| History Of Steel And Metal Differences On Industrial Steel Functional Artistry Artist Website | ||
| Not Breakable Cast Metal Commercially Used in making Benches & Brackets, Sold at All Retail Stores | ||
Steel history First, if it's cast metal, it's breakable regardless of what type of metal it's made from. Most people believe that stainless steel and aluminum will not rust. On the contrary, they both rust, but it's called "oxidation" which is a white powder, and they both also pit just like carbon steel. Another misconception, that stainless steel is stronger than carbon steel, is not necessarily true.  There are hundreds of different grades of both metals. Two types used in industrial use would be a 304 stainless steel and/or an A-36 carbon steel, both used in utility plants, chemical plants and oil refineries, both having the same or near the same amount of strength.
On this page you'll see a little history about steel. All pieces of artwork on this website are made of industrial hot roll steel, the same metal type as the world famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco that's over 70 years old, and the same material type as the world famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, built in 1889! That's 112 years now. It was built for the World Expo to introduce a new material called "steel." No one on earth has any idea how many hundreds of years painted steel will last; it doesn't lose it's strength over time if it's not allowed to oxidize or rust.
What is wrought iron? Wrought iron is steel that is roll formed into round rods, flat bars, angle, 3 sided channel, I beam and other shapes. It does not have the same strength as hot roll steel which is used for maximum pressure. In my opinion, people should know the differences in metals before they or someone they love gets hurt on dangerous, breakable cast furniture. Ask your local retailers how much cast merchandise they receive broken, simply from shipping, before you buy it. Unfortunately, they can't provide their customers much in choice from the mass produced cast metal merchandise which is adding to the environmental waste problems. The landfills are full it and it's a waste of good iron ore.
 
In 1855, a man named Henry Bessemer in England designed and built the first converter (furnace) for processing steel by adding wrought iron and pig iron, referred to today as "cast iron," of which most of today's decorative metal products are made -- not "steel." The process of steel making requires getting the materials hot enough to burn out the impurities and to remove amounts of iron, and adding other minerals depending upon the grade of steel being processed. Example: Note added materials like copper, nickel etc, also strength ratings. Later in the 1800's, Andrew Carnegie of U.S. Steel and Edgar Thompson of Bethlehem Steel in America, started processing steel in very large amounts in the Industrial Revolution. Railroad track rails were being replaced in the 1870's, and shipbuilding with steel began in the early 1900's, then skyscrapers started going up around 1910, all because of a new metal with strength. No more collapsing cast iron bridges or breaking railroad tracks.
Remember Momma's cast iron frying pan with no handle on it, because someone dropped it and it broke, or replacing old cast iron plumbing, by hitting it with a hammer to break it out as shown on tv by home remodeling shows or that piece of cast metal furniture that you took to the weld shop to be repaired or just threw away because someone leaned back in it, and one or both legs broke?
Send this page to a friend Questions, Need Help ? What do you really know about wood?
Does the word hard in hardwood mean that it's stronger, or just harder?
Red oak is not suitable for tight cooperage or exterior work. Oak is full of tannic acid and,in fact, the tannic acid in the bark was used for tanning animal hides for centuries. When the tannic acid mixes with the iron in our water, it creates a chemical blue dye. This is why red oak stains black when water is allowed to penetrate the surface and why you must be careful not to get water on your red oak flooring.
I use no glues, screws, staples, nails or have any wood pressed into one another to work loose or fall off ever. Eastern White Pine is one of the 36 native species of pine found in North America. It displays remarkable durability as shown by the large number of houses built of it still in use today in the New England area which where built 200 and more years ago. Pine can sustain impact 76% greater than cedar. Pine has a tensile strength that is 213% higher than cedar. Because of these desirable characteristics, Eastern White Pine uses include: Shipbuilding, Boat building, Log home & Cabin construction, Furniture, Chairs, Beams, Musical instruments: pianos, Dining-room furniture, Sculpture, Exterior trim & siding, Exterior uses, Flooring, Novelties and the list goes on where the durability of weight or pressure on it is required. Eastern White Pine is still used in boat building. And it remains popular, as it has for nearly three centuries, for beautifying interior living spaces, shielding homes from harsh weather, and providing comfortable furniture. Generations of Northeasterners have cherished the character, usefulness, versatility, and durability of their Eastern White Pines. Quality for Lasting Beauty "Knotty Pine" is a household fixture as well as a household word. The knots, color, interest, and warmth of natural Eastern White Pine make it a favorite of home decorators. The imaginative use of Eastern White Pine underscores its beauty. Vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and herringbone patterns increase interest and emphasize the natural characteristics of the wood. Eastern White Pine for the person who wants real wood, real boards, and the look and quality of pine. Appreciated by the British Royalty whose American Colonial subjects "marked" trees for exclusive use by the Drake and Nelson command of the seven seas and the sailing vessels that carried explorers around the world were fitted with spars, masts, planking and decking from the pine groves of the New England forests. The best boards on Earth are made out of Eastern White Pine. The characteristics of Eastern White Pine are unmatched by any other species. The natural beauty, durability and workability of Maine grown Eastern White Pine are second to none.
If I hadn't used the Mahogany chair that came with it, maybe it would, too.
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| I use only Industrial Hot Roll Steel, about the only type tougher is an R plate for railroad tracks and tank armor. NO poisons from cutting stainless steels or wood treated with arsenic used. |
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