Author Topic: Metal supplies (Read 10579 times)

Bigbadbugga · « **on:** June 03, 2014, 06:29:27 AM »

Right, I'm back looking at milling machines and researching some projects.

I was just thinking though, where do you guys get your blocks of metal?

I don't mean hollow sections and plate, I'm talking about those big chunks of steel and aluminium you see people milling and turning on YouTube. For instance, if I wanted to make a quick change tool post and holders on my new mill, where would I go to buy a 4 or 5 inch cube of suitable steel? Or if I wanted a similar piece of aluminium, where would i go?

lordedmond · « **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2014, 07:41:47 AM »

Many places

These are pretty good at least you get what you ask for eg. En1a not umachineium

http://www.m-machine-metals.co.uk/index.html

Note you have to ring them up to place a order ,just look up in the metals bd

Stuart

vtsteam · « **Reply #2 on:** June 03, 2014, 07:43:54 AM »

Rob once gave me a tip to look out for broken fork lift arms as a good source of heat treatable steel.

For aluminum in chunks I generally revert to casting, unless someone gives me some scrap. That can sometimes be had if you have friends in a machine shop or operation attached to another business. They usually have a scrap bin for mistakes, or beaat up stock, etc.

For casting aluminum--ium--whatever scrap, cruise around town on trash pickup day -- aluminum--ium-whatever can be found in various car parts, like some bell housings, even some blocks, lawn mowers, lawn chairs, discarded window frames, etc.

John Rudd · « **Reply #3 on:** June 03, 2014, 07:44:19 AM »

Yup, a second vote for M-Machine.......

I also use Macc Models but they dont stock metal of those proportions....

Stilldrillin · « **Reply #4 on:** June 03, 2014, 07:44:40 AM »

Never needed to buy big lumps........

What I do need to pay for, I start with Noggin End Metals..... http://www.nogginend.com/

David D

Arbalist · « **Reply #5 on:** June 03, 2014, 08:46:03 AM »

Hard to beat a local supplier if you can find one as posting large lumps of steel can work out expensive. Other options are buying at model engineering shows and checking out local scrap yards. Where in the country are you?

garym · « **Reply #6 on:** June 03, 2014, 08:56:13 AM »

He's in Liverpool according to his profile.

I've used Noggin End but as stated above if you only want one piece or a small quantity then the carriage charges are a large percentage of the cost, in which case Chronos include postage in their prices which is useful if you want say a piece of 1" MS bar. Only a limited range though.

Gary

Bigbadbugga · « **Reply #7 on:** June 03, 2014, 09:14:57 AM »

Yes, just outside Liverpool (closer to StHelens really, edited profile to show)

Postage cost is something I'm aware of that's going to be a limiting factor. I've been aware of noggin end for a while, I got a few bundles from them when I first got the boxford.

I'll take a look at M-Machine metals, their catalogue looks to have a decent selection.

tom osselton · « **Reply #8 on:** June 03, 2014, 03:57:20 PM »

I usually go to the metal supermarket.
http://metalsupermarkets.com/

Bigbadbugga · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2014, 08:52:38 AM »

Ok, my local steel supplier just quoted me £80 +vat for a 300mm length of 100mm square mild steel.

Is this expensive? Seems like it to me

Bluechip · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2014, 09:46:17 AM »

Quote from: Bigbadbugga on June 10, 2014, 08:52:38 AM

Ok, my local steel supplier just quoted me £80 +vat for a 300mm length of 100mm square mild steel.

Is this expensive? Seems like it to me

As steel is more or less priced by weight .... ?

100mm Sq. will be about 4x the 2" Sq. price.

http://www.livesteammodels.co.uk/suppliescat.html

Live Steam price 2" Sq. at £44.50 / metre. which gives an equivalent of £178 / metre for 4" Sq.

or about £60 for 333mm

Ex VAT prices ..

So, on that basis, as LSM are to all intents and purposes a retailer rather than a stockholder, your supplier seems a bit on the heavy side ...

Dave

.

AdeV · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2014, 09:49:43 AM »

I usually get my stuff from either Mersey Metals (who are now on my side of the river instead of yours...), or a local scrappy. McCoys in New Ferry is often good for big chunks of steel, I think they get a lot in from Cammell Laird given their proximity to the latter.

Try Mersey Metals - they should deliver out to St Helens, I know they deliver to South Warrington - 0151 650 1600

The other place to look is eBay, look specifically for offcuts. I got a huge disc of aluminium (900mm diameter, 3 inch thick) for around £200 delivered, that was well under half the price for new metal.

