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cast iron

Cast iron is a group of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its colour when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impurities which allow cracks to pass straight through, grey cast iron has graphite flakes which deflect a passing crack and initiate countless new cracks as the material breaks, and ductile cast iron has spherical graphite "nodules" which stop the crack from further progressing.
Carbon (C), ranging from 1.8 to 4 wt%, and silicon (Si), 1–3 wt%, are the main alloying elements of cast iron. Iron alloys with lower carbon content are known as steel.
Cast iron tends to be brittle, except for malleable cast irons. With its relatively low melting point, good fluidity, castability, excellent machinability, resistance to deformation and wear resistance, cast irons have become an engineering material with a wide range of applications and are used in pipes, machines and automotive industry parts, such as cylinder heads, cylinder blocks and gearbox cases. It is resistant to damage by oxidation but is difficult to weld.
The earliest cast-iron artefacts date to the 5th century BC, and were discovered by archaeologists in what is now Jiangsu in China. Cast iron was used in ancient China for warfare, agriculture, and architecture. During the 15th century, cast iron became utilized for cannon in Burgundy, France, and in England during the Reformation. The amounts of cast iron used for cannon required large scale production. The first cast-iron bridge was built during the 1770s by Abraham Darby III, and is known as The Iron Bridge in Shropshire, England. Cast iron was also used in the construction of buildings.

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  1. Meady

    Joining cast iron soil pipe

    A mate of mine has just bought a house and wants to fit a toilet/basin downstairs. Only issue is the soil pipe is cast iron which I have never dealt with before. What’s the best way to connect onto it and what fittings do you think I would need? Cheers
  2. E

    More Cast iron radiator problems!

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  3. W

    Cutting back cast iron soil

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  4. hammers4spanner

    Cast iron soil stack

    Doing a bathroom refurb and we have unearthed a cast stack going straight up through bathroom and venting out through the roof. Basically needs to be removed from the bathroom area . However I don' wish to disturb anything going through the roof. Would you guys just cut the section out if its...
  5. H

    How should I connect to a 4 inch cast iron water main

    Hi I want to replace some old iron water main pipe and broken stopcock ideally with a larger bore pipe eg 28mm. In digging into the basement floor i found that the rougly 1 inch iron pipe comes off a 4 inch? Cast iron pipe. Not sure i dare try to unscrew the end cap. Should i just cut the iron...
  6. Bogart

    CAST iron radiator paint

    Lokking to paint a couple of cast iron rads. Seen one company who supply it but state only suitable for gas fired heating not solid fuel or oil. Now having an oil boiler thought an odd statement. Their blurb states "It is suitable for Gas Central Heating radiators - not solid fuel / oil due to...
  7. jaydebruyne

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    never done cast irons before. Is there anything special about them? One of them is a 70kg one which comes in 2 halves. They just take standard valves, 1/2" no?
  8. J

    drill hole into cast iron pipe?

    Hi all, I need to re-route two pressure relief pipes (one from a combi, one from an unvented cylinder). (I have my unvented qualification). I'm going to run them both into a tundish, so there'll just be a 22mm pipe to re-route. Pic below. An extension was done, and pipes are being dealt with...
  9. R

    Two leaking cast iron column radiators - victorian style

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  10. Neil T

    ARC cast iron rad buyers??

    Hi all, Anyone know of any companys that buy original American Radiator Company cast iron roads around Manchester or in north west? Got one off a customer that will need some tlc 60h x 43l x 14w (cm) , 4 columns and 8 sections. Got be worth something to someone rather than scrap it. Btw, what...
  11. jaydebruyne

    Cast iron stack (shared waste system)

    Gonna be doing a job soon, the guy wants a 2nd toilet fitted to be connected to the existing toilet before it exits to the stack directly on other side of the wall. New toilet will be in bathroom to left of cloakroom and pass through a utility room before it reaches toilet in cloak room...
  12. M

    Can I drill into this cast iron waste pipe

    Hi, Im moving the washing machine into the garage so need to connect the drainage hose to the waste pipe. Can i drill a hole and fit a standard connector to the caste iron pipe or will i need to replace the waste pipe with a plastic one?
  13. Eyespy999

    Modern cast iron decorative radiators advice please

    Good afternoon all, I have been to a victorian house that was converted about 18 months ago. A modern boiler and unvented HW system, and all of the house, stripped floorboards have been complemented with modern period cast iron rads. Nicely looking however the house is like a fridge. Rads...
  14. M

    Cast Iron Rads - Fitting question

    Hi all, We'd like to take the plunge and replace our old rads with some 'reclaimed' ones from what used to be Coventry Demolition. However, I'm a bit unsure about how these chunky rads would fit with our existing pipework and I thought I'd ask here before deciding whether to place an order...
  15. K

    Cast iron pipe

    Thought some of you true craftsmen would enjoy this. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C2U1fUu5tt0 Cheers Ryan
  16. J

    Cast iron downpipe

    Hi Folks Any advice much appreciated. I need to join sections of Cast iron downpipe together. I'm not keen to get involved with molten lead. I've been told that PC4 af is great but i can't find anywhere that sells it. Friends (apparently in the know) have said use hemp and sealent -...
  17. D

    Large waste needed for reconditioned cast iron bath

    In a bit of a bind. Spent money reconditioning a lovely old cast iron bath but really struggling to get a waste to fit nicely in the recess. The hole itself is 70mm but the total diameter including recess is 95mm. The largest belfast sink waste has a wide flange that takes it to 85mm but the...
  18. Riley

    Cast iron rad piping

    Turned up to fit rads for a customer today not aware of the fact that they were getting cast iron rads. The rads they have are reconditioned and have been sent away for sandblasting and repainting. They've come back and have f & r top and bottom on the left. Where it's been painted the stoppers...
  19. L

    Cast Iron Boss for 40mm waste

    Hi All. Apologies if this has been asked previously. I have searched for days but cannot find the exact answer. I am installing a new shower room downstairs and need to connect the water waste (40mm) from the shower and basin. There is a 90mm cast iron soil stack right outside so this seems the...
  20. J

    What to do with cast iron rainwater drain inside building

    In an old listed building, in the basement we have a cast iron pipe, not a soil stack its a rain water drain pipe. It leads through the wall which is about 600mm thick and was leaking badly internally in the wall. It turns out there is a 300mm crack in the pipe. It is fed by a lead pipe inside...
    • Jonathan Porter
    • Thread
    • building cast iron drain inside iron listed rainwater repair
    • Replies: 11
    • Forum: Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board
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