# Source of cheap turning stock?



## Dr_Romeo_Chaire

Hi, new to the forum here. I just got a real, live, metal lathe (South Bend 9" C model) after years without access to any metal shop equipment (wood turning only).

I'm all set to start doing some turning but I got a nasty shock when I visited my local Metal Supermarket. Round stock is really expensive!! For a piece of 3/4" brass round stock less than a foot long, I was told the price was well over $100 ($8-10/inch!!??!!). I guess I've never really bought stock since I was either doing machining at school or work (ages ago), but I never expected it to be so high.

Can anyone recommend a source of aluminum and brass stock that's not so pricey? Scrap metal dealers maybe?

Thanks!


----------



## Bill Gruby

First off, welcome.

Tell us what sizes you need. All of us have odds and ends to help you new guys out. Lengths would help also.

 "Billy G"


----------



## Al 1

Dr.     Try calling around to smaller mom and pop scrap yards.  Some will sell small amounts.  Al.


----------



## Bill Gruby

Check local machine shops, the usually give stuff away.

 "Billy G"


----------



## kvt

welcome to the HM.   I some time find a deal on ebay that beets local prices.


----------



## richl

Recycling centers can be a good source for random pieces of metal and plastic... but its no telling when or what you get.
Edit, I did purchase some aluminium a month back from eBay 5" diameter, by 10" thru ebay, i think they were in the 20-25 range. 
Rich


----------



## Ken from ontario

Dr_Romeo_Chaire said:


> For a piece of 3/4" brass round stock less than a foot long, I was told the price was well over $100 ($8-10/inch!!??!!)


That must have been some quality Brass or a complete rip off. I just bought 24" of 3/4" brass up in Canada where everything is relatively more expensive than the US,paid $46 and that's in Canadian dollar which is about $38 USD.
You also could try Amazon or ebay for brass rods:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000H9MZNE...olid=U1FASJ1VAXTT&coliid=I1SM9HGIZJ5KV5&psc=1


----------



## Groundhog

Bill Gruby said:


> Check local machine shops, the usually give stuff away.
> 
> "Billy G"


Not around here. Pretty much full retail for drop. Only good place around here is 90 miles in Wichita. Called "The Yard". They sell a lot of drop from the aircraft industry (I guess). http://www.theyardwichita.com/ follow links to the aluminum or steel sections. Pretty much just have to go there and wonder around. Lots and lots of smaller chunks.


----------



## kd4gij

Look for local boat yards that do inboard boats. Older boats had bronze propeller shafts 3/4"-1 1/4" and rudder shafts 1"-1 1/2" . they get replaced with SS and the bronze is sold for scrap. It will me corroded. so look for over size by 1/4"


----------



## BFHammer

I just priced some brass at onlinemetals today - reasonable compared to prices around here.  Of course you have shipping cost but a 3/4" brass round 1ft long is $18. 

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=1266&step=4&showunits=inches&id=1117&top_cat=79

Plus if you purchase from them they will regular send you email coupons for 10% or more off.


----------



## Robert LaLonde

Local recycler.  No kidding.  Probably no brass though.


----------



## Robert LaLonde

You price sounded high for brass (probably not at the recycler) so I looked it up at McMaster-Carr.  A piece of 360 round 3/4 x 72" is only $78.  Something doesn't sound right with the price you said at the beginning, and McMaster has a reputation for being a little more expensive on most things.


----------



## chips&more

Check around the internet metal suppliers. When I did, I noticed under 20 bucks + shipping.


----------



## CluelessNewB

That's a crazy price.  As others have said look online if you have no luck locally.  

http://www.speedymetals.com
http://www.onlinemetals.com
https://www.mcmaster.com/

Also check eBay you can sometimes find bargains:
https://www.ebay.com/


----------



## kd4gij

I just checked Metal Supermarket's Web site and it quoted $35.00 for 1' x3/4" of 360. Crazy.


----------



## Dave Paine

I have a "local" metal recycler, about 40 miles drive.  Steel is about $0.25/lb, aluminium is about $1.5/lb.  Brass is a LOT more, perhaps $4-5/lb.  I purchased a 1 ft piece over a year ago.  I do not recall what I paid.

As Bill Gruby mentioned, what dimensions do you need.   My "local" recycler has lots of short offcuts of aluminium.  I have picked up many such pieces.  Most round stock, but the last trip I picked up some plate and some pieces of block.  The selections wary each time I visit, but the price is good for the items I take home.


----------



## chip_slinger

Brass can be expensive nowadays. I would suggest starting with aluminum or 12L14 steel. They will be cheaper than brass.

