Recycled steel if you can find any.

**thehomeengineer** · May 4, 2020, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by thehomeengineer

Hi Toolmaker51
I think I need to get out more I must be getting old if changing the lapping plate cloth gets me excited. I wonder what I will be like when I clean down my Mill and Lathe tomorrow. Could be doing cartwheels around the workshop. I will let you know tomorrow evening

The Home Engineer

Unfortunately the mill and lathe didn't get a clean down today maybe tomorrow

I use ordinary furniture polish it is brilliant and of course cheap

**Toolmaker51** · May 5, 2020, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by thehomeengineer

Unfortunately the mill and lathe didn't get a clean down today maybe tomorrow

I use ordinary furniture polish it is brilliant and of course cheap

I'm no chemist. However there evidently is chemistry at work where non-petroleum oils work to dissolve grime on machine tools. In the case of handcleaner & furniture polish, citrus additives seem central to satisfactory results.

**Okapi** · May 5, 2020, 01:19 AM

Citrus based solvents are the most active for cleaning in my opinion too, but they have a certain dangerosity, for me due to the chemical products used in their culture, we do be careful and always have nitril gloves when using them.
I use a solvent like that to take out paper glued on surfaces and it's literally magic.

**NeiljohnUK** · Jun 14, 2023, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by thehomeengineer

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

We have a major problem, even with all the ID requirements, with copper theft along the railways in the UK.

Working in a Uni I build a lot of 'proof of principle' experimental kit from other departments scrap bins, the main one is emptied monthly for 'free' (the scrap man provides the bin for free and contributes to the technicians Christmas party beer fund), winnings have included 30 LARGE UPS batteries, 50 hacksaw blades (mainly unused) and lots of shelving bracketry, along with ends of bar stock and off-cuts of sheet material, all reused in in-house (at work) projects.

I did find a CNC operator with lots of useful bar ends on FB marketplace locally, but I wasn't sure he had the legal right to sell them when I met him so didn't buy any, we operate a duly recorded 'legitimate disposal' 'chit' system for taking stuff of site for the non-academics.