Where to get Scrap metal

[Aquaticbob]

As I am picking up a MIG welder for Christmas, I was wondering where I can get scrap metal from to practice on. Do metal recyclers sell scrap metal? Just curious as to where I can get metal from other than online. I'm in the Seattle area, so if anyone locally knows a good place I'm open to suggestions. Otherwise let me know what to look for, and I'm sure I'll find something

 

[HMCFab9]

Any salvage yard will sell you all you want by the pound.
Most metal fab shops have a "drop" area (cutoffs) that they will sell by the pound also.
A heating / air conditioning business may have some you could get or buy. (from old furnaces)
You may be able to find some for free on Craigslist or on the curb during a city's large item pick up day (bed frames usually)
Anybody scrapping out a car may let you take some pieces off. (sheetmetal, etc)

 

[BFBOB]

Bed frames are the easiest. Cruise alleys in any big city and you'll find them, out by the trash. Scrap steel is only worth a dime a pound, so there aren't many scavengers going for it. Sources in the previous post are certainly available, but the prices will be waaaaay above the scrap price. Worth it if you need a particular size.

 

[Aquaticbob]

Never would have though about bed frames! I think I have an old bed frame just sitting in a room in my house actually. I'll have to grab the truck and cruise around to pick some stuff up. I appreciate the tips!

 

[dellwas]

Practice is fine, but don't try to make something that could jeopardize your safety. Bed frames are hardened and will crack easy. Also, have fun trying to drill them, luckily I have a plasma cutter and carbide and diamond bits, so not as bad.

Never would have though about bed frames! I think I have an old bed frame just sitting in a room in my house actually. I'll have to grab the truck and cruise around to pick some stuff up. I appreciate the tips!

 

[lilredex]

Bed frames are the easiest. Cruise alleys in any big city and you'll find them, out by the trash. Scrap steel is only worth a dime a pound, so there aren't many scavengers going for it. Sources in the previous post are certainly available, but the prices will be waaaaay above the scrap price. Worth it if you need a particular size.

Don't know where you are, but anything put out at the street, here, is gone within the hour. There are regulars in my area and they do OK just doing that.

To OP...go ahead and practice with bed frames. I have used many in my projects and they are not as troublesome as many say.

 

[Banjorear]

Never would have though about bed frames! I think I have an old bed frame just sitting in a room in my house actually. I'll have to grab the truck and cruise around to pick some stuff up. I appreciate the tips!

You can make a lot of neat stuff from old bed frames.

 

[kbs2244]

Anybody with experience will tell you that bed frames are impossible to work with.
They are the cheapest steel available and the composition changes along the length.

 

[Aquaticbob]

I figured I would use the bed frames to learn how to lay a decent bead. I'm going to be visiting a good friend who is an expert welder and pick his brain on the matter on where to get some local stuff.

 

[benjamintmiller]

One more for not using bed frames. They'll destroy your tooling, and welds will crack and break due to the high carbon content.

Around here, you can get 1x1x1/8" angle iron for less than a buck a foot. Why mess around with scrap steel when new steel is so cheap?

 

[PugetDude]

Around here, you can get 1x1x1/8" angle iron for less than a buck a foot. Why mess around with scrap steel when new steel is so cheap?

Availability? Not everyone lives in or near a major metropolitan area-I'm a 40mile drive (one way) from the closest steel yard; 100 from a full-line steel service center

 

[rustyjames]

Bed frame material may ok to run beads on for practice but not worth trying to make anything, unless you don't care if it comes apart.

 

[Garage Coffee Roaster]

Anybody with experience will tell you that bed frames are impossible to work with.
They are the cheapest steel available and the composition changes along the length.

I can do the impossible then... Call Me SUPER WELDER.. Able to turn **** into something useful. Able to make decent welds.


While it is not a perfect metal. Free makes things a lot better.

