metal is expensive!

admin

bought some 2x2x1/4" tube and some 4" channel today.  they are proud of that stuff.  that is all, carry on.
Reply:$.75 here as of 2 days ago in a 4'x3'x.375 plate and 14g 5x10 sheet.Airco Heliweld II AC/DC HomeMade Wire FeederLincoln 255PLincoln HD130Everlast PP804x8 CNC TableWelding helps me build my hobbies and takes up time on the side.
Reply:What's your location ? You can sometimes find metal on craigs list and some local recyclers may sell it too. Depends what you are looking for and how much you want to spend.
Reply:i pay .45 cents a poundMiller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:Some places tend to jack up the prices on small orders and walk in customers to discourage these types of sales. It's understandable when you are talking about places that move large volumes of material to big customers all the time. Instead of pulling 1 or 2 items and possibly cutting them down so that they have odd size "scrap" to deal with, they'd rather have that same guy spend the same amount of time loading a trailer with steel for a customer who does several thousands of dollars of business with them. Some people thing "money is money" but when you look at what they probably made off you for the time it took their employees to deal with you and compare it to what they can make in profit with the same employee time with a big order, it's easy to see where the money is at.Smaller places are more willing to work with small customers. Many times they aren't in a rush to get dozens of orders out the door as quick as possible. In these cases many times it's the small quantity user that are their bread and butter. They don't often have as much overhead, so they don't need to get things out as fast as they can and keep things as streamlined as possible..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:Originally Posted by 7A749I'm about the same here for mild steel. When I built my cart for the Dynasty, I bought most of the materials from an Alro Metals Plus outlet. It's like $1.25 a pound on average for tubing, etc, but its all new, clean & rust free.When its winter & everything at the scrapyard is under two feet of snow, it's the best thing going around here. Still reasonable all things considered.IMHO of course
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749 from an Alro Metals Plus outlet.
Reply:Just picked up 43 20' sticks of 1x4" 11ga, came out to $2990. Close guesstimate is $0.86 per pound. This was a specialty size, so may have been a little extra in freight.
Reply:It doesn't hurt to check out some of the smaller fab shops. I needed some 2 inch 1018 round the other day and got the piece, 48 and a half inches long cot to length for about a dollar a pound. Some of these places have 1 or 2 days a week where they get their steel and you can sometimes get your order trough them. Donuts or beer can sometimes work wonders.Miller xmt304,  Miller S22 p12, Miier Maxstar SD, Miller 252 w 30A, Miller super32p12, Lincoln Ranger 9, Thermal Arc 181I with spoolgun, Hypertherm 10000 ,Smith torches. Esab 161lts miniarc.
Reply:This is why I go to the scrap yard every bit of steel is 20 cents a pound no matter how much or how little you buy. The smarter of the 2 scrap yards ran by mexicans piles all the good looking straight long lengths of steel in a seperate pile be bought by people like me, the rest is a crap shoot.The white guys next door crush everything and truck it 6 to 8 hours away to the nearest furnaces.old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:I've always bought my aluminum at Trident Metals in Richardson TX.  It's business to business operation where you don't get to browse and they do offer next to free delivery if you don't need it immediately.  I can order in the am and pick it up that pm so that works for me or I make it work that way.  The price is way cheaper than buying at a typical metal supplier like Garland Steel.  I called in an order the other day and the sales guy informed me of a new policy, $250.00 minimum.  I was under that.  He then suggested Metal Superstore in Plano, TX.  They have no minimum, will cut to order, and charge a premium for the convenience.  But if you are in the Dallas area they can save you money.Trident for instance insists upon full sheets on tread plate.  Metal Superstore will sell you a square foot if that is all you need.life is good