Materials for welding

[Ed_EOD]

Where do you guys get your steel? I would like to get some different sizes of angle iron and square tube for practice and projects. I have been to the scrap yard a few times and have only come away with random beat up lengths of angle.

 

[caper150]

I'm lucky enough to have a couple of steel suppliers within 10 min of me, look and see who you have close to you. A quick google search had this come up close to you, maybe a call to them can help you out.
http://www.steelcityinc.net/

 

[austin308]

Well the magic box that you are using. Look up a supplier online send him an email. open an account online. give them a credit card #. WOW like magic steel can appear right at your door step. There you have it.

 

[StumpXJ]

Ditto what they said. I have several steel suppliers around me. Typically, the bigger the place, the cheaper the steal.

A little creative searching on the interweb will net you results.

 

[Ign]

Yeah, I can't believe you don't have a few steel yards near you. I generally just buy 20' sticks. I know I'll always use it sooner or later and some places will do a cheaper price per foot by the stick. OR ask about buying drops at a discount as some places are left with partial sticks they can't move.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Yeah, I can't believe you don't have a few steel yards near you. I generally just buy 20' sticks. I know I'll always use it sooner or later and some places will do a cheaper price per foot by the stick. OR ask about buying drops at a discount as some places are left with partial sticks they can't move.

How do you get the 20' sticks to your house?

 

[bimmer1980]

sometimes they can cut it in half for a small fee or even for free if you are buying enough. 10' is a little easier to handle. Keep in mind that some steel shapes come in 24' and others in 20's.

Or you need to have a trailer that can accomodate that length. I've hauled 20's or 24's on a 12' trailer. usually overhang some towards the front and the remainder out the back. A red flag on the end and away you go....

the random drop lengths are good, but you have to be able to be flexible with your project. Most of them are 1 to 2' long. a few 3' and very few much longer than that....

 

[uhcrandy]

For odds and ends, I love to use steel bed frames. Most time I can get them for free and its good steel. I made my welding cart from angle iron from bed frames.

 

[rickairmedic]

How do you get the 20' sticks to your house?

I take my chop saw with me and cut them down right there . They never have a problem with me doing it and have an outlett right next to the door I usually pick up at . I can fit 12' lengths in my van corner to corner behind the cage.


Rick

 

[metal1313]

i have a nice place literally 5 mins from me, they arent the cheapest but are local and now that they know me as the kid with the right toys, they will cut deals and wont charge for minor cuts and such. i also went in when i first got a welder and told them i just bought a welder, and asked if there were any scraps i could have for very cheap or free. they said take what you want, and come back for more. i literally can now walk in and hit the drop shelf like i work there.

as for transporting 20ft sticks, if its only one or two smaller sized things i just throw them on my roof rack, or if im in my beater/landscaping truck it has a ladder rack

 

[StumpXJ]

I carry 20 foot sticks all the time. I just have a Jeep Cherokee. I made a couple L-shaped brackets that bolt to my rook rack. Strap everything down, throw a flag on the back and let it ride.

The problem with cutting it in half is it can mess up the planning of a project in a hurry if youre not careful.

~James

 

[Ign]

The problem with cutting it in half is it can mess up the planning of a project in a hurry if youre not careful.

~James

EXACTLY

I usually take my 18' car hauler, but I just built a "lumber" rack for my truck because I'm tired of hooking up the trailer, esp in the snow.

If your steel yard charges for cuts then it's just an excuse to buy a cordless portaband LOL. The yards here cut in half for free but I never get a piece that's even 10', usually ends up like 3/8" under 10' plus drop (sticks are rarely exactly 20'), so if I'm building panels that are 10' long (common job for me) I still have to buy a full stick so I can be sure to cut at 10'.

EDIT: metal1313's reply reminded me that there's several scrap bins I can pillage around here. Just go to an industrial area, find a couple places that work w metal and ask if you can rummage thru their scrap bin. In many cases they simply don't care, it's all essentially trash to them and sometimes they only get as low as .02/lb, so they're not losing much money. Find a place that's big enough to generate a lot of scrap, but not huge corporate that will freak out about you being on the grounds w/out proper clearance and PPE, etc

 

[ZRX61]

For odds and ends, I love to use steel bed frames. Most time I can get them for free and its good steel.

Until you drill through a Chinese example & hit a piece of unexpected Carbide...

 

[Ed_EOD]

Picked up some plate and some square and round tube from Steel City today. I knew of that place but always figured that you had to buy a truckload for them to talk to you. I got lucky today and one of the guys that runs the warehouse was out front and hooked me up with a bunch of leftovers.

 

[crewchief888]

Where do you guys get your steel? I would like to get some different sizes of angle iron and square tube for practice and projects. I have been to the scrap yard a few times and have only come away with random beat up lengths of angle.

if you are loking for small stuff, tractor supply, lowes, & home depot have a small selection. to me, the price is a little high altho.
i scrounge around dumpster diving, and pick up small scraps for braces, brackets and mounts. check around industrial parks, just keep an eye out for No Tresspassing and Scrapping is Theft signs. a while back when scrap prices went up, anything that wasnt welded or bolted was being stolen. shop next door to mine had a large commercial AC unit ( size of PU truck bed) stolen from outside their shop. an appliance dealer behind me came in on monday AM, and found the cat converters missing from all his service vans.