Why cast iron?

[Brian Holcombe]

That was the Duomo in Florence, also known as Florence cathedral.

The Pantheon is more than 1000 years prior.

[johnny means]

Nothing wrong with concrete. It's quite a remarkable material.

I think concrete is a better description than super corian. Corian is totally man-made, basically it's just the epoxy. Concrete is sand, gravel, and stone aggregate with a binding agent.

[Peter Christensen]

Corian is actually quartz and a resin, Acylic I believe, so granite and epoxy is up another level.

[Keith Weber]

There is a video I've seen and wish I could find it that answers the OP's question as to why cast iron is used for tool tables instead of granite. I think it was a beer commercial or something like that. It shows a bunch of guys standing around a nice, expensive kitchen with a huge island with a granite top. One of the guys realizes his beer is not a twist off, so he holds the lip of the bottle cap on the edge of the granite top and gives it a whack with his other hand to open his beer. I think his beer opened, but about a 5" x 5" corner chunk of granite breaks off and lands on the floor. Awkward silence! LOL! That is why granite tables aren't used for tools!

[johnny means]

Corian is actually quartz and a resin, Acylic I believe, so granite and epoxy is up another level.

Sorry, you've got Corian mixed up with other solid surface materials. Dupont's Corian is absolutely all man made. Dupont did create Zodiac Quartz which was at some point rebranded as Corian Quartz.

[Peter Christensen]

I sit corrected Johnny.

[Bill Dufour]

Hard to believe that modern concrete is only about 150 years old. It was a trade secret that dies with the Roman Empire and was figured out around 1840.
The first reinforced concrete bridge was not built until 1889 and it is still used today in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco California, USA

[Mark Hennebury]

The days of traditional cast iron may be numbered.

[Mark Hennebury]

More 3D

[Carlos Alvarez]

I really lusted for a Steel City granite TS. An acquaintance bought one. Recently I got to see the big crack in it from the time he dropped a tool and it stress-cracked. My old Unisaw cast iron top was rusty as hell when I bought it cheap, but some love with a die grinder and wheel made it like new. His granite will never be like new. I think that answers the question.

Also Steel City is out of business.

[Andrew Joiner]

Wow, Additive Manufacturing is amazing. At first I heard " 60 hrs to make a part" and "8 hours to cut it from the base" so why do it? Then the second video " the turbine engine made with additive manufacturing has 1 key part that used to consist of over 300 parts. All 300 parts would wear and leak as they aged."Alie Ward is cool too.

Mark,thanks for the videos.

[Mark Hennebury]

Wow, Additive Manufacturing is amazing. At first I heard " 60 hrs to make a part" and "8 hours to cut it from the base" so why do it? Then the second video " the turbine engine made with additive manufacturing has 1 key part that used to consist of over 300 parts. All 300 parts would wear and leak as they aged."Alie Ward is cool too.

Mark,thanks for the videos.

Andrew, i love cast iron and have many old machines in my shop from the 50's, but it is still fascinating to see what else is being developed. Additive manufacturing is the emerging technology and it will be interesting to see where it goes.