Current scrap price for HSS

Hi Iggy,

I would be interested in any small HSS blank tools that could still be ground/used as lathe bits. From 1/8 inch to around 1/2 inch square and maybe some round stuff. More of the smaller sizes than larger. Old broken taps with at least one good set of flutes might be nice to have around too in different TPI sizes.

Wholesale Tool sells import HSS/M2 blanks. Examples:

1/8 x 1/8 x 2-1/2 inch $0.80 1/4 x 1/4 x 2-1/2 inch $1.00 3/8 x 3/8 x 3 inch $2.30

Do you have anything salvageable that could be stuck in a flat rate package for a reasonable amount? or maybe it isn't worth messing with (shrug).

I have about 40 lbs of blanks, most seem to be on bigger size (like you would see in decent lathes), I will check tonight. They are blanks, but somewhat machined on one side (like if tried to make a lathe cutter but failed and discarded the blank).

Keep in mind, my scrapper will probably give me about a buck a lb. I will not ask for much more from you.

What sizes do you need? I will check what is in the box.

i

These sound like they would be good yet. What do they measure in size/width and length?

I think 5-20 lbs at scrap price will net me a whole lot more tooling to learn with than buying individual pieces from Wholesale Tools or the like.

What I mentioned above would be about right (1/8 inch to 1/2 square, 2-1/2 to 4 inches long, maybe some rectangle stuff if similar in overall size). I just have a baby lathe, 9 x

20 import.

Some bigger pieces like 3/8 to 5/8 would be nice if they were long enough (~4 to 10 inch) that you could make a boring bar with it.

Kind of looking for a cheap "grab-bag" that would be good to learn/doodle with. If something doesn't work out, you aren't out very much. Make sense?

No rush, when you get a chance and if you want to mess with it. You won't hurt my feelings if it isn't worth hassling with :)

OK, I will check. They might all be unusable. I had no time to look at them, I bought about 250 lbs of HSS tooling on Monday from the factory owner where I picked up the Quincy and other things. I just asked him if he had HSS scrap. Which he did have. So I paid him $25 and took it. It's mostly drills, taps and reamers, but also one tray of tool blanks.

i

According to Ignoramus22168 :

[ ... ]

Hmm ... is there any chance that some of them are marked "Hayes Stellite"? (It will be a very faint marking, based on the samples which I have.)

They will feel quite heavy for their size. If you can find some of these, I would be interested, and so would someone else here, I believe.

Thanks, DoN.

Who might that be, DoN? :-)

By the way, they're non-magnetic.

Harold

If the OP doesn't have anything suitable, I've got a 5 gallon pail full of old punch tooling that might make a nice boring bar or two. It's round M2 material, drawn 3 times, with one tapped end and assorted grooves for o-rings on the shaft. One end is threaded, though I've never bothered to figure out the pitch. The small ones are 1/2" in diameter- the larger ones are anywhere from 1.25" to 4" in diameter. They're all about 9" long.

As far as I know, at least with the machines I've got, it'd be a PITA to make a boring bar, as I've only been able to shape the stuff with abrasives, but I've got more than enough to last me the rest of my life, so I could spare a couple of them if you care to pay for a priority mail box. I've got some other parts I need to mail Monday anyhow, so that'd be the time to do it.

If not for boring bars, I've been using it to make woodturning cutters and freehand metal gravers. It's good stuff- and with a bit of patience, it makes nice cutting tools. (though for standard toolbits, I think it's probably a little more work than it's worth, considering)

E-mail me off-list at prometheus(at)charter.net if you're interested, and we'll work something out.

Leon, there were no bars in that lot small enough to interest you, all are at least 3/4", I scrapped all of them.

i

Fair enough Iggy, thanks for checking, I do appreciate it :)

I appreciate the offer, but will pass on it for now. I really don't have any immediate need, just thought maybe I could get a bunch of odds & ends cheap that would be good to doodle with.

You know I walk around in hardware/home repair stores with only a basic idea in mind, looking for something that I can make work (I'm sure I'm not the only one). A sales person will ask me if they can help me find something, I don't even try to explain. They would never "get it" in a 1000 years :)

Now if I had a box/container of misc HSS tooling that I could paw through in much the same way, I would be all set (maybe).

It sounds like you may have stirred up the interest of some other hunter & gathers though...

According to Harold and Susan Vordos :

[ ... ]

I figured that I would let you speak for yourself if you wanted in. :-)

Hmm ... so they are. I had not tried that. That would help sorting them from the HSS and any carbon steel which might still be around. :-)

Enjoy, DoN.

Yep------that's why I thought I'd make mention. Vascoloy -Rame Tantung-G isn't magnetic, either. Makes sorting them from the pack real fast and easy.

Harold

No such markings on the blanks and slabs that I scrapped. I have very few stellite TIG rods, IIRC.

i

[ ... ]

Thanks for checking. DoN.