Cast / Wrought Iron Fire Grate Renovation

[Whistle]

This winter due to the storms , flooding , power cuts , and a dodgy boiler

we were without any heating for several weeks ...

So we planned to be "prepared" and open the living room fireplace ...

After looking at several grates that were either too big or too small ... just coal or log burners ...

We found this multi-fuel cast/wrought iron one piece grate at the local booty ... A steal at £20 !!!

Weighs as much as a small child ... Got to be worth that as scrap !!!


1212121211ig]12121[/attach]


Mrs Whistle doesn't want ''that rusty old thing" in her living room ... so looking for advice on how to

de-rust , restore and renovate it ...

Any ideas guys ?!?!

Cheers Whistle

[midas]

Get a parlour maid!She'd have given it a good wire brushing n then "Blacklead n elbow grease.."Best of luck whistle,its a nice grate!.I.m sure if you just used it,the heat would "condition it".

[Whistle]

Get a parlour maid!She'd have given it a good wire brushing n then "Blacklead n elbow grease.."Best of luck whistle,its a nice grate!.I.m sure if you just used it,the heat would "condition it".

Ha ha ha !!! Funnily enough a mate of mine suggested chucking it on the bonfire and just burning the rust off !!!

Sounds like a barbeque , some wire brushes on the leccy drill and a trip to Tenterden

for a "propper" Iron mongers to get some wire wool

and whatever black lead / graphite stove / grate polish they have ....

Shame they don't sell the elbow grease to go with it !!! Ha ha ha !!!

Cheers Midas atb Whistle

[Valantine]

I agree with your mate, the best way to get rust off iron is with fire :evilgrin:

[Whistle]

I agree with your mate, the best way to get rust off iron is with fire :evilgrin:

I thought he was joking ... Can't manage a bonfire ,

but it sounds like a nice hot all day barbeque is in order hey !!!

Luckily enough I have some old oven shelves that are a good fit (for pots or kettles and such)

and a large cast iron two sided griddle that is a perfect fit !!! Hmmmm ... Sliders !!!

Next time the power goes off ... at least we'll be able to cook the food thawing out in the freezer !!!

Cheers Valentine ... ATB Whistle

[Valantine]

One thing to note though is if the iron is new or never been fired - heat it up slowly so that any stresses in the metal are released gradually or it may crack - I found that out the hard way :ashamed:

[Proventurer]

This winter due to the storms , flooding , power cuts , and a dodgy boiler

we were without any heating for several weeks ...

So we planned to be "prepared" and open the living room fireplace ...

After looking at several grates that were either too big or too small ... just coal or log burners ...

We found this multi-fuel cast/wrought iron one piece grate at the local booty ... A steal at £20 !!!

Weighs as much as a small child ... Got to be worth that as scrap !!!


1212121211ig]12121[/attach]


Mrs Whistle doesn't want ''that rusty old thing" in her living room ... so looking for advice on how to

de-rust , restore and renovate it ...

Any ideas guys ?!?!

Cheers Whistle

Funnily enough you might try the odd spot/area with some Coca Cola, the phosphoric acid in coke works wonders on rust, then dry off, wire brush and my old mum used to make me buff up the grate with Black boot polish, the wax in the boot polish will enter the porosity of the cast iron affording it some protection, but obviously not to much, or else you'll have liquid wax all over the place, buff it well, like you're boning a pair of boots.

[Whistle]

One thing to note though is if the iron is new or never been fired - heat it up slowly so that any stresses in the metal are released gradually or it may crack - I found that out the hard way :ashamed:


Thanks for the warning Valentine , though from the build up of ash around the grate base

I should think it has seen quite a lot of use ...

However I shall heed your warning and build the fire slowly !!! Cheers



Funnily enough you might try the odd spot/area with some Coca Cola, the phosphoric acid in coke works wonders on rust, then dry off, wire brush and my old mum used to make me buff up the grate with Black boot polish, the wax in the boot polish will enter the porosity of the cast iron affording it some protection, but obviously not to much, or else you'll have liquid wax all over the place, buff it well, like you're boning a pair of boots.

Thanks Proventurer have seen the Coca Cola trick on You tube ...

often used with scrunched up aluminium foil ...

the coke helps transfer the rust ions into the ally which "rots"

and acts like a zinc sacrificial anode on a boat ...

Works just as well with Diet cola too ... easier to clean up as its not so sticky !!!

Cheers Guys ... ATB Whistle