Scrapyard Score!!

HawkinsHollow · Mar 12, 2019

I have been wanting tooth bar and think the Piranha tooth bars look like exactly what I need. I have a plasma cutter and and a 220 MIG welder so I have decided to try to make one myself. I went to the steel supply store the other day and they wanted $80 for a 60" piece of 3/8" bar stock 6 inches wide. Not awful, but not cheap. I decided I would go to the scrap yard to see if I could find something cheaper. BAM!! I found a 9" wide by 7/16 or 1/2" piece of bar stock that is 66" long. PERFECT!

:cool2::dance1::drink:

Also got a HUGE (like 1.5") piece of all thread with all the hardware. 3 nuts a couple of washers. Anyone have an idea what I can make out of that?

Got a bunch of other random stuff 2x2 square stock, 2x4 square stock, etc and only paid $44.

Anyway, stay tuned for the tooth bar build!

metalbender · Mar 12, 2019

You one lucky duck. Our scrap yards browsing days are over. Occupational health and safety regs prohibit the activity. Used to get lots of raw material for projects. Hate going to the supplier for loyyle bits of gold. Couple of manufacturing places let me do a little dumpster diving, I try ro limit my visits so as not to be a pia for them. A box of donuts does help though.

HawkinsHollow · Mar 12, 2019

I hear ya! I think our days are numbered here as well. There are only 2 or 3 scrap yards that still allow it. The place I got this stuff is right next to a multi million dollar condo complex that is going up. The city will be squeezing them out soon I'm sure! This is my first time doing this, and I rather enjoyed it. I think I will be making regular stops there so stock up on material before it is a thing of the past here as well. $.20/pound can't beat that!

radios1 · Mar 12, 2019

be aware, you don't know what kind of steel that is. a tooth bar should have hardened teeth to reduce wear, you could use a hardface rod if the steel won't curl on you. also, some cheap steel will curl up when heated!..

HawkinsHollow · Mar 12, 2019

radios1 said:
be aware, you don't know what kind of steel that is. a tooth bar should have hardened teeth to reduce wear, you could use a hardface rod if the steel won't curl on you. also, some cheap steel will curl up when heated!..

For $15 or $20 I will take a chance.

jaxs · Mar 12, 2019

HawkinsHollow said:
I hear ya! I think our days are numbered here as well. There are only 2 or 3 scrap yards that still allow it. The place I got this stuff is right next to a multi million dollar condo complex that is going up. The city will be squeezing them out soon I'm sure! This is my first time doing this, and I rather enjoyed it. I think I will be making regular stops there so stock up on material before it is a thing of the past here as well. $.20/pound can't beat that!

Yup, $.20 vs $.60 to $.75 at steel supply. The recycler currently get's $5 to $5.50 per hundred after delivering to exporter. I don't understand why they don't sort material and offer it outside yard where there's less liability for 30% of local new material. I take chips,candy and nuts during winter,pop and beer in styro cooler during summer. If a yard worker set's aside long straight angle and call's me,he get's a little cash.

Gofast · Mar 13, 2019

Nice find!
My surplus place is up to .45 a pound. A few months ago it was .31 a much better price. Still better deal than new.
I love to repurpose stuff/steel (and save money).

Deere Dude · Mar 13, 2019

Our recycle place gives a pittance for scrap steel but they do stick a lot of the somewhat usable stuff in front of the office for locals to buy. I think they buy for 3 cents a pound and sell it back for 10 cents. Not terrible.

TractorGuy · Mar 13, 2019

Neither of our yards sell to the public any more.

We do have a welding supply store that sells steel at a reasonable price but most is sold at a 10' minimum. I can often buy 10' for what I would pay for 5' at my second choice supplier so I end up with metal left over. About to use the leftover 5' of 4x4x1/4 angle I bought from them. Not all their employees know what they are doing. I had my SIL pick up what was supposed to be some 1" cold roll a while back and they sent hot roll. I ended up going to my other supplier and getting what I needed.