Plus I highly doubt the school would go to this trouble if they didn't think it warranted a little investigation. No one is getting their hopes up, but due to some relevant exam from the school, they think it should at least be looked into.
Unknown Metal dug in park
- Thread starter Rbnhood66
- Start date
FreeBirdTim
Elite Member
So you only want people telling you what a great find you dug up? Sorry, you don't run these forums. You asked for opinions and I gave you mine.
No I said I found something interesting that I would post about. You have given your opinion, it is noted, and not even close to what you think it is. I don't care what the find is to be honest, but no one around here locally that has many more years of experience than me could identify it. I guess I should have came to you sooner huh? Maybe your grand wealth of knowledge far outweighs everyone else amongst us mere mortals. Just so you know, it's not even close to what a lot of you think. We have a result, now it is being pursued. The general consensus is it shouldn't be there, and was used for something that in no way should it be here. I'll let it go at that till we have the specialist till us for sure.
The results came back, and we know the base metals. We also have a good idea what it was used in. I'll post more soon. As for the radiation part, it is being tested again tomorrow to see if it is still putting off it's original signature. I also did discuss with the professor, and he told me that aluminum will not hold radiation. The metal does include aluminum, but has other properties that let us know that it is used for a specific purpose. Def not a can like some of you think it is. Not the same type of metal at all. I'll post more soon.
FreeBirdTim
Elite Member
Wow, you sure don't like it when someone disagrees with you, do you? Too bad. My grand wealth of metal detecting knowledge tells me it's a piece of melted junk. Sorry, but that's all it will ever be, no matter how many scientists analyze it! Lol!
Guess what know-it-all Grand master of the metal detecting universe...you were wrong.
So after every thing was done and looked at by some people here and in other parts of the country we were told to call, this is what we found out. I have to concede it was an aluminum alloy. I was also explained to why we couldn't get that result with the base test we ran with the board and chemicals. The analysis came back, and clued the two experts in with what it is/was. Also this is more common (for what it is, because it can be anywhere he said) laying around that people know, and most of the time it is found on beaches as it is washed up from time to time. People just throw it away because they believe it is trash. This metal is one of three alloys used in the aerospace industry. It was used primarily in the 60s and 70s on parts on satellites and rocket parts. It was used due to it's ability to keep from fracturing, it's ability to withstand corrosion (something about that gave it away to the guy in Alabama that looked at it) and it's strength. It was also used to shield from damaging radiation, but the base metals could absorb it. It had some of these elements that stood out. Aluminum, Chronium, Silver, Maganese, Argon, Iron, Silicone, Phosphorus, Magnesium, some other stuff that probably wasn't relevant. The argon is what was interesting. Basically it was put into the metal (It was explained, and I have what he said in a pdf he sent) along with silicate or something like that, to remove all oxygen that could be in the metal that would let it corrode. I asked if it was a 51 series like an aluminum can. I did ask. He said not likely. They use an enamel coating or something similar to line the inside of the can with so it won't corrode. And the trace elements weren't there that would make him think that is what it was. Plus he said as far as he knew, Silver isn't really used in cans due to it's cost. So we don't know where it came from, it was determined that whatever it was did at one time travel at a very high velocity (something the electron microscope picked up on but I didn't understand it) and it probably under normal circumstances wouldn't be where we found it. At this point, we are going to let it go at that, however there is one more test just for curiosity sake we are doing for the radiation, becuase the metal can not abosorb it from the ground, and after it was sonicated it still had a signature. We are doing that test just out of curiosity. This was kind of cool to do, my 11 year old got to be there and be involved in the testing today, and it was kinda fun. We enjoyed it, and it was cool to figure it out, even if we don't know exactly where it came from or how it got there. To all the people that were interested, I thank you for your interest. If anyone wants more info PM me, and I will try to send you all the stuff that was given me. It can be found on the net, you just have to use the search function he told me to use to find it.
