Posted 5 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
BIG -- as in approx. 5" across. HEAVY -- as in approx. 22lbs. And absolutely SOLID METAL, except for where somebody's drilled a ~1/4" hole about an inch deep into it (not shown) on one side, which does seem to reveal that its entire bulk is the same kind of metal. (or at least that it isn't "plated" with anything...?)
I have absolutely NO idea what exact kind of metal it really is -- probably nickel or tin or something along those lines, as it does seem to be a kind of 'soft' (also non-magnetic) metal which doesn't tarnish -- what looks like a little bit of 'texture' on its surface is actually lots of tiny little 'dings' presumably created by other harder metal things (steel, or stainless steel -- its definitely *not* either of those as near as I can tell...?) banging against its outside.
It remains an 'ornament' on my workbench at the shop, where it landed after a past co-worker gave it to me upon his departure from the Co. -- it had lived on his own workbench (likewise as an 'oddity') thru most of his work with us and he always knew I liked it too, so he left it with me. :-) Incidentally, though I don't remember where he said *he* got it, I do think he was the one that drilled into it and 'textured' it, both the results of his own curiosity about what kind of metal it really might be...??
Pictured here sitting atop a short section of scrap ~2.5" aluminum electrical conduit pipe, which serves as a handy 'display stand' to keep it stationary -- NOBODY would want this thing to inadvertently roll off a table and land on their foot... <eeek> Posting in 'tools and hardware' because I don't know what might be a more appropriate category...?? :-) :-) :-)
THANKS SO MUCH to hunterqlee, Toyrebel, Brunswick. fortapache, vetraio50, elanski, & aura for having a look and tapping the <love it> for my big shiny ball story! :-) :-) :-)
Thomas, there's probably little doubt it *could* be useful for either of those purposes, but I remain without any actual idea of exactly what it was made for. (nor when, nor how long ago, etc. etc., other than I know it is 15+yrs old because I've known/had it myself that long) The only thing I *do* know it has been successfully used for since was as a 'static weight reference' when another co-worker (a few yrs later) accidentally bought himself and his wife a new mattress set which they both judged unsatisfactory once it was delivered to their home -- he then swiped it from my bench one weekend and (I found out later) used it to prove to the mattress store people that their new bed was of considerably different 'firm-ness' than the display model in the store...I don't recall offhand what the results of all that was except that he "won" his case...? <LOLOL>