Wrought Iron Resoration Project

[Dean Perdue]

Looking into trying to remove the rust on this and have have various opinions from muratic acid to baking soda blasting to Naval Jelly.

Problem is I don't want to lose too much of the detail lines throughout the ivy stems and leaves because this really makes the vines appear as real as possible and it looks like someone spent allot of time and effort into putting them there.

Any idea's on what might be the best way to get rid of the rust without screwing it up or should it just be left alone?

Also,is this a window grate or some type of alter piece?

Weighs at least 80 lbs. and measures approx 20" x 36".

Thanks

[talesofthesevenseas]

Wow where did you get that?!

[Dean Perdue]

A huge antique mall here in Michigan called Knightsbridge.

Funny story after the purchase it was in my trucks front seat and I stopped off to play basketball.
A 20 year old saw it and said "Were you on your way to the scrap yard to sell it".
Really was great to hear after spending hard earned money on something.

Shows one mans treasure is anothers garbage.

[wendy177]

 What a fantastic find!!!! I would have bought it also Dean something about it just screams at me if you can understand that. Most 20 year olds I know are well not to bright, as we all were at 20. No offense to anyone but some things (wisdom) just come with age. Personally I think I would just clean with a wire brush and cloth and leave it be. Unless the rust will continue to effect the piece??? My husband just did repairs on a local church, He had to go to this  building where the diocese stores all pieces from churches that have been demolished in our area, He needed to search for stained glass windows for the repair. I almost strangled him for not bringing me on the search!!! (next time)  The photos I could have taken!!!! He said the stuff is just piled in this warehouse, everything from alters,stained glass, pews etc...

[cogar]

Dean, nice find. That is quite a large and intricate piece but if there is rust and scaling on it then it need to be cleaned and repainted or whatever.

A hand held wire brush will not damage it but a “thick wire” cup brush on an electric drill might cause damage if you let it “get away from you”. Sand paper will also work but only use 220 grid or smaller (meaning higher grid #).

Like I stated previously, it’s quite intricate and it will be a real chore to clean it by hand.

So, what I suggest is, if you really want it cleaned up nicely, find someone who has a “sandblasting” unit and really knows how to use it and have them clean it for you. But make absolutely sure that he/she uses the really “fine grain” of sand and knows exactly how clean you want it and/or what you want done with it. It shouldn’t take much more than an hour or two and it will be ready to paint or whatever.  An auto body repair/paint shop might be your best bet.     

Wrought iron maintaince
http://www.housekeepingchannel.com/hcp_370-Wrought_iron

cheers.

[Dean Perdue]

Cogar-
Thanks for the link and helpful advice.It looks like so far the best way that I'd have the most control over is the by hand method.
The sandblasting method sounds great if I knew someone who I could trust and was on the same page as me but at this point that would be a gamble and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate some nut looking over their shoulder watching and making sure everything is allright.

After the tedious by hand method I was wondering about electrolysis to get into all the nooks where I would not be able to get at by hand.
Anyone have any experiences with this?
Here is one link of many that explains it:

http://antique-engines.com/electrol.asp
                                                          
Wendy177- I thought about a light cleaning & leaving it as is but from what I understand the rusting will continue and do further damage.

What a opportunity your husband had to see the storage from the demolished churches. That would be my personal Disneyland.
What a shame all these beautiful treasures are in storage where no one can appreciate them.
Guess that's where our weekly church contributions end up.Hoarded away in storage.                                                                                

[syl]

It looks like a window grate to me.

[regularjoe2]

Dean ... I'm wondering , since I didn't see in your posts - Are you planning to repaint this item ?

May sound like a silly question , but I've got my reasons ... are you also planning on displaying it (indoors or outdoors) ....


I've used electrolysis with a variety of metals , BTW .

(have also used oxydation method (rusting outdoors) for strengthening aircraft engine crankshafts)

The big question is about how fragile the rusted areas are , regardless of the method used to remove rust .

