Materials/Resources

[Morsolum]

I am just starting out with welding, forming, and other such things coming off of carpentry. I do have plenty of experience, but it was all resourced from scrap off a family worksite. I was wondering what kind of place I should go to for metal. I am not sure if I should use a contracting name to acquire pre-cut from a supplier or go to a yard (which I cant seem to find in Virginia beach). a 32"x1.5x.25 of steel is about 15$, not preferable considering how much that would take to craft a weave of 2'x3' for a workbench. I can cut the steel myself if needed, I just need to find a supply on "shorter" budget. Any suggestions anyone?

 

-On a side note

Anyone here ever made a table by weaving steel bars and working them flat and smooth, I fold the ends down and under for a nice curved edge. I also bolt the intersections, don't worry, I ALWAYS keep the working surface smooth and flat.

[arkie]

If you can't find or can't use scrap, buy your metal from a metal (steel) supplier!  The prices from a metal supplier are a fraction of the price of the big box stores and farm supply stores.  Most suppliers will cut the 20' lengths in half so you can load them in a PU truck.  If they don't, some guys take a hacksaw or battery-operated sawzall or angle grinder + cutoff disk to shorten the long pieces.

The last steel similar to yours, I bought from my supplier at about $1.40 per foot.  It was 1/4" x 2" x 20 feet.  They cut it in half for free.  At my supplier, you don't have to be a contractor...they sell to anyone.

[Marc1]

It's the same in Australia. buying steel at the hardware store is expensive.

Then we have retail metal merchants like Edcon steel and wholesale like Waratah steel. Buying by the length is cheaper but cheaper still is to ask to pick up from their offcut bin. If you are only forging whatever you can find, the offcut bin is your lolly shop. ...  

[ThomasPowers]

If you are calling places blind you want to drop anyone that doesn't sell it by the 20' stick and ask around. Many times one place may be cheaper than another for that item; though it may be vice versa for a different item.  Know what you want; if hot rolled A36 will do it will be way cheaper than cold rolled 1018!   And if it's forge fodder always asked about odd sized, damaged or rusty stock.  I have received some massive discounts "cleaning out" a steel distributor's stock rack and taking all the stuff that had built up that they considered unsaleable---got a solid 1/3 off and everything was 100% in spec for *my* use.

Finding a scrapyard that will let you wander the piles is like Christmas every visit!  (If you have a place to store it at home...)

[Stash]

I'm in the process of moving ~ 55 miles to a new home and shop. I googled 'steel suppliers, mynewtown' and found all kinds of options. It's that easy.

Steve

[Morsolum]

The places I have been calling up say they already have a contract with someone to take care of the scrap.

Me needs the advice.

[ThomasPowers]

Metals Depot and speedy metals refusing to sell to you?  How odd.  I assume you have already looked in the yellow pages under steel distributors warehouses and worked though the 16 listings there.  Now to get scrap you need a personal approach which has been covered here in depth. (Example I made a bottle opener from an unplated wrench and gave it to my local mechanic, he gave me free run of his scrap pile...)

[Steve Sells]

I dont have a list of where he can buy.  But I do know that China has got to have a steel supplier somewhere there.   good luck

[Frosty]

28 minutes ago, Morsolum said:

The places I have been calling up say they already have a contract with someone to take care of the scrap.

Me needs the advice.

Don't buy scrap, buy new stock and don't expect them to cut it to size unless you have deep pockets. You DO have a hack saw and vise don't you? Almost every steel supplier I've ever been to will cut sticks in half to transport but ask the guys in the yard loading, NOT the person at the counter. The counter folk have to charge per cut but the guys in the yard will drop it on the saw and halve it for you. You'd have to be pretty rude or demanding to get them to say no. Be nice and you're golden.

Steve's post just came up and I realize I'm making the assumption you are in the USA. I can't say about other where on Earth but I'd take a shot at being nice and buying new.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Morsolum]

I have an angle grinder too. I am in the US, Virginia beach zone. I grew up with connections in Michigan, so going out and finding them is a little weird for me.

