Aluminum alloys made from machining chips that have been heat treated and re-melted, have been successfully foamed (after the addition of TiH2) using processes analogous to both the “Alporas” and “Formgrip” methods. The high oxygen contents associated with the swarf (0.11 wt% for the as-received material, increasing to >0.5 wt% after conditioning) results in large fractions of both clustered and dispersed oxide films in the melt. It is these films that enhance the “foamability” of this material. Through additional alloying with Mg and holding in the liquid state to allow reaction to take place, fragmentation and wetting of the oxides occurs and foams with low densities (<0.3 g cm-3), good pore structures, and good stability were obtained. The use of scrap material, without costly or embrittling additives, offers a low cost route to the manufacture of high quality foams. Aluminum machining chips have been successfully foamed using processes analogous to both the "Alporas" and "Formgrip" methods. The chips provide large fractions of both clustered and dispersed oxide films to the liquid, which enhances its "foamability." Through additional alloying with Mg and "melt conditioning," fragmentation and wetting of the oxides occurs and foams with low densities, good pore structures, and good stability are obtained. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.