# Recycle bins = awesome resource for woodworking



## Hubbard (Jan 1, 2012)

So. Working in Naval Aviation, we make lots of waste. I knew we had a giant recycling bin for metal, but I just discovered that we have a giant bin for wood as well.

Well, I raided both today. Some of our parts come in wooden crates, and we build a lot of fixtures from wood as well. There is also a small contingent of SeaBees across the street (they build, they fight) that uses the same bin. So, You can imagine there's some neat stuff laying around

I managed to build one useful thing today by up cycling. I found a 50 gallon drum on casters (took the casters) and a large wooden crate. They were meant for each other.











Why you ask?

Old scrap bin (also up cycled):











New scrap bin:











I also now realize I need to go through and dispose of the useless stuff, because my bigger up cycled bin is already full.

Also, the other things I got from the bin were pretty decent. I'll give the before and afters so you can see how much scrap I snagged for free

Cutoff bin before:











After:











Sheet goods before can also be seen in the first before picture, behind the cutoff bin. Here is after I stacked up what I grabbed.











I see many raids in the future. Oh yeah, here is one more free thing. The table top for my current workbench was salvaged from recycling











Once I actually build a bench, this will become a rolling assembly table.

I had no idea how awesome of a resource I had right next to the hangar for snagging material to use at home. I love me some free.

Anybody else have access to something like this?


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

That's pretty sweet, but I think you owe me a tax refund.....


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

When ever I work a movie (medic) I clean house at the end of the shoot/ it's amazing how much great stuff gets thrown away if no one wants it!... Pallets of ply and MDF... Really nice welding tables with 10" steel casters... sheets of 1/2" LEXAN! The list goes on and on...


EDIT
Oh, :smile: and great job on a great find!


~tom "Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence - it's a lack of know-how"


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## Joe in MI (Jan 20, 2012)

I hope you guys know how good you have it. You wanna know what people throw away here? Trash. No crates. No barrels on casters. No table tops. Just trash. 

The economy is so bad here that anything made of metal is scrapped for cash. I can't remember the last time I saw something metal sitting on the side of the road, or in a fence row for that matter. It's also driven the cost of used equipment way up.

I think I could probably come up with some pallets, but that's about it. I've tried. If its in a recycle bin or dumpster around here, it's pretty much garbage. And I have pretty low standards...;-)


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Nice find. I know where you'll be checking every few days. It's cool to stumble into a source for free materials.



firemedic said:


> When ever I work a movie (medic) I clean house at the end of the shoot...


Wait, whatcha talkin' 'bout Willis?


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Chaincarver Steve said:


> Nice find. I know where you'll be checking every few days. It's cool to stumble into a source for free materials.
> 
> Wait, whatcha talkin' 'bout Willis?


My other part time gig :smile:

They calling S La "Hollywood South" these days. State offers a whole lot of tax incentives so all the big productions are coming down here... Battle Los Angeles, Battleship, Twilight, expendables 1&2, RED, uhmmmm... Plenty more and portions of a LOT of movies...

~tom "Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence - it's a lack of know-how"


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## Hubbard (Jan 1, 2012)

SteveEl said:


> That's pretty sweet, but I think you owe me a tax refund.....


That was MY refund lol. Never understood why taxes pay for my paycheck and I still pay taxes.... Therefore part of my 
Salary is paid for by me lol. 

Firemedic, I'm jealous. PALLETS of stuff? Holy crap. I'm actually really surprised that no one really dives our wood bin, that or I just hit it on a really good day. The stuff we throw out is much better metal wise, but I have little use for it. Something to understand, when we throw things in the bin, especially metal, it's either re purposed or sold. With wood it's sold, so it isn't like we just drop it in a landfill and call it done. On the flipside though, I don't think we are making AU money on it either, so me "acquiring it" does not cause me to lose any sleep. 

I got another wooden crate today with an OSB bottom that I may use as a frame for a wall mounted cabinet. Whoever makes these crates actually planes and squares the boards as well for some reason, so all I have to do is take the bottom out, replace it with something more attractive, and hang it.

Recycling is awesome.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

firemedic said:


> My other part time gig :smile:
> 
> They calling S La "Hollywood South" these days. State offers a whole lot of tax incentives so all the big productions are coming down here... Battle Los Angeles, Battleship, Twilight, expendables 1&2, RED, uhmmmm... Plenty more and portions of a LOT of movies...
> 
> ~tom "Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence - it's a lack of know-how"


Awesome: to the gig and to all the materials!


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## MGP Roofing (Jul 10, 2010)

I can get some useful stuff from the dumpsters at sites where I work, especially if I am on site at the end of the project when the site is being cleaned up. Here's the results of a recent site cleanup, all from one dumpster! I'd say at least $300 worth of building materials here. Most will be used for my house renovations.


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## Hubbard (Jan 1, 2012)

Very nice


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Man did we do good! Lol

My son's godfather, or Parian as we *******' say, works with a couple metal building contractors. When steel beams are shipped in they are crated to oak 3x3x8 and 5x5x8 oak lumber... 

They are thrown away or cut into firewood normally, so he picked some up for a dining table he wants to build. He assured me that he has an almost unlimited supply and will bring a truck load every time he comes up to visit... 

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!

Second pict is what we got jointed today.

Cheers!

~tom "Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence - it's a lack of know-how"


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Nice job, Tom.
Recycling at it's best right there,my friend. :yes:


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## Hubbard (Jan 1, 2012)

HOLY CRAP THAT'S FANTASTIC!!! I am ver impressed. All I work with is pine right now, to get my hands on that much oak would be awesome! What a great resource!


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Dang Tom, you've struck gold again. Very nice!


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Yeah, not too shabby. Hubbard, I got plenty of oak, bought 700 bft of 5/4 about a year ago and don't use it much. This stuff is cool though cause it has work bench and shave horse written all over it! :yes:

~tom "Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence - it's a lack of know-how"

Spelling Edit


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## pineguy (Feb 26, 2012)

I get allot of that oak lumber also at the job sites i work at. I dont have any use for it but i could save it for someone in minnesota if they wanted it!?!?


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## Hubbard (Jan 1, 2012)

Man I wish you were in Oklahoma


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## pineguy (Feb 26, 2012)

yeah we get everything from 4'-16' lengths of 4"X4" - 6"X6" oak material. It just gets cut up and burned or thrown in the dumpster. I dont have to tools to handle that size material


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## MacDuffee (Jan 29, 2012)

I just left a Navy base and they auction off and sell all the old lumber. They have been getting loads and loads of equipment back and all the blocking and bracing has created mountains of lumber. I bet it is ~ 5acre lot filled with each pile being over head high. They just bring in tri-axle dump trucks and unload them. They couldn't keep those side board pallets. If you wanted old poly 55-gallon drums I think you could fill up a warehouse with them for free but they are not good for much. I did get some odd ball things here and there but nothing as nice as you guys are scoring.


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