winterbear Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 So I am new to smithing and mostly a lurker on here so bear with me. I have been helping a friend/coworker high grade out of a old scrap yard on her property and she is letting me acumulate stock for my forge. Anyway I am finding alot of wrought iron, mostly from a old lumber mill the previous owner helped demolish, large bolts/rod used in the timber framing. The last pile I found is probably several hundred lbs of 5/8- 3/4 rod/bolts about 2 and a half feet long. I will get some for my own use but am looking to help her sell some and I just don't know if there is a market in the NW. She will be scrapping the whole yard in the spring so we have a short window to determine what we should save out. She has allready been extremely generous to me for material I have already taken home so I don't feel I can say I want it all, but I don't want to see it sent to scrap either and I want to help her make some more $. So what do you guys think is there a market, would shipping be too outrageous, and what are fair prices it seems to be a pretty good quality based on the grain structure when I do a break test. anyway thanks in advance I trust you guys will have some insight for me as I am learningn tons from your collective knowledge already. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 The New England School of Metalwork is selling wrought iron on their site. Dimensions are 1.5 inch round (6lb per foot) and 1.75 inch round(8lb per foot). They are selling for $3.65/lb. Extra charge for forging to some other dimension. They claim to have sold several ton already. So you may be able to do better for your friend by holding it selling it as wrought than you would get at the junk yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 PLEASE do NOT take it to a scrap yard to sale. They don't care if it is mild steel or true wrought iron, it will only bring about $.04-.06 per/lb. Contact the NW ABANA group and see if that bunch would be interested in giving her that $. This way she will get her $ and the wrought will be SAVED!!! and then put to better use. If it goes to scrap it will end up in the next Nissan bumper. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Should be pretty tough to do a break test. Are you sawing part way through? Break should look like wood, almost. Could use ebay maybe. Put up lots and see what you get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 Nakedanvil, yes sawing part way through and then bending to the failure point, definately wrought from the grain structure and splitting/tearing not snapping off like steel, and a finer grain structure than some other wrought I have gathered. Doug thanks for the info on the NE school I had not seen their listing, I have searched the internet quite a bit looking for pricing and availability and info is sketchy at best with a few exceptions, exactly why I knew you guys would have more info for me Thomas,don't worry bumpers are not in this materials future if I can help it, her deceased husband was in the scrap bussiness and tended to look at tonnage and not sorting more than the obvious so that is why I am helping her highgrade more than just aluminum ,copper and stainless out of the piles chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlpierson Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Knife makers would certainly be interested. It's currently quite popular for guards, pommels, etc. and some folks use it in pattern welded blades -- generally san mai or wrought back, steel edge constructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Knifemakers tend to like the worst grades for blade furniture as that provides the best look when etched to show the "grain". Had a friend upset with the high grade I sent him once; he wanted crusty old wagon wheel tyres! I would sort out everything that could go in a flat rate priority mail box, then everything that would fit in one with 1 cut, etc and offer it that way for folks that can use it in small lengths. While there is a market for it out there there is not a "hot" market. You might be able to "prime the pump" by having a local BNS demo making leaves out of it and etching them and then mentioning that you had some of the same stuff to sell... I just turned down a couple of pounds of 1/2" WI cause the fellow wanted $5 for it---an old bolt that had been forged into a doublehook to hold deer up for butchering I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainsFire Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 if you are selling it now, I would love to buy some from you or her. and I could certainly help you market it to knife makers. I know of a few sites where it would be immensly popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted October 31, 2009 Share Posted October 31, 2009 I say that it all depends on how much you are talking about. Can you buy it from her, and store it at your place? Will it all fit onto a trailer? You do not want to have to pay for storage. If it will fit onto a trailer you could park it at your place, and even take it to gatherings that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Like the man said... There is a market, just not a hot market. I have several hundred pounds of blacksmith tooling made from wrought... Ive had it for years and have asked $1/lb for it..... very little has found a new home. Still its worth holding on to or trying to sell. You should bring it to the NWBA conference in the Spring (its in Mount Vernon I think) If nothing else you'll have plenty of people to talk to about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainsFire Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 monster metal, you serious? I'll buy some from