Where do you get scrap metal for practice weld

[m.breen]

Really...this stuff is hard to come by. And what to do with the stuff when you are done with it? I may need a crapload of it to become a half decent welder.

 

[neonnblack]

Post a location and i can promise someone will tell you where. Re scrap it when youre done, you'll learn to weld then maybe get a few dollars for the scrap.

 

[1969]

Chevy dealer..........

 

[Zeke]

I can't imagine where steel would be difficult to source. You out on the Alaska tundra or something? Put up a sign saying free welding and you'll get your steel.

 

[velocipede]

I look on freecycle and pick up old bed frames to practice on.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

Go to a scrap metal yard ask to biy some when done sell it back

 

[Ft.ValloniaStreaker]

Things like this are just hard for me to believe, I'm just spoiled I guess. I'd be lost without a big scrap pile out back and a weekly trip to the junk yard to nose around. If all else fails go to a pawn shop and buy nasty old tools and weld them together, and if your stick welding crank it up and cut them back apart...start over again. Nobody cares what it looks like, just figure out what your doing, and if you enjoy it.

 

[McFarmer]

When I taught school a few local manufacturers would over load my old Dodge truck, we would cut and weld on it, bring it back for new. It came from their scrap bins.

Win-win for us both.

 

[trackwelder]

Look up steel suppliers in the phone book. Go to suppliers location and buy some drops "small scraps".

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

I want to practice my welding skills on automotive sheet metal, and thought it would be cool to pick up some doors and a hood or two to work on.

Mistake.

While you can easily pick them up, no scrap yard in my area will take them later since they have rules against automotive scrap that could be potentially stolen. Even the wrecking yard you pull them from may not want them back.

You have to chop them up into small pieces before any scrapper will take them.

 

[Kevin54]

m.breen....if you would put your location in your profile (State only, helps) it would be easier to answer your question. There are businesses that have barrels of scrap metal, there are online metal places to order metal to the thickness you need, there are scrapyard/junkyards around to purchase metal from, and there are heating/air conditioning places that have racks of different types of sheet-metal.

 

[dogdog]

I find mine from Ebay just search for welding cupons / welding scraps, but they are not cheap most of the times.... or just think of a project to do and weld get the material to weld them best way I find so far.

Kevin, I still haven't been able to find a place willing to sell me their scraps, maybe if there are some hand signs I needed to learn and made to convince them better?.....the steel yard I went to for my 2x2x25 3/16 wall squares don't even want to bother when I asked.

 

[readhead]

We give away scrap for projects all the time. The free stuff we give away turns into profit when they want to buy new material for projects.
Check welding shops in your area and see if you can score some scrap.

 

[zkling]

Empty aluminum cans are pretty easy to come by

What type of scrap are you looking for? Steel, aluminum, cast iron, titanium, waspaloy, gold? Thickness, rusty, clean?

One thing to watch out for if you are just picking anything up is a galvanized coating. Many pieces on appliances and the like are galvanized and it is not good for you to breathe the fumes when welding. Same for most painted coatings, although usually not to the same degree.

 

[Professur]

Most towns have a city dump. Head over there and go shopping. Be prepared to fight off the other guys there to grab the metal. Alternately ... just stand by the curb on garbage night ... the scrappers are easy to spot. Flag one down and tell him what you want .. he'll be back with it shortly.

 

[m.breen]

I look on freecycle and pick up old bed frames to practice on.

Thanks for all the ideas...I am in the GTA Greater Toronto Area, near Yonge and Steeles. I think finding bed frames will be the easiest route...Thanks again.

 

[lilredex]

Look around on garbage days, there is always lots of stuff out there. While not exactly ideal welding practice material, these are examples of what is out there.








There are always BBQ's (Stands), hockey nets, exercise equipment, gazebos, patio furniture, office dividers (square tubing).......the list goes on and on.



Bed rails can be used, but I find some weld "funny" so they may not be ideal to learn on. Right now, I have some "T" posts (snow fence) that seem impossible to weld. They appear to have a coating (Cad. or galvanized) and after being ground clean they will not weld. So be aware......

If you can find a friendly scrap yard, get some mild steel barstock to practice on.

This is some of the junk I threw out last summer...I needed the space in my shed to store other stuff. Some of those pieces would have been useful to you.




EDIT:

Check out these guys...they are close by and probably have a junk box to look through. (saw them on KIJIJI)

http://www.bossteel.com/

 

[motobilt]

buy a 20' section of 1-1/2" x 3/16" flat bar. Cut it into 6 inch sections. you can practice inside, outside, and so on. flat bar like that is cheap. When I am teaching people to weld this is what I do. basically make WWWWWW pieces with it.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Wow, Boss steel is still around! They were a cool bunch of guys back then. Metal Super market used to have outlets all over T. O. Maybe look them up. They specialize in small quantities.

 

[cooljoe57]

In my area there is about 5 scrap yards and 4 of them will sell scrap to the public. I usually go here when i'm looking for odd sizes in short lengths, or when looking to make some yard art.

 

[er3456df]

I find that bed rails work great for TIG, and are kinda bitchy when it comes to MIG.

Never tried to stick weld em.

My guess is the slower travel makes for an "on the fly" heat treating that softens them up some. Just a guess.

Good luck drilling holes, though.... try to grind off the rivets and reuse the existing holes if you can. Drilling new holes will waste a lot of time and drill bits.

 

[shane71]

Most scrap yards usually sell scrap metal at low prices. I take my scrap to Sims Metal in Redwood City and I know that they sell scrap to people as well. What's more, you can sell it back to them once you are done practicing! (As long as you don't weld two different types of metals together).

 

[sxk122]

Any suggestions for scrap in Dallas?

Or better yet, a good place for square tube? I have exhausted the 'scrap' that was gifted to me by a friend, and need a few more 3' lengths of 1" 1/16 square tube. Only place I've looked so far was home depot where it runs $11 for a 3' length, which seems a bit high to me, but I don't know.

I'm located in North Dallas near the intersections of US 75 and 635 if that helps narrow the area......

 

[dogdog]

If you needed it that specific just go to a metal yard, I looked mine up in the yellow page, called them up if they sell to individuals. got 2x of 24' 2x2x24 with 3/16 wall for $160ish including tax. so if you are going for that 1 1/16 should be lot less.

 

[Playwme]

I just go raid the scrap bin at my friendly metal fabrication shop. All sizes and shapes, some decent lengths. If I need a good proper length of steel and they have it in their stockpile then I give them beer. Scrap bin is free to peruse though.

 

[alvey8]

There are quite a few scrap yards (almost all of them actually) that will sell you scrap metal for welding. The best part is that once you are done with it you can sell it right back to them! My brother did this last year. He got his scrap from Sims Metal Management in Redwood City and they were more than happy to buy it back from him when he was done with it.

 

[Jek11688]

When I was learning to weld I had a few things done at a small fab shop and got to know them. I went back and asked if I could rummage through there scrap bins for practice metal and then bring it back and throw it in the bin when done. They said sure no problem.

 

[kazlx]

New steel is really not that expensive to practice welding on. Go with Motobilt's suggestion. Some of the scrap stuff is just wasting your time, because you have no idea what you actually trying to weld on. Buy some known material and actually work on technique rather than getting frustrated because you have some **** xyz metal. A 20ft stick of flat 1/8" or 3/16" isn't that much and you can get a lot of joints and stacks out of it.

This is the best option if you can't find a yard or something else to get stuff from, but like already stated, most fab shops would sell/give you scrap, along with buying scrap at scrap places.