Layers of rust

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:33 pm

I ran across this scene a few days ago and thought it was interesting in several aspects. Some of those were visual, some of them not.

As the title says, this is layers of rust. I'll share the "not" aspects after somebody guesses what the rusted thing was.

Stereo pairs follow, crossed-eye.

Nikon D800E, Mitutoyo M Plan Apo 5X with Raynox 150 tube lens, extension slightly increased for better framing. Zerene Stacker PMax, synthetic stereo.

--Rik

Edit: corrected typo, "Raynox 105" --> "Raynox 150".

abpho · Post by **abpho** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:53 pm

Is this the thread of a screw/bolt?

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:58 pm

It is not. This thing was completely smooth when it was new, and there were no threaded components anywhere near this.

--Rik

Beatsy · Post by **Beatsy** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:18 pm

Damascus steel blade?

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:17 pm

I can understand Beatsy's suggestion, with the appearance of something wrought, and possibly into layers by hand folding/hammering. But it looks SO irregular that I'm suggesting it's a piece of rock/iron ore.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 6:30 pm

Beatsy, this piece was definitely not intended and never used for cutting.

ChrisR, it's definitely not a piece of rock or iron ore. Not likely to have been hand folded or hammered either, though I can't say for sure about that.

--Rik

abpho · Post by **abpho** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 6:35 pm

Was it a magnet? Do they even rust?

ChrisR · Post by **ChrisR** » Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:10 pm

Surfaces always tend to rust in flakes, because it forms in a layer then comes off because there's a volume increase, which raises stresses.

First I read "Raynox 105" as 105mm so quite thick flakes, but Raynox 150 would be 210mm so not so thick.
Thick rust, with quite thick flakes, makes me think the layering might be related to an internal structure of the original material. Like a forged leaf spring.
I've never studied rust though, it's not good for much!
I'll go for a forging or rolled piece rather than a straight casting. The layers are sometimes called "mechanical fibering". Cast thin sections can show it too though.
I dare say it would be possible to tell the difference between something rusted in a marine (salty) environment versus dry air, or underground, etc. One for Abby Sciuto.

pontop · Post by **pontop** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:07 am

The inside of that old focus block you are chopping up?

BTW when looking at the stereo pairs the grayish triangular part looks like it is placed wrong. To my eyes it looks like it is floating behind everything else.

/Bo

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:28 am

pontop wrote:To my eyes it looks like it is floating behind everything else.

These pairs are intended for cross-eyed viewing. You must be managing to fuse them parallel. If you want to do that, then pull them into StereoPhoto Maker and press the Swap Left/Right button.

Magnet, no.

Focus block, no.

Leaf spring, no.

Forged or rolled, probably.

--Rik

Picosvistas · Post by **Picosvistas** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:44 am

Old disused railway track?

Beatsy · Post by **Beatsy** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:47 am

A file?

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:00 pm

Not railroad track, and not a file.

Not an antiquity, either. It is modern manufacture.

An odd fact that may also be a hint: this was a key supporting component in a piece of equipment that was fully functional and used several times daily until 3 days ago, when I replaced it for fear of imminent and catastrophic failure.

--Rik

Bill Eldridge · Post by **Bill Eldridge** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:50 pm

Is it vehicular in nature?

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 12:16 am

Not vehicular. The "catastrophic failure" would have been only a matter of the equipment falling apart in place. No injuries would have resulted, and little if any property damage. Come to think of it, the equipment probably would have continued to be functional, despite collapsing.

--Rik