Found the "Mother Lode"...

[swampsavage]

...just getting started in the machining hobby. Got Micro-Mark 7X16 lathe and Mini-Mill. Looking for online sources for metal I found Metal Supermarkets. I needed some steel plate, to mount the mill on, so I could deal with the stiffening of the column, etc. to eliminate flex and get the best tramming results. Also looked at other sources as well. Seems that Metal Supermarkets has an outlet just down the road. I stopped in there today and the have a room called "drop tables". It's where they put all the short cutoffs from other orders. Was able to get a 10" X 24" plate 1/4" thick, and a 3/4" X 1 1/2" X 14", both in 1018 steel, and 1 1/2" X 3" X 3/16" channel 30" long and 3" X 3" X 1/4" L 8" long for about what shipping would have cost if I went online. Figure I saved $50-$60 and have a "go to place" from now on. Sometimes it's nice to be close to a large metro area.

BTW...roughed out the online price for what I got and came in about $15 less as well so I saved more than shipping costs

think I will enjoy this new hobby now that I can get the overhead down

Merry Christmas to all

 

[Troutsqueezer]

I'm glad you found a good source for metal. That certainly helps to keep the costs down.

That said, when I started out in this hobby I was anticipating spending a good chunk of money on the metal itself. What I've found, however, is that a relatively small amount of metal goes a long way in terms of the time it takes to build an engine. A few blocks/plates of aluminum, a few rods/bars of brass and steel and you've got enough metal to last you quite a while (unless you're Metal Butcher :big.

-Trout

 

[Metal Butcher]

Something brought me up from the bowels of my subterranean lair. :big:
Did someone mention my name? ???
Is that you Trout? :rant:

John, other good sources are scrap yards. I buy aluminum drops @ $1.00 lb, brass @ $2.00. and steel was .10 lb last time I bought some. I visit at least ounce a week with a friendly attitude, and find stuff set aside for me by the owner and employees.
Show a few pictures of the projects you build, and explain how your new found hobby keeps you out of the bars, or whatever bs you find appropriate. Going in with a big happy Boy Scout attitude opens the door.

-MB

 

[swampsavage]

good advice from both...we have a scrapyard not far from here and I'll check it out...don't waste much of anything so I'll be saving all the cutoffs as well

 

[kvom]

What's the address of the outlet?

 

[swampsavage]

4301 PLEASANTDALE RD, SUITE J, ATLANTA, GA 30340

 

[swampsavage]

What's the address of the outlet?

KVOM...I see you are in Cumming...there is also an outlet in Marietta if that's closer...just look up Metal Supermarket on the net and they show locations

 

[mark p]

good luck getting into jones for scrap they are pretty tight letting people in for the good stuff, all they will sell is car parts
if you have a different place post it up
I'm just over in buford