pkrankow Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Short answer is to test them. Cast is usually quite brittle and will crack easily, wrought will bend and tear like wrought. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Easy way to tell if you have cast iron or something else. Place the weight on 2 pieces of wood(2X scrap laid flat works fine) so that the ends are supported but the center open. Put your eye protection on. Take a moderate size hammer and hit the center unsupported area of the weight with enough force to intend to slightly bend it. If you snap it into 2 or more pieces it`s cast. If it bends it`s something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Unless you can use the cast iron weights for weighing down something, I would scrap them out and use the money to get something useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Having see numerous wrought iron weights, I have a theory about it. Goes like this: While casting was probably the cheapest way most of the time, there are circumstances where forging could make sense. You got a blacksmith shop and business is slow. Ya got a big mountain of scrap. You can take it to the scrap and get a penny a pound or you can turn it into something you can sell. Sash weights were a "commodity". So ya beat a pile of scrap into something that brings a little more than scrap price and you can buy a bag of groceries! I'm with Dave, if they're round, cast iron, square, they're wrought iron. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I saw a guy who used window weights as a hold down on his anvil. He had a piece of chain attached to a weight loop and then to the anvil base. He would put the object to be worked on the anvil then drape the chain and weight over it and the anvil face. Not totally fixed into place but it will stop your work from flying off when its hit or not roll around when you trying to punch holes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kendrick Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 They will be sent to China and come back as an ASO at Harbor Freight. LOL That's priceless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 We pulled a hundred or so out of our house (1890s) when we re-did the windows. I lined a path that gets particularly muddy with them. They make OK stepping stones :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Bought about 100lbs of window weights earlier. What are their uses in forging? I intend to make one into some sort of rounding jig. They weigh about 5 lbs each. What can I use them for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I hope you didn't pay much for them! They are cheap cast iron, well nigh worthless. Pretty much unforgeable. They work well as trotline weights and are otherwise pretty useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Alright, I live in a major cat-fishin town, I have a use for abnout 5 of them. I only paid scarp for them. If all else, I'll put em' on ebay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Depends, are they round or square? We run into a lot of square wrought iron ones around here. I've theorized they could have been made during the depression as a way to turn your scrap pile into a little more cash than the scrap yard would pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 They're round and weight about 71/2 lbs apeice. Most of them are Christopher brand cast iron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 good to know i have a square one i found last week while cleaning out a shed i will definitely be holding on to it now thanks Danvil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 they make good clinker breakers for welded fire pots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 The rounded end can be clamped in the vise and used as a stake. The shape can be altered by grinding and sanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 We use them at the iron pour in Tucumcari to remelt in to other objects but as said they are a poor grade of cast iron, real poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I plan on making a stake out of atleast 2, I may donate them to the ag shop for some odd use. I'm gonna try to forge one, jus to try it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Waste of time and fuel, but you will know more after you try. The best use for them, is weight for Nakedanvil's flypress modification. My Dad made gate closers with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I didn't even think of that! Or maybe make it the weight for my big tool box lid that has a problem with breaking fingers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 The best use for them is............. Repairing an old wood sash window, I save them for when I remove a window to install new glass or other repair the cords that hold the weight are often rotted away and the weight falls down inside the wall cavity, they can be a pain to fish out easier to just install another one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Theres no sash windows in my house, nor any of my neighbors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 when you siad you paid scrap rate---was that scrap rate for cast iron or scrap rate for steel? Cast iron is usually much lower than steel (like 1/10!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayden H Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I paid scrap for steel, for $10 and finding another local maker I don't care if I got burned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 If you find anybody building a sailboat that is good ballast! For $10 taking a chance was probably worth it. I spent that much on a bad table saw for its stand the other day. Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELHEAD Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Anyone have creative suggestions for old sash weights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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