Author	[Modern View]
Chris Jones 10-19-2012 06:24:40 98.26.240.6 Report to Moderator	I know to some folks they are junk but to some they are treasure. I'm in between. I've seen them laying where they were broken off by a car and wondered if broken they would be given away. I stopped and asked once but was told I'd have to call their office. I didn't bother. That's been years ago. Then I found these. I fully expect that after painting the second one I'll get over a $100 for it on Craig's list. Like most folks I expect, mine will be a lawn ornament. I have an old gas pump I need to paint too and I plan to put them outside a metal building I have. I guess if you have a game room or man cave or shop that you decorate you could use it there. Or if you are a fireman you might have a lot of fire collectables and love a old hydrant in the corner of your living room. Two could be used as legs with a glass top for a unique table. Dog owners, men and women, like them to give dogs something to pee on but I doubt the dogs really care. It would be a great ornament outside a vet office or dog rescue etc. If you find another broken one and all the pieces are there perhaps it can be tack welded back together--remember it's just for display. Frankly the jury is still out if I make enough to pay for my time in cleaning the pump and painting it to make it worth my while. Chemical cleaners and wire brushes for the grinder are expensive and spray paint is too. I paid $50 for each and trust me that is much cheaper than I will ever find for a unbroken hydrant with all the caps. Plus these have the fluting on the top that I like. If I had a can of red paint to brush on I expect I'd get the most bang for the buck not cleaning it and just slopping on some red paint so it'd take a nice picture but I want mine done pretty nice and the one I plan to sell I'd do similarly and try to take pics that show how nicely it's done. Theft is something to be concerned about if left in the front yard and it's obvious it's ornamental as it would be out in the country where I live and not actually connected. Of course they'd still have to work for it as the smaller of mine weights 150lbs and the larger 220lbs. [Reply]   [No Email]
bill mart 10-20-2012 14:29:02 69.204.65.189 Report to Moderator	Re: Removing paint from cast iron in reply to Chris Jones, 10-19-2012 06:24:40   I picked up a couple when scrap prices were so low they were giving them away.My neighbor and I painted them up and put them in our back yards for the dogs to use.Neighbor had some friends over who belonged to the local fire dept and they demanded that we register them with the fire dept. He said fine but they are just stuck in the ground and not hooked up to anything.that ended that topic. Bill [Reply]  [No Email]
Stephen Newell 10-19-2012 20:18:49 66.53.80.171 Report to Moderator	Re: Removing paint from cast iron in reply to Chris Jones, 10-19-2012 06:24:40   I went out and took a picture of the hydrant I have. There is a date 1953 on it. The only thing I could think to do with it is run an outside hydrant through it. Now I may just refinish it and try to sell it. I didn't know there was a demand for them. [Reply]  [No Email]