What is a radiator made out of???

Fred Rappuhn

I have power washed CI rads before and the next day you will see a surface rust.



I have this one rad.didn't rust at all, even  after taking down to bare metal, and after sitting out doors all summer long.



The metal looked a dark metallic gold like color.  Did they ever make rad. out of different metals than CI?



I am thinking bronze?????  Or am I nuts???

Mike Kusiak_2

Bronze?

Try putting a magnet on it and see if it sticks. Never heard of a bronze radiator, but I guess anything is possible?

Charlie from wmass

Just good paint

If a magnet does not stick it is bronze. I think the old bronze paint simply did not get washed off.

Fred Rappuhn

passed the magnet test

Passed the magnet test!!



Magnet stuck, just must have been real good paint, took off many layers old paint but this wouldn't come off. So I thought I was down to bare metal!!



Thanks.

Mark Eatherton

is THIS your Grandpa's radiator???

Little known fact, there are 4 different grades of cast iron. In the GOOD ol' days, when iron pipe was first making its debut, there was a pipe which was used in closed loop heating systems that was considered nearly indestructable. It was called mallable iron.



I suspect you've found a mallable iron radiator!



http://info.lu.farmingdale.edu/depts/met/met205/castiron.html



ME

Fred Rappuhn

Good stuff

Well, house was build in 1917, some of these rads had so much paint that the detail was a pleasant surprise after power washing.



So of the new CI after you power wash, you can have a coffee and watch the rust appear!!