think that lead would weigh more on a ball this size. It would be white like a mini ball if it was lead anyway.

 

[Tony in SC]

Some of the old pumps had brass check balls. Both water and fuel pumps on antique engines(like this 1925 Fairbanks Morse) and early tractions engines had them. Tony

 

[duggap]

But in answer to your original question, I doubt it has anything to do with the war. It may in fact be old enough. But you will not find lead with green patina on it. Not sure for what they would make a copper round ball. Polishing perhaps?

 

[aurumdigga]

Some of the old pumps had brass check balls. Both water and fuel pumps on antique engines(like this 1925 Fairbanks Morse) and early tractions engines had them. TonyView attachment 651480

Brass ball, yep, great info Tony. I bet this may be answer or the best answer for this piece.

What did they use the balls for anyway?......Do you know?

 

[dg39]

For those of you who have not seen a Civil War Grape shot ball, here is one from a plantation cotton field that was part of a battle field during the Red River Campaign here in Central Louisiana. Notice the pitting and crusting.
DG

 

[Tony in SC]

Brass ball, yep, great info Tony. I bet this may be answer or the best answer for this piece.

What did they use the balls for anyway?......Do you know?

The brass balls were used as in check valves in water or fuel pumps of all sizes. Some of the later hand pumps used balls. Brass was used because it didn't rust. They had to be smooth and round or they wouldn't hold pressure. The green indicates copper in the brass. Tony

 

[DIGGING1971GUY]

The brass balls were used as in check valves in water or fuel pumps of all sizes. Some of the later hand pumps used balls. Brass was used because it didn't rust. They had to be smooth and round or they wouldn't hold pressure. The green indicates copper in the brass. Tony

Thank you for helping to solve this ,and thank you everyone else for looking !!!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

If you want to know how a pump check-valve ball "works"... go here: Check valve - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia