Stainless steel metal.... where to buy affordably

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Where would one begin looking for the best prices on 4x8 sheets of stainless expanded metal? Online somewhere? Grainger seems a little high. And also too, I’d like to find affordable stainless 1 x 1 metal grating similar to this, http://img.archiexpo.com/images_ae/p...69-4324647.jpg ? --Unfortunately, I truly do need stainless steel expanded metal and grates because of Department of Ag regulations on the books for rabbit housing.
Reply:I get all my stainless from a local supplier Penn Stainless. I'd start out 1st looking online for local steel suppliers and see what they stock in stainless. You might even luck out and find a place that specializes in stainless like Penn that is local to you. I also deal with a number of smaller specialty metal suppliers local that can get me pretty much what ever I need. Again the "Phone book" or online is the beast way to locate them. If they don't carry what you need, ask them who they might suggest. Lots of places often keep numbers of other suppliers on hand to refer customers to for things they don't stock, but that they get asked about regularly.With some suppliers they will want you to possibly open an account vs dealing with individuals. Usually it's nothing more than a formality, they simply want your "business" name and possibly a few references. Go with a COD account and you can usually avoid things like credit checks. If you are raising rabbits for sale and have to deal with USDA, a "business" name shouldn't be an issue. Most places couldn't care less if you are Rabbits R US or Stainless Rabbit Homes as long as they have a name to fill in the blank.I know I priced flat expanded metal mesh in 304 stainless for a customer a few years ago for a grill and Penn stocked it on hand..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Amazon.com fronts for a 3rd party seller than handles stainless steel expanded metal in 2'x4' and 4'x4' sheets.  Last time I needed some and didn't want to buy a full sheet from my steel supplier I ordered from them.  Cost was reasonable and shipping was free.  It showed up sandwiched in cardboard, nice and flat and ready to weld.If your supplier doesn't have a drop and you need less than a full sheet, I'd encourage you to check out Amazon.com.Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:Oh I meant to mention. You might need to look at what USDA requires for welds with stainless. While you can mig weld stainless using special wire and special gas for stainless, it doesn't give you the same results as say tig will. I know for food grade stainless in kitchens and so on inspectors are quite picky about welds and things to prevent places where contamination and bacteria can collect. I'm not sure if the requirements on things like cages are as stringent or not..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Thank you. I'll try looking online again and I'll check out Amazon for sure. I live in far Northeastern IL and was hoping there might be a place local that someone knew about aside from Grainger. --DSW> To be perfectly blunt... all of the people where I currently live have issues with a woman who is the president of our HOA. She jump kicks her broomstick in the morning and flies around peppering our front doors with little pink stickems letting us all know we're in violation of something or other that's buried in our bylaws. She has a telescope in her family room and scours the neighborhood for violations after leaf drop in the fall. This behavior is capable of triggering a chain reaction and even though I'm not in the rabbit business... I don't need or want the Dept of Ag at my doorstep all because I give rabbits away for free to little 4H kids who want to show them, pelts to scout groups for merit badges, while processing what's left for personal consumption. Rabbit meat is a good source of protein albeit extremely lean and in need of being supplemented with other proteins however it can be used in any recipe calling for chicken and has a decent shelf-life when pressure canned.--Most unfortunately, I've read the regs and it would appear the Department of Agriculture is every bit as picky about bio-accumulations of pests and pathogens in rabbit housing as they are in commercial kitchens. As long as I have to construct predator-proof housing, I might as well comply with the regs that are out there and besides which.... it's extremely time consuming bleaching and scrubbing down rabbit housing. It would be much easier on me... and my back.... if I could clean my housing up with my Weed Dragon.
Reply:You guys need to elaborate when you post. You need 200 sheets or 1/2 sheet ?Simmonds Surplus in Miami has one of the best selections I have ever encountered....outside the canal zone in Panama.Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumThank you. I'll try looking online again and I'll check out Amazon for sure. I live in far Northeastern IL and was hoping there might be a place local that someone knew about aside from Grainger. --DSW> To be perfectly blunt... all of the people where I currently live have issues with a woman who is the president of our HOA. She jump kicks her broomstick in the morning and flies around peppering our front doors with little pink stickems letting us all know we're in violation of something or other that's buried in our bylaws. She has a telescope in her family room and scours the neighborhood for violations after leaf drop in the fall. This behavior is capable of triggering a chain reaction and even though I'm not in the rabbit business... I don't need or want the Dept of Ag at my doorstep all because I give rabbits away for free to little 4H kids who want to show them, pelts to scout groups for merit badges, while processing what's left for personal consumption. Rabbit meat is a good source of protein albeit extremely lean and in need of being supplemented with other proteins however it can be used in any recipe calling for chicken and has a decent shelf-life when pressure canned.--Most unfortunately, I've read the regs and it would appear the Department of Agriculture is every bit as picky about bio-accumulations of pests and pathogens in rabbit housing as they are in commercial kitchens. As long as I have to construct predator-proof housing, I might as well comply with the regs that are out there and besides which.... it's extremely time consuming bleaching and scrubbing down rabbit housing. It would be much easier on me... and my back.... if I could clean my housing up with my Weed Dragon.
Reply:WTF is a HOA? Exceptionalism ? AGAIN ? Bubble gumTooth pixDuct tapeBlack glueGBMF hammerScrew gun --bad battery (see above)
Reply:I've dealt with those sorts of people before. I had a "pest" up the street who had nothing better to do with his time since he worked out of his home to do but find infractions on any neighbor within view. Last time he sicked the township code enforcement officer on my I told the code guy after he got done inspecting my place after I made sure I dotted all the "I's" and crossed all the "T's" that the next time the "pest" pulled this trick I'd start in on HIS infractions, starting with the fact his home business wasn't Americans with Disabilities Act compliant. I figured I'd easily cost the "pest" at least $60K in required upgrades on the home/business. Code guy tried to bluff me and I pulled out the copy of the local code book I'd gotten to make sure I was in compliance and asked where the exemption was located for the "pest" in the book. I also rattled off at least 9 other infractions and mentioned if they wanted to play enforcement by complaint I could play that game just as well as he could if not better. Not surprisingly he left me alone after than point...If you are already involved with 4-H, that's where I'd start as far as rules and regs. I help out the pig club and shooting sports archer program for 4-H in our area. If whoever is in charge of the rabbit club doesn't know, I'll bet whoever runs the county extension office for 4-H  either does, or can get in touch with someone who has the answers. The guy running the pig club has been really helpful when questions have arisen about what we need to do to keep the pigs at the farm vs his place, and all the other groups have always been very helpful with information about their groups and how to care for the animals.Having someone from 4-H in your corner can also help if you end up with issues with the HOA. If nothing else, the media attention about someone just trying to help 4-H kids and being hassled by someone with nothing better to do can go a long ways. I've noticed most of these people who want to run everyone elses life don't like it one bit when the spotlight gets turned on what they do. You might be amazed at how fast that person get ousted if public opinion backs you..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Burpee> Mea culpa, you are correct. I am so sorry for not providing details- eight (8) full 4x8 sheets Stainless Steel ¾” or 1" flat expanded metal. Two (2) sheets of stainless steel 1” grating… I think.  My apologies for not knowing enough about grating to be sure of what I want… I’ll know it when I see it. I believe unpolished should be fine. Gauge to be determined after I do more research and get help from my husband on the final design. He’ll need to ensure that the housing has enough structural integrity to support my rabbits. Materials are going to be the cost of my left lung so I’ll only have one shot at this. --Simmonds Surplus may be out, I couldn’t find a website for them and twice I called and was promptly left on hold. The first time I figured they forgot me after 15 minutes. The 2nd time I was on hold for almost a half hour and I could hear conversations in the background. They might have what I want at a price I can afford to pay but might be too busy to provide service to anyone but a local customer.  --This supplier, www.metalsdepot.com/, has 9 gauge 1.5” flattened SS in 4x8 sheets but I’m afraid that opening would be wide enough for a raccoon to stick it’s paw through and grab a sleeping rabbit. Amazon was a lot cheaper from what I can discern but wasn’t available in a 96” length, http://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Stee.../dp/B00CNM2I6C. --www.kadeeindustries.com/stainlss.asp and www.mcnichols.com/ may carry SS grates that might work for me. I just don’t know enough about grating products to determine what would be best at this point.--“WTF is a HOA?” A Homeowners Association is your worst nightmare come true when there is an overzealous petty piemaker at the helm who has business cards printed out with her name and “official” capacity on them. I’m told it’s all about curb appeal and protecting property values. Ha ha ha, the joke is on her. All of our property values deep sixed back in 2009 and again in ‘10 and '12 and haven’t come back up since then beyond 2.5% or so. Most everyone around here owes more on their homes than their current market value what with all the short sales and foreclosures so what’s a few pet rabbits and a clothes line visible from the street amongst friends and neighbors on this sinking ship called Illinois? --JD955SC> Hate is a strong word but she sure does make a lot of people extremely miserable and overly anxious. I just open then shut the front door on her when she stops in and rings the doorbell these days. I politely and firmly thank her for stopping by then let her know I’m simply too busy to chat and that I would like her to leave. I won’t give her the opportunity to engage me. --Yes, she could be voted out. Problem seems to be that nobody wants the job. I’ve been approached a few times to run against her. I’m nobody special, I’m sure every other resident has been approached multiple times as well. --DSW> we keep to ourselves and in all these years have never once reported anyone for code or HOA issues… now reporting elder/child abuse or neglect…. I’d do that in a heartbeat but that’s not what we’re dealing with here. She’s a miserable woman who most likely has something that’s hard to spell. She’s obviously fighting her own demons. No sense poking a stick in a hornet’s nest by playing hard ball with her. After I read the regs, I had an attorney read them. I’m actually more than pretty sure about the Department of Ag’s specs on rabbit housing. Those regs don’t apply to me because I have pet rabbits…. at least not now they don’t but who knows that they won’t some day in the not too distant future what with the ongoing over reach of regulatory agencies that I’ve seen lately. Better safe than sorry in my humble opinion. --Also too, I’m not involved with 4H. I just call the local leaders and tell them they can send any differently-abled or disadvantaged kids to me who have parents not able to afford the purchase of the breed of rabbits I have. I have exceptional lines and I’ll can up the offspring for casseroles before I’d give them away to breeders who would out-compete little kids at county fairs. --And now… it’s time for me to focus on gardening, cleaning up this house, and catching up on laundry. Spring is a very busy time of year for us gardeners and I’ve got a few herp ponds in need of my attention out there. I know how to post photos now so after I have my first lesson sometime next month…. I’ll be back to show anyone who is interested how I did so I can be critiqued. --Hugs to everyone in the threads I started. You all have been so incredibly patient with all my questions.Last edited by Equilibrium; 04-21-2014 at 02:55 PM.Reason: removed something that was TMI