[TheForge] Re: Steel question OT

[paul]

The A.M. Byers Company published
"Wrought Iron, Its manufacture, characteristics and applications"
first printing unknown, 11 th printing in 1957. This would indicate the 
company was still around at least until then.
In the piping trade black steel and galvanized pipe was referred to as 
'byers pipe' and usually had a red spiral stripe running the length of 
the pipe ala barber pole, and while I never installed any in my career, 
I have threaded and welded it.
Threading was pain as the threads often tore during the threading 
process, and welding was a pain due to the silicate content. Didn't try 
gas welding, but 6010 and 7018 were equally as frustrating.
The work on this pipe was performed before I had been exposed to 
blacksmithing on a level that discussed wrought iron properties.
According to
http://www.bchistory.org/beavercounty/BeaverCountyTopical/Industry/AMByersCo/AMByersMSP84.html
the company was still in business until 1969.
The black pipe was used for roof drain  piping inside buildings around 
here, and the galvanized pipe was used for water distribution  until 
copper became  more common.
Paul