# Cannon ball in the electrolosis cleaner



## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

Well with the help of Slake's uncle I put together a make shift electrolosis cleaner and have the cannon ball in there now.  Seems to be working.  I will say my heart is racing a hundred miles an hour.  Everything seems fine.  I've been told it was safe by several smart guys who know their shit.  
 I am wonder if I can submerge the whole thing.  I filled the inside with water?
 any help would be appreciated.  I check on it with a cast iron pot on my head and two frying pans strapped to my chest with a vest.  I'd take a picture of myself but I've been laughed at enough in my life time.
 here's the set up


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## cyberdigger (Oct 7, 2009)

...and he was never heard from again...... []


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

Its round and the only grip is at the matrix/fuse opening.  I thought about wrapping a piece of copper wire around it, submerge it than attach the positive clips to the wire???


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## cc6pack (Oct 7, 2009)

dig

 Yes cover the item completly, If I was you I'd be using a plastic heavy duty bucket, something like a 5 gallon paint or mud bucket. I assume you have it hooked up to a battery charger? As long as she's boiling you OK, I'd check it after 24 hours, and the about every 12. Good luck with it.


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## cc6pack (Oct 7, 2009)

You'll need to drill a small hole in it put in a self tapping screw and attach your wire to the screw[]


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

I'm not really comfortable drilling a hole in it....I covered it in water moved the clips around and it started bubbling and sounding like static electricity.  I'm assuming I got a good connection.  Its not for value purposes that I don't want to drill a hole but I want to keep it historically intact for display in the local museum


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## cc6pack (Oct 7, 2009)

dig 

 It's your shell do with it as you wish, but that's an accepted way of cleaning shells, just trying to help[]


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## GuntherHess (Oct 7, 2009)

You are doing it outside , right?  (more worried about gases than explosions)


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

I appreciate your input and meant no offense....I'll give it 24 hours and if it doesn't do a good job I'll give it a try.  What size screw?


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

no ....in the basement....why should I be outside?


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## GuntherHess (Oct 7, 2009)

I would guess you are producing some hydrogen gas there. You may want decent ventilation.


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## bottlediger (Oct 7, 2009)

those little bubbles you see are released vapors you really dont want to breath, thats why everyone should do this out side

 Digger Ry


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

Exhaust fans in the window and this is it after one hour.
 p.s. what would we do without each other...thx


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

pic


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## cc6pack (Oct 7, 2009)

you're producing hydrogen gas, and in confined spaces it's explosive, and ain't to good to breathe either[

 no offense taken sometimes humor does not come across on these type boards

 As far as size of screw the ones you see on electrical applances, switches, plugs, those type things. Drill it on the bottom it will be hidden when you display it. Also check to see if anything is still left on the inside of the shell. Some of those held case shot someone mentioned in an earlier post. They were usually lead balls or scraps of other metal. The electrolysis will dissolve the lead.


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

There is something inside to the one side only.  I was picking at it and it was breaking off.  Appeared to be dirt/rust.  Will lead make a smell/color if its burning off


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## cc6pack (Oct 7, 2009)

dig

 It's problem just thought you might like to save them if any were in there. Did you see the Artillery site I posted in one of your other threads? It has some shells cut in half that made a nice dislpay.


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

Yes pretty cool site...actually had this one on there.


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

So after say 24 hrs....I take it out do I scrape, wire brush, or something...to see how well it cleaned up?


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## privvydigger (Oct 7, 2009)

5 hrs and counting......Would changing the water scrubbing and scrapping help
 I'm inpatient I guess.  I have a time and date for presentation set 10/21/09 7 p.m.
 This meeting and presentation is very important to my digging crew.


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

No need to do anything until tomorrow. When you check it the rust should flake off like  scale. There are always stubborn spots. Use a brush or chip it with a hammer. If there is still a lot of crud still left on it put it back in for a while longer. 

 If you are happy with the results rinse it off real good. I would also rinse it with vinegar to neutralize any acids that may be on it. Now you have a choice how you want to preserve it. Either paint or oil it. 

 There are advantages and disadvantages of both methods. I prefer to oil mine. If you are going to display it paint does a better job. You can add what it is in this case a 12 lb Borman, where and when it was found, or whatever you want to put on it. 

 To prepare it for either method after rinsing I put any iron in an oven at 250 for several hours, this drys out the hydroscopic moisture in the shell. As soon as you take it out hit it with the oil I use WD40, or a rustoleum type paint if you want to go that route. A flat black with white lettering works well. You will be amazed at how much it will soak up. 

 The oil will leave some residue on the shell and it will get a light bit of rust but will stablize. The paint may flake over the years but not to hard to touch up.


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

may i ask where you learned how to do this?


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

after


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

I'm an old time relic hunter and just like tumbling bottles it's part of the trade. 

 The nest few pics are some of the stuff I've done

 Confederate shell painted after cleaning


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

whats to the left of the cannon ball?


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

Part of a cotton picker

 another shell with lettering


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

base


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

I was given this 10 years ago and told it was civil war era? what do you think?


