Local Steel Supply

[Blacksmith Jim]

Oh man... The local steel scrap yard, Schnitzer's Steel, has sales hours at the same time as my office hours... 8-5, mon-fri...

I went today at lunch, and if I bust my xxx to get down there, I have about 15-20 minutes to shop, cut, and buy. Of course, there is no time left over for actually eating lunch, but what a small price to pay! I picked up enough stock to last me through my next 3 or 4 projects (a fire poker, some plant hangers, some dinner triangles), and still have a bunch left over. The best part is that all it cost me was about $12.

It's kind of hard to tear myself away from the scrap yard though, I just want to browse and browse and browse.

Since I'm still trying to find an anvil I asked if they ever get any that come through. They said they really didn't, but if they did it would get placed in the 'useable items' pile, and that in the past when it has happened, they get snatched up in under a day...

I need to find a local place that sells on weekends... Anyone have any advice? Where do you find most of your supply?

[rthibeau]

ask your boss for extra time once in awhile or use vacation time if you have it.

[Hillbillysmith]

I get my steel from the scrap yard as well. I also get some steel from alot of farmer friends that have a lot of steel laying around and they tell me that if I want it, get it out of their sight. I have also "aquired" some good stuff from stone quarrys that my dad had worked at. I also have a lot of stuff that my grandfather "five-finger discounted" from his work, and about 200 lbs of it is all GOOD stainless.