Source for steel plates

[Mike Cruz]

I need/want to weight down my lathe, and have been thinking of "with what". I got an idea from someone else with the same lathe to put weight lifting weights in/on it. He suggested CL. I scoured all my local CL areas, and the cheapest I found was 40 cents a pound. I want/need 500-600 lbs, so that becomes cost prohibitive. The suggester found his at 20 cents per pound...a price I'd be willing to pay... Anyway, I got to thinking about what would stack well, and use my space wisely, and steel press plates came to mind since I have 4 of them. A while back, I remember seeing them on sale somewhere (don't remember where) and picked them up for really cheap...like I have no use for those but at that price I might FIND a use...like under $10 for 2 kind of cheap. I just looked online to get more and they are like $60 for two!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I KNOW I didn't pay that much...not even close.

So, my question is... Does anyone know of a source that sells plate steel or something easily stackable for a reasonable price? Thanks for your suggestions in advance.

[Jamie Buxton]

Sand or gravel is just about the lowest cost per pound. Builder stores sell it sealed in nice paper bags for a nickel per pound. Garden supply places sell it loose for a couple pennies a pound.

[Peter Quinn]

I needed to weight down a slot mortiser. I built a form box that fit the spot, poured it in concrete. Real cheap, real heavy. I threw rocks from the yard in to take up space, mixed the pour loose enough to get around all the aggregate easily. Not sure if that works for a lathe? Works for tractors too though.

[Mike Cruz]

Yeah, Jamie, I know that sand and gravel are cheap, but just not as heavy as steel. And I'm trying to get 500-600 pounds into a cabinet and on a shelf. I think I could get about 200-300 of stone/sand.

Peter, I really need to make a concrete weight for my 3 point hitch. I've been contemplating it for years now...time to just DO IT!!!!

[Mark Ashmeade]

Why mix the concrete? Just stack the bags of Portland Cement. They's basically powered Limestone, so very heavy, and will go hard all of their own making over time. DAMIKT

[Steve Kohn]

I used 5 bags of pea gravel, @ 60 lbs per bag, to weigh down my lathe.

[Stephen Cherry]

Maybe try Modern Junk in Baltimore. If you need to cut it, my plasma cutter is good for 3/8 inch.

modern junk.jpg

[Jamie Buxton]

Yeah, Jamie, I know that sand and gravel are cheap, but just not as heavy as steel. And I'm trying to get 500-600 pounds into a cabinet and on a shelf. I think I could get about 200-300 of stone/sand....

So you want heavy and cheap and high density.
...maybe you can get only two out of three....

[Mike Cruz]

Jamie, you may be right...but I can try can't I?

[Mike Cruz]

Steve, thanks for that! I'll give them a call on Monday to see what they have. I also got to thinking about the recycling centers. They pay people for metal. Maybe I could find something of use at those places...

[Ted Calver]

Try farm auctions for used tractor suitcase weights

[Mike Cruz]

Great idea, Ted! Those are actually what I'm looking for. I just can't imagine getting them at a decent price... I would assume that those get snatched up pretty easily. Skid loader plates would be awesome, too.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Mike
Look into railroad equipment, used rail is often there for the taking cost more to remove then value. All you need is a torch. Current price on scrap is about $0.11 per pound for steel plate. Tom

[Stephen Cherry]

The last time I was there this place was packed top to bottom with metals, and they are very friendly also. They also had thick aluminum plate, which would be maybe be a great router table.

What's your objective with this? Is the machine moving, or flexing? If the base is resonating or flexing, I'd be more inclined to glue concrete pavers to the inside of the sides of the cabinet base, or cast concrete in place onto the sides. Or build a new base as a steel-concrete structure.

[Mike Cruz]

Had someone else mention RR equipment, too. Actually, he mentioned tracks. Not sure how they would stack... I don't have a torch, either. Do you suggest I go to my local train station? Got one 15 minutes from my house...