Metal shop scrap - everything inside bin must go

Everything I’ve ever made out of metal at the space has been with the scrap bin lol. Sway bar end links, skid pads, body mounts, washers, brackets, motor mounts, and more!

We discussed it at the metal shop meeting.

I believe the plan was to have a smaller bin, since currently the scrap bin seems to be filled with 4’x4’ swiss cheese from the PlasmaCAM that makes it hard to search through for other types of scrap.

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its metal right, couldn’t one just cut down to size and melt some ingots?

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You might be oversimplifying it a tiny bit.

I guess we could start a Bessemer SIG.:wink: And then do what with the bastardized alloy?

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Bessemer SIG.:wink: And then do what with the bastardized alloy?

Count me in, we could idk explore mode castings, blacksmithing, Damascus. Maybe run a few classes on material density and composition?

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You might be oversimplifying it a tiny bit.

Me? Nah… might have lived in a town that subsided itself off scrap metal for a little too long and maybe played a little too much sky factory but no… never :wink:

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oh I know, besides making steel filamite for advance mesh weaves and other fancy high tech stuff like that…

How about 1:12 size model trains?

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To everyone here, we are still going to have a scrap bin. It will be smaller, as this bin has been abused by plasma cutters to leave their giant cutouts that don’t provide much in the way of usable scrap.

Pieces like stock cut offs etc will still be accepted, but no giant 95% used sheets.

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One last call for anyone to take scrap they want; none of the recyclers will pay anything for it since it’s too small, and so far none of the “free scrap metal pickups” have replied. I’d be very disappointed if it costs us to dispose of this because of people tossing in those giant pieces they aren’t supposed to.

Regards,
-Jim

Respectfully, is there some signage ive missed about how people are not supposed to put in their scraps from plasma cutting? I’m not guilty of this, however I am confused by the concept that is not illogical. If it is labeled a scrap bin and you put in scrap, how is this wrong? Would not the waste from the plasmacam be scrap?

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I believe the point of a “scrap bin” is that it’s for scrap, not trash. I think most members can’t really use the trash from the plasmacam cutouts because people who cut them out make sure that as much of the metal is used by the cuts as possible.

I agree with you however that if we change policy we should post it. I think in this case a lot of the issue is the people who cut out a sheet bigger than would fit in the scrap bin and then just lean it on the bin and call it good.

Personally, I use scrap to practice welding and to show what different types of metals weld like to students and for that purpose the scrap bin is pretty difficult to use in it’s current state because getting a good piece of metal out of the bin is like playing a meaner adult version of pick up sticks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pick-up_sticks

I would prefer that the plasmacam cuts go home with the person who brought in the stock or were reduced to their usable parts (if you don’t use a corner then cut that off and throw it in the bin, but don’t leave the 1/4" slivers attacked to it).

At the very least cut them into 1 foot by 1 foot squares so they aren’t a cage for the real scrap people might be looking to use.

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I’m thinking the confusion here is that metal is never treated as trash in a situation like this. Nothing says someone couldnt make use of the bits from the large plasmacam sheet cutouts. I totally agree that they should be cut into manageable chunks.

There is signage indicating to not put PlasmaCAM cuts in the scrap bin since they are not generally usable, and it is part of the training.

Regards,
-Jim

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Hasn’t been part of the training I’ve given, either (that being based on Zach’s and Tim’s and Brady’s, etc.) but we can incorporate it, if desired.
I haven’t been to Metal Shop in longer than I care to recall, but hope to make it in soon, and I hope the signage is a self-evident reminder of this.

This has been on signage on the plasmacam computer for quite some time; was definitely in the training I was in. If it’s not being taught by all the teachers, it should be.

It’s not a rule of mine, it was here before I was. I’ll see if I can make some better signage for the plasmacam. I know we had to cycle out one of the computers recently and one sign was on it, and another sign was on the table itself.

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Maybe put it above the bin as well? I know that’s where I would look as I’m getting ready to toss it in the bin.

should be easy enough to do.

I think there is a confusion or compression of terms.

I have a 3 foot by 1 foot piece of steel that I got cheap. I use 2 foot by 1 foot and do not need the 1 foot by 1 foot piece. That is valid scrap.

I have a 3 foot by 1 foot piece of steel that I got cheap. I use the plasma cutter to cut out as many throwing stars as possible. The result is a piece of metal with lots missing and nothing left for any one else. This is trash.

Maybe there should be a size rule and a cut off rule? If by my example I cut 2 feet of stars and had 1 foot that was still useable by someone else, I should cutoff the swiss cheese area (throw that away) and leave the 1 foot bt 1 foot in the scrap bin.

I think the term scrap may be confusing people. I also think there is a “conservative” mind set that thinks, “1 square inch still useable let me put that in the scrap bin.”

I think scrap is confusing in this use.

I think assigning a minimum continuous excess would be valuable.

I think making people responsible for cutting off the swiss cheese and throwing that away is responsible.

Finally, Ace Iron on Irving Blvd (Relatively close to Mockingbird for a reference point) will buy the swiss cheese metal for cash. They also sell by the pound, I bought an office chair for .30 cents a pound, $12 TTL. IF they have what you need, it is dirt cheap compared to new.

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Agreed on this; scrap here is meant to be pieces that are reasonably usable (i.e. cutoff pieces or stock or sections of sheet). I’m working out a way to best convey this, but it’s not an easy problem especially if the makers are in the middle of something and can’t stop to read a massive list of things.

I’ll look into them; so far every scrapper has said it’s too small for them to bother.