# cast iron in Victoria? Anybody?



## jaydag71 (Feb 7, 2021)

This is an off the hip question so I'll accept whatever comes of it but I'm curious if anyone knows where some cast iron chunks could be found in Victoria, or better yet if theres somebody with a small home foundry setup that takes on small projects? Ive got no clue what the cost of something custom cast may be but I'm interested in knowing!

 Also curious whether theres anyplace local that sells scrap cutoffs, small pieces of thicker cr or similar? many thanks, J


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## David_R8 (Feb 7, 2021)

In a pinch weight plates work depending on your need.


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## YotaBota (Feb 7, 2021)

jaydag71 said:


> anyplace local that sells scrap cutoffs,


Last time I was at Metal supermarket in Keating I asked about offcuts and they said they have a barrel out back. You need to tell them what you're looking for and they'll go see if they have it.


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## YYCHM (Feb 7, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> Last time I was at Metal supermarket in Keating I asked about offcuts and they said they have a barrel out back. You need to tell them what you're looking for and they'll go see if they have it.



Blaaaaa……. gone are the days of pulling stuff out of the offcuts bins and placing them on the weight scale.  I miss that.  Could weight out your max spend for the month LOL.  Now you have to have each piece evaluated and priced just to say no thank you, I'll pass.


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## David_R8 (Feb 7, 2021)

I actually find our local
Metal Supermarket to be competitive.


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## YYCHM (Feb 7, 2021)

David_R8 said:


> In a pinch weight plates work depending on your need.



Where the heck are you finding CI weight plates?  Everything around here is plastic with who knows what fill.


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## YotaBota (Feb 7, 2021)

YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> Where the heck are you finding CI weight plates?


Second hand store, thrift shop, garage sale.


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## David_R8 (Feb 7, 2021)

YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> Where the heck are you finding CI weight plates? Everything around here is plastic with who knows what fill.



I see them regularly on Facebook Marketplace and Used.ca


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## jaydag71 (Feb 7, 2021)

haha lovely responses! ive heard about trying weights out and certainly will keep my eyes out for some of those oldies, but yup, only ones i own are those crappy mortar filled plastic cheapos. i actually used to have a fair sized set of the good ones but i gave them away because i never used them, years back of course...

 I actually havent been out to the metal supermarket yet- not sure how the covid has affected them yet either but i have browsed their site...though I'm inexperienced enough to know better, their stock seemed quite limited and the prices were just shocking for the few pieces I looked up quotes for.

 You had me for a moment with the scrap bin out back,,,,thats about what I'm looking for as a beginner, not keen on spending a fortune on materials if possible...i was thinking of trying a scrap place, just going in with my cutoff wheels and asking if i can cut out a selection of pieces from their piles of scrap...anyone tried this approach or am I going too ghetto here? hehe. thanks again everyone.


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## YYCHM (Feb 7, 2021)

What size CI are you looking for?  I found that stuff really hard to source.


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## YotaBota (Feb 7, 2021)

You could also try a local fab shop, some of them have scrap barrels.


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## jaydag71 (Feb 7, 2021)

id like to find something fairly substantial, around 5 or 6" l & w and 2 or 3 " thick if poss, would also like to find a piece similar to what one of those weights would offer,has to be a 6" diam min...ive heard mixed reviews on using those old weights too, some apparently not decent specimens...still, I'll be keeping my eyes open next time im at value village!


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## jaydag71 (Feb 7, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> You could also try a local fab shop, some of them have scrap barrels.


thanks, yep my plan is to do just that, prob coldcall a few places and annoy the heck out of some poor guys.


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## jaydag71 (Feb 7, 2021)

im also saving for a tig atm so will be needing a decent supply of scrap to play with....cant wait to start messing with that.


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## YYCHM (Feb 7, 2021)

jaydag71 said:


> im also saving for a tig atm so will be needing a decent supply of scrap to play with....cant wait to start messing with that.



You're living in an apt?  Where are you going to do that???


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## jaydag71 (Feb 7, 2021)

ye


YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> You're living in an apt?  Where are you going to do that???


yep its a small one too- well the tig im shooting for runs on both 110v and 220 i believe, so i technically could do a bit of welding here if i had to but prob wouldnt, ill more likely take it to a buds and just leave it there for practice until I move in a few mo...im getting a bit of a deal on the machine and its shipping otherwise would prob wait it out...


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## David_R8 (Feb 7, 2021)

jaydag71 said:


> ye
> 
> yep its a small one too- well the tig im shooting for runs on both 110v and 220 i believe, so i technically could do a bit of welding here if i had to but prob wouldnt, ill more likely take it to a buds and just leave it there for practice until I move in a few mo...im getting a bit of a deal on the machine and its shipping otherwise would prob wait it out...


What TIG machine are you looking at?


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## trlvn (Feb 8, 2021)

jaydag71 said:


> id like to find something fairly substantial, around 5 or 6" l & w and 2 or 3 " thick if poss, would also like to find a piece similar to what one of those weights would offer,has to be a 6" diam min...ive heard mixed reviews on using those old weights too, some apparently not decent specimens...still, I'll be keeping my eyes open next time im at value village!


I'm no expert but AIUI if cast iron is cooled very quickly, it becomes VERY hard.  If it is intended to be machined, it should be cooled quite gradually.  When casting weight plates, I doubt they would go to the extra bother of cooling slowly.  I believe you can anneal the metal by heating and then slowly cooling.  I think I've read that tossing the pieces into a bonfire will get them hot enough and the ashes will cool slow enough.  Never tried it.