Thank you very much Sir. I do honestly appreciate it, and hope I wasn't too mean in my response. I am not like that, and I just enjoy a good clue. WE did get an idea of what it is, and I did ask if it was an aluminum can LOL. I actually thought it might be when I saw some of the testing results come up as it went. In my post, you will also see this gentleman from Al says this stuff washes up on beaches from time to time due (not my piece cause we don't know where it actually came from) because it could be from rocket debris or something similar that may be left over from a long ago space launch. But I do appreciate your post, and thank you. I really love doing this with my son, but we take a real interest when someone around here finds something completely out of the ordinary. If you are ever this way, please look me up and I will take you to some cool places. Have a good one Sir.
FreeBirdTim
Elite Member
Yup, it was aluminum. What a surprise! The other metals were from objects that fused to the aluminum when they burned together in a trash pit. I've dug dozens of these blobs over the years and they always ring up like something good, but end up just being these blobs of melted metal.
For anyone that is interested, the radiation levels were higher now on the cut edge of the parent metal than they were reading before. We were told to look for that. Right now, we just decided to label it and put in a jar, with the findings today. We will compare it later. Since we don't know where it came from, and there wasn't any clue in the area to give us an idea how it got there, at least we know what it was used in. I called and thanked the two alloy experts today again. It was cool finding it out at least. And since it was sonicated and still was putting off that level, I was advised not to really make anything out of it (mold it, heat it, whatever) and just leave it be. Thanks for following the thread.
SW Missouri, and I don't recall anything that would lead to that conclusion on it falling out of the sky. But it's not impossible being how old the metal probably is from what I know about it now. It is impossible to tell what it actually was on and used by, but at least we have a decade (the 60s early 70s). I wouldn't tend to guess on actually how it got there, but it was fairly deep for the area due to most of the civil war stuff around there is that deep or shallower. I really don't know. Don't know if NASA keeps those kind of records public, but I'll look into it and get back to you.
chillforlife
Elite Member
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Got to agree there. And this piece doesn't look like any melted aluminum blob that I've ever found.
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FreeBirdTim
Elite Member
My two stalkers hurling insults again. Are you guys a couple now? How sweet!
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
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- Dec 23, 2013
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FBT, I'm as stubborn as they come. And love a good debate (to a fault). And I share your views on this md'ing topic.
But this wasn't a topic that needed to "go to the mat" over. It was fine that everyone chimed in, which included dissenters like us. That's fine ! Because that's the reasons for forums, is to get pro/con opinions eh? But we gotta be civil. And let our initial opinions speak loudly for themselves. No need for anyone to rub it in a 2nd or 3rd time .
I know it's fun to want to get a debate partner to cry "uncle" (I'm guilty as charged too, about that sometimes). But we gotta balance that out with civility. I say this with utmost respect, because you are a great contributor here. And passion like yours is what makes forums catching.
Tim you can learn how to reply to a post without the attitude... your 2 posts to this new member were rude.... Please don't play the victim here...
FreeBirdTim
Elite Member
He asked for opinions and I gave my honest opinion. He didn't like my answer and made demeaning comments toward me. My reaction to that may have been a little rude, but so were his original comments. I was just trying to help, but some people don't like the truth about their finds. It's still just a piece of melted aluminum...
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
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But dude, they'll be just like you and I were when we first started detecting : They'll eventually find that out. So it's ok to say it once, and .... let them continue to grapple with it.
For example: I remember a newbie in my area who got his first few coins. One of which was a roached zinc penny. So roached that you couldn't even tell what it was. So the guy was turning himself into pretzels with all sorts of cleaning techniques, to try to get some ID detail off of it. I think he thought he had an old coin.
I took one look at it, felt it, and announced : "It's a corroded zinc penny, toss it in the trash". But would he be persuaded ? No. Finally, after all sorts of cleaning effort, he got enough clues to concede that yes, it was a zinc penny.
But remember : YOU TOO were once in those shoes. No need for them to have to cry uncle. I mean, sure, they won't like to have their parade rained on (no one does). So go ahead and let them dream, clean, study, etc.... Just like we did when we first started. It's all in fun.
