Where do you scavenge steel?

[Krunch]

Newbie welder wannabe fabricator here...I'm also cheap...so I always look for freebies in the firewood...building wood...and now steel departments.

Roadside stuff is best.

Also an offshore fisherman, so I used to grab old railroad spikes from the trestle for weights (rubber-band them to the line, when the tuna bites, the rubberband breaks; spikes average 11 ounces around here) and actually, welding some spikes together with 6011 was my first project, worked like a charm if a bit FUGLY before I got my autodark dialled in, felt like I was playing pin the tail on the donkey

OK, so the question is, where do you cop/beg/borrow/steal steel?

I need sources. I promise not to touch your sources if you stay away from my railroad trestles...

J

[Krunch]

I'm thinking the place for ME to go would be Newport News shipbuilding and all those shipyards down there..I bet I could pick up some steel cheap if I knew who to talk to.

-Almost wishing I lived in Pittsburg!

[stevinator]

Keep an eye out for thrown out bed frames and such.Look at the factories in your area,I have a garage door factory in town that throws out stuff weekly.A mower deck plant north of here has punch outs and things also.If you tell them you are a hobby welder and ask for some scrap they usually will say no problem.I am lucky in the fact that I have to go to alot of factories to work on their gas meter sets.I usually ask the maintenance guys if I can look in the dumpster if I see something good.The guys I work with say oh no there he goes again.

[DansTalon]

old bed frames are like duct tape.

"fix-all"

[arcackle]

Go to the local dump. and get to know the people working in the recycling area.

[hankj]

I pass up on any kind of bed frame crap. It's all mystery metal. Some is OK; some you can't cut much less weld.

I look in the scrap pile at my local supplier. There is nearly always a good selection of drops, hollow shapes, and angle and S-shapes on hand. Prices vary, but it is much cheaper than buying whole length stock, especially when all you need is a few feet.

Hank

[Krunch]

Thanks, guys. I'll try my local scrapyard.

[trial&error]

What nobody gonna mention the best one. Craigslist or any other ads, look in the free sections and the sports equip. They may be selling the weight bench this week, but next week they'll give it away if you haul it off.