Marbles?...Polishers?....

[lairmo]

Found these in a dry creek that only flows when it floods...in an area about 100 feet long...just down from an old sawmill. I'm sure they were dumped there and moved downstream in floods. A buddy of mine told me about them. He said he has a small cooler (12pk size) full of them. So, I had to see it for myself, and found these in about 5 mins. Are they marbles? Someone said they might have been used for polishing and then dumped, but polishing what? And with glass? They are pretty scored up, but I don't know if they were dumped that way or from the creek rocks....anyone?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[lairmo]

Pictures would be nice huh?

 

[BioProfessor]

They look like the "marbles" I used to find as a child. They were the glass used to make fiberglass. I think they were melted and a thread pulled from them to make the insulation.

Daryl

 

[999slvrfx]

Daryl has it right, they are raw glass marbles used to make fiberglass.
Johns-Manville uses those by the tons to make insulation for homes.

 

[woody50]

They look like the "marbles" I used to find as a child. They were the glass used to make fiberglass. I think they were melted and a thread pulled from them to make the insulation.
Daryl

I could agree with you Daryl, but why in the shape of marbles? You could just use cheaper sheet glass or recycled glass, or not?
I mean, why make marbles from the glass.... is there a reason for that form?

 

[Tony in SC]

They look like the "marbles" I used to find as a child. They were the glass used to make fiberglass. I think they were melted and a thread pulled from them to make the insulation.

Daryl

I worked for Owens Corning for a while. These marbles were loaded into a molten vat and extruded through a die with tiny hole to make the glass strands for fiberglass. Tony PS: Great sling shot ammo .

 

[lairmo]

Wow...thanks guys!!!.....I don't know of any fiberglass makers in the area, but i'm sure there probably was one. Could anyone explain the scoring on them? Made that way or effect from what? My buddy thinks they are some sort of deburring media.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

I could agree with you Daryl, but why in the shape of marbles? You could just use cheaper sheet glass or recycled glass, or not?
I mean, why make marbles from the glass.... is there a reason for that form?

I once worked at a factory that made PVC pipe fittings back around 1970. I seem to remember the plastic that we poured into the machines was in balls as well. It may be this way because its easier to handle.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Good call Professor. These links say you can find them around railroad tracks. http://www.thelensflare.com/gallery/p_space-the-final-frontier_51761.php

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,199443

 

[lairmo]

Thanks again everyone...I looked all over the internet, but i guess i never put in the right combination of information...SOLVED!!!!

 

[Tony in SC]

Wow...thanks guys!!!.....I don't know of any fiberglass makers in the area, but i'm sure there probably was one. Could anyone explain the scoring on them? Made that way or effect from what? My buddy thinks they are some sort of deburring media.

The marks are from the way they are made they were rolled forged. Where I worked, if they fell on the floor they were sweep up and thrown away. When I was a kid we found them in the dump, on the side of the road,etc. I have killed may of squirell with that green slingshot ammo . Tony

 

[detector de metales]

Hmm to add a different twist to this.. I will include a site that might shed a different light..
Not that this makes it unsolved. but its just a different light, was looking at something totally unrelated and came across this here:

http://www.railroadiana.org/hw/pgMarbles.php

Happy Hunting

J2

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Well we do alot of rock tumbling and polishing here at the camp. What we use is not what your posting. to take up volume of what the rocks lose in the month long tumbling process we use ceramic (small) pellets. Not to say that what you have were not used for polishing but it seems unlikely. looks like marbles. cool finds!

 

[lairmo]

Hmm to add a different twist to this.. I will include a site that might shed a different light..
Not that this makes it unsolved. but its just a different light, was looking at something totally unrelated and came across this here:

http://www.railroadiana.org/hw/pgMarbles.php

Happy Hunting

J2

HMmmmmmm....I might have 'checked' prematurely ......

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Is it near a railroad or upstream?

 

[lairmo]

Is it near a railroad or upstream?

Found in a dry creek bed 1/4 mile away from the tracks....upstream

 

[lostcauses]

Hmm to add a different twist to this.. I will include a site that might shed a different light..
Not that this makes it unsolved. but its just a different light, was looking at something totally unrelated and came across this here:

http://www.railroadiana.org/hw/pgMarbles.php

Happy Hunting

J2

Interesting link. Using them for a roller transport would be a good idea.

Also the original poster should run the ones originally posted, under a black light.. See if they glow when done so.. If they do so look up Vaseline glass..