Steel prices

Pooh_Bear · Mar 17, 2006

I am planning on driving up to Athens next week to buy some steel.
The difference between buying from Seaton and buying from Siskin
is about $40, but then I use $20 in gas to drive to Athens. So I really only save about $20. And lose most of a day doing it.

But there is the lure of their scrap pile and saving some money there.
What kind of sizes can I expect to find in their scrap pile.
I need one 6ft piece of steel and everything else is 5ft or less.
If I could pull most of it out of their scrap pile I could save a lot of money.

I'm already WAY over budget on this project.

Thanks.

Pooh Bear

MadReferee · Mar 17, 2006

( What kind of sizes can I expect to find in their scrap pile. )

You never know what you may find as there can be some real treasures in the drop/scrap/cutoff pile. For example, last fall I was looking for a 6' steel beam and 4"-5" dia pipe for a soil pulverizer I am going to build. My supplier had a 8' W10-45 grade A992 structural steel beam that was a cutoff laying in the yard and also had a 7' long 4" schedule 40 piece of pipe too.

Even though they were longer than the 6' I needed I took them since I have a plasma cutter and can cut to size later. The beam weighed almost 350 lbs and the pipe close to 50 lbs. I walked out of there spending $100 and got both. Sometimes it's just like being a kid in a candy store.

bobodu · Mar 17, 2006

My welding supplier also does fire extinquishers.When they fail the pressure test,they have to condemn them.They just get tossed out onto a pile and the scrap guys won't even take them because they are full of powder.Got these the last time I went by.

The two white ones will be tanks for a compressor I found that had a hole in the tank.The little red one became a muffler for they dump truck.The little chrome one was just too "cute"...and "Gee...I dunno..." about the cart thingie.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
They have bunches of them that already have fittings to make gas and hydraulic tanks out of.I also get failed welding gas tanks that can be made into heaver stuff...like wood burner parts and lawn aerorators.Even vandal resistant mailboxes..

valleydweller1 · Mar 17, 2006

Bobodu,

Those tanks failed their pressure test for a reason. Is it really wise to keep using them under pressure?

Greg

bobodu · Mar 17, 2006

( Bobodu,

Those tanks failed their pressure test for a reason. Is it really wise to keep using them under pressure?

Greg )

The test pressures started at 350lbs and went up according to size.The guys at the shop told me I'd be well within the safe zone at 125 lbs air pressure.

PineRidge · Mar 18, 2006

Bobudo a couple of years back I was at a gun show and there was a vendor there that also got tanks like these for free. He used some type of saw, maybe even a large lathe I dunno, but he would cut the tops off and leave the empty cylinders different lengths and diameters. Then he would invert them and weld a stout eye on the bottom of each cylinder. Then he would suspend them using a piece of aircraft cable. Anyway he sold each one with a small brass mallet, they made terrific yard bells. Use em' to call the family to dinner if you will.

They all had a neat tone...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bobodu · Mar 18, 2006

I don't have a picture anymore of the bell I made.But I used the top of the mailbox for it.Maybe 12 inches high and made a omega shaped carriage out of 4X4s and used a big cast iron pulley from a commercial washing machine on the crank so that looked like a schoolhouse bell.I found what's left of it this morning in the barn.The carriage had split up years ago,but I plan on mounting it by the door of the barn.Maybe up on the roof!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

EddieWalker · Mar 19, 2006

I just bought two sticks of half inch flat stock yesterday.

1/2 inch X 3 inch 20 feet long
1/2 inch X 4 inch 20 feet long

Both for $120 out the door.

Eddie

RobJ · Mar 22, 2006

I guess you have to watch what they mean when they say "scrap" yard. SSS Steel here calls it a surplus yard. Short pieces, some out of spec, some just rusty. But 99% is usable, the other 1% is bent, twisted, etc. But if they have a 6'9" piece on the rack, that's what you buy, not just 5' of it.

Let us know how you come out.

Pooh_Bear · Mar 22, 2006

I drove up to Athens today and got what I needed.
2 feet of 1/2 x 6 flat stock
11 feet of 2 x 2 square tube 1/4 wall (4ft, 4ft, 3ft)
2 feet of 3 x 3 square tube 1/4 wall
5 feet of 4 x 4 square tube 1/4 wall
10 feet of 1/2 x 3 flat stock (4ft, 4ft, 2ft)
24 x 24 plate 3/8 thick

All flat stock and tube was cut longer by a few inches.
But I didn't get charged extra for it.

The 24 x 24 x 3/8 plate I got was 23 x 30
but I'm only gonna cut a 20 inch circle out of it.
And I didn't get charged extra length.

I gave them my list of materials and they went and got what I
needed and cut it to length for me and loaded it for me.
Tax and all was $191+change.

Now if I only knew how to weld.........

Pooh Bear