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Mantokir
New Member
USA
22 Posts |
 Posted - 01/28/2008 : 22:10:24
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Evenin'
I work in railroad surveys and at the sites there can sometimes be a lot of scrap metal laying around. Most of the time it's quite rusted and I was wondering if it would be worth picking it up and bringing it home with me. Would I have to clean the rust off? How can I do that if needed and is there even any reclaimable metal in there? Thanks.
Mantokir
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Miser-stro
Penny Sorter Member
74 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2008 : 04:42:45
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Hello,
Depending on where you live.... steel is bringing a fair amount of money! Locally it's $145/ton. And that should add up FAST with railroad steel!! Rust should not matter at all. Where I live they take steel in ANY condition. Good luck scrapping!! |
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Mantokir
New Member
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2008 : 06:39:08
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| Much appreciated Miser. Guess I got me a new hobby now :) |
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NotABigDeal
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
3890 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2008 : 06:55:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Mantokir
Much appreciated Miser. Guess I got me a new hobby now :)
Hope you also have a lot of space for all this metal. Steel is one thing, iron is another. Is it railroad track pieces and spikes? Be careful, it might be illegal to take railroad property, scrap or not. I wish you the best of luck and be careful....
Deal |
Live free or die.
Plain and simple.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your council or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen."
- Samuel Adams |
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Mantokir
New Member
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2008 : 10:47:47
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| .... I guess the next question would be what's the difference and how can I tell since it's all rusted over? I'll ask around to get specifics on any laws regarding this, but there's already some pieces from the field floating around the offices here. |
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tmaring
Penny Collector Member
USA
302 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2008 : 20:56:51
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Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. In hardened steel, the carbon forms a complex of microscopic iron carbide grains distributed in the iron matrix. Those interlocking grains give stiffness to the otherwise dead-soft iron, and are hard enough to create an edge if there are enough of them... as in a knife or axe.
There is a whole study of going through scrap yards and looking for useful steel and/or iron. It would be impossible to try to describe all of it... but if you get in with any blacksmiths they are up on this field. The most useful hint is that the higher the carbon content, the higher the grade of steel, and the brighter the sparks when you hit it with a grinder. Cast iron breaks with a gritty fracture, high grade steel breaks with a clean shardlike snap. Garden variety structural steel is soft and bends easily. |
Tom Maringer
Shire Post Mint
Springdale, Arkansas |
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just carl
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
601 Posts |
Posted - 02/20/2008 : 08:14:59
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With the price of gasoline for a car or truck you should first consider that expenditure in moving such heavy material. If it is excessively rusted that makes little difference to a steel mill. The rust just burns off. Rust is normally just Fe2O3. Sure wish I could figure out how to make lower case numbers. The Fe = Iron. The O is Oxygen. The 2 and 3 are the amount of atoms per compound. In other words each molecule of that Rust contains that proportion of material. Now since even the Oxygen has weight, a metal ryclycler will deminish the amount of money you receive by an estimated amount of Rust.
Unless you have access to heavy equipment free, gassoline or other fuels free, a storage location, I think you should just do as others obviously have done and ignore that stuff. |
Carl |
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Mantokir
New Member
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2008 : 08:33:58
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| Ahh the storage thing would kill me. Living in an apartment kinda sucks, might be able to work something out with my parents though since there's a scrapyard just down the street from them. See what happens. |
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double dot
Penny Sorter Member
USA
55 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 07:57:44
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quote:
Originally posted by Miser-stro
Hello,
Depending on where you live.... steel is bringing a fair amount of money! Locally it's $145/ton. And that should add up FAST with railroad steel!! Rust should not matter at all. Where I live they take steel in ANY condition. Good luck scrapping!!
This is good to know. The abandoned railroad bed that was turned into a paved bike/ jog path 10 years ago has numerous sections of track that disapear into the undergrowth of the woods. The land it is on is owned by nobody of interest as it is next to a river. I keep my eye on it. The hastle is the cutting of the track into small sections I can carry out with a horizontal two wheeler. (Those of you who know this two wheeler technique I salute you!) An Oxygen/acetylene rig is expensive. I would also want to know that I had a scrap buyer before I proceeded. |
Crouching Teller, Hiding Copper |
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misteroman
Administrator
USA
2565 Posts |
Posted - 03/05/2008 : 12:57:41
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Just be careful in all aspects.Don't get cut. One of the kids around here that scraps just had a nasty cut,even had to go to the hospital.Also Is it worth the price of your gas,acetylene, your time, wear and tear on vehicle for such a small amount of cash?Even if a ton is worth 150,how much of the above mentioned items are you going to spend in getting it?
Derek |
Buying CU cents!!!! Paying 1.2 unlimited amounts wanted. Can pick up if near Ohio area. |
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n/a
deleted
9 Posts |
Posted - 03/30/2008 : 05:24:07
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Railroad iron is quite valuable, it is classified as HMS 1 (the best grade of steel).
HEAVY METAL SCRAP (HMS) DEFINITION: No. 1 Steel consists of clean iron and steel with a minimum thickness of 1/4" and a maximum size of 60"x24" with material handling compatible to feed a furnace charge box.
Here in Michigan, no scrap dealer will purchase railroad iron unless you have some proof that you are associated with a railroad. (Authorized to sell railroad scrap). Likewise, they will not purchase "utility iron" (manhole & sewer covers, fire hydrants) without authorization.
This does not stop thieves, who hide stolen scrap in their truckloads of mixed steel.
I work for a municipal water & sewer system. Manhole cover theft is a very serious problem, which costs taxpayer $$ and presents a serious danger to the community. It is known as "the great drain robbery". |
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Rusted Metal
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