Materials

Señor Weldenough

New member
Messages
4
Good Post Points
1
Location
Sanlúcar de Guadiana, Andalucía, Spain
Welder
Sealey SuperMig 230, two small stick welders & a plasma cutter
Hi, newbie here, currently in UK, moving to large farm in Spain later this year (when this Covid nonsense is over). Have a big old tractor and a lot of plans to fabricate stuff for it. Have a SuperMig 230, a couple of small stick welders, plasma cutter and every kind of drill, saw, grinder you can think of. But...

Man, steel is expensive. Box section, angle, tube, sheet, plate. I know this is a location specific question but where do you guys source your steel? Am I missing something because the kinds of jobs I’ve priced up will work out more expensive in materials than buying the finished product.

Thanks.
 

Lennyzx11

Member
Messages
23
Good Post Points
5
Location
Bennington Vermont
Welder
Hobart MVP210, Hobart Stickmate LX. Lincoln Tombstone AC/DC
Hello from Bennington Vermont USA.
You are right about price of metals!

I go to the local welding shops and buy cutoffs and what is called “drops”. From their scrap bins. It is sold by the pound and cheaper.Almost all my projects are designed around what materials I have or can get this way.
A local scrap yard will sell me stuff by the pound also but they are getting tighter about letting me look around in the yard for good stuff.
That’s my best places so far.
 

Señor Weldenough

New member
Messages
4
Good Post Points
1
Location
Sanlúcar de Guadiana, Andalucía, Spain
Welder
Sealey SuperMig 230, two small stick welders & a plasma cutter
Hello from Bennington Vermont USA.
You are right about price of metals!

I go to the local welding shops and buy cutoffs and what is called “drops”. From their scrap bins. It is sold by the pound and cheaper.Almost all my projects are designed around what materials I have or can get this way.
A local scrap yard will sell me stuff by the pound also but they are getting tighter about letting me look around in the yard for good stuff.
That’s my best places so far.

Thanks Lenny. That’s a good steer, scrap bins at welding shops. I’ll need to find a way to ingratiate myself with some, starting with brushing up on my Spanish!¿Puedo buscar en tu cubo de basura un poco de acero de desecho?
 

PILOON

Well-known member
Messages
177
Good Post Points
54
Location
North of Montreal
Welder
Hobart 200 stick
I'm in cottage country and often cottagers scrap old bed springs.
Well those spring frames are generally nice 1 1/2 angle material so I always carry tools to grab them before the local scrapper gets them.
Amazing what U can do with that material.

All my power tools have nice bases made from bed frames and only cast a few rods and some electricity.
Now I also own a tractor so my cab is a d DIY project, my pusher snow plow also DIY, trailer DIY, garden cart DIY.
Great pass time and very satisfying.

Last major project (actually 2) was to convert 4 post car lifts into freight elevators for a public storage facility.
First one is going on 3 years and running flawlessly. 2nd is a mere 6 months old.0
Very fun project!

Also created 12 platform carts for that same storage facility using 6 inch casters and channel stock for framework.
Luck was on our sides having mostly found suitable casters on the cheap.
Average build time ran 3/4 hrs per cart with materials anywhere between $50-75, and that for carts that would retail upwards of $500/ea.
 

Señor Weldenough

New member
Messages
4
Good Post Points
1
Location
Sanlúcar de Guadiana, Andalucía, Spain
Welder
Sealey SuperMig 230, two small stick welders & a plasma cutter
I'm in cottage country and often cottagers scrap old bed springs.
Well those spring frames are generally nice 1 1/2 angle material so I always carry tools to grab them before the local scrapper gets them.
Amazing what U can do with that material.

All my power tools have nice bases made from bed frames and only cast a few rods and some electricity.
Now I also own a tractor so my cab is a d DIY project, my pusher snow plow also DIY, trailer DIY, garden cart DIY.
Great pass time and very satisfying.

Last major project (actually 2) was to convert 4 post car lifts into freight elevators for a public storage facility.
First one is going on 3 years and running flawlessly. 2nd is a mere 6 months old.0
Very fun project!

Also created 12 platform carts for that same storage facility using 6 inch casters and channel stock for framework.
Luck was on our sides having mostly found suitable casters on the cheap.
Average build time ran 3/4 hrs per cart with materials anywhere between $50-75, and that for carts that would retail upwards of $500/ea.

I need to familiarise myself with the local recycling centres.
 
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