What distinguishes forged ironwork and fabricated ironwork?
Forging refers to moving metal by striking with some variety of hammer while it is very hot to produce the desired shape. Often it is very difficult to look at the finished piece and imagine what the original piece of metal looked like before forging. In fabrication, unworked stock material, such as round bar, angle iron, square tube or cast elements, is assembled, often with modern welding techniques, to produce the finished product. It is not uncommon for iron projects to incorporate both forging and fabricating processes to accomplish what the client desires.