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

pic


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

its copper and brass if that helps


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

Is there any thing marked on the top, the patina looks good, if it is peorid it's not military, civilian. Most units used paper cartridges and did not have a use for the powder flask.


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

doesn't appear to have anything but one area looks like something but the patina is covering it.  I almost took a brush to it but caught myself.  I thought it would go nice with the cannonball.  It seems like hammered copper


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

what bottles do you collect and where are you?


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

For future reference dont clean anything except for iron objects, CW or not. The spout looks like someone has monkeyed with it? and you are missing a screw.


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

I see your from Ga.
 I recently sold a hutch to a guy down there and this past weekend picked up a rare or hard to find cure from Jug Tavern, Ga. Its on the eBay now


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

From around Atlanta Ga. and collect Pat. Meds from Atlanta and some from the Southeast. Try to get as many related to Pemberton or Candler. I have some newspaper ads from Candler and Pemberton from the mid 1880's when they were in the drug business, about the time Pemberton sold the formula for Coca Cola. I'll see if I can find the link I posted of one of the ads.


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

Third post down

https://www.antique-bottles.net/forum/m-44777/mpage-2/key-/tm.htm


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

Yeah I saw the posts, the Bush bottles are collectable around here, don't know a lot about the varients.


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

cool.....going to check on it once more and turn in....nice chat will post new pics tomorrow
 nite


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

Ok this morning one of the battery charger clips was eaten away.  I pulled it and washed and rinsed, gave it a vinegar bath, scraped and wire brushed, and this is the finish product.  I don't think another dip will do anything.  The inside cleaned out pretty good.  I rubbed it down with WD-40 and took these pics.  I'm going to have to decide whether to paint it which it looks like might display better by cc6packs picks.
 Overall learning the whole cleaning the relic process was great.  Everyone here is great....digging is great.....but it glass i'm after and its glass I'll have matty.....


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

another pic till I decide whether to paint it


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

That would be like a clear coat retaining original surface.. Would it yellow after sometime on display


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

Lobes, privy

 Using a shellac is the way it was done years ago. It has fallen out of popularity. As stated it yellows and flakes off. The rustolem, or oil will penetrate the pores and help seal it aginst moisture. 

 privy you said you had put WD40 on it already, you'll need to get it off before you paint it if you go that route. Here's a grenade that was done in shellac.


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## Btl_Dvr (Oct 8, 2009)

There's some good conservation resources online from, I believe the Texas A & M Marine Archeology Dept. They have a manual you can down load. Some other ideas on your cannon ball, here's what I've used. My reverse electrolysis usually takes months since the objects were in salt/brackish water for years. Since you've already done that I'll skip it. After the object is taken out of the electrolysis I boil it for about an hour with a couple of water changes(this help draw more salt out). Then put it in an acetone bath for about a week covered (the acetone will penetrate deeply and bind with the water to help it evaporate quickly once taken out). I then take the object out and put in in the sunniest location possible. I let it dry for a day then brush the whole thing with "Extends" rust converter from Loctite. After that is dry it should leave a nice dark color. I then seal with semi gloss polyurathane. At this point you could leave as is or spray paint with black paint. Hope this helps.
 P.S.- Since you've already wiped it down with WD-40 I'm not sure how well paint will stick now.
 Jay


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

I only wiped it down didn't give it a bath so to speak.  It has already dried pretty good. I'm going to see what the local historical society wants before I do anything.
 here's some better pics several hours after the big clean


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

pic


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

As you can see the WD-40 didn't even penetrate some of the pores in the shell.
 I don't think any more electrolosis would do any good...what do you think.
 I like the idea of black with white painted C.W. BORMAN on it.


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## cc6pack (Oct 8, 2009)

privy 

 Did you dry it in the oven? You gotta get the moisture out of shell. Just air drying ain't gonna get it. Hit the threads with a stiff wire brush, they shoud clean up a bit more. The inside needs some more work. It's a little rough I thought it clean some what better, not as many pits. It must have been wet or damp from where you recovered it. 

 I'd leave out C W most people wouldn't know what that was. Just another suggestion

*U.S. 12 Lb. Borman (fuse missing)
 1861-1865
 place where you found it, and maybe a date*

 For a base to keep it from rolling around see if you can get a piece of 2 inch or 2Â½ ABS plastic pipe about an inch high should do the trick.


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

I forgot about the oven I'm putting it in now


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

One side isn't as bad as the other and i'll give it a good scrub with a wire brush around the threads


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

Whats a good tool to do the inside. I was using a pointed chisel and got alot out this morning.  I'm going to cook it till midnight at 250 work on the inside a bit, cook it tomorrow for 4 hours straight.


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## privvydigger (Oct 8, 2009)

WOW That stinks like all hell


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## JGUIS (Oct 9, 2009)

Have you thought of just oiling it?  A case would keep the dust off, and it will never yellow.  I find it to be a truer representation of the original appearance, than some of the things I sprayed.  Just a thought.


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## privvydigger (Oct 9, 2009)

3.5 hrs at 300 degrees i'm pulling it


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