What to Use? Materials Involved in Metal Fabrication

Different kinds of metals and materials are used to create different kinds of installations and parts. Each metal has a unique response to heat and has to be molded in a special way. Some metals will be great for fences, doors, railings, etc, while others wouldn’t be. Fabrication services in Boston know which metal to use for what purpose.

Ironworkers usually work with several materials that make their job easier and allow them to take a few shortcuts. At Boston Ironworks, we’ve noticed that modern technology has made ironworking easier. Raw materials now lessen our workload considerably. Here’s a list of materials used by fabrication services in Massachusetts.

Readily Available Raw Materials

These materials are something that every ironworker or blacksmith has used in the fabrication process. They’re readily available and used quite often. They are:

Plate Metal
Formed and expanded metal
Flat metal
Sectional metal
Welding wire
Fittings
Castings
Hardware
Iron
Aluminum
Steel
Stainless steel
Copper
Silver
Gold

All these materials will help in the fabrication of different products. For example, the welding wire is often used to join two pieces of metal together and is an essential aspect of fabrication.

2 – Casting Metals

Casting is a process in which the metal is melted down to a liquid state and poured into molds. This is one of the oldest fabrication methods and is quite versatile. After all, as long as you have the right mold, you can shape the metal into any design you want. The metals used by fabrication services in Boston are:

Metals like iron, steel, aluminum, stainless steel, etc are often used for industrial purposes. For example, aluminum is used in a variety of applications, from fences to gates. Copper is often used in installations like faucets, sinks, gutters, and in wires. Silver and gold are, of course, used in jewelry making.

3 – Hardware

These are fittings and pre-fabricated pieces that can make a fabrication job easier and the end result more resilient. These include things like corners, wires, chains, handles, locks, etc. Hardware is often installed on the finished product to make it functional. For example, a lock and key are necessary to make a metal door functional and secure.

If you want to know more about fabrication services in Boston or our other services, you can call Boston Ironworks at 617 657 3117. You can also fill in this contact us form. We’ll get in touch with you as soon as possible.