Straighten CAST IRON Targets: Anyone KNOW HOW To?

[kaylaindy]

I have a bent up chicken I would love to straighten (the unpainted one). Before I hit it with a sledge hammer (he's worth about $150)...how would the proper way to straighten this cast iron be? I can heat it with a blow torch or even chuck it in the coals of my burning wood stove for a couple hours...then whack it. I have no idea. I do think maybe if I hit it at room temperature it may break in half or crack before it straightened. 

Anyone know how to work with cast iron? Also, would it be "not strong" after I bent it back? Thanks -Nate 

 

[bubblerboy64]

Having shot a lot of metallic silhouette the rim fire targets are usually cast and will break not bend. The high power targets are sheet metal and unless hardened will bend.
My point ? If they are bent are you certain they are cast? Bend them back ? 

 

[Odoyle]

Bent ones give some character less redundancies...

Also proves you aren't a natural born terrible shot.

 

[cahil_2]

Torch and a hammer. 

 

[Metalmaniac]

 Dis assemble the unit and carry bent part to a blacksmith. He can heat the part to glowing red and then beat the part straight with a wooden mallet so the shape of the part doesn’t get distorted. Then let cool slowly. Do not quench part in water! It will crack / break.

Cast iron holds heat better than steel but is very brittle by nature. If you try to bend it cold even just a little it will break. Hope this helps. MM

 

[Ripper]

Or you could heat it up and then put it in a vise and squeeze it. Sometimes that don’t take all of the bend out of it though. Sometimes Metal Likes to spring back some. In that case you would have to put A spacer on each end and then one spacer in the middle on the other side. You have to be careful hitting it with a hammer if it is cast iron. 

 

[KWK]

Heat it red hot and straighten it. Bury it in dry sand to cool slowly. It's probably cast from scrap Iron with who knows what else in it. Not pure Cast iron. It might be fine. Find out. If it bent that much I doubt it's pure cast iron. 

 

[kaylaindy]

Thanks for the all the great advice! I'll see how hot I can get it...and have some sand and a wooden mallet ready. That is if I don't find a blacksmith in town. Great info! Thanks! -Nate 

 

[oldsparky]

I'm inclined to agree with Boubleboy. Since it bent I wouldn't think its cast Iron. Cast usually would have broken before bending like that.

I have been wrong before

 

[Odoyle]

Bear in mind they may weaken and bend easier when hit again next time after the repairs...

 

[Locker50]

I have a bent up chicken I would love to straighten (the unpainted one). Before I hit it with a sledge hammer (he's worth about $150)...how would the proper way to straighten this cast iron be? I can heat it with a blow torch or even chuck it in the coals of my burning wood stove for a couple hours...then whack it. I have no idea. I do think maybe if I hit it at room temperature it may break in half or crack before it straightened. 

Anyone know how to work with cast iron? Also, would it be "not strong" after I bent it back? Thanks -Nate 

If it is bent, I doubt it is cast iron. May be wrought iron. See if a magnet sticks to it. If it does it is steel or wrought iron. Both can be bent back with or without heat.

 

[Metalmaniac]

I believe locker50 is correct. If it is bent it is not cast iron but wrought iron. If it is made of wrought iron that means that they are 100 or more years old.

Wrought iron can be forged into shape. Forge welded. And be bent. But to bend it cold would induce a lot of stress / stress fractures into the metal. It will need heated cherry red to be straightened.

They must have been shot with a PB or large caliber projectile to be bent.

I have forged wrought iron and made cross necklaces out of it. Then an acid bath to expose the fibers or grain like structure of the metal. That looks great on a cross. MM

 

[kaylaindy]

I believe locker50 is correct. If it is bent it is not cast iron but wrought iron. If it is made of wrought iron that means that they are 100 or more years old.

Wrought iron can be forged into shape. Forge welded. And be bent. But to bend it cold would induce a lot of stress / stress fractures into the metal. It will need heated cherry red to be straightened.

Thanks for the info! It must be wrought iron. It definitely was shot with PB's. I'll heat it up in my wood stove. Thanks! -Nate