Where to buy H / I Beams?

   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #1  

TWD

Gold Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2010
Messages
300
Location
Sierra Nevada Mountains - CA
Tractor
Kubota M59
Looking to build a wood splitter and want to do it right, and extra beefy.

Looking at acquiring some: w8 x 48 or w10 x 54

Going to pair with a 5x30 cylinder, 28GPM pump, etc...

Is everyone buying at scrapyard? Places I'm finding are $500+ for that beam :(
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #2  
If you have a county bridge department, you might check with them. I was able to get a 5' used H beam that way when I built mine: HPIM3027.JPG
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #3  
My local metal recycler resells metal. Some do, some don't. But used steel is dirt cheap.
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #4  
I got mine at a local steel fab shop that a friend used to work for.

If I had sourced it from my steel supplier it would have been more than 4x what I actually paid ($50)
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #5  
W8 and W10 are not the most common materials so finding them may take a bit of searching. I agree that a local fab shop would be best if you can find what you need.
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #6  
I found some on craigslist... cheap.

The local metal guy has acres of inventory he buys for scrap... but he gets top dollar for what he sells retail... top dollar.
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #7  
I found some on craigslist... cheap.

The local metal guy has acres of inventory he buys for scrap... but he gets top dollar for what he sells retail... top dollar.
Too bad. My guy resells for about 2X what he pays for it. A screaming deal for me and an honest profit for him.
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #8  
Should be able to get scrap like that for around .25 a pound or less.
 
   / Where to buy H / I Beams? #10  
Looking at acquiring some: w8 x 48 or w10 x 54
That's some serious size beam you're talking. I used S8 @ 18.4 for mine. I think you be better of using I beam (S), the outer edge of the wide flange flange will be quite a ways fron the center verticle section (web) of the beam and might have a tendancy to pull up. Depending on your design of course so I could be full of it :).....Mike
 
 
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