Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get 2,000+ tool plans, full site access, and more.

User Tag List

Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 26

Thread: Recycled steel if you can find any.

  1. #1
    Supporting Member thehomeengineer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Berkshire UK
    Posts
    705
    Thanks
    720
    Thanked 2,062 Times in 406 Posts

    thehomeengineer's Tools

    Recycled steel if you can find any.

    Hi All
    With the high cost of steel, I have resorted to using any old steel I can lay my hands on be it from scrap yards, skips, material I have been given or lying around or any other means.
    I called a local material stock holder who is very well priced. Well I had bit of a shock when getting a quote for some mild steel bar, for a project I wanted to start. After checking out prices else were the prices quoted were very competitive but out of my price range. So, after waiting a couple of months a piece of material turned up in a skip the exacact size I required. So, dragged it out (a bit rusty and had quite a few holes drilled in to it) but I was so happy with the find, As can be seen from the photos I was able to cut the pieces require for the project, missing the previously drilled holes in the bar.
    The piece of bar is 50 x 50 by about 600mm long bright mild steel. grade unknown. The price of a new 3m length, I was quoted £200.00 + vat (well I nearly fell of my chair, good job I didn't have my head in a skip I would have fallen in lol, I honestly thought they had made a mistake.) I was expecting a price of £40/60 + vat.
    Here are some photos of the find, and how I cleaned the stock faces up on a home made lapping plate which holds an emery cloth taught on a flat steel plate. The 1” linisher is used to de-burr the sawn ends and the lapping plate removes any dings and dents that might be present on the bar. I do this even to new stock material as you can’t guarantee the bar has not been damaged from the stockist and I dont want to transfer the dents from the material on to the machine vice or machine table.
    Anyway, always on the look out for useful stock for the workshop but even more so now.
    As can be seen once cleaned up a big money saver and still have a few cut offs left over for other projects.

    Recycled steel if you can find any.-img_0564.jpg Off cuts left over

    Recycled steel if you can find any.-img_0565.jpg linisher

    Recycled steel if you can find any.-img_0566.jpg Home made lapping plate

    Recycled steel if you can find any.-img_0567.jpg Required material cut and de-burred ready to used and the remaining offcuts

    Thank you for taking the time to view and happy hunting.
    The Home Engineer

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. The Following 15 Users Say Thank You to thehomeengineer For This Useful Post:

    Captainleeward (Jan 29, 2018), darkoford (Oct 11, 2018), DIYSwede (Jun 21, 2019), Drew1966 (Jan 27, 2018), gunsgt1863 (Jan 28, 2018), Jon (Jan 26, 2018), Komo (Jun 26, 2018), Okapi (Jan 21, 2020), Paul Jones (Jan 27, 2018), PJs (Jan 28, 2018), Ralphxyz (Sep 1, 2023), rlm98253 (Oct 11, 2018), Seedtick (Jan 27, 2018), tony b (Jan 30, 2020), Toolmaker51 (Jan 27, 2018)

  3. #2
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    DIYer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanks
    772
    Thanked 1,850 Times in 1,652 Posts


    Thanks thehomeengineer! We've added your Lapping Plate to our Cleaning category,
    as well as to your builder page: thehomeengineer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:




    2000 Tool Plans

  4. #3
    Supporting Member Paul Jones's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Del Mar, California
    Posts
    1,231
    Thanks
    5,810
    Thanked 1,440 Times in 655 Posts

    Paul Jones's Tools
    thehomeengineer,

    You saved yourself a lot of money finding this scrap steel.

    I looked at the price of a 2"x2"x120" piece of new hot rolled mild steel (ASTM A-36) in two 5 foot sections (which is less expensive than any other cold rolled steel) and the price was $225 without shipping charges.

    Luckily, I have friends who manufacture with cold rolled steel, mild hot rolled steel, 316 stainless steel and silicon bronze. Ironically they now have to pay to have their scrap hauled away in CA. They are willing to have me remove whatever I need at no cost.

    As compensation, we pay for dinner with our wives and we all enjoy the time out.

    Regards,

    Paul Jones

  5. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Paul Jones For This Useful Post:

    gunsgt1863 (Jan 28, 2018), PJs (Jan 28, 2018), thehomeengineer (Jan 27, 2018)

  6. #4
    Supporting Member ncollar's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    354
    Thanks
    23
    Thanked 180 Times in 126 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Jones View Post
    thehomeengineer,

    You saved yourself a lot of money finding this scrap steel.

    I looked at the price of a 2"x2"x120" piece of new hot rolled mild steel (ASTM A-36) in two 5 foot sections (which is less expensive than any other cold rolled steel) and the price was $225 without shipping charges.

    Luckily, I have friends who manufacture with cold rolled steel, mild hot rolled steel, 316 stainless steel and silicon bronze. Ironically they now have to pay to have their scrap hauled away in CA. They are willing to have me remove whatever I need at no cost.

