Scrap Metal

[BigBore]

In your posts, people mention getting scrap metal by the pound at scrap yards. Think newbie here. Are you talking about junk yards? Don't laugh, but I've never been to one. I found several places under "scrap yard" that say they take cars, trucks, and the like. What do you say when you go to one? Do you just ask if they sell brass and such by the pound? Their ads don't mention that they sell metals. Are there other good sources like, maybe, recycling centers? I've been to few of them and don't recall seeing signs that offered retail sales of metals.

What are good prices (ball park, obviously) that one pays for chunks of metal? I might as well start collecting some. I know about 360 brass, 6061 aluminum and mild steel. Are there others a newb should be stock piling? Thanks in advance.

Ed

 

[Philjoe5]

Ed,
Having gone through the junk/scrap yard journey as a newbie, let me relay my experience. I picked up some pieces of what were called either hot or cold rolled steels, or 1018 steel or cast iron. As a new lathe/mill operator I was also dealing with turning speeds, carbide vs HSS, feed rates, etc. Some of that steel was just terrible to work with. I went through lots of cutters trying different approaches which adds up to $$$$ and one piece of steel in particular gave me fits before I sent it back to its final resting place. Some of the cast iron I bought now serves as a doorstop and will never again meet a cutting tool.

Meanwhile, I located a small machine shop run by a father/son that was very accomodating in selling me drops, usually less than $1/lb, often $0.50/lb. They handle mainly 1144 in round stock and cold rolled 1018 in flat stock. All of a sudden I really learned how to turn and finish steel.

For cast iron, try to locate a Durabar distributor. They carry several grades and have a guide to help you pick out what’s right for your application. This cast iron is quite uniform and doesn't have the common chilled surface or carbide deposits of sand cast iron. Learn how to work with it. Then if you do get some CI from a scrapyard as soon as you start to work with it, you'll know if it's usable or not. Drops from a Durabar distributor will run around $1/lb for drops and up to $2/lb for custom cuts. But it is really fine stuff to work with.

These days I most often get brass or bearing bronze from ebay sources. If I'm patient and not in immediate need, I can usually get what I need in the neighborhood of $3 - $4/lb delivered to my door. Bearing bronze, C93200, sometimes shows up on ebay, but aluminum bronze C64200 shows up also and works well for bearings in model engines. National Bronze and Metals Inc, Houston, TX has literature on line for help in choosing bronze alloys.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,
Phil

 

[Metal Butcher]

The scrap yards (recyclers) in my area buy and sell. They take in anything made of any type of metal, from soda cans to machined pieces that didn't pass inspection. Many of their machine shop customers sell them "drops" and leftover material from the "jobs" they do. That's the good stuff!
The "drops" is what I look for and buy. I don't buy much steel any more do to its "mystery" nature. I mainly focus on aluminum and brass round. flat. square, hex, and sheet. Finding metal that is marked with a color code. tag. or number is a big plus. In the past I picked up material that was badly tarnished and scared, I learned over time, and after building up a starter supply to be a little more picky and patient. When something I consider "good" turns up I buy more than I need for one project based on the premise that I may not see the same size/shape again.
In my area the yards will generally sell to small walk-in buyers at around $1. for AL and $2.lb for red brass. These prices are double of what they were last winter!This is another reason to be a bit picky.
Call around to find yards that buy from machine/manufacturing shops and get a buy/sell price per pound. The scrap yards are in business to make money. To do so, they need to both buy and sell.

Speaking of scrap.... I have some sitting on my bench that needs recycling the "Butchers" way. ;D

Best of luck.

-MB

 

[shred]

Around here many of the scrap yards quit selling to walk in customers a couple years back, claiming a variety of things from insurance to safety to convenience to whatever (basically sending everything to China), so you might want to call around first.

There are two kinds of metal to these places-- "Ferrous" and "Non-ferrous" (everything except steel & iron). You want to find somewhere that sells non-ferrous for brass, Al, etc. Some places do both.

Start by looking for 'scrap metal dealers' in the yellow pages or online, but you'll need to use the phone as 90% of them don't seem to have a web presence at all. Most of 'em are pretty brusque on the phone too. Ask something like "Do you sell non-ferrous?... I'm looking for some little pieces for a project" or something like that ("little" can be 6" square section to some of these guys).

Explaining that you want to play around machining it probably won't help much until you're there in person with a model to show off. Do have a little model handy when you go visit if you can-- this works even better at machine shops when scrounging for drops (note, many of them probably already have a deal with a scrapyard or recycler that buys their swarf and drops, so being there in person makes it a lot more likely you'll get something than by calling)

For a simple engine or two, new metal isn't all that expensive either if you stay away from big sections of brass. Enco will ship metal on their free shipping deals that come along all the time.

Craigslist occasionally also has people selling scrap material of one sort or another and is worth looking into if you're in one of their areas. eBay as well but shipping can be a killer.

It can seem kinda daunting at first, but keep your eyes and ears open, put out some feelers and one day you'll turn around and say "holy @#$ I don't ever want to move this pile of scrap".

 

[cfellows]

Depending on where you live, you might also have places that sell metal new, but will sell you cutoff's at a reduced rate. Check the yellow pages for places that sell custom cuts of aluminum, steel, and brass.

Chuck

 

[black85vette]

Depending on where you live, you might also have places that sell metal new, but will sell you cutoff's at a reduced rate. Chuck

Metal Supermarket does this. Anytime I go to buy something specific I also check their end cut shelves. They have a flat rate per pound regardless of the type of stock. So you can get hex, box, tube, channel and other goodies cheap. Plus it does not require cutting so you save that fee as well. Sometimes the piece is so small and I am buying other stuff they just throw it in for free.

 

[winklmj]

Hmmmm...the Metal Supermarket here sells everything by the inch--whether it's a drop or new or needs cutting or not. Bummer.

You'll have to find a scrap metal dealer that will sell. I called and emailed a bunch (10-15 at least) and so far have only found 3 that are willing to sell. One of 'em actually said no over the phone but I stopped in anyway and asked 'cause I really needed some brass and can't afford full price for something I'm likely to hose up. Met the owner and he said sure, no problem. And if they didn't have what I wanted I was welcome to keep coming back and looking.

So it pays to go in person, be nice, and if you have something to show 'em that'd be even better.

 

[websterz]

Metal Supermarket does this. Anytime I go to buy something specific I also check their end cut shelves. They have a flat rate per pound regardless of the type of stock. So you can get hex, box, tube, channel and other goodies cheap. Plus it does not require cutting so you save that fee as well. Sometimes the piece is so small and I am buying other stuff they just throw it in for free.

Where are they located? I'll be in the area after the first of the year and man have time to run by.

 

[black85vette]

Where are they located? I'll be in the area after the first of the year and man have time to run by.

Home page below. Just click on "access map".

http://data.gointranet.com/cgi-bin/unitloc/metal/locator.cgi?cpage=main.html&cu=bob%20butcher&cl=542

 

[Kermit]

I've got a local one about 15 miles away, and have never even visited.

This will have to change I think. 8)


Can't be overlooking bargains for the taking,
Kermit ;D