Another not about the angle grinder, its broken, presumably during moving homes. Seems jammed, I just don't want to damage it further if I open it up because its one of the old industrial ones from my grandfather, the new ones I have are small and weak. I hate using the saw.

[Frosty]

If you've been using an old right angle grinder for cutting you've probably killed the bearings. They were designed for grinding on the flat of the disk, NOT pushing on the edge, the forces on the shaft and bearing are very different. If you're lucky you can get it repaired but don't take it to Sears even if it's a Craftsman. Sears just replaces tools they don't service or repair anything anymore, they're just sales.

I'll bet I can cut 1/4" x 1 1/2" strap faster with a hack saw than you can with a disk grinder. How can you say you practice the craft if you don't or can't use the tools? I suppose they didn't offer metal shop class in jr. high and high school did they? <grrr>

Once you have the hang of it using a hack saw is actually very satisfying. You can butter through surprisingly thick steel with little effort but you MUST have the right technique or it's nothing but frustrating grief. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Morsolum]

I have some connective tissue issues, so I like what's easiest on the "anything". I had a metals class, but that was rubbish. Cut, solder, Emboss, polish, drill, buff, it was more for the little things like charms and cuffs. I made my first statue, 6', in that class. Teacher only let me because I was done with all the course projects in the second week. Not good on my part, bad on the curriculum.

That, I did not know about that grinder, possibly.

You could cut it faster than me, or I could ignore the chance of injury (tissue issue) and force the cut through like a maniac (tissue issue strength).

Thanks for the responses, helpful.

Also, do you sleep??!? Nice response time.

[notownkid]

For cutting steel in a yard how about a battery replicating saw (think saws-all) sure would beat the pants off a hacksaw in my mind esp. with my  shoulders. 

I had ordered a few pieces of new steel nothing special(special project) but had ordered out of a yard I used in CT as they deliver every week in my area.  Told them to cut in 10' lengths as they can't get onto my bridge with their long wheelbase truck ( I drove truck  for a spell) when they showed up it was in 20' lengths and I have to  unload in a pulloff area across the brook from my place.  I can move  it with my trailer if 10' they had charged for the cuts, driver got snotty about it so I  did as well.   Refused the product.  His cell phone wouldn't work so he was completely confused what to do.  Ended up with the steel being left at a friends shop he was going to next in NH, he cut it and I picked it up, company had refused to take the cut off charge off.  Office refused to take my next order as I wasn't "understanding" so  looked up the Pres.name and address on the net and sent him a personal letter by overnight mail explaining the deal.  Had a call from him in 2 days assuring me I could continue ordering there they will deliver and will cut for nothing.  Helped that my friend contacted them as well and he buys a LOT of Aluminum from them  for his truck body building business.  Not much choice for suppliers in the north country here.  My friend told me he hasn't seen that driver since then either. 

I have no scrap yards that will let me in here or in CT. 

  

 

  

[Glenn]

A chisel can be used to score a piece of metal, then bend the metal and it will snap at the score.

Of course this depends on the type and size of metal.

[Frosty]

Soft tissue damage is a real consideration requiring alternative methods. You betcha. Forget the hack saw, especially if you use one like a maniac, I don't I use a relaxed deliberate pace but I'm still relatively intact. Battery recip saw has my vote. If you already have a 120v. one and don't want to buy battery driven one an inverter will convert your 12v DC to 120v AC.

WE called that shop "Jewelry" or "metal Crafts" class. "Metal Shop" classes were more occupation oriented and our high school offered "Occupational Heavy Metal" and Occupational Light Metal" shop classes. oriented on giving the students skills sets that'd let you get and learn a job. That was in the '60s and '70s, I graduated high school in 1970 and went onto trade schools to earn welding certifications.

So do NOT work in a way that puts you in harms way directly or through unnecessary body wear and tear. Peanut (4"- 6") grinders are cheap to the point of disposable, cut with one till it dies and chuck it. Get your vintage grinder repaired and retire it to grinding instead of cutting.

