Wrought Iron

Before the development of effective steel making processes, wrought iron was the primary metal used in all industries. Its uses ranged from rivets, wire and chains to warships and railways. It was the key ingredient in swords, axes and cutlery. Wrought iron was the most common form of malleable iron, and due to its malleability and ductility it is perfect for hand work ornamental products. It is strong, workable and easily welded making it ideal for many different applications requiring hot or cold working and welding.

Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content of 0.05 to 0.25%. In comparison cast iron which contains 2 to 3.4% and pig iron 3.5 to 4.5%. This low carbon content reduces the brittleness of the metal, making more ductile and malleable. Wrought iron also contains up to 2% of fibrous inclusions (slag) by weight. These inclusions give wrought iron a wood like “grain” that can be seen when stressed or bent to the point of failure. Once considered “commercially pure iron,” wrought iron is no longer considered pure iron because of modern day specifications of carbon content of .008% for pure iron. The term “wrought” comes from an archaic past participle of the verb "to work”. The name of this metal roughly translates to “worked iron”.

The bloomery would produce wrought iron from iron ore or taking cast and pig iron and melting it down in a finery forge and puddling furnace and partially removing the slag and carbon content. A puddling furnace draws hot air over the molten iron without the oxygen coming in contact with the gases and fumes of the fuel heating the iron. This reduces the amount of impurities contracted by the molten wrought iron, and therefore making a higher quality product.

The peak time of wrought iron production was the 1860’s due to the railways and the development of ironclad warships, like those used in the American Civil War. The decline came about as mild steel was more easily produced and advantageous for certain applications of the metal. Although wrought iron is not commercially produced like it was in the 1860’s, it is still used today in many different applications. Ornamental Wrought Iron is used for fences, gates, furniture, lighting, and many other decorative applications. The ease of working the metal and the ease of welding the metal make it ideal for ornate decorative pieces. 

Mandela

“Difficulties break some men but make others.”

-Nelson Mandela

Pipe

In one year, Americans on average use enough steel and tin to make over 700 steel pipes running from Los Angeles to New York; which equates out to using almost enough steel and tin to make a pipe to New York and back in one day.

Happy Thanksgiving

Balusters and Newels

We have Balusters and Newels!

TG&P

Turned Ground and Polished (TG&P) cold roll steel has the same mechanical properties as hot rolled steel, but the TG&P process leaves the metal with greatly improved surface finish and superior dimensional accuracy.

Aluminum Cans

Aluminum is the most recycled material used in drink packaging. Approximately 68% of the aluminum used in making aluminum cans is recycled. It takes only 60 days for one aluminum can to be recycled and back on the shelf.

Indital

Tell Steel is now selling Indital Ornamental Steel Forgings.

Water and Power

Recycling steel scrap is a major part of the steel industry, but the industry doesn't stop at just using recycling steel scrap; about 95% of water used in North America for making steel is recycled. Recycling steel also saves the equivalent energy to power about 18 million households for a year.

Standard Industrial Corp Model AS500-10 Shear

The Old Shear

 The New Shear

Tell Steel offers several different steel and aluminum cutting services ranging from band saw to plasma cutting. Shearing sheet metal and thin plate has been a service Tell Steel has offered for years, and with cutting steel comes a lot of wear and tear on machinery. After years of service one of the shears has now been replaced. The new shear is a Standard Industrial Corp Model AS500-10 Shear. Its capabilities are abundant and it will fit perfectly in with the demands at Tell Steel.  It is a 100% Made in the United States of America guillotine style shear. 

While many competitors use a Swingbeam/Rocker Arm, the power and precision of a straight line cut of the guillotine style shear is far more advantageous. In a guillotine style shear the drive system makes sure the upper blade comes down on the material in a straight line. This is due to the linkage being driven directly above the metal being cut.  In comparison, a Swingbar/Rocker Arm styled shear has the blade come down in an arc or “swing” motion.  The system pivots the blade from one side of the end frames and brings the blade down in a swinging movement.  In this process, the top blade moves in relationship to the metal being cut while in a guillotine style it never moves in relation to the metal.

There are some crucial factors in providing the best cut possible and some of them include the hold down system and its capabilities to hold the material in place, the angle of the upper blade to the steel as the blade cuts it, and the strength of the drive system.  The Model AS500-10 has all the crucial factors for providing the best possible cut as well as many additional features.  It is 80,000 PSI capacity rated, ensuring to have enough power for all of the cuts needed by Tell Steel, Inc. It also has a strong sturdy frame and high tonnage to hold down the steel being cut. 

This shear comes equipped with many features including an 8’ squaring arm, manual swing-away backstop, infinitely variable power blade gap adjustment and a protractor for angle shearing.  The following are some other interesting specs of the shear:

Specs of Model AS500-10 Shear
Capacity of Mild Steel:		½”x10’
Capacity of Stainless Steel:		3/8”x10’
Rake:		.46”
Number of Hold Down Cylinders:		11
Bore of Hold Down Cylinders:		3”
Hold Down Tons of Force:		99
Blade Size:		1”x4”x124”
Horsepower:		40
Strokes per Minute:
	(Full Width Cut):	9
	(12” Wide Cut):	24
Ram Speed in Inches per Minute-Down:		99
Ram Speed in Inches per Minute-Up:		179

Tell Steel maintains its commitment to “First in Service” by having a massive inventory of steel and aluminum and by having the proper equipment to cut and deliver it.

Recycling Steel Cans

The United States uses over 100 million tin and steel cans in a single day. Strong magnets are then used to collect the tin and steel cans from the rest of the trash. These magnets recover about 9,000 cans every minute.

Different types of steel have different purposes and uses. Because of this, Tell Steel Inc maintains an inventory of 18 different types of metal plate. All of which can be custom cut by Tell Steel in its facility and delivered for free the next day.

Ocy-Acetylene

The Oxy-Acetylene welding and cutting process is one of the oldest in the world. It requires acetylene gas to be mixed with pure oxygen instead of air. This combination boosts the flame temperature from about 2,000°C to about 3,500°C. It is sometimes called the “Gas Axe”.

A-36 Steel Bar, Plate and Shapes

ASTM A-36 is a general purpose structural quality low carbon steel without advanced alloying. It has good forming, weldability and mechanical properties and easy to fabricate using structural methods like mild cold and hot forming or welding.  A-36 specifications for standard bars, shapes and plates 8” or less in thickness maintain yield strength of 36,000 psi and an ultimate tensile strength of 58,000 to 80,000 psi. Elongation in 2” is a minimum of 23%. This material is easily welded using all welding processes. Commonly produced in sheet, plate, bar, and structural shapes, its intended use is riveted, bolted or welded construction like that of bridges and buildings and for general structural purposes where aforementioned A-36 specifications are required.  

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
C	Mn	P	Si	S	Fe
0.29 Max	0.85-1.2	0.04 Max	0.15-0.4	0.05 Max	Balance