Sources for practice scrap

[joshuabardwell]

I am having trouble finding sources for practice scrap. I have called scrap dealers in my area, but they only buy from the public; they don't sell. I have picked up a few pieces from neighbors' junk piles, but they are rusted to heck from being left out in the weather, so cleaning them is a real bear, and they are kind of heavy (like, a 1/4" thick piece of 4" wide T-bar), so cutting them into smaller pieces that I can then weld back together is pretty tedious. It doesn't seem like it would make much sense to buy new stock just for practice--does it? Can anybody make any suggestions for me? Thanks.

 

[Bilko]

I had luck at the local tractor dealer ship. I had went there with my dad and noticed a big pile of metal shipping crate's used to ship tractors. I talked to the owner and I ended up getting 5 of them for 15 bucks. He said if I wanted more later I could come back and get more. Pretty much all welded together but doesn't take much to cut them apart and the best part there not all rusted up. So far have built a cart for my miller welder and made some gas can racks for my brother in laws mowing trailer. But I hear what your saying about being hard to find.

 

[CNC Dan]

You can ask at a fab. shop or machine shop. They will have drops(leftovers from a longer piece) that they might let you have for the scrap price. Explain to them what you want it for, and that you will bring it all back a little heavyer, and they might just give it to you.

 

[rwork]

So, it seems you're practicing up on the old welding skills ?? I need to do the same thing! I welded some plates on an implement last week, and it wasn't pretty ! I've got a cousin who owns a fab shop, and he said he'd come by sometime, and give me some lessons!

 

[tglass]

I am having trouble finding sources for practice scrap. I have called scrap dealers in my area, but they only buy from the public; they don't sell. I have picked up a few pieces from neighbors' junk piles, but they are rusted to heck from being left out in the weather, so cleaning them is a real bear, and they are kind of heavy (like, a 1/4" thick piece of 4" wide T-bar), so cutting them into smaller pieces that I can then weld back together is pretty tedious. It doesn't seem like it would make much sense to buy new stock just for practice--does it? Can anybody make any suggestions for me? Thanks.

In the construction bussiness I am in this is what you need to learn on, and good steel after that. Not, or most everything in construction is not new and without rust, thin in places. If you can weld these type of things in the field, there is a demand for you.

 

[Soundguy]

find places that recieve freight.

I have seen some tractor, mowers and implements come in with angle iron framed up packing!!!

that and old bed frames.. but they are hard-ish...

 

[J35]

Any railroad track's close take a stroll down the tracks, they usually leave a few of those rail plates laying off in the bushes, weld some chain on them and use them for targets to test your welds.

Get you some rebar and some 6011.

Any back roads, take a drive and do some scrounging where people have dumped stuff.

If I wanted to learn to weld and fabricate , I would not think twice about buying a stick of angle iron and a stick of square tubing for practice material, money well spent IMO .

Have fun-- J

 

[k0ua]

Joshua I have just went and bought some clean steel for welding practice.. yes it costs a bit, but it sure is a lot nicer to weld, and saves on wheels and brushes in cleaning up old rusty iron to weld.. You just cut of a couple of chunks of nice steel and weld it up. The plus is your welds will be much better and you gain confidence in your welds. Free scrap is great if you can get it, but if you cant.. well pony up a few bucks for some stock.

James K0UA

 

[CNC Dan]

FYI, hot rolld steel is a lot cheaper than cold rolled steel.

To get the most out of your steel when doing groove or butt welds, make two cuts just next to your weld bead. Then you have most of your steel left to weld again.

 

[muddstopper]

I just want to mention picking up old railroad plates, joint bars, spikes and such off the railroad track is stealing and the railroads do prosecute if they catch you. Second, any reputable scrap yard wont buy the material for scrap if they know the railroad material in in the metal they are buying. Railroad dicks are always going by scrap yards to see if any railroad material is being bought or sold. I know its easy to find old track material laying in the bushes just rusting away, but is the "Free" scrap worth a criminal record.

Another point, to make is the rail material isnt a good source of welding material, it contains a good bit of manganese and doesnt produce good quality welds using regular stick welding rods. Sort of like welding castiorn, you can weld it, but it will crack or break right beside the weld.