Old steel gold pan? Or, hubcap? Or? A math problem

Duckshot

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Sep 8, 2014
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Today I located this metal pan at a barn sale in south eastern WI. It looks suspiciously like a 10-1/2" steel gold pan. I would like some help in math. I know that most hold pans have a 30* angle. What are the angles on a right triangle that measures 2.5"x2" with the hypotenuse excluded?

The pan has a bottom diameter of 5.5" , a rim diameter of 10.5", and it is 2" between bottom and rim. Could this be a gold pan? Or perhaps a dairy related item of some sort? I have not been able to find any mark. It is deeply pitted but no pin holes.

All I can remember from highschool geometry is that I had a real pretty redhead sitting next to me. :laughing7:
 

Since we don't have a photo, I'll give the math a try, although I'm super tired. If I'm understanding that you have a right triangle with legs measuring 2" and 2.5", I get angles of approximately 51.3 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2" and 38.7 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2.5".

Kindest regards,
Kantuck
 

Since we don't have a photo, I'll give the math a try, although I'm super tired. If I'm understanding that you have a right triangle with legs measuring 2" and 2.5", I get angles of approximately 51.3 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2" and 38.7 degrees between the hypotenuse and the leg measuring 2.5".

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

Cool beans.

I have no idea if that is correct or not. :tongue3:
 

Negative 6 alpha.
In former Soviet Russia I was physicist.
Here, I am janitor.
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Kidding aside, a picture would help.
 

historically gold pans have been made of many materials, by different methods, and in a plethora of shapes and sizes
no pic necessary, if you need a gold pan go ahead and use it
now it is a 'real' gold pan

Bill
 

If you use it and FIND gold, then it is a gold pan
 

Charlie P., you are speaking to a man that loves his pies, and this ain't no pie pan.

What I can't finger out is what a small metal gold pan would be doing at a barn sale in s.e. WI. Ain't no gold around here.

It might be a dairy/cattle care type item. Seem more plausible, but I really don't know.
 

Could be that Charlie P..

No pictures today. Sorry.

It is a round pan which is seamless and it has a rolled rim. It measures 10-1/2" diameter at the rim and 5-1/2" diameter at the base. The run between base and rim is about 3-1/4". It is two inches high.

That's a forty-one word description. Only 959 words to go and it's a picture. :dontknow:
 

Well, I took about 2-3 gallons of old gravel and sand that I often play with. I found a small flat flake I must have missed earlier. With the rust rubbed off by the gravels the pan is mostly black with a bit of rust and steel color mixed in. Real easy to see a flake in this calico colored pan.

Must be a gold pan. :laughing7:
 

Quick calculations: Angle=38.66 degrees and volume approx.=104 cubic inches.
 

historically gold pans have been made of many materials, by different methods, and in a plethora of shapes and sizes
no pic necessary, if you need a gold pan go ahead and use it
now it is a 'real' gold pan

Bill

I have an old light weight frying pan that I'm pretty sure doubled as a gold pan at one time.
 

Hi , Could be a Chamber Pan finding brown nuggets in the dark . TP
 

I can help you with the math : Google it ! Sorry, I'm better at Business Math.
 

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