Old copper coated steel bar, 3 inch diameter.

[hmmm]

Hi all
I found a steal bar that has a layer of copper coating it. It is in rocks in a salt water lagoon, i figure it is for a tie up for ships but i do not know what culture used it. Any ideas.

COME ON GUYS

there has to be someone who has some incite on this.
It is in the rocks to the right of the plate i am holding, the plate is from the early 1900's.
But there must be overlapping history.

The bar is wedged into a crevas in the rock and looks as if it was placed as a tie up loop, possibly for ships or docks.
​

 

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[bigfoot1]

assuming you are correct about the metals I find it hard to believe it was put there on purpose.For hundreds of years man has known that both steel and copper are easily corroded by salt water.They are amoung the worst.Also the position it is lodged in would indicate to me that it was simply pinched in there while being used for another purpose.perhaps as a stone roller.

question...is the rock jetty natural or does it appear that the rocks were placed there.The answer may lie in that.

cheers

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Doesn't look like it has any practical purpose as a ship or launch attachment point. Ships stayed deep and anchored and the gig or launch would have been pulled up on the shore. No one tied to rocks because it would beat the hull to pieces. Any sailor or boater knows that.

Keep trying.

The Delftware sytle watch cup I am holding is from the 1800's and I bought it in a garage sale for $5. Great find, but it has no connection to the tree behind me.

 

[shawninNY]

Grounding rod!

 

[Moosemessier]

Grounding rod!

Ding ding ding- copper binded earth rod!

 

[augoldminer]

Prop shaft.

most ships use ether bronze prop shafts and props. and some is high copper bronze that looks like copper( gun metal and "red brass")

older ones used bronze or copper coated iron.

cavitation eats iron and steel.
cavitation just works bronze and copper.

Also sea life does not attach to bronze or copper as the copper is poison to them.

You likely have a old wooden steam ship wreak nearby.

 

[hmmm]

Thanks guys, this is a start.
Bigfoot the rock is a bed rock out crop and the piece is wedged into a crack.
It would be the perfect place to tie rope to to hold a dock or ship.
It is definitely copper coating the rod as i picked off a larger piece some years ago.
beer ya later.

 

[shawninNY]

Prop shaft. most ships use ether bronze prop shafts and props. and some is high copper bronze that looks like copper( gun metal and "red brass") older ones used bronze or copper coated iron. cavitation eats iron and steel. cavitation just works bronze and copper. Also sea life does not attach to bronze or copper as the copper is poison to them. You likely have a old wooden steam ship wreak nearby.

Cavitation Eats Iron and Steel? Makes No sense

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

For hundreds of years man has known that both steel and copper are easily corroded by salt water.They are amoung the worst.

You mean steel and iron are the worst. Not copper. Sure everything but gold eventually corrodes in saltwater but I wouldnt place copper amoung the worst.

Copper coated rods are often used as ground rods and the copper would protect the iron but i have never seen a ground rod 3 inch diameter.. I dunno... Research propellor shafts. It probably became lodged in the rocks after a storm. The copper has preseved it somewhat.

 

[shawninNY]

Big cypress , are there examples of steel or iron copper clad prop shafts? I'm only familiar with , bronze , cupronickel or stainless ,#1 the combination of any 2 metals unless insulated from each other , causes a galvanic reaction( corrosion ) #2 any nick or perforation of the cladding would cause the steel or iron to rust blistering the cladding ( doesn't sound suitable for passing thru a stuffing box which relies on friction only to maintain a watertight seal) . This rod looks like a large Carbon Arc Rod perhaps for foundry smelting

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Big cypress , are there examples of steel or iron copper clad prop shafts?

I dunno thats why I say to research it. Augoldminer says there is. Maybe he will elaborate.

I dont know anything about galvanic reaction but I have worked with copper coated steel ground rods. I thought one of the purposes was to protect the steel from corrosion. I really dont know just thought augoldminers suggestion was a possibility worth researching. I have never seen a ground rod that large diameter. Doesnt mean it doesnt exist just never saw one. It appears that the copper is holding it together from disentegrating.

Prop shaft.

most ships use ether bronze prop shafts and props. and some is high copper bronze that looks like copper( gun metal and "red brass")

older ones used bronze or copper coated iron.

 

[hmmm]

Cavitation Eats Iron and Steel? Makes No sense

cavitation happens when a prop comes in contact with air, it can not eat iron.

the copper is definitly there to protect the iron, i do know they used copper on the hulls of boats to protect them fron getting eaten.

bigcypress , it could not have been put there by a storm serge, the spot is to protected.

 

[shawninNY]

I am aware of what cavitation is, as I stated its makes no sense! maybe au miner was confusing (electrolysis) , I understand the corrosion resistance of copper, and growth inhibition, copperousoxide coatings are still used , I've never seen steel or iron used in prop shaft , the copper would be worn off from the friction in the stuffing box =(part that allows shaft to pass thru hull without the boat sinking) and the shaft would start corroding very quickly !

 

[shawninNY]

Are you sure it's steel or iron? Does a magnet stick , it look like a carbon rod found in capacitors or transformer , carbon breaks easily so try to chip a piece next time your there!

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Cavitation is caused by the vacuum in water created in unequal pressure on a prop's surfaces (the water is moving faster behind the prop than ahead). Galvanic corrosion is the ion loss of less noble metals in salt water near more noble metals.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

How long is it?

 

[bigfoot1]

copper schmopper...all I know is when I dig a pre 84 penny at the beach its toasted..lol..

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

copper schmopper...all I know is when I dig a pre 84 penny at the beach its toasted..lol..

Copper Schmopper LOL.
I find copper pennies in the beach or in the surf all the time. They are just fine. I think its pre 82 thats copper. Now the silver coins seem to be eaten worse than copper.

edited: actually its been a while. But I dug up an old thread. Some of the silver coins are toast. The copper is tarnished but seems to hold up better. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/30507-trench-beach-produces-silver.html

The copper cents I find in the surf action are actually polished.

 

[shawninNY]

Hmm , when you pass by again a few people had posted questions1 person asked how long is it? By the photo it look only a few feet long or does it continue down into the pile ? Perhaps take some more photos without the plate and the object waaaay in the background .

 

[hmmm]

Hmm , when you pass by again a few people had posted questions1 person asked how long is it? By the photo it look only a few feet long or does it continue down into the pile ? Perhaps take some more photos without the plate and the object waaaay in the background .

ha shawn, i knew it was not you who did not know what cavitation is.
the piece is only a foot long and is way above the high tide line.

copper shmooooper chopper topper lopper