Thanks for the replies so far folks. I need something sustainable for projects, so the free idea is good one MrDEB, but I don't use their papers, so I don't want to bug them to ask them for free boards. Thanks though for the lead.
jrz126, thanks for the tip! The Electronic Gold Mine does appear to have an okay-priced "super clad assortment", but even those amount to randomly sized boards at $0.50 each, which is good, but I know there must be others who have scraps for less.
Thanks also RadioRon. I called EVERY pcb fab shop in my area (Seattle) today, and only TWO out of 20 actually started their boards with bare, un-etched copper-clad material. (The rest get their boards already etched from China). Of those, ONE would sell me blanks, at a price that is still what I consider high, probably because it's brand new, un-cut material (12" x 18", 0.059 FR4 for $10).
I'm not looking for anything prestine, just scraps. C'mon folks! Somebody's got to have a secret source!! Please chime in! We can all benefit by buying from them and promoting lower prices in what appears to have somehow turned into a very over-priced market.
Maybe I should get a 16-ton shipment from China myself and sell it piece by piece on eBay.
-Josh