On the scrounge.....

[slim_boy_fat]

Well, not really as I'm happy to send beer tokens to cover costs and posting.

I'm after a couple of bits of rebar approx a foot in length for my pal on the West. I know nothing of rebar but he says it's high-carbon steel which he wants to turn down for a project. He has a Colchester Student round head and uses HSS cutters he grinds himself, so should be able to turn it.

I've tried my usual [skips/fabricators] sources but come up blank so am keeping my fingers crossed. Not sure about rebar diameter availability but 10 or 12mm should be plenty enough?

EDIT: I have no idea what the project is....

 

[Barking Mat]

It's not expensive...

 

[Screwdriver]

I have about a million tons of it if you want some, come and get it. It's so cheap and easy to find he should just nip into a shop.

Oh and it will be a medium carbon steel at best, it is incredibly variable in between manufacturers and is about the most horrible stuff to turn ever!

 

[Fraserb]

I'm 99% sure I'll have some 12mm and some bigger stuff kicking about

 

[Screwdriver]

I picked up a few lengths of two inch

They were building a high rise and there was a pile of "bad bends".

Not sure what to do with it yet but it is impressively chunky!

 

[Maker]

Screwdriver's right, it's awful stuff to machine. Just get some 12mm round.

 

[rikrobson]

Would old shock absorber shafts not be better?

 

[Stupoty]

Would old shock absorber shafts not be better?

I had some issues turning shafts from shocks , even once past the hard chrome layer, the material was hard and had insainly hard spots from spot welds.

Probably varies by brand though.

Stu

 

[Agroshield]

Rebar is ribbed (for the concrete's pleasure) and not very round or straight so the stated sizes are nominal sizes. If he needs a finished diameter near those numbers, it is best to go up a size: you would probably get a 10mm cylinder out of 12mm nominal but if you need a 12mm cylinder, you might have to go to 16mm.

Another alternative is Dywidag bar (whirly bolt/form ties). Nominal 15mm dia. 90kN (9 ton) SWL. That's a properly engineered steel rather than rebar which is essentially scrap that has been drugged to meet a specification.

 

[Munkul]

rebar which is essentially scrap that has been drugged to meet a specification.

Yup. Only "structural" steel in that it helps concrete acheieve a tensile strength.

Horrible stuff for anything other than its intended purpose... although I've seen some impressive furniture/decoration made out of it...

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Thanks lads, some informative posts/good alternatives there . As I said I know less than the square root of bugger all about steel structure/specification, or what he's planning .

Sadly it's not easy to nip down to a shop or into a construction site (of which there are mercifully few) up here and can involve many miles just hunting around.

If someone who has some ( @Fraserb , @Screwdriver ) was prepared to hack off a couple of bits of thicker bits which would give him something to 'play' with in terms of machining diameter I'd be happy to cover costs or arrange Courier uplift.

 

[Screwdriver]

OK, under duress, I'll do it. I can see where this chap is coming from. He has seen some evidence probably on YouTube that you can use rebar as a cheap/free resource for making something other than groundfill.

The conundrum is, if we have to ship it half way across the UK, it is no longer really cheap or free, nor is it really doing the planet any favours regarding recycling/upcycling which I believe is the underlying premise.

Never mind though. We can pretend he found it or rescued it from a skip (which in my case is the literal truth) and present it as if that is what happened.

All I ask is that someone does a calculation which optimises the freight/weight ratio so that he's still "better off" using a bit of rebar than me sending an old stub axle or a nice clean bar of O2 tool steel.

I'm happy to send say 5 - 35kg of selected diameters if someone works out the most cost effective package (length, weight, cost). I'm going to hazard a guess it will be whatever fits into the senditnow.com limits.

 

[Maker]

There's loads of listings on eBay for bright steel rounds/EN3B, they're expensive compared to proper steel stockholders but if it's just the odd length, it'll be cheap enough not to worry.

 

[nickk]

If he chooses to use ,say,12/16 of ROUND bar,I have offcuts that you can have for free,but you arrange the courier.

