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Cutting iron with embedded gravel

Yes, iron of an unknown alloy with embedded gravel. Sort of like a stony iron meteorite only far less valuable. Not totally worthless either, which is why I want to cut it. Google "Plateau Putorano", Shirokovsky and Mendota if your curious what I might have.

Approximately 11" X 16" X 23" but with all roughness would need a horizontal saw with a 12" X 17" capacity. Looking for blade / cutting fluid recommendations before I take it to a big shop and end up with a huge bill and an uncut bolder. Real meteorites are typically cut on a diamond wire saw. Prices I have found run over $100 per slice. Ouch! Well worth it if mine were real which sadly it is not. Yes, I have had it tested...

If I can get one thick slice out of the center I have a small local shop that can cut hand sized specimens for me. Practice a bit and know for sure which blade(s) will work before bothering a large machine shop to cut full slices. Suggestions on how butcher the one thick slice would be appreciated too. I'm thinking cutting from both sides with a large abrasive blade might work since I managed to get a small chunk off this way.

Reply to
William Bagwell
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William Bagwell fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

A gullet-style carbide grit blade should cut it.

I have a saw that would cut more than halfway through in one stroke .

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Real meteorites are typically cut on a diamond wire saw.

A mud saw will do it. A brief search on the internet finds two designs. One using a cord , the other an iron disk. I expect the one with the iron disk would wear the disk at about the same rate as it cut your specimen.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

Primacord!

Reply to
Tom Gardner

Good answer!

-- Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear. -- Thomas Jefferson

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Thanks. A bit pricey, but I might get lucky and find a shop that bought one for another job and never used the blade again. Think I might have a grit style hole saw I can play with.

Pictures please! :)

Reply to
William Bagwell

Ah, something else to research. A quick look showed one link that might include plans. Thanks!

Reply to
William Bagwell

Sounds like fun! How about I secure the necessary permits and You, Larry and Gunner get to watch in exchange for polishing the resulting pieces to a mirror finish. Sound like fair deal? ;-)

Reply to
William Bagwell

William Bagwell fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

My wife is a licensed blaster, and I am a licensed fireworks manufacturer.

Maybe we can get Gunner to light the fuse!

Lloyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

William Bagwell fired this volley in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

ACTUALLY... that brought up an idea. How about feather and wedge splitting, followed by grinding? You're not going to get a "mirror finish" with saw cutting, anyway.

You could split, mill with carbide to a flat surface (light cuts, lest you yank out pieces of the iron), and polish on a jeweler's lap.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

You need a Rock slab saw. These are 36" diamond blades running on a fine screw that advances the work into the blade while a strong spray is cooling the cut and blade.

We have chunks of that around here - the size of houses. Ours are from an old (now gone) forge - been running since the republic days - making everything from horse shoes to manhole covers, engine blocks for engines used across the country and the latest thing that killed the company - dealing with GM. Same the famous foundry is now gone at the greed and miss-deeds leading them down the wrong path.

Mart> Yes, iron of an unknown alloy with embedded gravel. Sort of like a stony iron

Reply to
Martin Eastburn

Aha! Now that you mention it, this could be the mess that's left after the end of the pour, when the air is shut off and they knock the props out from under the cupola floor. Under the floor is a sand bed; the remaining iron and slag falls down into that; and then the chunks of crud are poked out after the cupola cools down. There's probably a lot of sand or gravel in the mix. I never actually saw that stuff, so I don't know what it looks like.

Not having seen a full run of a big cupola, I forgot about that part. I hope that everyone interested in metalworking gets to see a big cupola furnace in operation before they're all gone. There are a lot of very small ones being run by hobbyists.

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Sure! You're supplying all the HF grinders and wheels, right? I'll grind, Gunner'll buff, and Tawm will polish for the exercise. ;)

-- Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear. -- Thomas Jefferson

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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