[QUOTE=Doug Kenwright;4723920]I have been following this for a long time and I thought that you may find this little snippet of some interest..
First..two things have always bothered me about the construction and weight of the sarcophagi..It was stated in the article that they were cast at a metal foundry, but what material were they cast in?
I have talked at work with a man who casts bronze for statutes all over the world and asked him this question: given the size and dimensions of the sarcophagi and the stated weight ( some 2900 lbs ea I believe..) would it be feasible to cast such items in Iron ( or any Fe based materials) given that their resting places were to be exposed to the elements 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?
His answer was an unequivocal 'no'.
He explains that there is a formula to determine weights to materials and it is his opinion that given the dimensions of the items and specified weight, it cannot be cast Iron. Apparently, cast Iron is lighter than cast bronze and the dimension/weight ratio seems skewed to him. After viewing this thread, and looking at pics ( foundry etc.) as well as depictions of the finish etc., he is of the opinion that it most likely a hybrid. A cast base of a ferrous material clad with a bronze outer layer.
Secondly, there is this statement from the article seen in this thread.
"The scrap was used to make brake shoes for municipal buses. Weighing nearly 2,900 pounds, the metal caskets were donated to the Munich tram service and converted into soldering material to repair rail ties and electrical lines".
If this is the case, then it is more than likely that the base material used for the sarcophagi was not of cast Iron , but of a material that could be suitably (and easily/cheaply) be converted into a suitable material for soldering.
Lastly, he states that something made completely of cast, ferrous based material would flash rust quickly in an exposed outdoor environment, and would be an unsuitable material for the application.In any event, in his opinion, the pics of the lid shown at the foundry do not show cast Iron as the casting material due to the smoothness of the finish as well as its colour.
Which brings me to our Canadian vet. He did not bring home the lids, but the lettering from some of the lids which were being scrapped: enough letters to spell out his family name placed into his driveway in Ottawa, Canada. He was no ordinary Pvt. Bloggins, as he worked for the Canadian government in some diplomatic capacity and from the article below, was most likely involved with the treasury dept, with whom the Canadian government, paymaster general and the army worked hand in glove, based in the Reichstag till 1949.
I will leave you with this, from the newsletter of the professional museum workers in Canada, dated, I believe, from January of this year..
"... Dr. M_____, who passed away on January 5th of this past year, had already entered into negotiations with the Canadian Museum of Civilization with an eye towards donating his personal papers and effects regarding Canadian foreign policy in the period 1946- 1955, of which _______
played a pivotal role in developing a comprehensive aid and monetary restructuring program in concert with the German government.
His son, Gordon has also stated that they are in negotiations with the current owner of the family house to remove a set of stained glass murals and intricate carvings, part of the treasure trove of items brought back from Germany and Italy in 1959.... Other items of interest include 9 bronzed letters taken from the coffin lids of Nazi 'martyrs', a souvenir of his time In the immediate post war occupation army of Germany. The letters, chosen to spell out the families[sic] last name, had been placed in the edge of the drive for nearly 50 years. Gordon, however, tells us that these were removed before the family sold the house after Dr. _____'s last illness.
The new City of Ottawa Archive is said to have an active interest in obtaining a least a portion of the ______ fond."
were there any pics of these letters ever ?
First..two things have always bothered me about the construction and weight of the sarcophagi..It was stated in the article that they were cast at a metal foundry, but what material were they cast in?
I have talked at work with a man who casts bronze for statutes all over the world and asked him this question: given the size and dimensions of the sarcophagi and the stated weight ( some 2900 lbs ea I believe..) would it be feasible to cast such items in Iron ( or any Fe based materials) given that their resting places were to be exposed to the elements 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?
His answer was an unequivocal 'no'.
He explains that there is a formula to determine weights to materials and it is his opinion that given the dimensions of the items and specified weight, it cannot be cast Iron. Apparently, cast Iron is lighter than cast bronze and the dimension/weight ratio seems skewed to him. After viewing this thread, and looking at pics ( foundry etc.) as well as depictions of the finish etc., he is of the opinion that it most likely a hybrid. A cast base of a ferrous material clad with a bronze outer layer.
Secondly, there is this statement from the article seen in this thread.
"The scrap was used to make brake shoes for municipal buses. Weighing nearly 2,900 pounds, the metal caskets were donated to the Munich tram service and converted into soldering material to repair rail ties and electrical lines".
If this is the case, then it is more than likely that the base material used for the sarcophagi was not of cast Iron , but of a material that could be suitably (and easily/cheaply) be converted into a suitable material for soldering.
Lastly, he states that something made completely of cast, ferrous based material would flash rust quickly in an exposed outdoor environment, and would be an unsuitable material for the application.In any event, in his opinion, the pics of the lid shown at the foundry do not show cast Iron as the casting material due to the smoothness of the finish as well as its colour.
Which brings me to our Canadian vet. He did not bring home the lids, but the lettering from some of the lids which were being scrapped: enough letters to spell out his family name placed into his driveway in Ottawa, Canada. He was no ordinary Pvt. Bloggins, as he worked for the Canadian government in some diplomatic capacity and from the article below, was most likely involved with the treasury dept, with whom the Canadian government, paymaster general and the army worked hand in glove, based in the Reichstag till 1949.
I will leave you with this, from the newsletter of the professional museum workers in Canada, dated, I believe, from January of this year..
"... Dr. M_____, who passed away on January 5th of this past year, had already entered into negotiations with the Canadian Museum of Civilization with an eye towards donating his personal papers and effects regarding Canadian foreign policy in the period 1946- 1955, of which _______
played a pivotal role in developing a comprehensive aid and monetary restructuring program in concert with the German government.
His son, Gordon has also stated that they are in negotiations with the current owner of the family house to remove a set of stained glass murals and intricate carvings, part of the treasure trove of items brought back from Germany and Italy in 1959.... Other items of interest include 9 bronzed letters taken from the coffin lids of Nazi 'martyrs', a souvenir of his time In the immediate post war occupation army of Germany. The letters, chosen to spell out the families[sic] last name, had been placed in the edge of the drive for nearly 50 years. Gordon, however, tells us that these were removed before the family sold the house after Dr. _____'s last illness.
The new City of Ottawa Archive is said to have an active interest in obtaining a least a portion of the ______ fond."
were there any pics of these letters ever ?
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