Also, this company caters to hobbyists with small quantities: https://hobbymetalkits.com/


----------



## RJSakowski

Online Metals 360 brass - $18.54 for 3/4 dia. x 1 ft.
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=1266&step=4&showunits=inches&id=1117&top_cat=79


----------



## Bill Gruby

Groundhog said:


> Not around here. Pretty much full retail for drop. Only good place around here is 90 miles in Wichita. Called "The Yard". They sell a lot of drop from the aircraft industry (I guess). http://www.theyardwichita.com/ follow links to the aluminum or steel sections. Pretty much just have to go there and wonder around. Lots and lots of smaller chunks.





 You'd be surprised what happens when you get to know the owners. Introduce yourself and let them know why you want the drops. The price will go down.

 "Billy G"


----------



## Groundhog

I went to school and hung around with the owner of the largest machine shop in the area. On occasion he will slip me something for beer money. Most often I expected to go to the office where the help could give a sh*t who I am or what I am using the metal for. The other shops I've been to (I haven't lived here for 30 years) don't seem to have owners that are accessible. Where I lived before (Idaho) I was able to get good, clean drop at a number of places. Believe me, I've tried here for 3 years and visited every shop in the area but no luck.


----------



## Silverbullet

Brass is almost a high cost commodity . A few years back I wanted to build up a stock supply I put a request to a local metal supply. When I got the copy to verify the three ft bar of 2" 360 it was almost $400.00 . No I didn't buy any of course but the price has dropped dramatically. When I was buying 3/8" x20'  Brass twenty years ago it was about $20. So $1,00 a foot I have a few lengths left but no big dia. Brass. Ck some of the eBay dealers .


----------



## brino

Not brass or aluminum, but the shafts used in basic desktop printers and scanners are machinable steel.
Plus the way they are built they get replaced often...the metal is "free" for the cost of removing it from the land-fill bound devices.

-brino


----------



## royesses

Welcome to the best forum on the internet.
Sign up for online metals emails and you'll get 10% off codes every month. Then when you buy from them you get 15% off every month after you purchase. They also have sales for 20% off pretty often.
http://onlinemetals.com/
Roy


----------



## Ken from ontario

brino said:


> the shafts used in basic desktop printers and scanners are machinable steel.
> -brino


THanks for reminding me, I was just about to start a thread with this title: "what can be used as a test bar?".
I'm planing on  testing the run out in my new R32 chuck, couldn't find a suitable test bar, I've heard that printer shaft is sometimes used for this purpose, I guess it is better than using a drill bit shank.I'll soon find out


----------



## Dave Paine

Ken from ontario said:


> THanks for reminding me, I was just about to start a thread with this title: "what can be used as a test bar?".
> I'm planing on  testing the run out in my new R32 chuck, couldn't find a suitable test bar, I've heard that printer shaft is sometimes used for this purpose, I guess it is better than using a drill bit shank.I'll soon find out



I have seen videos of people using the shafts from printers / scanners and also the rods from shock absorbers as test bars.  All have good finish and tight dimensional tolerances.


----------



## RJSakowski

Ken from ontario said:


> THanks for reminding me, I was just about to start a thread with this title: "what can be used as a test bar?".
> I'm planing on  testing the run out in my new R32 chuck, couldn't find a suitable test bar, I've heard that printer shaft is sometimes used for this purpose, I guess it is better than using a drill bit shank.I'll soon find out


I have salvaged bars from old photocopiers and printers.  I have a 1" diameter and several 3/4" diameter bars.  While I can't vouch for straightness, they are otherwise dimensionally accurate.  I have found outboard motor driveshafts to be quite good as well.  They are usually stainless steel.  The larger motors have shafts 3/4" and up.  Another source is hydraulic cylinders.


----------



## RJSakowski

brino said:


> Not brass or aluminum, but the shafts used in basic desktop printers and scanners are machinable steel.
> Plus the way they are built they get replaced often...the metal is "free" for the cost of removing it from the land-fill bound devices.
> 
> -brino


  I have found that some of the printer/copier shafts are hardened.  However, some machine something like 12L14.  Also, under the rubber on the rollers on the larger office machines often lies a nice chunk of aluminum.  

Living where I do, there is no readily accessible supplier for larger metal stock.  As a rule, I don't throw out any metal that has possibilities.  Axles from cars/trucks are a good source for steel as is old farm machinery.   I salvaged a 1-1/2" x 8" free machining steel from our old front end washing machine.  I save brass plumbing fittings and the like for melting down to cast billets.  Rounds can be cast in sand molds fairly easily. I also save aluminum castings for recasting.  Having a forge makes it fairly easy to melt non ferrous metals.


