Newbee to metal fabrication with scrap Q's

[LotsofGreenGrass]

Hi Guys!
I can think of few better days than building something to play with. Anyway..
I have never bought scrap steel before. I have no clue what to look for as far as quality. For that matter, I could easily get ripped off by sounding like an idiot.

What do recommend I say to a scrap dealer? "I need some scrap?" Do they typically sort it by type, grade, etc?

I want to build and FEL for a 28 horse Mahindra.

Thank you in advance for your response!

 

[nike]

Good Question I would like to build a FEL for my 30 HP Belarus 250AS.

 

[wdchyd]

You need to become buddys with someone in the metal fabricating business....they chuck out stuff all the time but don't let anyone near their dumpsters (liability).......they don't get much money for it so anything they get is extra.....

I have a business next door to one and every few days my guys will peek in to see what's for leftovers.......new cut offs......

Many times with the right inquiry (and a little cash) they may just cut off something for you (if you are nice/lucky)

 

[GE222]

For what your trying to build, a few steel yards still have cutoff piles. These are remnant pieces cut off of a special order. Often times they can be cheaper that a typical $$ per stick or piece cost. On the other hand, stuff that has been laying around may be rusty enough that the $$ savings may not be worth the effort cleaning it up. As most people would say, it is simply being at the right place at the right time.

 

[LD1]

The first question you need to ask is if they even sell scrap to the public. As mentioned, a lot of salvage yards and fab shops DONT let anyone they dont know buy the scrap due to the liability of you kigging through a pile/dumpster of a bunch of sharp/rusty steel.

And sometimes, just buying new might be the way to go. If you carefully plan everything and know EXACTALLY what you need, a loader/frame should weigh more than ~700-800lbs for your tractor. And new steel is usually .50-.60 per lb. So you are only talking about roughly $400. To find what you need in scrap might cost you $100. So is saving $300 worth the fact that it may be rusted and not exactally what you want and you have to comprimise?

 

[Soundguy]

many scrap yards will sort useable metal. IE.. box tube, angle, rod.. square stock.. etc.

check around.. see what they got.

getting enough scrap to build a laoder may be hard. some pieces will be bigger than scrap that is normally discarded or sold.

soundguy

 

[StanR]

The steel place I buy from has a scrap yard... It is about .25 cents a lbs cheaper..

But I am in a major city.... buy from SSS steel..

 

[greasemonkeyok]

Note the difference between new scrap (leftovers from a new job that may be marked) and old scrap at a recycle yard. Especially with old scrap, you will have to take your chances on the make-up of the steel. Would hate to spend the time and energy building a loader just to have it crumple the first time you use it.

 

[Johnp33]

When I buy steel I usually just call around, and get the whole piece, If you need it cut they will do that for you. If you have a list they can give you an exact price, sometimes it is worth the trip to go to multiple yards and see what they have in there rack of short pieces, and modify you design to fit what is available cheap, then pay full price for what you need that is not available.
I also am always looking to see what people have and are willing to trade for.

 

[mjncad]

Most of the stuff you're going to buy from the scrap yards, etc is going to be A36 mild steel, which should be fine for your project. This stuff is common, and most of us use it or something similar for our projects.

Find yourself a good steel book from Ryerson or R & S to get shapes, dimensions, and weights. Ryerson and R & S are big outfits that sell large quantities and won't deal with us lowly little homeowners/hobbyists/etc.

Triple-S Steel

Ryerson - The Strength in Metal

 

[Ductape]

I have a business next door to one and every few days my guys will peek in to see what's for leftovers.......new cut offs......

Watch out ! That guy is mean'r than he looks !!

 

[jgrieve]

Go look a a loader to get an idea what they are made of. Rectangle tubing, pipe and shaft for pivot points flat plate for gussets a big plate to make a bucket. Some loader frames are made from pipe.

 

[Soundguy]

good old jungle gym loaders..


soundguy

 

[LD1]

good old jungle gym loaders..


soundguy

Ugly as heck but effective :thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

gives you a workout too.. protects from limbs..

 

[troutsqueezer]

I can't help but think that since you are a newbie to scrap metal, that you must also be somewhat new to welding itself. I've been welding for some time and wouldn't undertake building a loader with the experience I have. My hunch is you're biting off more than you can chew. Sorry.

 

[Baby Grand]

In my experience working as a welder (for about 2 years) if you do a decent job of it, most of your time is going to be spent laying out the steel, cutting, notching, beveling, in other words - prep work before you even strike an arc. With all that time invested - and building a FEL is going to mean a lot of time invested - saving a few dollars to get steel that is of questionable condition and quality may not be you best option. All depends on how you value your time and how much you can afford to fritter away cutting up and fixing things if it doesn't work right the first time. Think hard about how you approach it before you dive in. You could save yourself a lot of frustration and even money if you make sure any used steel you buy isn't compromised by being the wrong type, internal rust or strain/cracking from deformation.

 

[Johnp33]

Long before you go looking for steel you want to look around at dealer lots not the new stuff the junk in the back, at auctions, look what people have fabricated, what they used, what seems to have worked. I do that all the time even if I have no plans to build something. Seeing a good idea, and then when you see a part, that was used, you might want to keep it rather than throw it out. I wish I would have kept, a few truck tie rod ends for use as base pivots.
You will also see things that did not work, that is the information that can save you a lot of time and money. Better to learn from others mistakes.
The Quality of everything you do depends on the amount of time you are going to use it. Spending thousands on something you use once is a loosing proposition, but scabbing something that will do the job from a junk pile that takes vision.
Just a thought!

 

[pat32rf]

I consider myself a DIY type and anytime I can cut the price by 75% just by investing my time I'll probably go for it, then use the leftover money(?) to build something else.

 

[Johnp33]

OK I will bite what is BYI?