Casting iron for profit.

When asbestos is heated over 1200 C or 2200 F, it breaks down to simple silicates that are not harmful. So using Iron containing asbestos shouldn't be a problem once it's melted. If it freaks you out, wear a mask while you break it up and during melting. I think lead would be a bigger fear.

 

Jammer, I believe you are correct and the asbestos probably gets burned off. HOWEVER, if I was making cookwear, I would seek out other forms of cast iron and even capitalize on the fact I didn't use old brake parts. There is tons of other stuff in this world made out of cast iron to use as scrap...... Bathtubs, sinks, home radiators, park benches, you name it.

 

Frankly, I'd be more worried about contaminents from metal recycling lead getting into the iron than I would be asbestos from brake rotors.

 

How about something like this? It's the harp from a Baldwin Grand Piano. It had a cracked sound board? and was dismantled for the wood. Absolutely
beautiful gray iron with just a touch of gold paint.


b

 

There ya go. the golden frying pan! Sounds like a Chinese take away.

 

There's a chain of local takeaways here: The Golden Wok

On a side note, I never knew asbestos degraded at around 1200 deg C.

 

This fellow is making so much money he has ditched the crucible furnace and installed a very expensive induction furnace, by the look of it he could make 50 pans a day. The most expensive pan is $320. Have a look at his website http://boroughfurnace.com/about/

The worst contaminants in cast iron are lead ,zinc and cadmium They will make cast iron super brittle and super hard, ferrosilicon will not soften cast iron with even small amounts in cast iron.

ESC I have always wondered how good the iron is in a piano.

 

Ironsides, it passed the file test, nice and soft, so next time I pour cast iron I'll at least pour a chill wedge and some ingots. I'll post up the results. I'd expect the same kind of grief you got when you broke up the tractor seats, but Baldwin condemned it as a junker and would not repair it. I don't know if an upright has the same kind of harp, but they can be had for free on Craigslist. I have had them before when they have been left outside with all the wood warped, but I wasn't casting then.

 

On my way to work I keep passing a home with a pair of good sized brake rotors at the curb. Since this thread, I keep thinking I should grab them.

All my other scrap iron is from pillow block bearings and similar so I know it's a good casting alloy. Are brake rotors on par with anything else...?..., or is there more need to treat the melt before pouring?

 

If you can't get anything else they would work. As Ironsides mentioned newer CI is made with steel by adding carbon. Older scrap (vintage farm implements) wheel cylinders, master cylinders, my favorite, steam radiators and fire sprinkler fittings are all good sources. What ever you get, break it, read the fracture and touch it with a file. You will know immediately if it will be good without additives.

 

ESC Wheel cylinders and master cylinders are the best cast iron to cast into model engine cylinders unfortunately they can be hard to get hold of.

JV Brake rotors are a hard wearing cast iron so they last along time. If you are melting them for the first time use a 50/50 mix of a really soft iron and brake rotors.

 

Saw that... people have rocks in their heads to pay that for a stupid pan. $40bucks for a bronze outta stock bottle opener? WTF? More power to them I guess, I bet half of their stuff gets mailed to the detox grass drinkers out in cali.

When I see stuff like this >>>>>using a traditional casting process that has been updated for environmental responsibility I know they are full of shit!

 

As my wise old uncle once told me, something is only worth what someone will give you for it. So good on these guys for finding a market. I'm sure any professional will agree, anything, especially something durable, that makes you more effective is worth the investment within reason. $320 is pretty modest. As for folks with more money than sensibility, well I can't really speak for them.
Moving to electric was probably a good option for them from an overall business standpoint plus it gives the huggers a good feeling along with the inclusion of other feel-good words like solar and wind in their literature (I can't imagine how many times a windmill rotor has to turn to power an induction furnace), but it doesn't add up to "friendly". Oswego gets its power from nuke plants and oil burners, made new as consumers demand it. And they have moved from reusing other people's waste to using virgin power. Kind of wears the shine off the environmental responsibility. I guess if they plant a few of the right words in their spiel it'll turn people's brains off.

Pete

 

Now, Now - I'll send a few balsa bottle openers along with the balsa lathe dogs. That way you can have your "pair and a spare" of such things.

 

lol.. Sounds good dennis.