I think this is it. I was there in 2003, it was an amazing sight to behold, they had it in a tank of water that had a small electrical charge in it to inhibit further deterioration if I remember correctly. You got to go into the conservation area and look down at it in the tank. It looks like it’s out now and on display, but I’d check before making the trip.
Warren Lasch Conservation Center
Clemson University Restoration Institute
1250 Supply Street
Building 255
North Charleston, SC 29405
Thank you. I’d like to go see it one day.
Weekend Tours of the Hunley
http://hunley.org/main_index.asp?CONTENT=TOURS
Hunley tours are available every Saturday from 10 AM - 5 PM and Sunday Noon - 5 PM. Last tour begins at 4:40 PM. Tours are not available on weekdays so scientists can continue their work preserving the Hunley for future generations. Tours are not available on Easter Sunday, Saturday October 24th, Saturday December 26, and Sunday December 27th.
Tickets ordered in advance are $16.00 for adults and $8.00 for students/youth ages 5-17 , plus a service charge and can be purchased by either calling toll-free 1-877-448-6539 (1-877-4HUNLEY) or by clicking the tour dates below. Children under 5 are free.
Walk-up tickets are also available on a first come, first serve basis. These tickets do not have a service charge. Tickets for Friends of the Hunley members are $12.00 and senior citizens and military are discounted to $14.00.
The Hunley is located at:
Warren Lasch Conservation Center
1250 Supply Street (on the old Charleston Navy Base)
North Charleston, South Carolina 29405
Tour Inquiries
- For questions about Hunley tours, please call the Friends of the Hunley directly at 843.743.4865 ext. 10.
- If you have questions about pre-reserved tickets, please contact Etix.com at support@etix.com.
- Group tours (20+ guests) can be scheduled for weekdays with advance notice. For more information, contact Crista Hartenstein at 843-743-4865 ext. 14 or email her crista@hunley.org.
They were using electrolysis to remove corrosion and barnacles as well as other growth. It is a very slow process that in this case took years and it does not harm the parent metal.
I used to use the same process to restore motorcycle tanks for classic cycles that had internal corrosion and were beyond use. When finished the inside looked like a brand new tank. I actually found out how to do it after researching how artifacts from the ocean bottom, (coins, jewelry, religious items, etc) are cleaned.