In search of some cheap steel

[Takeda Shirô Yoshitaka]

Hey all..

I have started working on some armour but am in need of a source of some cheap steel.. I called a shop today and got a quote of $300 for 2 sheets of 3x3' stainless, 1 is 16ga other is 14ga..

Does anyone have any suggestions on a good source? I am planning to call a couple of the recycling companies either tomorrow or early next week to see if they might have a good deal..

I could also look for some galvy, but not sure if it can take powder coating..

Thanks all..

[Hrogn]

They're trying to bend you over. Most armour bits are made out of relatively small pieces, so you don't need large sheets to cut small pieces out of. Go buy a thickness gauge and find a good scrap yard and spend an hour digging. You will find all the steel you need and probably pay about 25 cents a pound.

[Takeda Shirô Yoshitaka]

Ohayo Gozaimasu

Thats what I was thinking..
No worries about the gauge, I have a digital one I use for chain maile..

I just have to figure out what scrap yard is open when I am off work and not in school lol..

Thanks much Hrogn-dono

Takeda Shirô Yoshitaka

They're trying to bend you over. Most armour bits are made out of relatively small pieces, so you don't need large sheets to cut small pieces out of. Go buy a thickness gauge and find a good scrap yard and spend an hour digging. You will find all the steel you need and probably pay about 25 cents a pound.

[Gann]

They're trying to bend you over. Most armour bits are made out of relatively small pieces, so you don't need large sheets to cut small pieces out of. Go buy a thickness gauge and find a good scrap yard and spend an hour digging. You will find all the steel you need and probably pay about 25 cents a pound.

Absolutely right H, but I seriously doubt that Steel-Met or any other Specialty sheet metal shop was actually trying to get any penetration on Yoshi. Stainless is pretty pricey, I was quoted a price of 4-500$ for a 4x8 sheet of 14g SS, and thatsa not far off in square footage from his two 3x3 sheets

The thing about scrounging your own in the scrap yard is that you need to have at least a bit of an idea of what you're looking for. Scrap yards don't have nice neat piles that say "14g stainless scraps" Or you're VERY lucky if they do. Having your own Gauge is awesome, but do yourself a favor and do a bit of research on what your material looks like, how heavy it should be and what test's you can perform out in the field to make an educated guess as to it's composition. One of the easiest tests is to take a metal file, if you have an old one thats almost done, that would be best. But failing that, you can always buy a new one, they're not too expensive if you buy a small one. I f you take a file to the edge of a hunk of stainless, it should come off not too easily and leave a shiny edge, HR and CR will leave a slightly less shiny edge and come off like SS, Aluminum will leave a shiny edge as well, but Aluminium is much lighter and softer, and the file should take off material much easier. If the piece actually *Scratches* the file itself, you've picked up a hunk of High carbon steel thats been hardened, great for making knives, but sux for making armor unless you're using a forge. Theres other tests that you can perform using a grinder, but those're kinda hard to carry around the yard with you.

Now Yoshitaka here makes mail so I'm assuming he knows what various metals look like in a clean wire form. Experiment with some of your scrap rings and see what you can come up with.

Theres a site called Anvilfire for smiths which you may be able to find some more "field tests" for metals on, right now I'm kinda drawing a blank on any more.

OOO no wait, bring a welding pick with you! If you smack a sheet, it should be relatively hard to dimple, if it dimples too easy, you may have a sheet of mostly tin content, good for automotive use but again too weak for armoring.

Ok thats it, I'm out.

G

[Takeda Shirô Yoshitaka]

< SNIP >

The thing about scrounging your own in the scrap yard is that you need to have at least a bit of an idea of what you're looking for. Scrap yards don't have nice neat piles that say "14g stainless scraps" Or you're VERY lucky if they do. Having your own Gauge is awesome, but do yourself a favor and do a bit of research on what your material looks like, how heavy it should be and what test's you can perform out in the field to make an educated guess as to it's composition.

This is a very good point! I am glad you mentioned this. Being that I am not familiar with scrounging in the yard this is a suggestion that will be taken to heart for sure!

One of the easiest tests is to take a metal file,
<SNIP>

Really good suggestion!

Now Yoshitaka here makes mail so I'm assuming he knows what various metals look like in a clean wire form. Experiment with some of your scrap rings and see what you can come up with.

Well I have over 12 years of chain maile kicking around, some various peices and of all sorts of metals.. On top of that shopping at UFA gave me a good idea of what some different metals look like sitting in the yard for a few years for sure..

Theres a site called Anvilfire for smiths which you may be able to find some more "field tests" for metals on, right now I'm kinda drawing a blank on any more.

OOO no wait, bring a welding pick with you! If you smack a sheet, it should be relatively hard to dimple, if it dimples too easy, you may have a sheet of mostly tin content, good for automotive use but again too weak for armoring.

Ok thats it, I'm out.

G

I thank you so very much Gann, this is awesome stuff! Things to think of and do!!

I know this will sound bad, but does any one know a scrap yard in Edm? I tried calling over a 1/2 dozen listed in the yellow pages, all either said that they dont sell to the public or they dont have any except brand new..

Right now I have a couple of calls in to fabrication shops for off-cuts but they havent called back with any stuff for me to look at yet..

Takeda Shirô Yoshitaka

[fergus]

there is one place on 114 ave, General Scrap, look them up on http://www.canada411.com

You could also try metal supermarkets, steel usually goes for 4.50 per pound.

F