wrought iron

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

A bit of an idle question really:- I was having a tidy up and rediscovered a bundle of short ends of wrought iron, left over from an earlier existence, these are mostly small section , 1/2″ sq. and similar. Does anyone have an idea what I might use them for, eg. where might they be better than mild steel? Or do I put them in the come in handy pile. NB this is WI, not MS.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

[drjohnParticipant @drjohn]

Good for making spikes for the top of your garden gate – if H&SE allow such things over there!

 

DJ

[Richard ParsonsParticipant @richardparsons61721]

 

How precious they are is partly dependant on their age. If they were originally wrought before July 1945 (first atomic explosion) could be in great demand by laboratories who measure tiny amounts of radiation. This goes for mild steel, very old lead pipe etc.

If you cannot find such a laboratory try either HMS Warrior at Portsmouth, SS Great Britain in Bristol – they are made of the stuff. You might be able to sell it to a Boat builder. Wrought Iron is nearly inert in sea water. I think Warriors plates have lost less that 1/16” in over 100 years. 

The stuff is also very tolerant of the harsh conditions inside a fire box. My mother used to cook on a kitchen range made about 18 and ‘how is your father?’ In the mid 1960s the fire bars gave way. The local ironmonger looked sadly at the remains and said ‘we still sell these but they are expensive as they are wrought Iron not the cheap cast iron ones like this’ Dad paid 10/- (Shillings in real money) When he sold the house some 12 years later they as good as new but the new owner’s scrapped the whole thing.’

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

If you have a fire place(or know someone with one), the 1/2″sq would make a nice poker. Your local ornimental black smith might like it.Ian S C

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Thanks for the responses. This iron was left over from when I made gates etc. and was bought for a repair job, I understood it is re-rolled from scrap w-iron, by a preserved (museum?) mill, so age not known. Wrought iron not made anywhere now, so expensive. Could make railing spikes ,but mild st. much cheaper. I’d forgotten the good hot performance, low corrosion aspect, so may use some for fire box/ grate in hot air engine. Can confirm that it is much better than mild st. in normal atmosphere.

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