Lee wrote:
Another non-DIY question. The house I'm getting ready to sell has a
wrought iron railing on the porch steps - about 3 steps worth from the
sidewalk to the cement porch. Sometime last yr the end upright piece
broke (square hollow piece, not one of the twisty spindle things). The
two ends still "touch" but it's apparently broken through.

Follow-up to this problem. I ended up replacing both the hand rail and
two iron columns in the back, the kind with the scrolls in the middle,
used to hold up an awning. The magic word was awning. I found a local
place that installs aluminum awnings, and got them to look at replacing
the columns with aluminum ones. AND they replaced the railing for me
with an aluminum one. They don't normally do railings, but said they
will for a customer if asked.

So, the cost from the expensive custom wrought iron company would have
been $1400 for two plain columns and one plain rail. The cost from the
awning company was $450 for the same items, complete with scrolls in the
columns. It's not the type of neighborhood where people necessarily
expect ornate wrought iron. (Shoot a rail in the next block looks to be
made of pipe), so I'm very happy with this solution.

Thanks to all for the help and suggestions.