Steel turnings and borings
Chips and swarf from machining steel and cast iron. Saleable in volume, but the price depends heavily on oil content and on keeping alloys apart.
What it is
Turnings are chips from lathes and mills; borings are finer chips, often from cast iron. Buyers may want them loose, crushed or briquetted.
Typical sources
- Machine shops
- Engine and drivetrain component plants
- Hydraulic and valve manufacturers
- Foundry machining lines
What buyers need to quote
- Alloy: carbon steel, alloy steel or cast iron
- Short or long chips
- Oil and coolant content, and whether the chips are centrifuged
- Whether aluminium or brass chips are mixed in
- Tonnes per month
- Container type: hoppers, bins or roll-off
Photo tips
- A close-up of the chips showing shape and colour
- The container, including any liquid at the bottom
- A label or job sheet showing the alloy, if you have one
What raises its value
- Drained or centrifuged chips
- Alloys kept separate
- Short, uniform chips
- Covered, dry storage
Common reasons for rejection or downgrade
- Free-standing oil or coolant
- Non-ferrous chips mixed in
- Rust from outdoor storage
- Long, bushy turnings when the buyer needs short chips
Specifications vary by buyer. The final grade is agreed between you and the buyer against the buyer's specification or recognised industry specifications such as ReMA (formerly ISRI).