Geoff Keyes Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 We have a local steel and scrapyard. In the good old days lots of new junk came and went. Old Mr. Whiteside died a few years back, and while the family is still running the place, there is not a lot of "new" salvage coming in . However, my Lady Wife has been in love with one piece in the yard for several years, and Saturday was her birthday, so we pulled the trigger and brought it home. I think it was a parts stand, then the yard used it to display smalls over the years. We're going to make it into a tiered fountain in the yard. Some Women like jewelry, or a new car, mine likes stuff like this. Behold, the cake plate of the gods! While I was looking for good stuff I stopped to take some pics of potential anvil stock, even if it's just mild, it's better than nothing. This piece is 24 x 6 x about 5', a table? A little swedge block? Some of that shafting is 6" in diameter The piece lying across the big slab is 2, 6.5 x 5 x 29 pieces of 4140, welded together, I've got 2 single pieces of these as anvils in my shop The piece on the bottom is only 16" square, but it is 11 feet long This little guy is just lying on a scrap table. They are selling this stuff for .50 a pound! "Real" anvils are going for $2-$6 a pound, you do the math. I also found a stack of about 30, 24" x .250 disks of black canvas phenolic. Can you say knife handles? Geoff "The worst day smithing is better than the best day working for someone else." I said that. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. - - -G. K. Chesterton So, just for the record: the fact that it does work still should not be taken as definitive proof that you are not crazy. Grant Sarver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Board Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 You definitely have a discerning lady there, I salute you! As to the sheer volume of scrap and the prices......You're gonna need a bigger boat. If only I were on the same continent... "He who seeks rest finds boredom. He who seeks work finds rest." Dylan Thomas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Lucky! My local scrapyards all sold out to Omnisource and no longer allow people to go play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Mulkey Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 (edited) Geoff, Lots of new "stuff" to play with. I hope that you have a HD band saw (and maybe a fork lift) for cutting it up in usable pieces. That first pic looks like a dandy tool caddy for the shop if the wife isn't sold on it being a fountain. Have fun! Gary Edited November 11, 2013 by Gary Mulkey Gary ABS,CKCA,ABKA,KGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoy's Forge Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Geoff, Thats better than a trip to Disney world any day, hands down. And if your wife is a rust monkey too , them you can call it a second honeymoon! Romance among the Rust www.hoyfamily.net Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.Lu 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Mr 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Ullrich Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Wow. Heavy metal galore! I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good plan.... - Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEzell Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Cool stuff! I recently discovered a scrapyard to my liking, I think I spent 3 hours just looking around, planning... They have an amazing variety of old tanks that would make great bodies for gas forges, not to mention a few potential anvil-sized chunks... I felt like a kid at a candy store, they will be seeing more of me I suspect. George Ezell, bladesmith" How much useful knowledge is lost by the scattered forms in which it is ushered to the world! How many solitary students spend half their lives in making discoveries which had been perfected a century before their time, for want of a condensed exhibition of what is known."Buffonview some of my work RelicForge on facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Craft Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 (edited) Wow I am jealous, the days of buying back are almost done around here and as for letting you look around, well they will tell you right quick you can't leave this area................... it junk steel guys and your gonna charge me more than you sell it for in those big trucks. In other words its gonna cost me more to buy it from you than you paid me when you bought it, cut me a little slack! Edited November 12, 2013 by C Craft C Craft Customs ~~~ With every custom knife I build I try to accomplish three things. I want that knife to look so good you just have to pick it up, feel so good in your hand you can't wait to try it, and once you use it, you never want to put it down ! If I capture those three factors in each knife I build, I am assured the knife will become a piece that is used and treasured by its owner! ~~~ C Craft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podmajersky Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Man I really need to get out there at some point.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Brown Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Hey Geoff, which yard is this? You mentioned A Mr. Whiteside. Is this Whitesides in clearview/snohomish on WA-9? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Keyes Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 That is the one. If you need some direction once you get there, well, a day spent poking around in a steel yard is always a good day. Give me a shout. Geoff "The worst day smithing is better than the best day working for someone else." I said that. If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly. - - -G. K. Chesterton So, just for the record: the fact that it does work still should not be taken as definitive proof that you are not crazy. Grant Sarver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Brown Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Will do. I used to live around the corner from there on 180th but moved further North. Chatted with Gene Whiteside (if I remember right) once when a Macy's truck got stuck in a ditch across from my house. Not sure he is the "old Mr. Whiteside" or a younger. He seemed like a good guy. He'd chat your ear off though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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