[TheForge] Re: Steel question OT

[Andrew Vida]

paul wrote:
> 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.

	IIRC, Byers manufactured their wrought iron until 1962.  I may be off a 
few years either way, but this is the general time frame.

> 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.

	My limited understanding of the electrical welding of wrought iron is 
that one used wrought iron rod as filler and not steel.  I've gathered 
that stick welding wrought was actually very pleasant, but there is no 
personal experience to back that up.

> 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.

	May I take it the galvanized was not a wrought iron base?