Battery saw to cut sticks to haul in your pickup or sedan. Do it right on the steel supplier's loading dock, the yard hands will do it for you to get you out of the way. Say thanks and never, NEVER ask at the order desk. Never ask to have sticks cut to transport when you order, the folk at the order desk have no choice but to charge. They can't note a cut on the invoice without charging. The guys in the yard wink and nod at he bean counters if you don't abuse the courtesy. I've been getting sticks cut to transport for 40 years out back.

Same for you NOTOWN! What's wrong with you ordering cut lengths delivered! Meet the delivery driver on his side of the bridge with a battery recip saw and insist he deliver the load where specified, and make him wait while you cut it, one time. I'll bet the guys in the yard will remember your location and make the cuts on the QT.

It's that, pay for the cuts or have it dropped on the far side of the bridge and do the final haul yourself. That's a tricky one, I'd buy a pickup if I didn't have one and save the delivery charge but that's me and I live close to a couple supply yards.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Marc1]

Talking metal work cutting tools ... and assuming you are working with AC supply, best angle grinder you can have is a 5" milwaukee rat tile grinder. Change disk with no tools, change guard position with your hands. 1mm disk cuts steel like butter. I don't remember where my hacksaw is. 

To chop bigger stuff, the new milwaukee bandsaw is one of the best, perhaps together with the DeWalt. Battery power seems attractive but I rather prefer a cord in my way and some power in my hands. New battery technology may change that. Not for now. 

Of course tools like cold saw and plasma help a lot too, it all depends how far you want to go with your hobby. 

[ThomasPowers]

oxygen lance!

[Frosty]

Shaped charge!

Frosty The Lucky.

[notownkid]

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

I'd buy a pickup if I didn't have one and save the delivery charge

Frosty It 's 200 miles south of me, I'm getting a PU shortly but not to haul steel 200 miles through 3 states and metro areas.  When I need my next shipment I'll bet the stuff will be cut no charge or I call the Pres. again.  My friend buys Many Many tons of Aluminum from them, I'll use what ever leverage I need.  Any use of new material is special projects and the recipient pays the cost +.  I have a lot of new materials which I brought up out of my brother in laws machine shop when we closed it and cleaned it out this will last me for my own use for a while.  I presume that by now my account has a note on it "Look out for this guy" he is a pain.  Oh well I'm not trying to make a living at this and don't care if I  do these projects and only do them for people I've done things for years. 

[Frosty]

It's hard to believe folk in the lower 48 can be farther away from basic stuff than I am. I guess having to drive as far as 18 miles sort of skewed my perspective. 

I agree, the delivery charge on 200 miles would make cutting it insignificant, especially if they had to take a load back and pay the refund.

I'll go sit in my corner now.

Frosty The Lucky.

[notownkid]

Frosty,  I drive 45+ miles round trip to buy groceries into another state now.  Our 20th century quite in about 1964!  I wouldn't trade it for anything but adjustments have to be made and after 21 + yrs on the road working elsewhere back and forth with everything at my finger tips it's a learning curve to just STOP one day step back in time 40 yrs. Eventually I'll check into suppliers maybe further north in Vermont's metro area or in Southern NH towards Boston.  Prefer to  just say NO, Huh that sounds like a good New Years Revulsion. 

See ya Frosty.   

[ThomasPowers]

I buy my groceries in a different state but it's just a couple miles down the road...now I go to my dentist in a different country....Going to a movie from my northern abode is about 50 miles each way.  Down here about 10 miles each way. (about the same to get to the steel dealer---OTOH it's 6 miles from my northern shop to the SCRAP YARD!)

[Steve Sells]

On 12/8/2016 at 5:21 PM, Steve Sells said:

I dont have a list of where he can buy, we dont even know where is is,  Maybe China?  I do know that China has got to have a steel supplier somewhere there.   good luck