Craig


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## historicalarms (Feb 8, 2021)

if your in a bind for C.I.... Urban municipalities leave thousands of chunks just laying around in the streets...might want to be careful whose watching when your picking some up tho....
   Just to look like an authentic city employee, you might want to put on a hardhat and fluorescent red "target" vest and let 3 or 4 empty "timmies" coffee cups roll out of your pick-up.

   actually, in all seriousness now, lots of manhole covers get damaged & chipped over the years and a city yard probably has a pile of them just rusting away.


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## jaydag71 (Feb 8, 2021)

David_R8 said:


> What TIG machine are you looking at?


hiya, good question and one that took a whole lotta research since itll be my first tig machine (have a mig and some gas torches currently, but have always wanted a tig!)...im going for the primeweld tig225. wasnt able to find anything in Canukada that came close in spec, price AND positive reviews. After some back n forth with the owner and some brief whining about the state of our trade situation with the states vs china, he offered me a couple of discounts that just sweeten the deal... im just "resaving" my sheckles after an expensive xmas....


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## jaydag71 (Feb 8, 2021)

trlvn said:


> I'm no expert but AIUI if cast iron is cooled very quickly, it becomes VERY hard.  If it is intended to be machined, it should be cooled quite gradually.  When casting weight plates, I doubt they would go to the extra bother of cooling slowly.  I believe you can anneal the metal by heating and then slowly cooling.  I think I've read that tossing the pieces into a bonfire will get them hot enough and the ashes will cool slow enough.  Never tried it.
> 
> Craig


thanks man, thats some intetesting info I'll havta look into a bit more. In my hopes and dreams I would have a place for my own little foundry eventually...but one thing at a time obviously...


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## jaydag71 (Feb 8, 2021)

historicalarms said:


> if your in a bind for C.I.... Urban municipalities leave thousands of chunks just laying around in the streets...might want to be careful whose watching when your picking some up tho....
> Just to look like an authentic city employee, you might want to put on a hardhat and fluorescent red "target" vest and let 3 or 4 empty "timmies" coffee cups roll out of your pick-up.
> 
> actually, in all seriousness now, lots of manhole covers get damaged & chipped over the years and a city yard probably has a pile of them just rusting away.


"i like the cut of your jib.", or, thats my kind of problem solving....well, the first part, not so much the latter....


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## David_R8 (Feb 8, 2021)

jaydag71 said:


> hiya, good question and one that took a whole lotta research since itll be my first tig machine (have a mig and some gas torches currently, but have always wanted a tig!)...im going for the primeweld tig225. wasnt able to find anything in Canukada that came close in spec, price AND positive reviews. After some back n forth with the owner and some brief whining about the state of our trade situation with the states vs china, he offered me a couple of discounts that just sweeten the deal... im just "resaving" my sheckles after an expensive xmas....


I have the Primeweld 225, it's a fantastic machine.


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## Tom O (Feb 8, 2021)

Windy hill foundry or luckygen1001 on YouTube gives you vids on cast iron Windy hill talks about anealing in some of his.  You might want to call some ot these they would know where. 
https://www.yellowpages.ca/search/si/1/Foundries/Victoria+BC


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## jaydag71 (Feb 8, 2021)

David_R8 said:


> I have the Primeweld 225, it's a fantastic machine.


excellent! another happy customer...exactly why Im going with that one...


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## jaydag71 (Feb 8, 2021)

Tom O said:


> Windy hill foundry or luckygen1001 on YouTube gives you vids on cast iron Windy hill talks about anealing in some of his.  You might want to call some ot these they would know where.
> https://www.yellowpages.ca/search/si/1/Foundries/Victoria+BC


thanks for the tip- i actually havent really looked around too hard yet but assumed somebody on island would be offering up their services. I have watched several videos about home foundries and casting techniques and will eventually be trying to put something together myself no doubt- but one thing at a time i suppose...certainly dont need any more unfinished projects or plans atm....hehe.


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## Tom O (Feb 8, 2021)

My Dad had the block of this cast in Victoria I belive maybe Vancouver he’s gone now so can’t ask.


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## jaydag71 (Feb 8, 2021)

ill havta look more into it then- my guess would be theres got to be at least something on island but certainly Vancouver will and isn't all that far away- its only $75 each way....

 oh, it deleted my crying sad faced emoji....was trying for some sarcasm there....


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## David_R8 (Feb 8, 2021)

Call Varsteel up island. They may be be able to help.


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## Tom O (Feb 8, 2021)

jaydag71 said:


> ill havta look more into it then- my guess would be theres got to be at least something on island but certainly Vancouver will and isn't all that far away- its only $75 each way....
> 
> oh, it deleted my crying sad faced emoji....was trying for some sarcasm there....


I hear you we use to ride our motorcycles over to Van for parts.
Sometime this summer I’m hoping to head to Victoria to see Mom and other relations and to nab some cast iron on the way back.


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## YYCHM (Feb 12, 2021)

Here you go..... 

https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.com/threads/free-ci-weights.2942/

Free to boot.


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## jaydag71 (Feb 15, 2021)

thanks for that lead, you caught me snoozing however and i missed that one completely! regards, John


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