The build up

The weekend before Iron R2 was a busy one where we tested the small furnace that James enthusiastically calls Axel F, after one of his admired Munster Rugby heros. The first Iron R in 2012 featured a much larger furnace he calls the Bull, after another Munster Rugby player. I've been to a few matches and they are a spectacle. Last one was on March 29 in Dublin and was a gift from James and Kirstie for my birthday.

Mara and Lynn have been working to make the sculptural wooden molds that will integrate into Ronan's welded standards. Its been great to work with these guys and they are full of enthusiasm. They have added bright ideas and good cheer to these pieces which will undoubtably make the event even more successful.

The transformation of the lamp post / standard / pillar / fulcrum has been dramatic. As mentioned in an earlier post, I needed to reduce the height of the post to make it easier to work during the event. I cut away 7 inches of the bottom that, unfortunately, happened to have the name of the foundry and the date it was cast (1882). It was a shame but it is in better proportion with the lever and a little lower in order for me to grasp the handle.

After Mick sandblasted the post, the rain came and turned it a dark greenish hue, then blueish, and then it settled into a rich brown. Once it dried, an amazing orange rust is left on the surface. It almost shines in a few spots. Still not sure why the oxidation started off as a few variations blue (not the same as the paint), but it would have been nice to get photos of the various states of color. The aluminum additions are bright silver and show parts of the restoration from back in the 1970's (?).