01-10-16          0700    Morning routine. 

            Worked on the special wire exhibits Exh #1-162, #1-384, #1-634, & #1-11273, examining them with a magnifying glass and a 30X & 100X hand microscope.  The following details were recorded for each and will be added to the updated exhibit description file.

Exh #1-162

            This exhibit consists of two lengths of wires, one red and one yellow, each with an outside diameter of about 1 mm. 

            The red wire is 57” long.  One end shows frayed and split insulation with the metal wire exposed.  At 6¾ in, the insulation is crushed, and the metal wire is broken and exposed through the hold in the insulation.  At 16”, the wire insulation is twisted and torn, with the metal wire exposed.  At 51 in, the insulation is cut or broken, with the metal wire visible through the hole.  The remaining end shows some fraying but no crushing, with the insulation generally tapering in a cone shape from the outside circumference down to the wire.  The wire end itself is corroded and somewhat rounded.  The end exhibits a relatively even form around its circumference.  It gives the appearance of the end of a ball point pen when viewed through a 30x magnifier.  However, it is sufficiently corroded that mechanical striations can be seen.  While it could be a mechanically created cut by means of a tool, it appears more to be a manufactured end.  There are no markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            The yellow wire is 60¾” long with a metal yellow tag fastened near one end, with the numeral ‘0’ on both sides of the tag.  The tag is ¾” wide and 1¼” long in its present appearance.  The tag consists of two layers of what is likely aluminium folded symmetrically forming a hinge at the tag end remote from the wire.  The other two ends, coming together to form one end, are folded around the wire to secure the tag in place.  Splitting of the two surfaces reveals an aluminium inner surface spotted with what appears to be salt corrosion.  Generally, the tag is very light and flimsy, and would likely be very susceptible to heat damage.  The end of the wire closest to the tag is similar in every appearance to the possible mechanically formed red wire end, and this is likely also a manufactured wire end.  The tag is 4½” from the end, and at 14½” there is a cut through the insulation.  At 19½” there is a crushed area that breaks through the insulation on one side of the wire.  At 37½” there is a nick in the insulation, and then at 42” there is a break in the insulation.  At 56½” there is another crushed area with a hole through the insulation.  At 60” there is another break in the insulation, and the metal wire at this point is obviously broken as it easily flexes at a sharp angle.  The end of the wire is crushed, frayed and torn with a strip of insulation nearly ¼ long hanging off the end.  There are no identifying markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            These wires were found to immediately sink in salt water when tested on 01-10-12, and a video was taken on that date to show this action. 

 Exh #1-384

            This exhibit is made up of six lengths of insulated wire about 1.5 mm in diameter, each of differing lengths, two of which have an attached yellow plastic-coated non-metal tag with the numeral ‘0’ printed on it, and the word ‘MASTERDET’, ‘ICI’ and ‘MS’. 

            The longest wire is 49” long and is light purple in colour except near the centre for about 2” and again for 4.5” near one end were it begins to turn a light blue colour, but only on about ½ of the circumferential surface at those points.  One end exhibits a frayed and crushed appearance for about ¼”, with a green inner insulation material exposed at the centre of the wire.  This is definitely a fractured break in the wire as opposed to a mechanically cut end.  Along the wire about 6¼” is a gouge through the outer insulation on one side only that exposes the inner green insulation.  About 9” from the end is another break in the insulation that exposes the interior wire, which is broken at this point, along with the green interior insulation.  The integrity of the wire is broken at this point such that the wire sharply bends with ease and is held together simply by part of the outer insulation covering.  At 18” is another occurrence in the wire that appears to be a dent that flattens the wire on one side only, or a force on the wire from one direction.  At 32” is another occurrence that breaks the outer insulation at three points within a ½” length.  At about 38” is an area of about 2” of outer insulation surface abrasion that is rough and causes some burrs and flattening of the wire.  The last ½” of the wire shows two areas of indentions in the outer insulation surface, with the end being frayed and flattened with the metal wire exposed, definitely a fractured break.  The metal wire has what appears to be green crystals attached, likely corrosion on the copper wire.  There are no markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            The next longest length of wire is 43.5” long.  One end exhibits a scotch tape type of transparent material over it.  The tape is about ¾” long, ¾” wide, wrapped around the wire and folded back upon itself, and has straight cuts at both ends, likely from a knife and not from a tape dispenser.  The wire end within the tape exhibits deformity and is a fractured end, not a mechanically cut end.  At 2¾” from the taped end is a crushed area where the insulation is broken, and the green interior is exposed.  Another area at 11¼” shows damage to the outer insulation that exposes the inner green insulation layer.  At 16” and 26” there are other similar areas.  At about 39”, the wire exhibits a deformity consistent with having been twisted about a second similar wire or material.  The area also exhibits abrasion to the outer insulation layer that exposes the inner green layer, and the interior wire.  The last 1/8” of the wire is exposed and folded back upon itself and is corroded.  In the last ½”, in two areas, each about 1/8” long, the outer plastic layer shows a localized dark grey to black discolouration and possible heat deformity to the abraded plastic in some of the last 1”, but it is not consistent throughout, and is only on the surface, not appearing to affect the materials at depth.  The colour of the wire is generally light purple except between 14” and 30”, where the colour turns to light blue along part of the circumferential area of the wire.  There are no markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity (except for the small area as noted) or a charring as from a fire.

