Well, my first guess would have been much higher than I think after doing some estimating.

I would have thrown out a WIG of about 20 - 30 tons each..... and apparently I would have been WAY off.

A quick search (not enough to confirm, but a couple sources confirming the same approximate number) is that most steel weighs about .2833 pounds per cubic inch.

From the pictures, the cylinders appear tapered. I am guessing on some estimates of the sizes of the cylinders, but if we guess the cylinder had an average diameter of 4.5 feet and about 10 feet long.

Calculation for Volume = π • r²• h
If diameter is 54", then radius is 27 inches.
So, Volume in inches = 3.14 • (27" x 27") • 120" = 274,687 cubic inches

274,687 x .2833 = 77,818 pounds = about 38.9 tons each! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

I am JUST guessing on size, but DANG! That is about the weight of 20 - 24 average sized cars.

Feel free to double-check my math, I just threw that together and have had a couple glasses of vino with italian tonight, so maybe I missed something (not typing so well <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/loopy.gif" alt="" /> )... I could be wrong (?????).

.

Crazy. This is the mill my father worked at when I was a kid. Brings back some memories.