 

[Aquaticbob]

Luckily I leave near Seattle, so I should be able to find a place. I was looking online at prices and they seemed quite cheap (though I can't imagine the shipping costs cause I can imagine it gets heavy quickly)

 

[bran1har]

A good scrapper will not share the location of his honey hole

 

[readhead]

Most shops like mine will give small scrap for free just to get rid of it. We scrap around 10 thousand pounds a week so giving some away doesn't even make a dent.
Even smaller welding shops will usually give it away if you ask nicely.

 

[MScott]

Availability? Not everyone lives in or near a major metropolitan area-I'm a 40mile drive (one way) from the closest steel yard; 100 from a full-line steel service center

I'm about 45 min from the nearest steel yard and, what's more, they have a $50 minimum on any sale.

 

[Jeeper]

Near me there is a metal supply store that offers scrap metal (from their cuts) for a price by the pound. I think i just paid 40 cents a pound for steel when I was there the other day.

Have to feed my new welder...

 

[22george]

the scrap yards around here won't sell to the public. OSHA

 

[Aquaticbob]

the scrap yards around here won't sell to the public. OSHA

Good news is I own a business that will be able to buy it from scrap yards that don't sell to public.

 

[383 240z]

I'm on the go buy some drops team. Why waste time dealing with old rusty steel. Your still in the learning phase. Take a variable out of the equation. What your looking for is repeat-ability. Contaminates on the used (dirty) steel will vary your results. Like somebody else posted you can grab a bunch of steel for $20. Do you have a fab shop near you? Take a box of doughnuts and coffee over one morning and ask for some left overs. Keith

 

[Aquaticbob]

I'm on the go buy some drops team. Why waste time dealing with old rusty steel. Your still in the learning phase. Take a variable out of the equation. What your looking for is repeat-ability. Contaminates on the used (dirty) steel will vary your results. Like somebody else posted you can grab a bunch of steel for $20. Do you have a fab shop near you? Take a box of doughnuts and coffee over one morning and ask for some left overs. Keith

Sounds like this is what I will have to go and do. I'll keep the donuts and coffee idea in mind for sure. I might just have to go and buy some brand new stuff unless my friend has a couple pieces he can give me

 

[383 240z]

If your just going to butter the steel with weld, a brake rotor is great. They are heavy and usually high quality steel. You have a brake job coming up?? Keith

 

[Aquaticbob]

If your just going to butter the steel with weld, a brake rotor is great. They are heavy and usually high quality steel. You have a brake job coming up?? Keith

Funny enough I need to replace all 4 brakes! And I've got a mechanic friend who does brakes jobs all day so he will for sure pass some used brakes my way

 

[ZRX61]

Find a piece of 1/2in plate & run beads until it is a piece of 2in plate.

 

[Aquaticbob]

Find a piece of 1/2in plate & run beads until it is a piece of 2in plate.

That's the plan. In terms of a welding table, I've got a couple old filing cabinets that I was thinking I could use as the legs if I can find a nice metal top. Thinking that might be too weak?

 

[edb]

you should check out your local powersports dealer,many motorcycles ,atv's and watercraft come in metal crates.

 

[Aquaticbob]

you should check out your local powersports dealer,many motorcycles ,atv's and watercraft come in metal crates.

Now this I will have to investigate. I live maybe 5 minutes from a power sports dealership so that would be perfect for me. I had about 10 of them except they are currently in use

 

[wssix99]

Go down town and find one of the scrappers going through the garbage cans. They will have some good stuff. You can pay a premium over what the scrap yard will give them and still come out not paying very much for the metal.

Although... dealing with some of these individuals may not be pleasant or entirely safe...

 

[JoeFin]

Smaller infrastructure construction sites in your area are good for lots of pipe scrapes and heavy I beam cut offs. Try going by on a Saturday morning when the bulk of the construction crews are not there and only the Superintendent is there doing paperwork

Might be a bit thick for most home shop Mig welders but plenty good for a stout stick machine.

 

[NUTTSGT]

When you look for scrap, try to find something clean as MIG welders do care too much for rusty steel.