Can caste iron be bent?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Gark

Gark

Minister of Fire
Jan 27, 2007
808
SW Michigan
I replaced the gaskets today for the ash and front doors. The left side of the ash door was mis-aligned (too low) so I added a washer to lift the ash door. The gasket aligns great with the compression rib fine now, but the top of the ash door scrapes the bottom of the ash lip when closing it. The ash lip is thin, maybe about 1/16" thick and looks to be made of caste iron. Can I safely bend it a bit (1/8" at most) to clear the raised ash door? Was thinking of bending it up using a hydraulic jack. Would only try it with a cold stove in case I tip the stove over. OR is the ash lip more likely to crack because caste iron is too brittle?
 
Try to bend cast iron and you will hear a "thunk" when it cracks into two pieces.
 
File it down.?
very brittle., It will give a little then spring back into place, when you get it far enough so it don't spring back, it's cracked somewhere.
 
Ditto on the breaking. It has no give at all.

Break: 4

Bend: 0
 
gyingling said:
It will snap and not be pretty.

Then it will need a special kind of welding to put it back together.
Click to expand...

JB weld :)
 
Gark said:
I replaced the gaskets today for the ash and front doors. The left side of the ash door was mis-aligned (too low) so I added a washer to lift the ash door. The gasket aligns great with the compression rib fine now, but the top of the ash door scrapes the bottom of the ash lip when closing it. The ash lip is thin, maybe about 1/16" thick and looks to be made of caste iron. Can I safely bend it a bit (1/8" at most) to clear the raised ash door? Was thinking of bending it up using a hydraulic jack. Would only try it with a cold stove in case I tip the stove over. OR is the ash lip more likely to crack because caste iron is too brittle?
Click to expand...

Was the left side door always misaligned? Or is this a new problem?
 
bogydave said:
gyingling said:
It will snap and not be pretty.

Then it will need a special kind of welding to put it back together.
Click to expand...

JB weld :)
Click to expand...

That could do the trick, but I had a piece rejoined one time from an old drill press.

I think it was brazed back together.
 
I think that was said in jest. JB Weld can handle up to about 500 degrees.
The door on my stove is over 600 right now.

In sticking with the thread, you can't bend cast iron.
 
Thanks all for the replies. Won't even think about bending it. I'll grind the underside of the ash lip.
BrowningBAR - after lifting the ash door (added a washer under the hinge), that lifted the door just enough to rub/scrape on the bottom of the ash ledge but the gasket is aligned real fine now. I only need to grind the left underside of the lip where they scrape.
 
This is a great site. There are a lot of knowledgeable and helpful folk here. Thanks again.
 
Gark said:
...Won't even think about bending it...
Click to expand...

Good decision. Cast Iron bends just about as well as concrete. :ahhh: Rick
 
Cast iron will not bend, forged iron though will. Cast steel will bend. Hard to tell apart.
 
And for those inquiring minds, iron is a base element on the periodic table. Steel is iron with carbon added to it. They also add other metals to concoct different properties in the steel.
 
And for other inquiring minds, JB weld can work for a short time. Probably not more than a year or perhaps 2 years if the fix is a small area.
 
woodmiser said:
And for those inquiring minds, iron is a base element on the periodic table. Steel is iron with carbon added to it. They also add other metals to concoct different properties in the steel.
Click to expand...

FYI cast iron is not pure iron at all. Pure iron (wrought iron) is quite malleable, even when cold. It is the blacksmith's choice for forge work, but almost impossible to procure in modern times. Most "wrought iron" objects that you see for sale these days are actually made of low-carbon steel.

Cast (grey) iron has varying amounts of carbon and silicon in it that harden the material unless it is cooled extremely slowly. Cast iron usually contains 3-4 times as much carbon as the best high-carbon tool steel. The various carbides formed in the metal upon cooling cause it to get very brittle.

BTW there is such a thing as ductile cast iron. My Lie-Nielsen woodworking planes have bodies of this stuff. Drop them 10' off a ladder onto concrete and all they will do is bend. Of course, I only use mine for fine work at the bench, so they'd be pretty safe even if they were made of glass. The old Stanley's (with all the chipped castings) do all the construction related stuff.
 
Even the Man of Steel cannot bend cast iron . . . it will simply break in his grip.
 
firefighterjake said:
Even the Man of Steel cannot bend cast iron . . . it will simply break in his grip.
Click to expand...

