Dave Leppo Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I am fortunate enough to work in a steel fab shop, and I take home scrap & drops, and occasionally buy new pieces of flat bar directly from the company at our supply cost. of course, i make sure to pay promptly for these purchases, and I made the shop foreman a nice oak leaf / acorn hook to return the favor of letting me raid the scrap dumsters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Good work goatman. I think the problem most people have is not finding steel but finding free (or almost free) steel. A bit like anvils really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Note that after a certain size bearing races tend to be made from case hardened low carbon steel. At least that's what my friend who was a metallurgist for Timken bearings says. The smaller races are a high C alloy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handydave Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 Went to the local swap meet today and found a variety of steel including angle iron, channel iron, worn files, broken chisels, old jack hammer points, leaf springs, a bunch of car part including a gear box and steering linkage arms. The best find was a home made mounting bracket for a post vise I just found yesterday at a antique shop. I'll be making this a regular foraging place! Hope it's not just beginners luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 if you want 4140 go to a place that makes suspension parts, they usually have between 3/4" to 2" round stock and 1/8" increments in between. they have drops ranging from 2" to 2' long. if they haven't been forged you can cut them with a saw. if the shop is a working shop they should have dumpster loads each week and you should be able to get it at scrap price or trade for it as i usually do. if you want 5160 go to a spring shop that is forging springs and do the same. If anyone knows where you can get 1045 in 1" to 3" round or square, let me know. or what shops are making things from 1045. brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 It seems to be a disturbing new trend. My local scrap yard changed management and now they only buy metals :-( What a bummer! This just happen with the bigger scrap yard in Eugene as well. Schnitzer's Steel. They are now only buying. It gets loaded directly on to a train and moved up the track a ways to their mill. There is a smaller place that still has an open scrap area, but not nearly the selection of odds and ends.. I need to look farther south, maybe the Roseburg area anyway though. I think I heard there was a yard down there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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