CASTING OF TARANAKI IRON.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 459, 17 September 1879, Page 2

CASTING OF TARANAKI IRON.

(Taranaki News.) During the visit of the hon the Minister for Public Works to Now Plymouln, ho was waited on by Mr E. M. Smith with a request that lie would do .somethin" to aid in developing an iron industry hero. The result of this interview was that Mr Macandrew ordered the casting of some disc raihvaj' wheels from Taranaki iron. The ordinary railway wheels in use are of cast iron with steel rims ; the manufacture of them is rather complicated, and they do not stand well in extreme temperatures ; moreover, when worn out they arc of hut little value as old metal. It was, on the other hand, thought that disc wheels of Taranaki steel could be veiy simply manufactured, that they would be very durable, and that when worn out would bo valuable as metal for re-casting. After receiving the order, Mr Smith was placed in this difliculty : There was no other furnace than that at the Henui sufficiently large for the smelting of iron or steel from the ironsand, the Company owning that furnace would not lend it, and the order given by the Government did not wan ant the experimenter in going to any great expense in the production of metal. There was, however, a few hundredweight of “ pig” lying at the Heuui works, the result of the experimental smelting operations that took place there some throe years ago. Mr Smith having obtained the consent of the Company to use this iron, had it conveyed to Mr Vivian’s Foundry in New Plymouth, and it was there smelted and cast into two disc wheels, into a piece of railway rail, and into several small articles on Wednesday afternoon last. The model of the wheels was produced at Mr H. Taylor’s establishment in a very correct and workmanlike manner. The model bears the inscription—‘“Hon J. Macandrew, Minister of Public Works From Taranaki Ironsand, N.Z.It.” Air O’Hare, lately in the employ of Messrs Fraser and Tinne,- of Auckland, prepared the moulds in line moulding sand obtained from a railway cutting near to the Smart lload, and mixed with powdered charcoal. All being ready, the furnace was charged with iron, lime, and coke, and at a quarter to 3 p.m. the blast was put on. In thirteen minutes the metal ran from the ftirnace in a perfectly fluid state, and one wheel was successfully cast. The furnace was then tamped with clay, fresh metal, fuel and flux put in, and at five minutes J past four the metal again flowed into the pot, and another wheel, a cylinder end,[a cylinder cover, and a piece of rail 2 feet 2A inches in length, were cast. On Thursday the moulds were opened, and the castings taken out in as sharp, clean, and perfect u condition as could possibly be desired. The piece of rail was suspended and struck, and was found to have a clear musical ring, some of the castings were filed, and were found to present the silvery brightness which is a well-known characteristic of Taranaki steel, and, doubtless, the whole of the castings may bo denominated steel. Mr Blanchard, the keeper of

the Company’s works at the Henui, was present, and not only assisted at the operations, but was a witness that only the iron produced at the Henui works from the iron sand was used. A great many townspeople were present to witness the operations, and Mr J. it. Ilees was present on behalf of the Government.