C'mon... He could use his heat vision to get it bright cherry red, duh.

Ya know, I really am starting to sound like Pook.
 
Battenkiller said:
...Ya know, I really am starting to sound like Pook.
Click to expand...

Starting? :lol:
 
I'm thinking some cast iron with high nickle content can change shape a little.
 
Battenkiller said:
firefighterjake said:
Even the Man of Steel cannot bend cast iron . . . it will simply break in his grip.
Click to expand...

C'mon... He could use his heat vision to get it bright cherry red, duh.

Ya know, I really am starting to sound like Pook.
Click to expand...

Not even close . . . your thread would read more like this . . .

Cam On . . . Hes cud using heet vizon too getit brite chery reed, duh.

Yah knowz . . . Eye Relay m Staring sounz lik Pooook.
 
Battenkiller said:
woodmiser said:
And for those inquiring minds, iron is a base element on the periodic table. Steel is iron with carbon added to it. They also add other metals to concoct different properties in the steel.
Click to expand...

FYI cast iron is not pure iron at all. Pure iron (wrought iron) is quite malleable, even when cold. It is the blacksmith's choice for forge work, but almost impossible to procure in modern times. Most "wrought iron" objects that you see for sale these days are actually made of low-carbon steel.

Cast (grey) iron has varying amounts of carbon and silicon in it that harden the material unless it is cooled extremely slowly. Cast iron usually contains 3-4 times as much carbon as the best high-carbon tool steel. The various carbides formed in the metal upon cooling cause it to get very brittle.

BTW there is such a thing as ductile cast iron. My Lie-Nielsen woodworking planes have bodies of this stuff. Drop them 10' off a ladder onto concrete and all they will do is bend. Of course, I only use mine for fine work at the bench, so they'd be pretty safe even if they were made of glass. The old Stanley's (with all the chipped castings) do all the construction related stuff.
Click to expand...

Even old wrought iron is not pure iron. Pure iron is elemental iron. Wrought was at one time considered "commercially pure" iron. It has a low carbon content and slag inclusions. It is bendable, but will shear if it is cold bent beyond the stress point. That is one way to tell if you have wrought iron because the shear will look fibrous. It is very nice to forge. I am always on the look out for old wagon wheels etc.
 
Sisu said:
Even old wrought iron is not pure iron. Pure iron is elemental iron. Wrought was at one time considered "commercially pure" iron. It has a low carbon content and slag inclusions. It is bendable, but will shear if it is cold bent beyond the stress point. That is one way to tell if you have wrought iron because the shear will look fibrous. It is very nice to forge. I am always on the look out for old wagon wheels etc.
Click to expand...

OK, OK... I just meant it's not alloyed with anything else. There is very little of anything else in it, though. Commercially pure is what I should have said. :roll: :lol:

I have some huge barn door hinges I'm saving for something ornate if I ever get good enough to forge anything ornate. I've never ever hit a piece of hot wrought iron, just telling tales as they were told to me. The stuff sucks for all I know.
 
If cast iron didn't bend than why are people replacing bent cast iron baffles?
 
Update on the rubbing ash door: Since Superman (and his heat vision) isn't here, I ground down the underside lip of the ash tray. No more scraping noise when the ashpan door is opened. Thanks for the good info (including Everything You Want to Know About Metalurgy But Were Afraid to Ask).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Eggyolkio
Pacific Energy Neo 2.5 free standing wood stove construction and parts questions.
Replies
3
Views
1K
Pacific Energy
Eggyolkio
Eggyolkio
Don2222
20 year old Englander pellet stove with a cracked glass and all 4 bolts snapped! New fire doors are not available! Is this an easy fix?
Replies
6
Views
3K
The Pellet Mill - Pellet and Multifuel Stoves
tbear853
tbear853
Investmentdude
New to me Vermont Castings Defiant Encore
Replies
0
Views
2K
Vermont Castings
Investmentdude
Investmentdude
B
Need to Troubleshoot and Repair My Pleasant Hearth problem
Replies
19
Views
4K
Pleasant Hearth
boatboy63
B
G
How do I like my Vermont Castings Dauntless? An early on review.
Replies
78
Views
11K
Vermont Castings
GrumpyDad
G
Top Bottom
Back