How do I make Use of this?

[Darren]

I picked this up from a Slate quarry nearby a couple of summers ago. Quite a lump to carry down a mountain 

It looks to me to be cast iron, knowing something of the history of these mines it will be between 50-100 years old maybe more hard to tell. It's part of a slate truck I believe.

Firstly how do you know what is and is not cast iron?

Secondly what can I do with it to give it a useful life,

I thought of a holder/clampr plate with threaded holes in it for the miller and shaper, could even be an angle iron at the same time.
Maybe you can think of something better/more useful? I suppose it could be several things if one was careful....

[Bernd]

I picked this up from a Slate quarry nearby a couple of summers ago. Quite a lump to carry down a mountain 

Firstly how do you know what is and is not cast iron?

If you drill it or mill it and get a fine gray dust as chips I would say it's cast iron. Also given the age I would suspect it to be cast iron.

Secondly what can I do with it to give it a useful life,

I thought of a holder/clampr plate with threaded holes in it for the miller and shaper, could even be an angle iron at the same time.

I was thinking right off that I would cut the round part off, mill to clean up all sides. Then mill a slot down the center. Now you could mount and indexer on it and the tail stock. They would then be in perfect alignment at all times. If you can't picture this I can post a pic of what I mean. I have a few other ideas but it would involve cutting the thing to pieces.

Then you can always send it to me in exchange for the scales.           Just kidding.

bernd

[Darren]

Think I got you Bernd, tail stock at one end and indexer at the other facing each other.

Could just leave the roundy bit on and build an indexer onto it?

I'd have to wait to get a new mill though.....

[Bernd]

Think I got you Bernd, tail stock at one end and indexer at the other facing each other.

Could just leave the roundy bit on and build an indexer onto it?

I'd have to wait to get a new mill though.....

Yup, you got the idea.

Thought you had an X2 version mill?

[Rog02]

I picked this up from a Slate quarry nearby a couple of summers ago. Quite a lump to carry down a mountain 

It looks to me to be cast iron, knowing something of the history of these mines it will be between 50-100 years old maybe more hard to tell. It's part of a slate truck I believe.

Firstly how do you know what is and is not cast iron?

Given the age and history of the piece, I would be tempted to believe it is wrought iron rather than a piece of cast. 

Prior to the advent of cheap steel, wrought iron was common.  Basically it is a slightly finer crystalline structure than cast with the grain aligned in linear fashion.  It will cut considerable easier than a mild steel but not as easy as cast iron.  The swarf will produce curls rather than the powdery chips that cast iron is known for.  The cut surface will be a duller gray than the usual shiny steels we have grown accustomed too, in our daily lives.

 

[Darren]

Thanks Rog,

It's def cast something, I'll find out when I cut it.

Point to note, most of these quarries had their own foundries, or at least shared one that wasn't too far away. Some of the tooling was so large it was impossible to "freight" it in.

The horses were just too darn small 

Would that make any difference as to what it might be?