            The next longest piece of wire is 10½” long, light purple in colour, and has a tag attached as indicated above.  The first end of the wire shows crushing and abrasion to the insulation surface and is a fractured end with green insulation and the wire exposed.  About 2¼” to 2½” along the wire is an area of crushing to two opposite sides of the wire that breaks the outer insulation and exposes the inner green insulation layer.  The tag is located at 4” and is ¾” wide.  Another crushed area is at 7”, this exposes the green inner layer on one side only, with the opposite side being undamaged.  The end of the wire shows crushing, with the insulation flattened and some of the inner green area exposed.  There are no markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            The next wire is 10¼” long, light purple in colour, and has a tag attached as indicated above.  The end of the wire is crushed for a length of nearly ½ in, the wire is exposed and heavily corroded to a green colour.  At 4” is the tag attached to the wire, and no other areas of significance occur until the other end of the wire.  That end exhibits a crushing effect, with as much as ¼” of frayed insulation.  The green layer is exposed, but no metal wire is apparent.  There are no markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            The next wire is just over 6½” long, light purple in colour, with both ends showing crushed insulation that exposes the inner green layer with the outer layer frayed.  One end shows 3/8” of crushed area, and the metal wire is exposed.  Both ends are of a fractured break.  There are no other damaged areas, no markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            The last wire actually consists of two wires joined together.  One of the two wires has 2¾” of light purple insulation while the other is 2½” of similar insulation.  The unattached end of the longest wire shows crushed insulation that exposes the green inner insulation and is a fractured break.  The unattached end of the shorter wire also exhibits crushing of the outer layer with the inner green layer exposed and is definitely a fractured break.  The joined two ends of both wires each have nearly 1¾” of exposed metal wire, and the exposed wires are bent into a loop about ¾” long and are twisted one complete 360o turn around itself near the end of the insulation.  The insulation ends and the wire ends appear to have been mechanically cut by a tool.  The loop created by the wires has a diameter of about ¼ in.  There are no other damaged areas, no identifying markings on the wire, and there is no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            These wires were found to immediately sink in salt water when tested on 01-10-12, and a video was taken on that date to show this action. 

 Exh #1-634

              This exhibit consists of a blue plastic-like unit attached to a white plastic-like tube with an overall length of 13”.  The tube has an outside diameter of 1/8” and is hollow.  One end of the white tube has a mechanically formed crimp from a patterned tool about ¾” from the end.  That end, under magnification, shows a smooth and rounded finish throughout the circumference of the tube, and is definitely a mechanically made end, not an accidental fracture.  At 9¾” from the same end is a break in the tube.  The remote end is very ragged and torn, and is definitely a fractured cut.

            The blue plastic-like unit, situated 3.5” from this manufactured end, is 3” long, 5/8” at it’s widest flat surface, and is formed to fit around the tube in a secure manner that allows it to slide along the tube.  On the outside of both flat side faces are the raised moulded words ‘DANGER – EXPLOSIVE’.  Some of the surfaces of the blue plastic-like unit exhibit extensive abrasion with relatively deep gouges.  The gouges are generally on one flat surface, or in areas that would easily come in contact with another surface, with no corresponding action having occurred to the adjacent right-angle surface, especially in protected or enclosed areas.  This would indicate a rubbing action against some abrasive surface versus explosive damage.  In addition, the surface appears to be relatively dirty.  There are no identifying markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            This item was found to float in salt water when tested on 01-10-12, and a video was taken on that date to show this action.

 Exh #1-11273

            This exhibit consists of one length of 1/16” insulated wire 56½” long with a clear coated crimped sleeve and a second wire attached near one end.  The wire has an outer white coat, and an inner blue/grey translucent plastic-like insulating layer.

            The end nearest the sleeve is a mechanically cut and prepared end.  The white insulation is cut (likely with a knife), and the inner layer is torn away, but the strands of wire are evenly cut with about 1/8” of exposed metal.  There are at least 16 strands of wires making up the metal core of the wire.  The white insulation is broken and peeled at 2½”, and again at 4”.  At 8¼” for 5/8”, the outer layer is peeled away, and the inner layer is split exposing the wire strands.  At 11” is the sleeve, with a second wire attached.  The sleeve is 1 ¼” long and has been crimped with a tool.  At 14½” the white layer is broken, and at 18½”, at 21”, and at 24½” the insulation is broken, and the wires exposed.  At 25½” to 28½” the outer insulation is peeled away, and at 33” the insulation is broken to expose the wire.  At 34½” there is a crushing that exposes the metal wire strands, and at 43” there is a slice through the insulation.  At 47½” the white insulation is peeled for ¾” and the wires are exposed through the inner layer at one point.  At 50¾”, the white outer layer is sliced, and at 52½” the white layer is again peeled away.  At 54” there is at cut exposing the wire strands, and at 55” there is a slice in the white insulation layer.  The end shows a random break of the wires with a ragged edge on the insulation, indicating a fractured end.

            The second wire is at least 3½” long, with a fractured end.  The insulation layers are torn and frayed, and the wire strands are broken at random locations, not in an even cut.  ½” from this end, the insulation is broken, and the wire strands are exposed.

            This length of wire has the numbers ‘020’ stamped every 4” along its length.  There are no other identifying markings on the wire, and no indication of heat deformity or a charring as from a fire.

            This wire was found to immediately sink in salt water when tested on 01-10-12, and a video was taken on that date to show this action. 

            On completion of the examination, a copy of the above data was forwarded to John GARSTANG for his perusal.