----------



## Robert LaLonde

RJSakowski said:


> I have found that some of the printer/copier shafts are hardened.  However, some machine something like 12L14.  Also, under the rubber on the rollers on the larger office machines often lies a nice chunk of aluminum.
> 
> Living where I do, there is no readily accessible supplier for larger metal stock.  As a rule, I don't throw out any metal that has possibilities.


Me either.  I've made many a part or piece of equipment or just a repair from stock in my junk pile outback.  





> Axles from cars/trucks


and especially trailers





> are a good source for steel as is old farm machinery.


I've got an old boat trailer out back that has become bearing removal tools, bucket forks, and a whole host of other things.  The axles are dog eared to become both part of an Appalachian power hammer and a belt grinder.  The leaf springs on one end obviously.  The square tube of course, but I won't even need pillow block.  I'll just use the wheel spindles as pivots for the spring, and one of the other two wheel spindles will get the drive wheel and offset drive.  Two heavy pieces of square tube cut from the middle of the axles should be obvious.





> I salvaged a 1-1/2" x 8" free machining steel from our old front end washing machine.


Wow.  I got absolutely none from the machine I just tore apart.  Some springs and shocks but all the vibration damping weight came from cast resin-crete blocks.  The only real cool salvage is a high speed motor and maybe the motor controller.  





> I save brass plumbing fittings and the like for melting down to cast billets.  Rounds can be cast in sand molds fairly easily. I also save aluminum castings for recasting.  Having a forge makes it fairly easy to melt non ferrous metals.


  That last part is what got my attention.  I mill a lot of aluminum and I have a lot of scrap aluminum.  I actually have more use for casting than forging equipment and I've been struggling with whether I want to build a proper foundry furnace or a forge first.  How big is your forge, and how easy is it to use it for casting work?  I'd like to be able to pour as much as 20 lbs of aluminum in a run.  10 lbs might not be enough for some of the stuff I want to cast.  I was thinking if I designed it right I could just change burners and top (side) bricks depending on what I was doing so I didn't have two big furnaces taking up space in my shop.


----------



## jim18655

Some large gate valves have a nice brass stem in them. I got a 7/8" x 12"brass rod from one.


----------



## royesses

Online metals 15% off any order site wide:

Stock up on our newest items from *Hot Roll Pipe*
to *Thicker Gauge Aluminum* plate. 

Plus, save 15% off *any* online order today!

Use Coupon Code: DCH7E

Expires Thursday, August 31, 2017 11:59 p.m. PDT.


----------



## JPMacG

I have purchased aluminum and brass round stock for decent prices on eBay and Amazon.  I have purchased aluminum and 12L14 steel from McMaster.  McMaster's prices are not the lowest, but their shipping is a bargain.  

There is an online supplier called "hobby metal kits" who has decent prices.  www.hobbymetalkits.com

I have purchased steel drops from welding shops, but not rounds, for excellent prices.  

I try to avoid brass unless there is a real need.  The stuff is almost a precious metal.


----------



## Wreck™Wreck

Steal it, the only way to get what you want for free.


----------



## RJSakowski

Bob La Londe said:


> .    That last part is what got my attention.  I mill a lot of aluminum and I have a lot of scrap aluminum.  I actually have more use for casting than forging equipment and I've been struggling with whether I want to build a proper foundry furnace or a forge first.  How big is your forge, and how easy is it to use it for casting work?  I'd like to be able to pour as much as 20 lbs of aluminum in a run.  10 lbs might not be enough for some of the stuff I want to cast.  I was thinking if I designed it right I could just change burners and top (side) bricks depending on what I was doing so I didn't have two big furnaces taking up space in my shop.


The forge is coal fired.  For small pours, it is sufficient to build up coke around the  crucible.  For larger pours, I would make an impromptu furnace by stacking firebrick.  

Back about forty years ago, I made an open top propane fired furnace.  I made my own triple jet forced air burner and it was capable of melting about 30 lbs. of aluminum.  I could also achieve temperatures to melt silver.  A coal fired forge is capable of much higher temperatures than propane.  I once brought a 100 lb. anvil up to welding temperatures so I could forge weld a new face on the anvil.  That would be the largest piece of work.

The down side of using a forge is the lack of precise temperature control.  If I was doing more than occasional casting, I would opt for a proper furnace.  You might want to take a look at 



.  He has done quite a bit of metal casting in the building of his boat.

Aluminum alloys like 6061 are not the best for casting.  Most aluminum used for casting has a fair amount of silicon.  I save all the aluminum castings for future casting.  Things like small engine blocks. pistons, etc.


----------



## Dr_Romeo_Chaire

Wow! Thanks for all the welcomes and suggestions! It reminds me of meeting my wife's 50 relatives the first time I went home with her for Thanksgiving --really nice but kind of overwhelming!  