Bigbadbugga · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2014, 09:57:00 AM »

Thanks guys, just found a place in bootle who quoted me £40 all in for the same piece (cash sale). looks like a good place too so I'll take a trip down in the morning and see how 'amateur friendly' they are.

http://www.scimitarsteels.co.uk/index.html

BaronJ · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2014, 10:02:49 AM »

Quote from: Bigbadbugga on June 10, 2014, 08:52:38 AM

Ok, my local steel supplier just quoted me £80 +vat for a 300mm length of 100mm square mild steel.

Is this expensive? Seems like it to me

Sounds expensive to me as well ! I get most of my materials from the local scrapyard. I find that the bloke at the scrapyard will put stuff on one side if you let him know what it is you want. In any case he will make more money out of you than he would get from the people he sells to. The big chunk of steel that I got for my QCTP, approx 4" cube cost me the princely sum of £4 and the 6" length of 30 mm hex brass bar £10. There are a couple of engineering works that I visit now and again. Sometimes depending upon what I am looking for, particularly if it comes out of the scrap pile, its a case of "put a quid in the tea box". I've even been loaned tools when I've got stuck. Mind you a bit of back scratching helps.

AdeV · « **Reply #14 on:** June 10, 2014, 10:53:22 AM »

Quote from: Bigbadbugga on June 10, 2014, 09:57:00 AM

Thanks guys, just found a place in bootle who quoted me £40 all in for the same piece (cash sale). looks like a good place too so I'll take a trip down in the morning and see how 'amateur friendly' they are.

http://www.scimitarsteels.co.uk/index.html

If you want tube, there's a place on Brasenose street (just around the corner from Scimitar) called Majestic Engineering, they have steel tube of all types/sizes in stock. Can't remember their number, the entrance is on St John's Road off Brasenose St, IIRC.

Deko · « **Reply #15 on:** June 10, 2014, 04:36:24 PM »

Take a look at my "fibre optic clock" thread somewhere on here. Every bit of brass, and all the "Perspex" came from the scrapyard and cost me 7/8ths of sod all.

Cheers Dek.

P.S. Having known the bloke who owns the scrapyard for about 40 years may be helping !!!!

Bigbadbugga · « **Reply #16 on:** June 11, 2014, 11:48:32 AM »

Well, I just got an 18" length of 3" square M/S for £30 from scimitar steels, they seemed friendly enough and willing to sell their offcuts.

No scrap bin though, the guy said his boss is a "sell by the inch' sort of guy and refuses to allow anything to be classed as scrap.

vtsteam · « **Reply #17 on:** June 11, 2014, 06:53:33 PM »

Metal working shops rather than metal suppliers for scrap bins.

BaronJ · « **Reply #18 on:** June 12, 2014, 11:45:04 AM »

I got this from my favourite scrap yard this morning...

Here comes mill table drive MK2.

Arbalist · « **Reply #19 on:** June 12, 2014, 12:05:56 PM »

Looks to be in very good nick! How much did you pay for it?

raynerd · « **Reply #20 on:** June 12, 2014, 03:14:49 PM »

eBay and scrap yard.

BaronJ · « **Reply #21 on:** June 12, 2014, 04:36:31 PM »

Quote from: Arbalist on June 12, 2014, 12:05:56 PM

Looks to be in very good nick! How much did you pay for it?

Hi,

The princely sum of £3.00p.

Actually I know another scrap yard not too far away that tends to strip parts from the cars before they crush them. This same wiper motor from them would cost me five times as much and there would be no guarantee that it even works. Having said that if you are stuck for an exchange part it can work out a lot cheaper.

Arbalist · « **Reply #22 on:** June 13, 2014, 04:38:34 AM »

In the nicest possible way I have to say "Jammy git"!

RodW · « **Reply #23 on:** June 13, 2014, 06:58:12 AM »

Down under here, I buy engineering steels from Bohler Udderholm who are a global brand (German based I think). UK web site is here
http://www.bohler-uddeholm.co.uk/

I bought 1 metre of 75x50mm steel for tool holders the other day and used the first 30mm of it ... so I will be right for a while.... The small stuff, they want you to take a full length but they cut the larger sizes to length. I also bought 150mm of 63mm stainless round bar.

In my experience, if you can get to the right source, you will buy a full length for what you can buy a short piece off ebay or hobby suppliers, not sure how it is on your side of the world though!

BaronJ · « **Reply #24 on:** June 13, 2014, 12:19:27 PM »

Quote from: Arbalist on June 13, 2014, 04:38:34 AM

In the nicest possible way I have to say "Jammy git"!

I shall take that compliment with pride

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Author Topic: Metal supplies (Read 10579 times)

lordedmond