MadModder
Gallery, Projects and General => How do I?? => Topic started by: fatoftheland on February 28, 2015, 07:29:53 AM
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Sorry if this has been asked before but I am looking for a decent source of metal for my lathe. (for decent read cheap). So where do you get yours? So far I have discovered aluminium warehouse .co.uk (no connection) the prices look reasonable.
Jon
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Jon
I use AW, prices very reasonable but largeish stock sizes and shipping is not free. Good source though for ally. especially pre-cut plate and some bar.
What other metals?
M-Machine I use.
Noggin End I use.
Livesteammodels I use [ 'cos I live 3 miles away ]
College Supplies I use.
Dunno where you are for local stuff do we ??
Dave
EDIT Oh! Camberley sorry ... :palm:
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Thanks Dave
I am looking for bright steel plate 120mm by 120mm square approx 15mm thick for a lathe mod. I have no idea what steel costs.
Jon
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I am looking for bright steel plate 120mm by 120mm square approx 15mm thick for a lathe mod. I have no idea what steel costs.
Jon
Well you look on the internet http://www.m-machine-metals.co.uk/metals_database.html :palm:
Rob
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Buy local if you can, saves a lot of dosh on postage.
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Buy local if you can, saves a lot of dosh on postage.
Too true .... :bang:
M-Machine have 5" x 5/8" @ £22.90 per foot ...( + P&P + VAT I think ) ....
Find your local stockholder and manifest yourself at their premises with your best ' Deserving Pauper' look and see if they have an ' offcut box' or similar ...
If you really want cheap metal I suggest you try some other planet unless you have a, how can I put it, ...... 'Trade Source' .......... sayin' nowt :coffee:
Dave
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Thanks all :beer:
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Cruise your local industrial estates for small engineering firms, look in loading bays for someone having a crafty fag and chat them up !
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Unfortunately Macc models don't stock the size you want, but I use them for the majority of other materials.....they have a flat rate charge for carriage to a max of £9 so it makes sense to buy lots....
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google "steel stockholders" and see if you have a local one. Local metal recyclers/scrapyards will often have flat plate steel, but you may have to take A bigger bit and cut it yourself. Also google "steel fabricators", and "engineers", and see if you can get some scrap, they will often sell for cash! it is literally "the fat of the land"
Phil
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Also google "steel fabricators", and "engineers", and see if you can get some scrap, they will often sell for cash! it is literally "the fat of the land"
I visited a local fabricator who said I could take away as many steel sheet offcuts as I wanted for free. It wasn't worthwhile him weighing it in. It was all hot rolled but beggars can' t be choosers. I got a range of thicknesses from 1 to 3.2mm and up to 200 x 1200 mm.
Phil.
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I went to a local engineering and fabricating shop and asked how much to rummage among the offcuts by their band saw, he said "$5 for all you can carry." So I had a good sort through and picked up a load. Then he said "You are a lot stronger than you look!"
:lol:
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If you want off-cuts (<6" long) you might try making friends with the guys at your local machine shops .
Be polite, offer to pay for any scrap bits; many places will give you a few bits for free - if they do: go overboard with the praise - buy biscuits, coffee, tea and sugar (far more valuable than coin-of-the-realm at lunchtime) - you'll have a source for life :-)
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Get mine local from a scrap yard. Brass is always good but steel is hit and miss. Probably just my machining skills but some steel I`ve picked up as been tough as hell! I pay sod all for steel (can`t say the same for brass) so beggers can`t be choosers and I pick up way more good stuff than bad.
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As a home brewer I am often asked what do you want stainless steel scrap bits for?
Answer: Its for my home brewey!
Them: My brother/b-in-law/uncle/whoever is a brewer!
Me: Ah so - here's our web-site. See you next week!
Next Week: Arrive with half a dozen of home brews - works wonders - not just in yards but also for SS cap head scrws!
Am just waiting for the weather to dry up a bit and its off to my fav. yard !
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Thanks, I have quite a few steel yards around Camberley and Farnborough so I will go cap in hand. And thanks to you Phil I will try to live off the fat of the land :clap:
Cheers Jon
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Seriously Off-Topic: Back when I was in college, I used to get information from major corporations that would normally require a warrant and a squad of federal officers merely by telling them I was writing a research paper on the subject. In response to a question posed to Republic Steel (legitimately) for a metallurgy class, they sent me (free of all charges) a rather nice supply of alloying materials that I later found were extremely pricey.
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Nice tool shop in Camberley, I used to buy a few bits in there before I moved to Dorset.
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Aluminium 6082 and Stainless from ASC, 1/4 price of alum warehouse but need quantity. Also rummage for weird or off cuts.
Aluminium from Alum Droitwich half price of alum warehouse, so are most others even after ebay fees.
Several others inc ebay seller down Dorset and Reditch, small one offs Deburr.
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I have a fantastic source local engineering firm asked the boss if l could take a few bits of scrap bar out of his skip for use on my hobby lathe, he said take what you want,as long as its in the skip.Iv had some fantastic steel a lot of scrap jobs go in some maybe 10ft long,rarely need to buy anything can normally adapt, And my friend swears by his scrap yard,as local engineering stuff ends up there