intrex Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I have lots of wraught iron bars left over from completing several custom baluster railings in my house. Can I use the left over bars as stock in a coal forge? Is it dangerous because of the black powder coating? Do I need to remove the Powder coating before using the bars as stock, and if so how do I do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetreeforge Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I had some wraught iron and steel bars that had lead paint and powder coat on them, I burnt them clean in a wood fire outside when I had to burn a pile of old wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george m. Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I would consider powder coating to be no different than painted steel. If you would clean the painted metal before forging it then do the same for powder coating. I, myself, would probably just stick it in the fire and let the forge burn off the coating unless, perhaps, I knew the paint was old and might or was be lead based. Unpreparedly, George M. PS "wrought" (meaning "made") (nitpickily) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Blythin Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I really wish people would stop advocating the 'burning-off' of paints and other coatings.... Aside from the obvious safety issues (I know a lot of people burn off coatings 'outside'), burning these various chemicals really isn't very good for the environment. Small sand blasting cabinets are cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george m. Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 Dear Neil, However a material is removed, sandblasting, heat (in a forge or wood fire), chemically, etc. it is going into the environment somehow. If it is burned it will go into the atmosphere as an oxide. If it is sandblasted it will go into a landfill or where ever used abrasive is disposed. If it is chemically removed it will either go into a sewer sytem or a landfill. If there is something truly toxic about the best you can do is make sure that it goes to a hazmat land fill which can be quite expensive. Also, you have to decide how hazardous or damaging a given amount of a particular material may be. I am unaware of anything particularly toxic in powder coating in either the original powder or oxides. Frankly, the amount of CO2 that we all produce in our forges (unless you are using induction powered by a nuclear power plant and that is a whole other batch of issues) is probably as or more damaging to the "evironment" than anything that we could burn off unless we were specifically trying to emit something nasty. Another exception is that if you are using charcoal for forge fuel you would be participating in the normal and "natural" carbon cycle and not introducing additional carbon from fossil fuels. Environmentally, George M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 I think the time and mess/fumes involved in using or cleaning coated bars would outweigh the cost, i.e. I wouldn't use it. Steel is not as cheap as it was, but it is still pretty cheap when all things are considered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetreeforge Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 If you are talking about proper fibrous Wrought iron its worth burning the paint off, but if its plane steel I would just scrap it, power coating turns to a wite dust and falls off when it gets burnt, but would release hideous fumes and stench Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
territorialmillworks Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 The Golden Gate Bridge is constantly being sandblasted and painted. Point being, if California allows for sandblasting over intercoastal waterways, how bad is it? Does anyone remember how the feds conducted a study on the methane production by cattle and the study recommended individual "recovery methods" to be attached to each bovine? When my time comes, I intend to increase my 'carbon footprint' through cremation and scatter my remains in the desert which is against the law in this state (lol).. Yes, we shouldn't be environmentally stupid but let's not get wrapped around the axle over this. Hmmmmm, anyone got a solar powered hammer??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Its not worth your time new steel is not that expensive. Most welding shops have scrap steel that can be had cheaply if not free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 I can't see what all the fuss is about.......... burn it off......... I mean powder coating is just plastic......... so we are talking about a relatively small amount of toxins and carsonigenics ......and anyhow when we have trashed this world we can just colonise another ...........can't we! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revtor Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 The powder coating might just flake off if you give some hammer time. I'd try that before burning it off. ~Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wroughton Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Neil, Even powder coating professionals torch off old powder coating rather than sandblast it in their hi volume/pressure blasting booths. It takes forever to get all the layers off. It's not a preferred method but when compared to the time it would take to sandblast off they grab the O/A. A cheap sandblasting cabinet with a little compressor won't even do anything but matte finish the surface, nor are they well suited for removing good paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intrex Posted December 31, 2012 Author Share Posted December 31, 2012 Thanks for all of the feedback, I ended up burning it off in a brush fire that I had this weekend. It all turned to white dust and seems to be completely gone. I am still waiting on some pieces to come in the mail to complete my forge so we will see how it works out in a few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.