wrought iron ????

[CCurtin9]

What is wrought iron? Is it hot rolled steel? It just seems to me that it's a term that gets thrown around a lot, but is there a definition or when someone says wrought iron are they talking about a class of steel (hot rolled? cold rolled?). I don't feel comfortable using the term when I'm not sure what it means.

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by CCurtin9

What is wrought iron? Is it hot rolled steel? It just seems to me that it's a term that gets thrown around a lot, but is there a definition or when someone says wrought iron are they talking about a class of steel (hot rolled? cold rolled?). I don't feel comfortable using the term when I'm not sure what it means.

Big question with no modern answer except you'll need to read the conversation and go with the flow!!

Way back when wrought iron was---------a particular grade of iron. something close to pure (pure is not practicable) with some slag thrown back in or left in as the case might have been. It produced a tough fiberous iron, maleable, easy to forge and with a skin of it's own that was somewhat rust resistant. Excellent for blacksmithing or for non-structural and/or ornamental works.

So much of this was shop forged and hand 'wrought' that soon the items themselves, such as fences or gates, became known as wrought iron. Examples would be wrought iron gates or fences whether they were fabbed from the true wrought iron or not.

Now days anything that is made to replicate some of the original works or looks is often called wrought iron. It seems to be perfectly acceptable so, go with the flow while keeping the real facts to yourself.

A modern wrought iron fence will be made from mild steel tubing, cut and welded, altho it is neither made from the 'wrought iron' itself nor hand 'wrought' by a master craftsman. At best there might be a few cast iron ornaments on the tops.

[CCurtin9]

Thank you for your reply Sandy. I thought that's the way it was, but I just didn't want to make a fool of myself when talking to more knowledgeable persons than myself.

[TxRedneck]

CC, a few points to add....a lot of people say "wrought iron" and well its not. However, if this type of look is what your wanting, or if your doing it for someone Ive got some points. First, you can take mild steel, hot rolled or cold, but I usually use hot, and with a forge you can do all sorts of smitting. Even without a forge you can do scrolls even just using a pipe and a small jib bar as a break. You then just wrap your cold steel around that pipe. Sometimes it takes a cheater bar. And sometimes its just too hard so you gotta go with something smaller or thinner. Also, after youve welded this gate, or fence, you want that classic "wrought iron" look. Tell you what find some undercoating for a car. The European texture is the one I use and it gives a round look. Ususally I paint it with normal black paint first, then finish up wth this undercoat. The undercoat is a rubberized coating and it very resisitant to scratches and such. Its just very expensive. Good for a gate, but for the whole fence is a little pricey. Hope this helps. Good luck
CHRIS

[wroughtn_harv]

Originally Posted by CCurtin9

What is wrought iron? Is it hot rolled steel? It just seems to me that it's a term that gets thrown around a lot, but is there a definition or when someone says wrought iron are they talking about a class of steel (hot rolled? cold rolled?). I don't feel comfortable using the term when I'm not sure what it means.

Actually you can still buy real wrought iron. There's two ways I know of getting it. One of course is find something very old that was made with wrought iron and use it. The other is to check with a vendor that's getting it out of England where they still make it.

It's not cheap.

Wrought iron has little carbon. In fact most of the carbon in it comes from the working in the forge where it picks up some carbon from the coal.

The advantages of the wrought is it's more plastic and easiser to work than carbon steel. It also doesn't rust out like carbon steel does. Then there's the grain. It's got a distinctive grainy appearance from being worked.

Hot rolled means it's formed hot. Since it's formed hot there's a lot of variation in the dimensions for the material after it's cooled. Generally hot rolled has a softer surface than cold rolled.

Cold rolled is formed cold. That means it's rolled into shape is more dimensionally stable. It also has more surface hardening. This comes from being work hardened.

The difference between wrought or worked iron and ornamental iron generally is wrought iron is done with heat in a forge. Ornamental is all the copy cat stuff out there that wants to look like real stuff. Think of it as hubcaps from Pep Boys versus wheels from Boyd. The girls won't know the difference.

[CCurtin9]

Tx, you mention using car undercoating to finish with, European texture. I'm curious, do you have a brand name or web site for this product?

[TxRedneck]

Hmmm, no actually I believe it was a store brand. I am currently in BC and there is an auto store called Lordco ive been buying it through. I would be thoroughly surprised if you cant find it in a pep boy or an auto zone or other auto store in the states. I was just back home a few weeks ago but I never checked. Anyway, I dont know about any name brands, I suppose any brand is fine. Its just rather expensive and you have to buy it in the aerosol. You use your sprayer for the base coat, and use this stuff to texture your gate. Hope this helps.
CHRIS

[CCurtin9]

Thank you for your input Chris undercoating is something I may have never thought of on my own.