 

[sardine]

Mooring pins for canal boats a fiver each is what I use up any rebar I find for. Scrap lorry wheel nuts for the top.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Thanks again, lads - as ever responses much appreciated, reinforcing yet again how good this forum is .

OK, under duress, I'll do it. I can see where this chap is coming from. He has seen some evidence probably on YouTube that you can use rebar as a cheap/free resource for making something other than groundfill.

The conundrum is, if we have to ship it half way across the UK, it is no longer really cheap or free, nor is it really doing the planet any favours regarding recycling/upcycling which I believe is the underlying premise.

Never mind though. We can pretend he found it or rescued it from a skip (which in my case is the literal truth) and present it as if that is what happened.

All I ask is that someone does a calculation which optimises the freight/weight ratio so that he's still "better off" using a bit of rebar than me sending an old stub axle or a nice clean bar of O2 tool steel.

I'm happy to send say 5 - 35kg of selected diameters if someone works out the most cost effective package (length, weight, cost). I'm going to hazard a guess it will be whatever fits into the senditnow.com limits.

Most kind and I will take you up on your offer, but please don't feel under any pressure to help.

I think the best bet is for me to phone and ask exactly what he intends 'producing'. It may well be that the 02 bar will be more than good for his purpose(s). He's a bit like me [only I'm not as old as he is, at nearly 90] and keeping his brain and hands active. I sometimes think he's slipping a bit, knows it, and is desperate to maintain focus...... He doesn't do online buying now as he can get confused with site layouts/passwords etc, even eBay can get him going round in circles. Sad to watch the gradual deterioration of a very good friend, but......

If it's too outlandish a purpose I'll just tell him I can't source any rebar. I'll report back once I've clarified the situation.......

 

[willie.macleod]

Sadly it's not easy to nip down to a shop or into a construction site (of which there are mercifully few) up here and can involve many miles just hunting around.

Hi John, I used to get loads of material from the guys at John Lawrie group in Evanton Industrial Estate. Haven't been in for a few years now but they always used to be good to me for pricing/quality of material. I have rebar here he'd be welcome to but despite being geographically closer than most I suspect it may be cheaper to ship from a mainland source.

 

[Screwdriver]

Thanks again, lads - as ever responses much appreciated, reinforcing yet again how good this forum is .


Most kind and I will take you up on your offer, but please don't feel under any pressure to help.

I think the best bet is for me to phone and ask exactly what he intends 'producing'. It may well be that the 02 bar will be more than good for his purpose(s). He's a bit like me [only I'm not as old as he is, at nearly 90] and keeping his brain and hands active. I sometimes think he's slipping a bit, knows it, and is desperate to maintain focus...... He doesn't do online buying now as he can get confused with site layouts/passwords etc, even eBay can get him going round in circles. Sad to watch the gradual deterioration of a very good friend, but......

If it's too outlandish a purpose I'll just tell him I can't source any rebar. I'll report back once I've clarified the situation.......

No worries, he can have all the rebar he can eat. Just tell me the length and weight and I’ll pop it in the post.

 

[Cobbler]

I’ve made various garden ornaments from rebar, obelisks & such like, I found hard bits in it, not a consistent material. Make one cut & it’s ok, move a few inches & try again & it will be a right pig to cut, the same bending it, some goes easy, others it’s as tough as old boots.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I spoke to my pal today, and he explained why he wants some rebar - it's for the high carbon content.

He did a job for a neighbour [even at his great age folk still bring him things with "John, I wonder if you could fix/repair this for me......"] and he doesn't like to turn them away if he can do it. During the job he was stuck for a drift of a particular size, so his 'masterplan to save the planet' is to get some rebar and anneal it, then turn it down to its 'clean' diameter. Then when the need arises he can make a drift/transfer punch etc as needed from a bit, then temper it - et voila....a purpose made tool for a specific job. [ @Tangledfeet - he used to be a College craft teacher so he's pretty up on metalwork etc, I'm sure you'll know what he's capable of.]

@Screwdriver Thanks for your offer, if you can PM me your name & address details by PM I'll get back to you with suggestions re amount etc and suggestions for Courier uplift etc?

Cheers for the help, everyone