AtomicForge Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Can someone explain this whole Scavengeing thing to me like the key places to find good stuff and like how to do it and how it works and such thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 Being a good "scrounegologyst" takes watching for anything that looks useable. Trash pick up days in town are good. Your local metal salvage yard is another. Watching for folks who are cleaning up and getting rid of "junk" never hurts to be neighborly and haul off that scrap metal for them. It's all in seeing and not just looking. Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtomicForge Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 ok thanks for the ideas. So a metal salvage yard what exactly do they have their? It seems all of the ones here are just for pick up and you cant buy what they have. Also are car junkyards good places? i mean can i find the stuff to make a forge their? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike BR Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 One of the *many* advantages I've found to joining my local guild is that many members are *much* better scroungers than I am, and frequently let good stuff go free or cheap to a good home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug C Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 I always look for RCO's (Rust Colored Objects) when I am driving. I have found more good big stock, 1 inch plus, on the side of the road than you can believe. Finnr's point about trash day and movin day are spot on. I have a neighbor that was emptying her barn and was pitching out about 15 feet of 7/8 round stock cut into 3 foot lengths. Must of been old tent pegs. I also look for people throwing out those clay chimnea's that folks with small yards use to have a fire on their patio and grab the stands tey sit on. I have gotten a lot of square and round 3/8 stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 IForgeIron.com > Blueprints > BP0188 The basic rules of finding and trading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jogiiara Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 working in Telecom... I have come across tons of stock left over from installation projects... Lots of angle of various sizes up to about 3x3 or so, allthread by the ton, nuts bolts and misc hardware to build equipment racks and earthquake bracing required by code... Most if not all mild steel and grade 5... Another good one is if you can get access to DRMO... I have a piece 3" dia and about 3' long out of an all terrain forklift... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Go to the thread "it followed me home". Some good ideas there, and it did follow a blacksmith home to his smithy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trash collector Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Don't forget yard and estate sales especially those way out in the country, you be suprised what you can pick up for very little money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don A Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Here's some standard phrases you need to learn: "You gonna throw that away?" "Mind if I have a look in your dumpster?" "I can haul that off for 'ya if you want it out of your way" "Wait! Don't throw that out! I might need it." "Sorry ma'am... I didn't know that it was "lawn art"". "Somebody's gonna get hurt on that... just throw it in the back of my truck." "I'm sure that I can find a use for it." Once you gain a reputation as a scrounger, the donors start coming to you. I think they like to see if they can come up with something you would actually turn down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Martin Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 Talk to everyone you know. It really helped me a lot. Cuz I found out that five of my family members can get to things that are free, that I(the public) can't get to, and would otherwise have to buy. I got steel, and some tools this way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnW Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 AtomicForge, you asked, So a metal salvage yard what exactly do they have their? It seems all of the ones here are just for pick up and you cant buy what they have. Also are car junkyards good places? i mean can i find the stuff to make a forge their? I'm not a very good scrounger yet, but I've started the trip. There are some good auto junk yards and metal recycling centers in our area. My theory is that you just have to look until you find some good ones. With auto junk yards, you have to find one that will let you walk around and pick up and remove from the vehicle, springs and shafts, etc. and that will sell it to you at or near scrap metal prices. Most don't have time for this kind of business. Likewise, with recycling centers, you just need one that will let you walk around and pick up scrap, and will sell it to you at a good price. I believe my scrap yard buys steel from me at $.08 a pound and sells it to me at $.16 a pound. This works good. It's a way to lauder steel. Bring in those worthless brake routers, then see what treasure you can find at the scrap yard. There's not usually anything too astounding, but sometimes they have great angle iron, steel plate, springs, dies, and lot's of things that actally look like they could be put back on the market to do what they used to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 I get stock mainly from steel scrap yards. But I also watch the free section of craigslist. Also, you can usually find rail road spikes near ... rail roads... Some times other useful pieces as well.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 I get stock mainly from steel scrap yards. But I also watch the free section of craigslist. Also, you can usually find rail road spikes near ... rail roads... Some times other useful pieces as well.. It is a Federal offense to take anything from RR tracks, (I have been told) officials look at is as a terroist activity. Check with the RR yards for any spikes you need, if you explain what you want them for you just may end up with more than you can carry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kovacija(blacksmith) Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 Have you watched movie (mad max 2) I usualy do like that:cool: (when max took the big truck for cistern) what I see in the hills or some old fields I take no question there... Today people don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgtwister Posted September 27, 2008 Share Posted September 27, 2008 lucky for me i know alot of people in the scrape biss. but were i'm at the towns are starting to crack down on garbage picking cause they have been loosing money due to people picking up the metal but it you ask the people if you can have whats in the garbage that usally keeps the towns at bay and some times you can score even better stuff and allways if your talking tothe people for there junk tell them what your doing they may have old stuff they don't want but they dont want to throw in the garbage either you never know what you will find i was given a 16-18 south bend one time cause it was in bad shape and he was tired of looking at it of course i got tired of looking to and traded it for stuff i could use about 2 years later but i found if some ones giving you scrape for free and most of it is useless and you only want a few things take it all keep what you want and scrape what you don't want that way maybe next time they will give other stuff i was givin some real junk about 10 years ago i took it to the scrape yard about a year later the looked for me cause he was moving and had some more for me i went over there and filled my truck with old hand tools one was a old blacksmith drill press that i sold for 200 (i allready had a nicer one)but allways keep your eyes openyou never know were you will find stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in NY Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 A common theme here is talk to people; not just about their junk, but that's a start. After a few minutes they may find out that you are a nice guy and not just looking to make a buck, but to put something to use. People want to give stuff to nice people that appreciate it. Makes them feel good. I like to oblidge them in their search for happiness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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