Where to buy steel plate?

[Topside]

Where would you all start for trying to buy a piece of steel like this? It's 8" square about a quarter in thick. Tried home depot and another huge local hdwr store. No luck. Thanks.

T.

[damienph]

Look for a welding shop. Welders around here would probably have plate like that in their shop. Most could even cut it to size for you with a plasma cutter. Be prepared to pay for it though, 1/4" plate won't be cheap.

[Topside]

Thanks D for the idea. Maybe I can do with something a little thinner. Appreciate it.
T.

[Griff]

Google is your friend: Huntington Steel, if they can't help, they could probably point you in the right direction. I just entered "virginia steel supplies". Sometimes, big outfits like to take a small job, expecially if you contact just the right individual that understands your need, and has similar interests... or likes a change! I had a need for a shifter ball on my farm tractor as it was worn half away... contacted what I thought was a small local machine shop... turns out he only build titanium differentials and housings for race cars! But, he was patient enough to listen to my request and in about 20 minutes returned with my new titanium shifter! Yep, the rest of my tractor will fall apart from age and wear, but that shifter ball will still be like NEW!

[Topside]

Griff, I'll see if I can narrow it down to a local place or 2 on Google. Good idea about maybe running into an indiv. with similar interests. Thank you.

Reed

[Rusty]

In my neck of the woods I'd go to a scrap dealer. Most of them buy and sell.

[harry]

If you need to order, I use these guys for small special stuff I need.
wy2000
http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... op_cat=849

[jnyork]

Are there no scrap yards or steel suppliers in your area? No welding shops? A little piece like that should not be a problem. Or expensive, for that matter.

[Topside]

Nice to know about Online Metals, and I'll check some scrap yards. Thank you.
T.

[adirondakjack]

Shipping eats ya alive on small pieces. I go to about any "metal fabrication" shop and ask. Last time they cut a a piece to order in minutes. Something like that is worth about $10 cash and carry at the local machine shop

[Hawkeye2]

Go to a welding shop or a small steel fabricator and be sure to tell them what you want it for. I was a shop foreman in a fabrication shop for years and most of the guys were shooters/hunters. If you came to us you would get it cut and ground while you waited and for free too. Of course if you felt guilty you could come back with a dozen doughnuts.

[bdhold]

McMaster-Carr is the mail order house for everything mechanical
http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-plates/=ck48ve
Haven't bought steel there, but bought some phosphor bronze for making leaf springs not long ago.

[marlinman93]

All 4 of my local steel suppliers have an "ends" bin where they toss pieces deemed too small to fool with. Anything from 1/2" plate doesn to small gauge sheet stock, plus rounds, angles, etc. They sell from the bins for scrap steel price, and I get a lot of pieces for fab jobs from the scrap bins.

[Hobie]

I was told today that Lowe's has steel plate.

[Sixgun]

What do you want it for? if you plan on shooting it you will need armor plate. I have a 10"er and a 7"er X 3/8ths thick mounted on 3/4" rebar. I hit the 10" about a hundred times the other day with .308's and 06's and it only leaves a very small dimple. In all, I have probably shot this plate 5,000 times (shot AT it who knows? )in the last year or two. Cost me $75 shipped and the 7 incher was $40--shipped.

www.reactivetargets.com

[Topside]

I was told today that Lowe's has steel plate.

Thanks Hobie, I was in Lowe's yesterday for a circuit breaker and meant to ask them about the plate but of forgot. Will check it next time I get near the store.
T.

[Topside]

What do you want it for? if you plan on shooting it you will need armor plate. I have a 10"er and a 7"er X 3/8ths thick mounted on 3/4" rebar. I hit the 10" about a hundred times the other day with .308's and 06's and it only leaves a very small dimple. In all, I have probably shot this plate 5,000 times (shot AT it who knows? )in the last year or two. Cost me $75 shipped and the 7 incher was $40--shipped.

http://www.reactivetargets.com

Sixgun thanks for the links. Actually here's why I'm looking for the plate....When I got my new Lee press a couple weeks ago, I came across these pictures. I really liked the idea of mounting the press on a drilled/tapped plate that could be secured to my bench with C clamps. That way it would be easy to remove the press or slide it left or right without having to undo carriage bolts. I have since attached the press with carriage bolts so to get started using it, but I'm still interested in the "plate idea". I have also considered using a nice strong piece of oak to do it and just countersink the carriage bolts on the bottom side. Lot less trouble than working with the steel, but I still like the look of the plate. Will keep ya'll posted when I get around to doing one or the other.
T.

[AJMD429]

You might hunt the forum for Ysabel Kid's pictures of his reloading setup - he made a 'switch-out' base for his press(es) and other cool stuff. Look under "reloading room" in the 'search' function, or PM him.

[Hawkeye2]

Lee has a neat mounting system for their equipment as well as a stand:

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Bench-Plate.html

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Hardwood-Base-Blanks.html

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Lee-Reloading-Stand.html

[Ysabel Kid]

You don't need steel plate for this. Heck, you don't even need oak. I have used plywood, particle board, and other scrap pieces. The key is the foundation - a solid wood bench. Here's a picture of the insert I use with one of my Lee Precision presses.



Here's the bench top without an insert in it.



Here it is with another insert in place, with a different press.



And here it is with my tumbler:



And the case trimmer:



As you can see, it is a very flexible system!

[Topside]

Y. K. Great idea, and thanks for the pictures. Looks like a fine system to imitate and you gave me a pretty good "blueprint". I'm in the throws of detrashing my basement of 30 years of clutter so when I get finished with that, I'll have more room and time to take this on. If and when I get started, I'll keep you posted and let you know how it goes. Thanks for taking the time to help. I expect your post will be of plenty interest to more than just me!
T.