Materials from scrap yards in West Yorkshire

I am a beginner. I need some mild steel tubing 1 1/2" OD and the wall thickness from 2 - 3mm.

The first port of call I think of is calling at a local scrap-yard.

I'm near Wakefield in West Yorkshire and wonder if anyone can recommend a scrapyard where I might get things like mild steel tubing, bar and plate and such things.

Sure a lot of scrap-yards, but mostly car scrap. I don't think I'm going to get engineering materials at such places. Thanks.

I might be beeter going to Dunkerely Steels. Not far from me.

Try this e-bay seller I've used them in the past for tube.

Hi

You could try these:

http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/

They are next to the roundabout at morley/bradford road.

They do quite a big range, but I am not sure about steel tube. it could be worth a phone call.

Regards

Keith

Leeds UK

Richard,

You could try Blackgates Engineering. They are at Shaw Cross Business Park in Dewsbury.

www.blackgates.co.uk/

Regards

Kevin

RR

What about some scrap scaffold tube, that is 1.5ins NPS, appox 3mm wt

Robin

Richard,

What are you using it for (What are you building)?

I would be wary of anything from a scrap yard (or scrap bin for that matter), you don't know what you are getting .... for some things it does not matter but for others it does.

Dave

Scaffold tube is about 1 3/4 (44mm) OD not the 1 1/2 that the OP wants.

J

You could try M-Machine . 10SWG = 3.25mm, 14SWG = 3.25mm.

Andy

I'm making home-made acros out of scaffolding tube. The distance between floor and celing is 2.4m. Scaffolding tube is 2.1m. Each end of scaffolding tube will have 1.5" pipe, 3mm wall thickness. I think scaffolding I have is about 48.3mm OD and about 32mm ID.

Dunkerley Steels don't sell 38.1mm tube as it's not a standard size.

I contacted Eric France, but they don't sell the tubing.

I see 38.1mm tubing on Ebay. But, I'm trying to pick up locally.

Edited By Richard Rogalewski on 29/11/2012 12:14:10

Edited By Richard Rogalewski on 29/11/2012 12:28:54

Yep, at the moment I'm likely to get tubing from Ebay. Thought I might be able to source from local scrap-yard, but no joy on that front.

Oh, is that a smaller size of scaffolding tube that is 1.5" OD?

Answer: No, standard size of scaffolding is 48.3mm OD and is I think 1.5 NPS.

But, there is I think scaffolding pipe that is smaller than 48.3mm OD.  But, I'm probably wrong about that.

Edited By Richard Rogalewski on 29/11/2012 12:31:07

Edited By Richard Rogalewski on 29/11/2012 12:39:10

RR

If you are making acros, then depending on the load you intend to support, I would suggest you need to know the type and characteristics of the metal you will be using. If you go to a scrapyard then you will have no idea of the type of metal nor its history. Could be in the extreme a recipe for disaster.

Martin

PS

Does really fall into the remit of model engineering?    

Edited By Martin W on 29/11/2012 12:38:24

Probably not, but the question was about materials from scrap yards.

But, yes, maybe I ought to buy new.

Edited By Richard Rogalewski on 29/11/2012 12:44:27

I'd be worried that the 38mm tube is too thin unless you go for thick wall. Accrows have the inner part the same size as scaffold tube and the outer larger. Also make sure you allow a good overlap.

So, professionally made acros have it wider at the ends. Noted. Given the job I have to hand, I think 3mm thick-wall will probably do. Tubing at one end affixed. Top end made adjustable just a bit. I was thinking no less than 200mm overlap at top with a 500mm tube. So, there would be 300mm variation possible on top tube, although that might not be neccesary. I am going to chock-up the acro with wooden chocks at the bottom.

Without acros, the ceiling would probably not fall anyway, (that has been established in general), but I ought to err on the side of caution.

Edited By Richard Rogalewski on 29/11/2012 13:33:13

Richard

is it really worth the time and effort as well as cost to make Acrows when you can hire them for about £7-£10 a week?

I know which I'd prefer to do.

Keith

RR

If the load is as light as you are suggesting then why not use wooden supports to secure the ceiling. These will be lighter, quick and easy to cut to length, simple to chock into place and probably cheaper than steel/scaff bar. Might even be able to use it later on another project i.e. wall studding .

Martin

Yup, thats what I did. Bit of 4x2 and I drilled a hole in 13mm hole in one end to take a 1/2w bolt/washer nut. the bolt was 6in long and the hole was 3in deep so fine tuning for loading was easy. I only had to support the floor above a bay window, i used 2 and the load was <100kg each

OBTW I nailed the bottom to the floor

No probs

Robin

Yep, the more I think about it, the more I feel I ought to buy some 100mm x 100mm x 2.4m reclaimed timber. Cheaper that way, and when done I have timber I can use.