Found large heavy metal cylinder in garage - what is it?

[Sukhoi]

I recently bought a house and today was tearing out some cabinets in the garage. Then I found this cylinder. It's rusting steel, a legit 75+ lbs, and seems dense inside. The weight does not quite feel evenly distributed across the length. Length is approximately 36 inches with a diameter of 3-4 inches. Also the cylinder necks in a little bit under at least one of the metal straps and maybe both. I cannot find any markings at all on the cylinder.

Does the cylinder look familiar to anyone? What do I do with it? RPG cartridge comes to mind, but it seems far too heavy for that. Wiki says 10-15 lbs even for larger ones. Same general weights for mortar rounds too. Really hoping it's something more benign.

 

[Engineer]

Don't know. Looks sort of like a conveyor roller.

 

[IronWing]

Counterweight for door? How old is the house? If ~80 years or older could be counterweight for coal bin door.

 

[Sukhoi]

House was built 1965 so nothing too weird structurally. I was thinking counterweight, but even if it is, what the hell is in the cylinder? It doesn't seem heavy enough to be solid steel, though I guess once I measure it better that would be easy enough to calculate.

And yes it does look sort of like a roller, interesting idea.

 

[Humpy]

Is it one of those steel pipe filled with ballast and strapped to a stick thingies?

Those were really common back in the day.

 

[master_shake_]

oh my god.

i've heard of them but never seen it real life.

what you've got there is bonafide 100 percent home grown garbage!

throw it out

maybe there is money in it.

 

[balloonshark]

Free electricity :thumbsup:

 

[chowderhead]

Wall mount from the previous owner
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2460208

 

[Jaepheth]

Probably a trophy from one of the Connors saving us from WWIII.

You're welcome.

 

[boomerang]

Call the bomb squad and whatever you do, don't roll it.

 

[disappoint]

Is it one of those steel pipe filled with ballast and strapped to a stick thingies?

Those were really common back in the day.

Yeah we used to beat each other senseless with those things until we suffered enough brain damage to join a tech forum. Good times. Good times.

 

[cbrunny]

I think that's what they use to flatten rolled up posters.

 

[IronWing]

Seismic energy damper required for homeowner's insurance

 

[pcgeek11]

Free electricity :thumbsup:

Reactor steam generator, primary loop.

 

[IronWing]

Reactor steam generator, primary loop.

Free hot tub!

 

[master_shake_]

Yeah we used to beat each other senseless with those things until we suffered enough brain damage to join a tech forum. Good times. Good times.

hahahahhaha

winnar!

 

[PottedMeat]

i believe that has +25 damage against robots and it's been modded with a stick for extra damage. you should equip it on strong when you assault the institute.

 

[IronWing]

Put it on a pole in the front yard. Eventually someone will tell you what it is.

 

[twinrider1]

Homemade concrete screed? Ballast for a riding mower other lawn implement?

Is that a cap on the end? I think you should drill a hole in it; see what's in there.

 

[96Firebird]

Are both ends sealed? I was thinking homemade fence post driver...

 

[IronWing]

Is that a cap on the end? I think you should drill a hole in it; see what's in there.

You never watched Prince of Darkness, did you?

 

[twinrider1]

lol, no. Just read about it and have no idea how I missed it. Will remedy situation.

OP, if it turns out to be the green goo of Satan, run.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

You never watched Prince of Darkness, did you?

I liked that movie!

Just hit it repeatedly with a sledge hammer until it yields something interesting.

 

[waffleironhead]

Looks like a roller from a pallet width conveyor, minus the end bearings.
http://www.icm.rs/english/palletizing-pallet conveyors.php

What they rigged it for now i have no idea.

 

[Paperdoc]

I'm guessing is was a home-made surface smoother. It was dragged (using a light rope) over a soft surface (like recently-spread soil or sand) to make it smooth. Years ago on a new small rural golf course I saw such a tool provided at each hole. The "greens" were in fact sand, and you were supposed to lift your ball temporarily, drag this tool tool from there to the hole to make a smooth path, then replace your ball and make your putt.