excellent guide Rowan Thankyou It brings back memories and is almost exactly what my mentor showed me when I first started learning in the mid 70's, he didnt want me raiding his paid for mild steel but was happpy to let me practice on bits of old gates and railings that he had collected. He was of the opinion it would and I have to say I also think it gave me better experience than using off the shelf stock too, I had to think a lot more and ask many more questions. I still use a lot of foundling wrought iron today. Thanks for sharing and reminding me of Chris
I think it needs to be mentioned that today wrought iron isn't produced any longer in significant quantities. Todays rolled mild steels cover a range from 0.01% C (DC 07 sheet) up to 0.2% C.
Current Conservation practice of Ironwork is minimum intervention, leaving as much of the original material as possible. Where there is missing or badly corroded ironwork it should be replaced with the same material and this should be date stamped. Any intervention needs to be reversible wherever possible. The Atlas Forge in Bolton stopped wrought iron production in 1975 and wrought iron is only available now by recycling.
Look for old wagon wheels or really old farm equipment. I've got a decent stash thanks to the old seeder plow that was on my property when I bought my house.
Interested in the finial on your anvil at 5:44. I’ve seen this form and always wondered how it was achieved while retaining the corners during welding. Thanks
excellent guide Rowan Thankyou It brings back memories and is almost exactly what my mentor showed me when I first started learning in the mid 70's, he didnt want me raiding his paid for mild steel but was happpy to let me practice on bits of old gates and railings that he had collected.
He was of the opinion it would and I have to say I also think it gave me better experience than using off the shelf stock too, I had to think a lot more and ask many more questions. I still use a lot of foundling wrought iron today.
Thanks for sharing and reminding me of Chris
The best welding and the most valuable, blacksmith videos on TH-cam.
Great work!
I've gotten wrought that looked like playdough, but recently I bought a bunch with next to no slag and it forged like a dream, zero delamination.
Thanks for the info on wrought iron. Seems little is known about it anymore due to it being very scarce.
I think it needs to be mentioned that today wrought iron isn't produced any longer in significant quantities. Todays rolled mild steels cover a range from 0.01% C (DC 07 sheet) up to 0.2% C.
Current Conservation practice of Ironwork is minimum intervention, leaving as much of the original material as possible. Where there is missing or badly corroded ironwork it should be replaced with the same material and this should be date stamped. Any intervention needs to be reversible wherever possible. The Atlas Forge in Bolton stopped wrought iron production in 1975 and wrought iron is only available now by recycling.
Great info. Thanks for the video.
Puddle iron is practically nonexistent in the US. I have had no luck and finding any.
Look for old wagon wheels or really old farm equipment. I've got a decent stash thanks to the old seeder plow that was on my property when I bought my house.
Interested in the finial on your anvil at 5:44. I’ve seen this form and always wondered how it was achieved while retaining the corners during welding. Thanks