    As compensation, we pay for dinner with our wives and we all enjoy the time out.

    Regards,

    Paul Jones
    Ha! Paul
    The first time I heard the CA did something stupid and someone benefits from it.

    Here where I live in Florida we have to big fab shops, the one wants what ever the book says it cost plus cutting. the other is a bigger shop that has their hands in it

    all, and have a lot of drops from cut off and from CNC production jobs. When I go there they ask what I'm looking for and lead me right to the GOOD STUFF. They tell

    be 5 buck or something close to that and I'm on my way. The 2X2 you bought, quite a few years ago I got a machine that had a cantilever set up to counter the heavy

    weigh and in the two tube columns was a 2.125 X 2.125 over 6 foot, I got two of them and cut a piece and go to cutting on it. Love that salvage side.

    Enjoy all you do

    Nelson

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to ncollar For This Useful Post:

    Paul Jones (Jan 27, 2018)

  8. #5
    Supporting Member thehomeengineer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Berkshire UK
    Posts
    705
    Thanks
    720
    Thanked 2,062 Times in 406 Posts

    thehomeengineer's Tools
    Hi Paul/Nelson
    With the exchange rate USA to UK it is cheaper but still a lot of money (in my opinion). Often when doing a web search, it will bring up USA sites and it is noticeable the prices are a lot cheaper for you guys, and the choices are better. What I like about the USA is the fact you can buy almost anything you need at competitive prices on have it shipped/posted at cheap rates, and the Americans do seem to make quality tools. I have ordered from the US before and even with shipping costs it is still cheaper than buying in the UK. Just have to wait a bit longer but even that is getting a lot better. Cannot believe you have to pay to have scrap taken away. Scrap steel price in the UK is about £180.00 per/ton Copper is about £3000.00 per/ton so we are still weighing in.
    Thank you for taking the time to read my posts and the comments made.
    The Home Engineer

  9. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to thehomeengineer For This Useful Post:

    Captainleeward (Jan 29, 2018), Paul Jones (Jan 27, 2018), PJs (Jan 28, 2018)

  10. #6
    Supporting Member Captainleeward's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    San DIEGO, California
    Posts
    1,097
    Thanks
    496
    Thanked 1,330 Times in 525 Posts

    Captainleeward's Tools
    Nice addition to your shop... :O)

  11. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    9
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    I always hit the metal recyclers resell section. We get cheap metal and they get a decent price. Both win. Amazing what they can have at times. Gearboxes, motors etc.

  12. #8
    Supporting Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Kaslo, BC, Canada
    Posts
    30
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts
    I use a piece of 1/4" plate glass as a lapping plate with grinding paste as the abrasive. Cheap and easily replaced when the surface is no longer true and it can be as large or small as needed.

    Mike

  13. The Following User Says Thank You to Troll Hunter For This Useful Post:

    Okapi (Jan 21, 2020)

  14. #9
    Supporting Member Toolmaker51's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Midwest USA
    Posts
    5,330
    Thanks
    7,041
    Thanked 2,977 Times in 1,892 Posts

    Toolmaker51's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by thehomeengineer View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	IMG_0566.jpg 
Views:	965 
Size:	525.4 KB 
ID:	21797
    Home made lapping plate
    The Home Engineer
    I'll add a tip for those building a lapping plate of their own. Dry paper and wet or dry both work well.
    In hand lapping, strokes taken in a straight line often results in the corners out of plane, even circular movements aren't ideal.
    Proper lapping is best done in figure 8 patterns, and periodically alter the hold 90° too.
    A good way to interpret attained degree of 'flatness' is easy. Take one easy single linear stroke; then re-orient 45° with another single linear stroke about HALF the distance of prior stroke. You will see fine, evenly distributed scratches 45° to each other; just like a properly honed engine cylinder. It sometimes helps to dye a few places with red or blue permanent marker [felt tip pen].
    Sincerely,
    Toolmaker51
    ...we'll learn more by wandering than searching...

  15. #10
    Supporting Member ranald's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Black Mountain Queensland
    Posts
    1,326
    Thanks
    988
    Thanked 361 Times in 253 Posts

    ranald's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Jones View Post
    thehomeengineer,

    You saved yourself a lot of money finding this scrap steel.

    I looked at the price of a 2"x2"x120" piece of new hot rolled mild steel (ASTM A-36) in two 5 foot sections (which is less expensive than any other cold rolled steel) and the price was $225 without shipping charges.

    Luckily, I have friends who manufacture with cold rolled steel, mild hot rolled steel, 316 stainless steel and silicon bronze. Ironically they now have to pay to have their scrap hauled away in CA. They are willing to have me remove whatever I need at no cost.

    As compensation, we pay for dinner with our wives and we all enjoy the time out.

    Regards,

    Paul Jones
    now that's what i call a win win Paul: good on all of you

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •