Edgar
The Bristol brass casters, of whom Abraham Darby was one, were using more
expensive moulds than greensand. That is why AD brought in the greensand
experts in the first place.
If Mott had it right the core was greensand too. If I was doing it I would
have put a refractory tile in the top of the core to take the impact of the
iron stream. (The pots were cast upside down.)
From the account in, I think, Dynasty of Iron Founders the problem in
translating from brass to iron was choosing (and finding!) suitable sand. I
certainly used to cast iron test pieces in synthetic greensand moulds.
I do not suppose the early bellied pots were decorated because of the way
the mould was dismantled to get the pattern out, so there would be no fine
detail. The mould was probably reeked or dusted with charcoal before use.
Peter Hutchison
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