Little Bits of history

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north of the gta
I started two years ago recovering shells for the local Museum.
On average I could restore I shell a week depending on the state in which I found it.
I have recoved and restored
2 88's
2 3.7" anti aircraft
1 105mm
5" AA
and countless other shells
up until now I was able to spin them up on my lathe but this one and its to bigger brothers have me stumpped

I now have a 245mm wieght 300lbs 29" tall under a light coat of rust
does any one have ideas please forward

Thanks
 
Empty shell, right?

Get a big plastic garbage pail and build an electrolysis rig with the use of a 12v battery charger. Is very easy to do and works so well that you just won't believe it.

I make a strong solution of dishwasher crystals dissolved in water for the elctrolyte. Pos lead connected to a piece of copper pipe submersed in solution. Negative lead connected to whatever I want to derust.

Turn power on and watch the surface start to bubble like in a glass of soda. Let fizz for as long as needed (days or weeks if need be) without fear as it won't harm the parent metal. What it does is too turn rust will turn to black slime. Remove shell, wash and inspect often. Leaves steel clean even to the bottom of any pitting, finish will be an even dark grey patina.

Similar rigs used by museums to de-rust cannon found at ship wreck sites. Sometimes the rigs can run for months to turn a big blob of rust into something recognisable.

I have used it with great success on dug relic bayonets. Handling and manipulating your shell would be the only challenge due size and weight. Block and tackle maybe?
 
Use a light touch with a fine brass wire wheel in a hand drill. It'll clean light rust off with no fuss. Wear your safety glasses.
Any idea what that beast is from?
 
thanks

nice Idea for the rig to remove the rust
I will try this it sounds like a very good solution to this problem

and yes its empty

Over the week end we moved more of the top of the steel pile
now we're looking at a 12",14" and the 454 cat won't move it

12" is 5'+
14" is just under 10' first stage and 6' second both pieces screw together to complete the projectile

From what I found out 25% of the returned shells after the second world war
went into counter ballist foe elevators Free wieght

thanks
 
Step one, verify that it's empty. Step 2 weight the shell and compare to it's known loaded weight and double check that it's empty. Step 3 get an EOD guy to certify that it's empty. Step 4 disassemble the shell and whatever fuze it may have. Step 5 proceed with electrolytic cleaning of any part deemed "dirty" and repaint as necessary once the shell is deemed "clean".

ps: old explosive ordnance freaks the hell out of me since I've come across a few of them that, well, weren't exactly "empty" on close inspection.
 
Some ordnance from WW1 & WW2 used very friction sensitive explosives that have a tendency to crystalize with age, ie; Picrate acide, EC Powder to name just 2. Putting any projectiles on a lathe could generate heat and friction. Enjoy your life while your still here, your life expectancy might not be long. Buts that my opinion.
 
the last of the the recoved 1 245mm
and 1 14" this unit was to big for me to handel the pro's came in and got it
out of it's resting place

It turn out that all of the pieces came for one location an elevator company
they used the shells as balast for elevators as the old elevators came out of sevice, or the buildings where torn down the shells where removed and sold off as scrap hense the large collections!
 
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