[TheForge] Anchoring epoxy and pure iron

[theforge@mailman.qth.net]

ANCHORING EPOXY

I recently anchored in some repaired 150 year old gates and columns and used 
Polygem's Liquid Concrete Repair. Each 130 pound gate rests on a single 7/8" 
pin that was set in this stuff. I also used it to anchor in the four feet of 
a 5' high ornate column. It's pricey at about $16 for a 10oz tube. It is a 
two part epoxy that you mix it in the tube with a plunger that comes in it. 
When mixed it pours about like maple syrup and dries to about the same amber 
color. It comes in three hardnesses: soft, medium and hard. The medium dries 
to about the same hardness as lead. 

It really locks things in as it flows into every nook and cranny. It becomes 
IMMOVABLE. I also echo the notion of having a good clean hole. I got mine 
nice and clean by blowing into it but also dabbing into it with a roll of 
modeling plasticene clay to pick up the last bits and pieces. 

PURE IRON

I also like the stuff most of the time. I used it to restore the gates 
discussed above and I have almost $400 worth of pure iron in the repairs. It 
would have been about $50 for off the shelf steel. That's $350 less for me. 

Yesterday I had to punch and slit and drift 1/4 x 3/4 pure iron for some long 
sliding bar latches. It doesnt punch and drift nicely. It gets like tar and 
just wont separate. But definitely easier at the cooler temps. 

regards

Don Plummer