Arch rails?????????

[dano2840]

im rebuilding a 2x4 arch and this fall need to rebuild an old 40"x12' arch, im doing both in the metal shop at school. they have mild steel on the rack but what are arch rails maid of cast iron? my teacher doesnt think mild steel will hold up to the high heat and he think they will bow rather quickly (we all know i dont need that!) but the rails on the 2x4 originally were cast iron, do they still make cast angle iron? is this what i should use?

[nam elpam]

i built a whole arch out of cold roll 2 in. angle and still works fine no bowing at all

[Fred Henderson]

Cold rolled will work fine. If the fire bricking is done properly the intense heat will never reach the rails.

[RileySugarbush]

I built mine out of relatively wimpy 1.25 x .125 hot rolled angle. Standard stuff.

No problem whatsoever after three seasons.

[Haynes Forest Products]

If you look at most things from the early years cast was the domenant way of building things the didnt Arc weld and riveting was alot of work but cast iron in a sand mold was easy. Dont copy what was inferior to to todays methods. You might try channel that way you have both top and bottom coverd as far as attaching the bottom of the arc in the flue area. I built mine and I got carried away and used 1/4" 2 1/2 x 3" Angle for the top rail and 3x3" for the bottom to make my own channel. But as usual I wished I had thought of lets say 2X6X2" channel. it will never sag if bricked.

[syrupkid]

we have built two arches out of two inch angle iron both are fully briked and have not bowed one bit

Joel

[brookledge]

What you have to remember is that the arch will be bricked which will protect the rails from the extreme heat. Plus the long arches have vertical bracing
Keith

[Bucket Head]

Mine is angle iron framed. No problems, and being mild steel, it's easy to modify or repair if something should happen to it.

Steve

[maple flats]

My arch was built by Grimm and the arch rails are 1.5" x 1.5" x 1/4" mild steel angle. It is bricked well and there is no sagging or warp, and it is 9 years old.

[Uncle Tucker]

You have to remember that the rails are in contact with the outside air and the pans. The outside air is maybe 100* being that close to the arch and the pan should never get above 219*. The firebricks will block the most intense heat and the pans will absorb the rest of the heat. It’s the same thing as soldered pans the sap keeps it cool.