The old fashioned way of melting iron.

Discussion in 'General foundry chat' started by Ironsides, Nov 21, 2018.

  1. Ironsides

    Ironsides Silver

    This is a very interesting video to watch, no hi-tech methods here. This is a perfect example of a backyard foundry simple and effective. I think this video should be the forums mascot.
     
  2. Mach

    Mach Silver

    Jimmy Cogg likes this.
  3. Jimmy Cogg

    Jimmy Cogg Silver

    Awesome video.....cast iron, dropping out the bottom of the furnace and dowsing it with water!!! Just about broke every forum rule in the book...! Brilliant! Thanks for posting.
     
  4. DavidF

    DavidF Administrator Staff Member Banner Member

    Very neat video.
    Hmm one ton of cast iron in 3 hours sure beats the hell out of what we back yarders can do.
     
    Jimmy Cogg likes this.
  5. Jimmy Cogg

    Jimmy Cogg Silver

  6. Mister ED

    Mister ED Silver

    Neat stuff!
     
  7. Melterskelter

    Melterskelter Gold Banner Member

    That was a very interesting video. I loved the two-man "muller" seen at about 23 mins near the end. they must have poured that chair frame very hot as the sections were so thin and long.

    Thanks for posting it, Ironsides.

    Denis
     
  8. Ironsides

    Ironsides Silver

    That was a great follow up article to the video.
     
  9. Zapins

    Zapins Gold

    Thanks, I watched like 10 of the other videos on that channel too. Great stuff! Wish there were more.
     
  10. Tobho Mott

    Tobho Mott Gold Banner Member

    That was fun, thanks for posting it!

    Jeff
     
  11. Petee716

    Petee716 Gold Banner Member

    Now that's what I call a reality show.

    Pete
     
  12. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Thank you for posting that! While not a sand guy, I really enjoyed it! I want one of those benches, but in BRONZE!
    You KNOW the best thing about a day working here was a cold pint at the pub before heading home.

    Any of you in the UK know if the Powers are still at it today?
     
  13. Mach

    Mach Silver

    Someone in the youtube comments 11 month ago said that they're still in business. There's another video filmed by RTE in 2013. I haven't found a link yet to the video.



    IN GOOD HANDS
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    Friday 7th June, 7.30pm

    Last modified: Thursday 30th May, 10.35am

    David Shaw Smith revisits Powers Foundry in Wexford, where he filmed an episode of Hands in 1989.

    Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, David Shaw Smith and his wife Sally captured the intricacy and brilliance of Irish craft in the landmark RTE series, HANDS. Now aged 74 and still filming and archiving craft footage, Shaw Smith, revisits six of the businesses and artisans he filmed in the original series to see how they’ve weathered the last 30 years, focusing on this new generation of craft workers.

    PROGRAMME 2 – THE POWERS OF METAL (1989) David revisits Powers Foundry in Wexford – traditional sand casters who have adapted their ancient craft to the demands of architectural metal restoration.

    David Shaw Smith revisits Powers Foundry in Wexford, where he filmed an episode of Hands in 1989. At the time, the tight-knit Wexford family business was run by the late John Power.

    Twenty three years on, John’s sons Seamus, David and Kevin have graduated from the manufacture of manhole covers and fire grates, working on restoration of historical architecture, reinventing themselves in the face of cheap mass imports from China.

    They now specialise in architectural metal restoration, forging decorative features from moulds of the originals, using the skilled and ancient technique of sand casting. We follow the brothers as they restore an ornate bench originally designed by the renowned 20th century iron-founder and engineer Richard Turner who designed the famous glass houses at the Botanic Gardens in Dublin.

    We observe the Powers as they prepare for their weekly firing day, when tonnes of scrap metal is sorted, broken up and melted down in the old furnace their father once used to be transformed into new objects.

    David discovers that, while the business has adapted to survive, some things haven’t changed since he filmed here 23 years ago. Back then David Power played tuba for the local brass band. He still does, and he’s since been joined by younger brother Kevin. Both of them working metal by day and playing it by night.

    In Good Hands is a GMarsh TV production for RTÉ
     
  14. Peedee

    Peedee Silver

    Something very British about a brass band, work by day then go and get very drunk and play brass. I play cornet and used to play brass with a railway mens Band, jeeze those boys could drink! We had to carry one bloke on stage at a competition, couldn't walk but performed perfectly.
     
  15. Ironsides

    Ironsides Silver

    Jason likes this.
  16. Jason

    Jason Gold

    Tobho Mott likes this.

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