[Dean Perdue]

Thanks Syl and Regularjoe2.

Kind of hoping it is a window grate but who knows, I've seen outside kneeling altars in front of shrines and it seems it would be the right size for that also.

There seems to be small traces of a black paint here and there so I would like to make it as close to original as possible and would think the black paint would be in order for restoration plus it might help to conserve/protect it.
What do you think?

Maybe it would be staying in my living room but would like to have it protected for the outside which I believe it was intended for (especially if it's a window grate).

Nothing on this piece is fragile but the small detail lines (quite a few) in the vine and leaf work is what I would really hate to see gone.

What exactly is oxydation method?Does the rusting strengthen the iron?
When I was a teenager messing with muscle car engines I recall something about shot peening crankshafts to make them stronger but never heard about an oxydation method.

You don't have a plane do you? If yes I'm very jealous.

[regularjoe2]

I like your piece of iron , Dean .

I'd like to suggest NOT painting your iron , but instead use restoration methods  to keep the old dude around for another few centuries .
I think the way to remove the rust would simply be best done with a hand-held propane torch (metalurgical reasons , not Holy/Hellfire ones) .
My best suggestion is to NOT try to strengthen your piece by the oxydation method , unless you're planning to make one hell (or heavenly?) of a skateboard/street luge/go-cart .


Without going into a great big missive here , I'll also suggest you bone up on 'Iron pickling' and 'decorative iron restoration'  (buildingconservatio n.com , for one) to further help you decide which road to take with your fine piece of iron .

I've personally seen iron , over 300yrs old (unpainted) & in outdoor elements surviving without rust , esp. in Europe .

I was also thinkin that it might have come from an indoor installation (nave?) , but just guessin' here .

(BTW , Dean , the biggest one I've flown was a Citation )

(also , oxydizing aircraft engine crankshafts was a pratice that I witnessed , while working as an Engineer for well-known a/c engine manufacturer)

(shot-peening is common with hot-rod engine parts , esp. connecting rods , to strengthen them & also track-plates -grousers-on tracked vehicles & the list goes on & on)

You can witness what happens to a simple flat piece of copper (or a pipe) , when full peened by hand , with a ball peen hammer .

[Dean Perdue]

Thanks Regularjoe2.

I'm going to do some searches with the info and keywords you've given me.
I really appreciate you giving me these tips/keywords and this is just what I'm after.

Hmmm... A go-cart.
I guess it would be the right size and once it's rolling nothings going to stop it, however the thorned crown may present a bit of a problem in the seating area.
How about lending me one of your Cessna jet engines and we could make it a team effort.
That would be the logical choice to get this heavy frame rolling.(kidding aside thanks for the help)

A Regular Joe flying jet aircraft huh. Which model Citation?

[railman44]

It does appear to be a window grate.  I’m thinking from an old basement church window or a mausoleum opening.  The cross leads me to this conclusion.     

[Dean Perdue]

Thank you Railman44 for the window grate vote. Your starting to get my hopes up.

I think it sure would look good in a window as some of the twirling ivy goes behind the leaves and who knows what kind of shadows this thing would throw off in different lighting.

[regularjoe2]

To continue the semi-hijack , Dean ....

Citation 2 (Mod. 550) .
Favorite aircraft to fly : Citabria 7KCAB .

No owned aircraft anymore , but I do have a nice Lycoming f/i 4cyl stashed away ...

Are you a pilot , Dean ?

Back on point , perhaps others are correct about your iron being for a window (maybe for protecting some stained glass?) .

[Dean Perdue]

Unfortunately not.The closest I've come to being a pilot is beating Top Gun on a Nintendo video game.

I do like going to airshows and seeing the old WWII aircraft and learning with amazment about the tail gunners.
To think these guys looked at their enemys dead on usually when it was too late for them.Thats bravery.

My favorite aircrafts:  Me 262 & JU87