you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuge Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 If you can spend the time to cut it to fit, the Postal service priority mail boxes have no weight limit (domestically). Sell it here, sell it kinda cheap and it will be gone in no time and everyone's happy. Is the stuff well refined? Can you draw a real long thin taper with it? Pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Yes they do have a weight limit---70 pounds for the large one and it's quite possible to exceed it when you are dealing with metal! I had a friend send me a 68 pound one the local post office claimed was over 70---must have been the tons of strapping tape they taped the shards of the box to the 2 pieces of round stock in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 So to answer a few ?s I am not in a position to purchase the lot from her right now, she has been very generous giving me quite a bit of iron/steel so far, so I am really just looking to help her out . Rainsfire, I have considered listing some on bladeforum.com , I am a member over there as well and would love to see other sites you suggest. this material seems more refined than what they may be interested in? It is pretty fine grained with no large inclusions. Nuge, what is cheap? most wrought I have seen listed was $2.50 + besides Monstermetal's post with the smaller diameter sizes being more $ is this because it is a more usable size without reducing? so what it comes down to is it has to be worth our time and effort as with anything right, while trying to save it from scrap. Cutting to size and shipping in small lots will be time consuming but doable. what would be best for size? the lot I sorted yesterday is mostly 5/8th bolts in 12" and 24"-26" lengths, the 12" long stuff will go right in a priority box. I will try and load pics tonight. chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Many of us new guys would be willing to buy wrought iron for $2.00-$2.50/lb ... especially if you could let it go in 10-20 lb lots ... as most have to watch their start up costs ... also, is ABANA a non-profit??? If so she may be able to donate a portion for the tax write off. Have you tried contacting some of the locations that have retro village re-enactment sites ... they may be interested in buying some for their use. Just a couple thoughts ... hate to think that much of it may go off into scrap oblivion. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuge Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 Yes they do have a weight limit---70 pounds for the large one and it's quite possible to exceed it when you are dealing with metal! Didn't know that. Weight didn't seem to come into play earlier this year when I talked a guy off craigslist into mailing me about 3/4 of a five gallon bucket of steel tumbling media. He split it up into 3 of those boxes if I remember right, in different sizes. The postal workers on my end didn't see the humor. (They made me come back and wheel a cart out) Not even when I strapped 'em on the motorbike. Live life like its a cartoon!what is cheap? Whatever gets it moving quick and you(she) can live with. You don't want a big, long process, right? Chop it up and sell it. Could be its not worth your time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted November 3, 2009 Author Share Posted November 3, 2009 well lets try picturesfirst 3 are one of the bolts in the vice trying to show the grain and the last one is in comparasin with a huge broken hook that is a much coarser grain wrought iron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 monster metal, you serious? I'll buy some from you yeah Im serious.... what are you looking for? I dont mean to hijack the thread or push my stuff... I was really just commenting on the difficulty of finding buyers for the stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted November 7, 2009 Author Share Posted November 7, 2009 Ok so this is probably not the right place for this anymore it should be in tailgaiting? MODS let me know if I should move it. Pm me if you are interested in any of these bolts. the first ones for sale are 58ths by 11" with 1" + forged square head and they weigh 1lb 6 oz ea lets go $2.50 a lb or $3.44 ea plus $10 for flat rate domestic (US) shipping up to 70lbs. lets talk first if you want to pay shipping on 1. anyway let me know or PM with questions offers ect ect ect lets share the wrought around next round if ther eis interest will be longer bolts 58th x20" but the max length in a flat rate box is 13" so would you guys go for them cut down to fit or would I need to look into other shipping methods? chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 So to answer a few ?s I am not in a position to purchase the lot from her right now, she has been very generous giving me quite a bit of iron/steel so far, so I am really just looking to help her out ...... chris One other option is to come up with a business arrangement with her for you to sell the iron over time and split the profit with her, or to pay her in installments. If she is not in a hurry, then that might be the best way to maximize her profit. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecelticforge Posted November 7, 2009 Share Posted November 7, 2009 I know I would like some iron. I love to use it for chopping tools. I weld steel into it for the cutting edge. It "feels" better when I use it, almost like less shock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted November 9, 2009 Author Share Posted November 9, 2009 so I put this in tailgaiting too any other ideas online where I can list this to share it around?5/8th x 11" wrought iron bolts - Blacksmithing Classifieds Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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