Where do you get practice scrap cheap?

Amazon. More for projects than practice. In June, I paid 17 bucks delivered for 1.25 x 36" round. 5 Mins to order, delivered in 2 days, Much more time efficient than going to metal dealer if my time is worth anything. I find prices fluctuate significantly on amazon and sometimes unusual size pieces are much cheaper than standard sizes.
 
Mauser--just keep your eye open for anything free---lots of people just want to get rid of items whether they work or not--take it home ---take it apart or cut it up and save all the nuts-bolts-shafts-bearings-tubes-wheels-sheet metal-etc---I have never taken anything apart that I haven't found material to use for projects or to use for practice on lathe or mill or welding.----bikes have several sized tubing you can cut in pieces and practice on lathe squaring up the ends and keeping all your tubing pieces together for later projects----I have never had to go buy material for projects, and probably many other members are the same good scroungers----If you need locations to find bargains look at the thread ( ideas for scroungers )---I have at least 10 to 20 tons of metal that I got for just hauling home----just start paying attention--it's out there--just look for free stuff---exercise equip is always free to haul away-----get a 4 1/2" angle grinder from HF for $10 and buy a package of thin cut off blades---you can cut up items quickly, and then square the ends for practice-----Dave
 
$.50 cents a pound for all kinds of really good sheet metal, round, flat, square tubing etc.
I go to All Metals in Oroville, Ca.
Any metal fabricating shop will have scrap. Sometimes the scrap is very useable material.
I am making a welding cart for my 3 machines from “scrap” I purchased from them.
$21, for the material, 2” .090” wall thickness, square tubing.
You can’t beat that.
 
macardoso said:
Check out buymetal.com for low cost aluminum. They charge $15 flat rate shipping and you can get a ton to practice on for under $100. Most of it will probably end up becoming real parts as time goes on. This isn't a cheap hobby unfortunately, but that should get you started. I got a 4x4x18" piece of aluminum + 1.5"x5"x10" piece shipped to my door for something like $110. That's nearly 50lbs of aluminum.
Click to expand...

Woooo. Thanks for the tip on buymetal! Needed a piece of 1/2 x 6 aluminum to make an adapter plate for my little rotary table, was NOT looking forward to trying to find it locally.

I was excited to see their very reasonable prices, but that was somewhat modified by their "processing fee" for small purchases. Fooled them tho, doubled my order and the "processing fee" went from $25-ish to $2.xx. :p
 
I used to visit local industrial metal suppliers and ask if they had any off-cuts I could buy, some sell them, some weigh them all in for scrap value.
If you find a supplier who will let you go through their off-cuts try your best not to upset them with requests to cut a 12" bar into 1" lengths and the like.
 
Any local auto / equipment / farm repair shop will have scrap parts. leaf springs, axle shafts, other steering and suspension components, etc. Some will let you rummage for free, or trade them a six pack of beer for it.

Scrap metal is not selling for what it used to, so a lot of places are just hanging onto it.
 
As mentioned metal recyclers are a great source but you never know what you're going to find from one day to the next. I've got two family owned yards close by and I've scored quite a few bargains.

Machine shops are worth dropping in and saying hello. The price of metal scrap is pretty low so it's a bit of a pain to haul it. Offer them ten cents a pound and they're probably happy to dump it on you. 75 cents or a buck for aluminum and you're their new best friend.
 
If you're just wanting to get the feel of your machine , try some pvc pipe. You can practice turning different diameters to size and it's cheap.
 
Already talked to a couple of folks...
One auto mechanic, and the maintenance guys at the place I work. They maintenance guys showed me the scrap pile and told me to take whatever I wanted. That was really helpful. I do hope to make up some of that machinable wax though...
 
Hi Mauser,

Your catching on :)
I called in to a place I've never been to before, the guy across the road from where I was parked, was throwing a 3 foot length of 3 mm wall by 50 X 50 angle iron into a skip. I walked over and introduced myself, I told him that I was a model maker and asked him if I could buy the angle iron.

He said "No" you can have it, if there is anything else in there you want, just take it. We had a good chat, even got invited to have a cup of tea !
He said if there is anything I can help with let me know.

A useful contact !
 
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