Heavy Steel: Torching, Cutting, and Scrap Processing

Heavy steel from industrial equipment is transformed into manageable pieces for recycling, and not all steel makes the cut for the shredder.
In this episode of Scrap Talk, hosts Ross Litz and Kip Brown discuss the process of handling heavy steel, such as that from heavy and farm equipment, which is too thick to be processed through their shredder in Morristown, East Tennessee.
They explain how they use torching and a shear to cut the steel into manageable pieces that can be sold to steel mills.
Thanks to this conversation, you’ll learn about the importance of preparing the steel by removing non-steel components and cutting it into three-foot sections, as per the requirements of the steel mills.
Additionally, you’ll understand the challenges of dealing with pressurized tanks, which are hazardous and typically not accepted by scrap yards.
For more information, visit morristownscrap.com/

[@dewaynedeason5]

Great video!! I appreciate you showing around the yard.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

Do you shred the cars at your yard that you crush with your mobile crusher? Thank you!

[@mikemontel520]

Open the valve and make sure all of the gas or whatever is in there out of those tanks obviously away from anything to conducts heat and cut it with your mobile share most people take the top off cuz that's brass check it out there's a lot of scrap yards that do it check out the video e h scrap yard in Florida headset with their mobile shears and then it's prepared Steel

[@dewaynedeason5]

That’s was a little confusing. At the end you said you paid less for prepared steel or cut steel.

[@CuriousEarthMan]

they pay less for unprepared steel, because it costs money to make it prepared steel. They take unprepared and 'clean' it of foreign material, and cut it down to size, then they sell it to the mill as prepared steel. 1/4" thick and heavier is called #1 prepared, or sometimes 'heavy melting steel' or 'hms'.