When dumpster diving for a piece of premium tool steel ASO the other day, I leaned over resting on my lower chest bones on the steel recycling dumpster.  Can anyone guess what happened?  It was a little too heavy--even with help--and I wanted it immediately.  I ended up fracturing a lower rib bone.

This happened a few weeks ago and I posit this question to you now fellow smiths; is going after a piece of heavy steel worth your health?  When you get caught up in the moment,  pause and make sure you go forward in a safe manner. 

First, one would never go after an ASO (Anvil Shaped Object as coined here on IFI refers to a cast iron knock off that looks like a London or double horn anvil, but the brittleness and lack of rebound of cast iron is less useful than a rock). Second, a trip to the ER (just the deductible) would pay for a 150# German cast steel anvil from rigid tool. I have seen this kind of “gold fever” with scrappers. One idiot tore up two trucks trying to salvage a hunk of 3/4” plate (the ones they use to temperately patch bridges and other potholes) that was in the river below a bridge. Making $3000 trucks into $300 scrap for the sake of a hunk of steel that brought less than $100 at the scrap yard...

I am stubborn and have drug home stuff after putting way more work into it than it was worth ( I am only slightly more stubborn than a mule) but one has to know when to work smarter not harder. Give it a few years to sink in, experience and the willingness to cheat trumps youth and enthusiasm. 

I have 300# and 500# lifting capacity magnets on heavy rope for magnet fishing. If I lose one of those it's just around a $50. Loss. 

Das, I wouldn’t want to try and drag something up a 100# lifting capacity magnet wouldn’t let go of! Good way to sink your boat!

If it is that heavy it is time to go on in and push it out. Deep dumpster? Use a pallet as a ladder. Just make sure you put your diver down flag out

 

Hah, no I only use those when I'm able to stand, I would never use either of those from my kayak. I don't pull out the 500#er often. Other then in creeks I've used the 300# lifting capacity magnet a couple times rather then reaching too far into the metal hopper. 

May I add: "Never climb into a dumpster you cannot climb out of!"

ASO would actually be denigrating this piece of metal.  I was on the outside of the dumpster and in truth it was a hydraulic breaker chisel, around 300# lifting capacity magnet that was "floating" on top of the recycling debris.  All I had to do was skate it out.  Not!

Das, how about a picture of those heavy magnets although I feel like I could just look in the mirror to see one. 

 

Lol ede, I'll get a picture after work. 

They are neodymium magnets that come with an eyebolt. They are a bear to get off flat plate, best chance is sliding it off. I made foam covers with some nails through to hold it on the magnet because you really don't want a surprise when one accidentally sticks to something while not meaning to use them. Also be careful with your fingers or you may end up in the hospital again lol. 

Dumpster Diving is an art form when it comes to NOT getting injured.

Sharp shifting metal, pointed ends, and heavy used to be the dangers. Now days the dumpsters are used to dispose of drug paraphernalia and  waste products, as well as anything else nasty that you can imagine.  The world has changed. We must adapt to the new and ever present dangers. Walking away is still an option. 

I had a very successful dumpster dive last fall, salvaging a whole lot of bits of wrought iron bar from a roof renovation on the campus of the college where I work. There was one moment when I was lying on my stomach at the bottom of the six-foot-deep hole I'd excavated inside the dumpster, reaching under some pieces of old flashing to grab another bit of bar, when I thought, "Okay, this is as far as I can safely go."

There was probably at least half again as much WI under the other debris, but without a safe way to get to it, it just wasn't worth the risk.

Oh I know. There are any number of nastys that can be hiding in a dumpster. The magnets are mainly for creeks and river banks but every once in a while there is a dumpster treasure. 

I'm always willing to walk away from a sketchy situation. Can't say how many nice things I have to just drive past in the median of the highway because it's not worth the risk. There were a few nice sledgehammer heads lately. 

Last week we just had to walk away from our steel bin diving. A large frame made out of heavy gauge 4 inch square was just too buried by other unusable items to get it out.

6 hours ago, Glenn said:

Sharp shifting metal, pointed ends, and heavy used to be the dangers. Now days the dumpsters are used to dispose of drug paraphernalia and  waste products, as well as anything else nasty that you can imagine.  The world has changed. We must adapt to the new and ever present dangers. Walking away is still an option. 

Glenn,

Good point.

I now dumpster dive using two chain mail gloves. It protects against cuts, abrasions, and needle stick.

These gloves are often used by wood carvers, & I am certain other hobbyists. Indeed, certain industry employees use them to.

They were first developed for the ladies that fillet fish in processing plants. They are blindingly fast and cuts do happen occasionally. Hence the use of those gloves.

I am certain that they are available from numerous sources (vendors). I got mine from a woodworkers supply company. They are not too expensive. And our hands and health (no aids), are worth it.

Cheers everybody,

SLAG.

Yes sir, that chisel is a 300# anvil!

Ok the 300# and 500# "Lift capacity" magnets. I may have left out that those are the lift capacity of the magnets but to me it's like talking about a 25# or50# Little Giant power hammer. They certainly don't Weigh That. Lol. These are Brute magnetics. Add some locktite to the eye bolt and tie a good anchor hitch on with some good rope and you are ready to pull some metal up or lose the magnet.  U.S. Quarter for size reference .

Wow, those are a lot smaller than I imagined.    I bet in the wrong hands they would ruthlessly smash said hands in a hurry.  Thanks for sharing these..  .

Yeah ede, These are certainly not kids magnets. If your finger were in the way of one of these and a tasty chunk of steel it won't hesitate to smash your finger to get close to that steel as fast as it can. 

Catastrophically fast.

Thanks Woof, for naming the brand.

Robert Taylor

What we refer to as "scary strong magnets".

What I've always thought of as bone crusher, carnivorous magnets. Mmmmm fingers, crunch.

I have one that'll lift 25 lbs. IIRC and it'll take a bite out of you. I don't know what I'd do with one of those, attach it to a string of croquet balls and drop it for tail gaters maybe? Scary things.

Frosty The Lucky.

We had a magnet similar to this one at a shop I worked at. The lever released it from whatever it was attached to by moving the magnet inside of the housing. 

BigGun, that made me think of a smaller magnet on a handle from HF that the handle has a pull release. It is really handy in the shop. I had thought of trying to make something for one of the more powerful magnets like it.  Thanks for posting, that's a neat one. 

When using that HF magnet in the shop to pick up small metal things, first put the magnet in a plastic bag or container. When you get the stuff picked up, reverse the bag, and give it a twist before releasing the magnet. You capture the particles as well as keep the magnet clean. Great tool to use around the drill press or lathe.

The bag idea is a good one. 

The HF pickup magnet is handy and fairly self cleaning even without a bag. I use it often to pick up all the scale from around the anvil or spilled nuts, bolts, nails, etc... Very handy. If I ever have time to tinker I'd like to try to make one with a better magnet.