A few questions about foundries.
1. When were the first foundries built (other than cannon founding)?
2. How prevalent were they and when?
2. How were early foundries constructed (air furnace, cupola, etc.)?
3. When were the first cupola furnaces built? Were they made of masonry/brick,
or brick lined cast iron as was the case by the late 19C?
My understanding of the literature is that most cast iron goods were made by
blast furnaces into the 19C? Most of the books on the iron industry/history of
iron technology deal primarily with smelting and conversion (cast to wrought,
and making steel). I can find very little on the history of foundries.
Suggestions on source material for the early 1800s is appreciated.
Thanks
JH Brothers IV
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|