Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Discussion Forum

What's the difference between cast iron and steel ???

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Just Wondering

10-18-2001 06:00:18




Report to Moderator

Just wondering what is the chemical difference between cast iron and steel? And why is it that cast iron doesn't seem to rust like steel does? And finally, are there different types of cast iron (like there are different types of steel)? I should remember from my high school chemistry but that was a long time ago.




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Bill from up north

10-19-2001 23:29:10




Report to Moderator
 Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Just Wondering, 10-18-2001 06:00:18  
There are as many different types or grades of cast iron as there are people loading the furnaces. I had a new gear poured for my steam engine a couple of years ago and they made it so hard I had trouble boring out the center . I found out they added tungsten to it. When you hit the gear with a hammer , it rings like a bell. They made it hard so it would wear better.Normal cast just makes a "thud" shen you hit it with a hammer

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Z

01-03-2006 03:46:42




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron an in reply to Bill from up north, 10-19-2001 23:29:10  
answer the godmn question what is the diferrence between iron and steel? B****
motherfuker btch fuking little bich fuk your mama yourmama is so horni she loves to play with carrots

the password is 123



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
G Taylor .question for Bill

10-20-2001 07:17:48




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Bill from up north, 10-19-2001 23:29:10  
Bill where are you from, where do you display & what kind of steamer? What foundry, I'm thinking of getting some replica Deere weights made.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bill from up north -more

10-21-2001 01:06:53




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to G Taylor .question for Bill, 10-20-2001 07:17:48  
I forgot to answer the rest - The gear was the intermediate gear on a 60 horse Case. This engine and a 76hp SawyerMassey of ours are at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum at Austin Mb. We have a four day show at end of July . Site is www.ag-museum.mb.ca ( for more info )



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
G Taylor

10-21-2001 12:54:59




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Bill from up north -more, 10-21-2001 01:06:53  
If airfare is still cheap next July it would be worthwhile to fly out from Ontario & have a look. That's one large steamer. Set up for coal?



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
davidson

03-30-2005 07:17:51




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What's the difference between in reply to G Taylor , 10-21-2001 12:54:59  
what are the differences between iron and steel



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bill from up north

10-21-2001 23:53:12




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to G Taylor , 10-21-2001 12:54:59  
It's a good size -weighs about 30000 dry. Actually we have two of them. The one at Austin is a 1913 and the one at home is a 1917 . Both have rocking grates. We might have them both at Austin next year if I get time to do a little fixing on the one at home.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bill from up north

10-21-2001 00:50:35




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to G Taylor .question for Bill, 10-20-2001 07:17:48  
Manitoba -foundry is in Winnipeg - They do a good good job and don't charge a fortune.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Farmer Tim

10-18-2001 17:45:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Just Wondering, 10-18-2001 06:00:18  
The difference between cast iron and and steel is simple: carbon content. Steel is iron with more than 0% carbon but less than 2% carbon. Most steel contains more than 90% iron and has between 0.15% and 1.0% carbon. Most types of cast iron contain 2% to 6% carbon and small amounts of silicon. Wrought iron contains essentially no carbon. At approximately 6% carbon, it is relatively useless because it is so brittle. In the AISI/SAE numbering system, the last two digits refer to the percentage of carbon in the steel. For instance, 4140, means that the carbon content is .40% . Steel is iron with the carbon in solution. Cast iron is iron in which some of the carbon has precipitated out and appears as flakes ( gray cast iron, the most common ) or little spheres ( nodular ). Gray cast iron is more brittle than steel, and has poor tension strength. However, it is a good material to withstand high compression loads, resist wear, and is easy to machine. Hope to have answered some questions and sorry to get so technical, but I'm a Mechanical Engineer and this is my job...

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
How does Nickel play into this

10-19-2001 20:35:07




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Farmer Tim, 10-18-2001 17:45:28  
I've heard that certian engine blocks from the sixties had high nickel content and they wear like..... Iron. Two or three hunderd thousand miles and no cylinder ridge etc. Also is Iron made from garbage (recycled)....Garbage (poor quality)?



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
G Taylor

10-19-2001 21:51:26




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to How does Nickel play into this, 10-19-2001 20:35:07  
If any lead or aluminium gets into recycled scrap cast iron the whole batch is only good enough to make wheel weights from. Nickel is used in alloys where high temp resistance & low corrosion is desired.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Jhill

10-18-2001 13:13:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Just Wondering, 10-18-2001 06:00:18  
Iron is just that iron that is heated and poured into a mold. Several types cast, Nodular and maleable. Steel is iron heated in a blast furnas to drive off the oxygen then other things are added like molybdenum, aluminum etc. to gain the properties want the steel is then poured into slabs and rolled the the shape desired, plates , ibeams etc. Hope this helps.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
ErnieD

10-18-2001 17:37:29




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Jhill, 10-18-2001 13:13:28  
Close. In the blast furnace oxygen is injected to reduce the carbon to CO2 (the oxygen "oxidizes" the impurities). Its the carbon that makes cast iron brittle. Depending on the amount of carbon left and how it is cooled gives you various grades of steel. Martensite, austinite, and carbide are various forms of iron with varying amounts of carbon. Can't find my notes from 25 years ago, if you need more post back.

The size of iron atoms and carbon atoms are different which creates stresses in the lattice. Also the carbon forms pockets of pure carbon or graphite. When you weld the expansion and contraction sets up fracture zones in the heated unheated boundaries. Steel is just the opposite, not brittle, reduced carbon, trace other metals for varying properties.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JHILL

10-19-2001 07:48:12




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to ErnieD, 10-18-2001 17:37:29  
Oygen, Carbon oh well it's been 25 or more years for me too. Everything I design nowadays is plastic anyways(grin)



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Steven

10-18-2001 12:04:50




Report to Moderator
 Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Just Wondering, 10-18-2001 06:00:18  
Not sure that I'll be 100% correct but I'll try to do my best.

Cast iron can crack if you drop it, while steel can't. Cast iron is poured into a mold and then cooled - not sure how you make steel, but I believe the heating process is also different. There are different types of cast iron - malleable and non malleable. I believe the non malleable breaks and the other bends a little before it breaks.

Like I said, not 100% sure so I'll be watching for further replies.

Steven

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Fred OH

10-22-2001 08:52:54




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: What's the difference between cast iron and steel ??? in reply to Steven, 10-18-2001 12:04:50  
Malleable iron is cast iron that is heat treated for about a week in a large furnace. This gives it the ability to bend a little before breaking,( called malleability) It is usually identified by looking at a fresh fracture and seeing a thick skin on the outside, which is thicker than the skin on cast iron. It is just some of the sand that fused during the sand molding process, that prevents it from rusting like steel. A common problem with malleable iron is when it is repair welded, it reverts back to cast iron if it goes past a certain temperature. Probably best to braze it and keep the temperature just high enough to flow the brass. Maybe some student of metalurgy will give us an explanation as to why it reverts back to cast, an interesting question. L8R----Fred OH

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy