Rising Metal Prices

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How are you guys handling the rising metal prices?Are you your customers just complaining or are they refusing to have work done?Every time we order new material, we are hearing of additional increases.Cheers,tpwww.tompenningtonphoto.com
Reply:I just a hobbiest, but want to build a small trailer in the next few months. I am not to sure I can build one for any cheaper than buying new. It sucks!!!BrentLincoln 3200HD MIGLincoln AC/DC 225 Stick
Reply:I know what you mean guys. I called and qouted 2 pcs of 1/4'' X 2'' X 3'' angle $177.00 + tax  Not really worth building something unless you need it real bad, can't get it any other way or if the customer foots the bill.
Reply:Yeah, it's oughta sight . I retired 2 years ago, and it was already going up every month , then . I have in my garage about $1000 worth of angle and flat bar, etc. I wish somebody close wanted to buy , cash & carry . I'd let it go for 1/3 the going price . But shipping is out. TOO expensive . Thats a big problem, too . oh well.[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:I haven't bought a lot of steel since moving from Texas to Pennsylvania but the price of steel is double here in Pa compared to Tx.  I visit relatives in Texas from time to time and called Dimco steel in Dallas where I used to buy a lot of steel both cold rolled and hot rolled.  You would think that the steeler state would be competitive.  When I bought steel in Texas I would often ask where it came from;  South Africa, England, Mexico, Russia, and of course the good ole USA.  I worked with a lot of steel, forming and welding, and couldn't tell any difference in the properties no matter where it came from.MILLER 330 AB/PMILLER GOLD STAR 130KUBOTA BX24CASE MINI HAY PRESSBENCH MILLHYPERTHERM 45BABY HOSSFELD
Reply:I was just complaining about paying $ 275.00 for 4 pieces of 2" x 3" 11 ga. Now I dont feel so bad.One of the ways I try to keep material costs down is to save up orders for several projects and order them all at once.  It's not big savings, but a penny saved...One thing for sure. I don't let even that first piece of scrap go out the door for free anymore.  Even a little 2" gusset is worth a buck. I used to have people ask for small pieces, and I gave them away alot of the time.  Then I saw what "Lowes" charges for a piece of 1/4" 4 inches square.  For that kinda money I'll even cut it to fit!The best things in life all come on a stick!
Reply:Where you at Roy ?Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:[QUOTE=olddad;164221]Where you at Roy ?.................................................  ..................................................  ..................................................................................  ..................................................  ..................................I live in the Napa Valley , California . 2 miles east of the city of Napa . World famous for our grapes & wine .  "God's Country "[SIZE="5"Yardbird"
Reply:Never mind...only 2000 miles...LOLAnything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT
Reply:my last trip to the steel yard- 20 foot - 3/8 x 2" flat bar20 foot - 3/8 x 3" flat bar20 foot - 1/2 x 3" flat bar20 foot - 3/8 x 1" flat bar20 foot - 1"x"1 1/4" angle 2 4'x5' 16 gauge sheet Total - $180.53 I didnt think that was bad...  my last emergency trip to home depot - 1 2 foot 1/2" peice of black pipe1 4 foot peice of 1" black pipe1 4x4 peice of 16 gauge sheet metal1 4 foot peice of 3/4x3/4 1/4" angle ironTotal - $76.94  I like to party!
Reply:Its not looking good here in oz either. All you hear is ads on the radio for shed building companys saying that the price of steel is going up!!! Its happened a fair bit over here, I dont know exact prices, but even scrap steel I get from work is getting harder to get a hold of!A bit like fuel prices. Always going up and up and up!!!!!!!!
Reply:I have called 4 different companies pricing steel down here, specifically 1/4" plate 4X8 sheets. The price per sheet varied by $140.00. I talked to the guy I get most of mine from (unlike the competition he will get on the phone and try to find whatever I need) and currently his cost is running from 80 cents to $1.20 per pound. It's hing and there is nothing to be done about it. I bought 3" pipe a couple months back and the Chinese stuff cost just as much as the American. Haven't figured that out yet. I don't throw anything away. I've gone to having the customer purchase the material and bring it to me if it is a very large order. I keep their drops and save them for the next job they have.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.
Reply:In the past I have normally kept a good stock of steel on the rack.  With prices soaring I am now only keeping one of the most common pieces I use.  Anything else I order when I need it and can have it the next day.  I also do as Rabidfish, and everything has a price.  small pieces I use to just give away now have a price tag.  I have noticed a decline in fabrication, but My business is most repair, and I haven't notice a difference in it.  I I got a letter yesterday from two of my steel distributors, and both said to expect an increase this month and next month.   THe biggest trouble we are having here now is people stealing anything iron related with high scrap iron prices people have gone to stealing junk to sell for a profit.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:I end up spending more time at the scrap yard, they seem to have quite a bit of plate steel, not much in square tubing but what the hell, at 33 cents a lbs, I'll dig a little bit to find enough for my projects. I now understand why shops have to charge so much for jobs....Guy_48Welding is an art......Millermatic 252Lincoln SP175PlusLincoln 225 AC/DC
Reply:I'm a welding student at the local community college, I usually go to the scrapyard sometimes there's some good stuff for 35 cents a pound. Around here rust is a big problem but sometimes I get lucky and hit a fresh load of scrap from one of the local shops.
Reply:Funny, the payout when you recycle scrap hasnt gone up much at all.I like to party!
Reply:Originally Posted by Guy_48I end up spending more time at the scrap yard, they seem to have quite a bit of plate steel, not much in square tubing but what the hell, at 33 cents a lbs, I'll dig a little bit to find enough for my projects. I now understand why shops have to charge so much for jobs....
Reply:Originally Posted by Jolly RogerI have called 4 different companies pricing steel down here, specifically 1/4" plate 4X8 sheets. The price per sheet varied by $140.00. I talked to the guy I get most of mine from (unlike the competition he will get on the phone and try to find whatever I need) and currently his cost is running from 80 cents to $1.20 per pound. It's hing and there is nothing to be done about it. I bought 3" pipe a couple months back and the Chinese stuff cost just as much as the American. Haven't figured that out yet. I don't throw anything away. I've gone to having the customer purchase the material and bring it to me if it is a very large order. I keep their drops and save them for the next job they have.
Reply:Originally Posted by ManglerI work in the steel distribution industry, and I find it very hard to believe that his costs are between 80c and $1.20 on that material.
Reply:With the chinese buying almost every little bit of metel they can get their hands on, it's driving up prices so no one else can afford it. What do you do.....ESAB Tigmaster 252 Miller MillerMatic 252 migLots and Lots of toolsNot much but a startWoohooo I just got a bandsaw given to me. So bandsaw nowNow a free hydraulic press
Reply:Yeah, that sucks they already got us over the barrel and it can only get worse!Makes me want to hoard a bunch of steel....
Reply:My buddy just gave me 10 pieces of 1/8" x 1 x1 angle iron 6 feet long for free! Guess he didn't know what he had.  Neither did I for that matter since I am new to all of this.Daniel 5:23
Reply:it's killing me .... 5 by 10 sheet 3/16 287.90 now I'm starting to slow down and the steel keeps going up it's a no win for me
Reply:A few things I'm doing to help keep materials cost down: (or maximize material margins)1) I'm adding a contingency clause to my quotes. Figuring material prices into the quote and for cost increases to be passed onto the customer.  2) No longer quoting jobs at the prices of materials I keep in stock.  ( I reserve the right to increase my inventory, just as my suppliers do. )3) This can be tricky... I'm really working hard at not "overbuilding" any longer.  For example- 2x2x1/4 square tube, do you really need it? What about 2x2x1/8? Or even 2x2x11ga? performs the same function, with less than 1/2 the weight... and... when the scales reads "$ per lbs" I all of a sudden get more competitive on my pricing.The best things in life all come on a stick!
Reply:for current scrap metal prices for copper, aluminum, zinc, stainless steel and more go to Scrap Metal Prices and Auctions websiteI was a production enginneer from 00-04. I dealt with everything from assembly times to prices for outside processes to raw material. Yeah I was an office ****, but since I worked in the shop before. They needed me for that. I do remember HREW 2x2x3/16 tubing running 1.47/ft going to $3.47 in 8 months at Chicago Iron. Because of my job there I knew alot of places to get steel and where you could get good deals. Ironically for my welding now I call a local yards and I have done fairly well on prices. IMHO. The tubing I mentioned I picked up around that time at a local yard for $2.00 a foot.  I now live 4 hours north of Minneapolis and not in the Milwaukee area. 2 weeks ago I picked a 20 foot stick of 2x2x3/8" cut twice for 60 bucks, personally I don't think that is bad given my location. I don't know if everyone does this, but I always ask price before and if it is high I tell them. If so I will look elsewhere. I do understand the the yards need to keep the lights on. Now get this.....The company I worked for bought 2 million pounds a year!!! I could still personally buy steel on my own cheaper than buy through the company I worked for! I never figured that one out.Just my 2 cents,DanMy instructor said someone will catch on fire during class...He wasn't joking!!
Reply:Originally Posted by xccelagatorNow get this.....The company I worked for bought 2 million pounds a year!!! I could still personally buy steel on my own cheaper than buy through the company I worked for! I never figured that one out.Just my 2 cents,Dan
Reply:Your not further from the truth!!!!I cut cost on machined parts by 30% on at least 10,000 parts a year. My two weeks of work was presented to the purchaser that would benefit HIM, not me.  He threw my work of in the garbage. I knew the head engineer on a professional level and he became my reference on my resume. I told him a year later about this and all I can say is he was quite peed and was going to "call him on the carpet" about it. Ironically after this I gave him the contact info and still helped the company after I was long gone!! I used this resource to find anything for manufacturing, but here is link to the metal suppliers. Sometimes I would use the net and dig deeper and find smaller suppliers.http://www.thomasnet.com/browse/meta...roducts-1.html  DanMy instructor said someone will catch on fire during class...He wasn't joking!!