I will definitely read through carefully when I get a chance, and check my local resources.

Thanks again for all the great info! Glad this is such a friendly and active forum.


----------



## Aukai

I just got my Amazon prime order from Online Metal, 2024 T351 1.250x4' 38 dollars. Not sure where that is price wise. I plan to use sections for truing cuts after leveling my lathe, WHEN it gets here.


----------



## Technical Ted

JPMacG said:


> I have purchased aluminum and 12L14 steel from McMaster.  McMaster's prices are not the lowest, but their shipping is a bargain.



Reading this made me curious so I checked OnLineMetals for shipping cost of (3) 1/2" x 6 ft long 1018 cold rolled bars = $33.61 Same items from McMaster ship for $18 ! I also noticed that OnLineMetals charges $1.50 each piece for cutting fee. So, it looks like even with one of their discount codes McMaster wins, IMO anyways.

I've always been happy with the shipping charges at McMaster but never dreamed they would be so good for materials like this!

Thanks for posting this,
Ted


----------



## Robert LaLonde

McMaster has a reputation for being expensive on a lot of things, but they will also surprise you.  There are a few things I buy just form them because after researching many companies they had the best price on a product that met my specifications.  They also have one of the best hardware selections around.


----------



## Technical Ted

Bob La Londe said:


> McMaster has a reputation for being expensive on a lot of things, but they will also surprise you.  There are a few things I buy just form them because after researching many companies they had the best price on a product that met my specifications.  They also have one of the best hardware selections around.



I agree. And from my experience, their items are of good quality as well, even their "generic" no brand name items.

Ted


----------



## homebrewed

McMaster must have a very efficient shipping operation -- they don't charge much, and have always gotten stuff to me very quickly.  I also confirm that their prices can be competitive for some things.


----------



## larryr

yes buying material can be expensive. your local scrap dealers are going to be your best source of stock. machine shops routinely bring in scrap metal of all type some of it has a id marked on it . complete machines are scraped also. these are a good source of motors pulleys electrical components etec. scrap yards are a gold mine for home shop machinists.


----------



## AGCB97

I could probably put an assortment in a medium flat rate box for $13.80 at $8 per pound for the brass. Does that sound like a fair deal?
No idea on alloy type but it is yellow color.


----------



## Aukai

McMaster takes my eye balls out shipping nuts, and bolts out to me. I'll have to see what kind of deal they have for materials.


----------



## Dr_Romeo_Chaire

So I found a really funky building surplus place about an hour from my house (Star Supply Bargain Outlet  in Youngstown, OH) with really good prices on metal stock.

I got a bunch of pieces, including:
- 1" x 6ft length of 6061 aluminum round stock for $29. ($114 at metalsupermarket.com)
-  9/16"x 12ft length of brass round stock for $32 (only size brass they carried)

So I'm a happy camper now. BTW, The place has funny signs all over ... surplus Steel discs labeled as 'Olympic grade frisbees', an odd nylon web harness labelled as a 'government issue jock strap', that sort of thing ... Worth a visit if you pass anywhere close to Youngstown! (I don't think they ship, walk-in only)


----------



## jpfabricator

Try the local auto mechanic. The shafts on McPherson struts are chromed, but one you get under it, the steel machines beautifully! They also have tubing inside of them.
Be warned though, they are full of rotten smelling oil, and some shafts are hollow 

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk


----------



## Mr. Science

i would look in the 'free' section of your local craigslist or free ad paper etc to see if someone's maybe getting rid of something with substantial pieces of metal in it that you could scavenge


----------



## jdedmon91

I didn’t have my truck but I came across a barbell handle 7’ long by 2” did in the flea market. It was machinable and the guy only wanted $15 for it. About scrap price. I know it was machinable because a file cut it easily. More than likely 1018. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## bhigdog

You should be able to locate a scrap yard near PIT. Here in Eastern Pa I have 3 close by that will let a person wander around and sell steel for 45 cents, alum for 1.50 and brass for 3.00.............Bob


----------



## Mercedes107

Steel is getting crazy expensive. I have considered purchasing round stock from china and putting it up on E-bay. Perhaps a store of just round stock for the lathe enthusiast. I actually find Mcmaster the best place to buy from if they have what you need. Speedy Metals has just about everything but they charge shipping along with a hefty shipping markup.


----------



## jdedmon91

bhigdog said:


> You should be able to locate a scrap yard near PIT. Here in Eastern Pa I have 3 close by that will let a person wander around and sell steel for 45 cents, alum for 1.50 and brass for 3.00.............Bob



Some scrap yards will but a lot here won’t. I may have posted this but the closest Metal Supermarkets lets us pick from their scrap bin. Then sell it for what they get paid for it


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------

