A few years ago, my neighbor phoned and told me I'd better hook up my little utility trailer, and head to the metal pile at our local dump. He said it looked like someone had dumped the remnants of a body shop. As I pulled up to the pile, I recognized the metal, as exercise equipment... much of it was powder coated... pulleys, cable, stainless steel, etc. I made three trips, hauling the stuff home. I paid scrap price for the loads, total cost for me was $65. Story was that the high school had received a grant to equip a new exercise/weight room, so threw out all of the old stuff. Rather than donate the gear to a country school, or sell it, someone made the decision to just dump it. And these people teach our children.

My first project, using this metal, was a keg lift for a local brewery. It stacks kegs three high, powered by a drill driver.