Author Topic: Stone ball mold  (Read 1590 times)

Offline peter

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Stone ball mold
« on: October 11, 2021, 12:24:23 AM »
Antique french ball mold






















Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2021, 12:35:22 AM »
 That's neat, have you ever tried it out? Be interesting to see what you'd get. What size it?

    Tim

Online Tanselman

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2021, 03:31:47 AM »
Very interesting ball mold with great color and condition. It makes me wonder how they got the molten lead all the way down to the bottom holes/molds without having it start to set up. That's a long way [and narrow track] for molten lead to travel, so I'm wondering if they warmed/heated the mold before casting??? Shelby Gallien

Offline peter

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #3 on: October 11, 2021, 02:07:11 PM »
Shelby When you put them togheter its wide enough to pour lead in

Offline Daniel Coats

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #4 on: October 11, 2021, 03:48:00 PM »
Looks great thanks for letting us see it! Must be quite a bit of cleanup after a pour.  Grapeshot for cannon maybe?
Dan

"Ain't no nipples on a man's rifle"

Offline MuskratMike

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #5 on: October 11, 2021, 07:10:31 PM »
WOW! A true piece of history for sure. thank you for sharing it with us.
"Muskrat" Mike McGuire
Keep your eyes on the skyline, your flint sharp and powder dry.

Online acorn20

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #6 on: October 11, 2021, 07:30:37 PM »
A very unique find indeed.  I also had thoughts of grapeshot.  Thanks for posting.
Dan Akers

Offline mr. no gold

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2021, 09:23:15 PM »
Be nice to know where this very unique mold turned up. It could be indigenous to the New World which could put it back in the 17th or 18th century. The stone could probably be sourced as well. In some respects it appears to be made by a Euro individual, but some features might be indicative of American Indian work. Great find! Thank you for showing it,
Dick

Offline Hungry Horse

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2021, 03:48:21 AM »
That reminds me of a soapstone button mold I saw in a museum, that had been found in a revolutionary war campsite. I was so intrigued that I went home and made one. It was surprisingly easy, and made nice pewter buttons. The real trick to these stone molds is to give them a long slow warm up before you pour molten metal into them.

  Hungry Horse

Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: Stone ball mold
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2021, 04:15:58 PM »
  I an beginning to wonder if it has anything to do with making shot for a gun of any kind. The depressions in the mold, the haves don't look to me like they would make a round ball, not deep enough, at the bottom, last hole, there is a small cannel like the ones that join the other cavities making another spru that would have to be cleaned up. All together a Lot of work to get then cleaned up and round enough to even use as Buckshot. Could it have used to make weights for fish nets? 

  Tim C.