Finding materials

[chucketn]

Materials cost is constantly going up. Scrap yards are increasingly becoming unfriendly places for the hobby machinist. I am soon retiring, and have a question for the members.
What common scrap sources do you have for materials like stainless, cast iron, free machining steel, brass or aluminum? I don't mean cutoffs from the local machine shop, there aren't many local machine shops left. I mean what can I look for in finding cast iron for engine cylinders? What has stainless steel big enough for a flywheel? For example: There is a heavy Equipment repair shop down the road from me, and another that I pass on the way to work (for a few more months). What might they have to scrap/throw away that I could use?
My favorite sources? I never turn away an inkjet printer, they have nice shafting, gears, and some sheet metal. I have gotten several treadmills from Freecycle that had good heavy motors and controllers.

Chuck in E. TN

 

[jonesie]

why not stop and talk to them and tell them what you are looking for. they might have some old machine castings that you could cut out some good pieces. also talk to them about ordering steel threw then when they do a steel order , they might buy in large lots and could get you some at a good price. again i would stop and talk to them, they might have a lot you could get for scrap price. happy hunting jonesie

 

[Mawitö]

Hi Chuck, i live in a very small city with no machine shops aviable and shipping cost are even more high than the material, as you do i always welcome a printer or a scarner, they have thin bars but nice and usefull for some projects, also i recomend you computer scraps, you can find some aluminun surprises like a did, i'll try to show you later what i mean when i come from work and have made some pictures.

for me is easy to find copper tube and aluminum scrpas also iron (the one used for ornament work, is that cast iron?), so having a furnace is going to be a must, cos melting and doing my own blanks to machine would be important.

Apart from that i'm lost so any help from the fellow members will be much apriciated.

Mawito

 

[maverick]

I run a small local machine shop and keep a cutoff bin with a few hundred pounds of various materials for odd jobs.
Friendly requests for bits and pieces are usually filled for free to a few dollars. Just don't be like the guy that insisted I sell him good stock
for scrap price, he got the bums rush. Some fellows have brought their finished project in for show and tell. This definitely helps with
future requests.

 

[MachineTom]

I buy alot of material on ebay, cutoffs of brass, bronze, AL, large diameter stuff. I have gotten some great deals in the past on the bay, not so much now. If you have SS round needs I sell to members from my supply, its large D stuff only.

 

[shred]

The metal supply place here has a 'drop zone' where you can get bar end offcuts for somewhere between retail and scrap pricing. Most of the time they mark what it is which is nice.

Bogs had a thing a while back about getting good cast iron from window sash weights. I scored a pile of them from a house remodel down the street, but haven't chopped into them yet. Some of 'em look pretty scary with big cavities and porosity and all.

I still get most of my material as drops from a shop a friend runs. They aren't a traditional 'machine shop', but a manufacturer making products on a row of CNC mills which they then sell. If they made more drops, I'd suggest they sell them on eBay, but right now they all go to a recycler along with the chips.

 

[Lamachina58]

Last week our scrapyard had 100,000 lbs of aluminum plate and literally tons of Ti , futures and tooling. All Boeing scrap and we couldn't have a pound of it. All has to be melted and destroyed. What a sad sight!
I sometimes just pony up and use onlinemetals and get what I need.

 

[Mawitö]

Hi guys, this is what i meant, in socket 775 the heatsink has 1.2in x 2in more or less aluminum bar



sorry for the blurry pic, shaky hands + mobile phone = disastre

Mawito

 

[rake60]

Speedy Metals has the best online prices at the moment.

I have bought from Online Metals in the past but they have become a little pricey.

You can be sure of what you are getting when you buy from either of them.

I have also had a few good scores on eBay auctions but the "Buy It Now" vendors are usually overpriced.

If you know of any machine shop in your area, go in and ask them where they get their steel.
They are probably not paying to have it shipped a long distance.
Most steel distributors that sell to machine shops will cut stock as short as 3 feet for cash sales.

Rick

 

[Maryak]

Some stock you just have to buy.

I have a few contacts who let me loose in their scrap bins mostly steel and boiler plate/tube. Lastly I have had success scrounging sprues etc. from foundries mostly cast iron and the odd piece of bronze.

Scrappies these days are very nervous re OHS and possible Insurance claims so they don't let the great unwashed gallop about their yards finding those model sized bits.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Lamachina58]

Rick, you are right speedy has been better lately, thanks.