Where to buy cast iron blocks ?

Rather than buy castings for certain projects, especially the simpler tooing type stuff, I thought I'd just buy cast iron bars / blocks and work with that. It's not just a matter of being tight, but in part a wish to modify designs or do something from scratch without trying to get a one off casting made and needing paternmaking and all all that. However, looking at mkmetals website, it seems that it's quite an expensive raw material eg 50mm diameter by 1m costing a hundred quid. I could believe postage might be lot but isn't this the basic stuff that comes out of the furnace at =A350 a ton, before it gets made into the fancy stuff like steel? Or is mkmetals selling a particularly exotic kind of cast iron ?

I'm after small bits eg suitable for making a George Thomasish pillartool, or for the body of a (woodworking) block plane. Another thought was a bigger slab to cut some T-slots into for a milling table for the lathe. At this sort of cost I could buy a full-blown mill cheaper than the iron.

Any thoughts or suggestions ?

Hywel

Reply to
hyweldavies
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That does sound like an awful lot of money, but generally the cast iron bar from stockholders is pretty good stuff probably akin to Meehanite and very different from rough & ready grey cast.

Try a couple of other suppliers to compare prices, but it'll always be dearer than mild steel.

Cheers Tim Dutton Dry-Dock Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs Vintage diesel engine service

Reply to
Tim Leech

Under one of the benches at the factory we have two or three largish castings from a drawing board, about 20+lbs weight in total and mostly squarish shapes.

If they are of any use to anyone, let me know. They are there for that job that "will come along one day"

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes

In message , hyweldavies writes

Try no minimum order and very obliging. Alternatively .

I've dealt with both but normally go to Mallard as first choice

Reply to
Mike H

Much more like it. I was obviously looking in the wrong place. Just need to continue thinking the project through; materials no long an issue

Thanks gentlemen,

Hywel

Reply to
hyweldavies

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The list price is £40.35 for 1m x 50mm dia bar, but you might well get it cheaper if you 'phone and ask nicely - the list price is really for smaller pieces. Meehanite, good quality.

Does odd shapes too, and afaik almost any size and shape is available - they got me some 300 mm x 60 mm (iirc) rectagular bar at a good price.

Shipping can be a day or two slow, otherwise I have had no problems with them.

Reply to
Peter Fairbrother

Hywel

Salvation is at hand ..... call College Engineering Supplies

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...they specialise in small quantities of metals for models engineers. They attend most of our shows and I strongly recommend them from personal experience. --

Chris Edwards (in deepest Dorset) ..."There must be an easier way...!"

Reply to
christopher

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