Spark Testing

[jfsmith]

Any one have a chart or information on Spark Testing. I have something what I think to be iron in an old machine that was built before WW I. Which if it is, the salvage price will be attractive for me.

Jery

[CCWKen]

http://www.capeforge.com/Spark%20testing.html

[franco]

Wrought Iron: Long yellow streak, leaf fading away

Cast Iron: Faint red streak, yellow bush spark at end.

Mild Steel: Short streaks, small
leaves, sparks.

franco

[jfsmith]

Franco and Ken,

Thanks,

Jerry

[Your Old Dog]

jfsmith, is one type of cast worth more than an other? Which one and why? I'm sitting on a bunch of window weights made in the 20's thought I'd save'em for a possible home casting operations some day.

[jfsmith]

Real Iron is worth a lot to the blacksmiths in the U.S. This is not mild steel, this is the same thing that is mined out of the ground.

I was told that Enmgland still producted Iron, but the shipping cost are out of sight.

Milling iron can be done with out lube and does do things well for machining, but it also has its draw backs. Like if you drill it, instead of those curly pieces of steel, you get ground iron flakes from the drilling process.

There is a whole lot more, but I don't have the time to type it all out. As far as the window weights, spark tests them, most I have found to be junk alloy steel.

Jerry

[bob308]

the cast iron motor blocks and heads if they are stripped out are the best iron and bring the best prices. if you have enough and know a foundry they will buy diret from you.

[BillJ]

If you just want to test scrap, drill it. Steel will make curls, iron will make short chips with a lot of black dust. They make your hands dirty.

If you want to see what CI sparks like, why don't you put the handle of a cast iron frying pan on the grinder and have a look?