[TheForge] Re: Large-X-section bars of pure iron?

[Mike Spencer]

> I was approached recently by a person who is involved in a
> historical reproduction and will need, for it, some rather pure iron
> in a large bar, maybe 3" dia....My own thoughts run to old anchor
> chain, which I understand to be excellent quality wrought iron.

Hard to say beforehand about quality but an anchor stock would be
closer to the right size.  Find an old ship's anchor that's too far
rusted away at the flukes to be a pretty lawn ornament.

I lucked onto a long and twisted piece of wrought that was, AFAICT,
part of a wharf reinforcement, 1" x 4".  But the quality wasn't great.
I once tried to make a reproduction boarding axe from it.  It welded
fine but cracked before I was done.  Hard to say, though, whether it
was the quality of the iron or my failure due to unfamiliarity with
the material but I gave it up after three tries.


- Mike

-- 
Michael Spencer                  Nova Scotia, Canada       .~. 
                                                           /V\ 
mspencer at tallships.ca                                     /( )\
http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/                        ^^-^^