Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

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J20Hunter1
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Location: Central ILL

Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by J20Hunter1 »

My wife calls me a Dumpster diver I pick up all kinds of stuff sit out for trash
Dennis Ridgeway 1977 Wagoneer 360/auto , 1969 J3000 Gladiator , 1983 J20 360 /auto <1978 Cj 5 Golden Eagle
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devildog80
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Location: Apache Junction AZ

Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by devildog80 »

And all because you see value in every piece you save.

Nothing wrong with that.

We need to show some of the uses from some of those saved items we have put to good re-use.

Like a square electrical box salvaged from an older replaced A/C unit disconnect, and a cord cut off an old dust sweeper, makes a nice 4 way outlet added to a work bench.

Tell us about some of your own.
'81 CJ5 Base, 258 I6, MC2100, T176 4 spd, 300 TC, D30 Front NT, 3.31, 2-Piece AMC 20 rear NT, 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), MC2150 HA Comp, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified
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2nd Day
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Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by 2nd Day »

Best thread ever.

Former owner of my house was a scrapper and I've been uncovering buried items on my land from 20 years ago.

I'll have to think twice from now on.

I'll be hitting up the scrap yard for sheet metal for my floor pans soon!

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Currently Jeepless (Previously 78 Cherokee WT-2 each, and 79 Waggy, 94 XJ)
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devildog80
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Location: Apache Junction AZ

Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by devildog80 »

Yep, save the bucks where you can :)

Anybody else have something?

Nothing too small.
'81 CJ5 Base, 258 I6, MC2100, T176 4 spd, 300 TC, D30 Front NT, 3.31, 2-Piece AMC 20 rear NT, 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), MC2150 HA Comp, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified
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jpswapmohn
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Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by jpswapmohn »

On the wood topic, my brother work for an defense contractor. They get large stuff delivered on TEAK pallets. He grabbed a trailer full of them, was able to work them through a good planer and did 1/2 of his house flooring with it. It looks amazing with the stress marks and nail holes. I have no idea why they use it, but I asked him to grab some more and I would figure out how to get it from him.
One day I will wake up and realize that my jeep is complete...one day, I just know it.
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devildog80
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Location: Apache Junction AZ

Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by devildog80 »

Good use of Teak wood for sure :)

Somebody else have an idea?

Come on.....lots of refurbish things out there!
'81 CJ5 Base, 258 I6, MC2100, T176 4 spd, 300 TC, D30 Front NT, 3.31, 2-Piece AMC 20 rear NT, 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), MC2150 HA Comp, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified
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devildog80
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Location: Apache Junction AZ

Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by devildog80 »

Aluminum security seal as used on shipping containers.

Used one this weekend to make a holder inside the distributor of my '84 GW, to hold the wires back away from the reluctor wheel.

Thin enough to pinch under screw on bracket where wire comes through side of casting, then small tab bent over cap lip to outside, holding wire away from rotating part.

NEXT :)
'81 CJ5 Base, 258 I6, MC2100, T176 4 spd, 300 TC, D30 Front NT, 3.31, 2-Piece AMC 20 rear NT, 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), MC2150 HA Comp, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified

threepiece
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Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by threepiece »

devildog80 wrote: Wed May 04, 2022 11:17 am Have we really ran out of frugal fortunes here?

Come on lets keep the tips coming, as financial crunches never cease, and saving money where we can should always be a priority for all of us!

Be damned to those who scoff, at those of us who save anything from waste.

I still have an old pair of leather moccasins, as you never know when you will need or could use, a leather washer.
Indeed!
I do not exaggerate when I tell that nearly 90% of the trash that leaves my shop was previously discarded by someone else. Moreover, 90% of the tools/tooling, metal stock and building materials I have here was also previously discarded. Look what I found a few weeks ago here. https://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/sh ... hp?t=54642 I suspect one could only manage to do this in the US. I feel I am becoming less of a “weirdo” now that our borders are opening up to people who REALLY know what it means to be resourceful.
I used to name my FSJ’s after their previous owners, I realized I had too many with five named Rick.

Dang raccoons again!

Rust is a color too.
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Yeller
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Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by Yeller »

Threepiece, your in good company😂 we build a lot of stuff out of my hoarded piles of scrap and have a bunch of thrown away equipment as well.
The bus I ride is so short it is a yellow Smart Car full of squirrels, monkeys and clowns.

1970 J2500 Resto Mod
https://www.fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewt ... 12&t=21395

1974 Bronco “Broncno”
https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3411909
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devildog80
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Location: Apache Junction AZ

Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by devildog80 »

Speaking of the moccasins I saved.....they did get cut into washers a few weeks ago, to repair my rear window motor.

NEXT.....
'81 CJ5 Base, 258 I6, MC2100, T176 4 spd, 300 TC, D30 Front NT, 3.31, 2-Piece AMC 20 rear NT, 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), MC2150 HA Comp, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified

threepiece
Posts: 430
Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2020 8:33 am

Re: Cheap/Free Fab Materials, Share Your Tips!

Post by threepiece »

Yeller wrote: Sun Jan 28, 2024 8:06 am Threepiece, your in good company😂
That is nice to read, mine is often a lonely life.
I used to name my FSJ’s after their previous owners, I realized I had too many with five named Rick.

Dang raccoons again!

Rust is a color too.
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