Where do you all buy your steel

S

skeetlee

Active member
I am needing some stainless and aluminum tubing for some tools I want to make. McMaster Carr seems really high on their material. Is there an outlet or wholesaler anywhere you all buy your material from? thanks Lee
 
Do an online search. There are a couple of places the service with precut to length like 1, 2,4,6ft pcs.
 
I used to use onlinemetals.com. The prices were better, but the quality of their tubing and aluminum stock was lacking. I decided I'd rather pay McMaster-Carr a little premium and know that I'll receive higher quality material.

For larger sizes of 4130 chromoly tubing, wicksaircraft.com is a good alternative.

Jerry
 
Give me an exact on what you need. I have a few hundred feet of 303 stainless from .750- 6" in diameter. I have a limited amount of aluminum tubing. I have a 10 foot length of 17-4 in about 1.5-1.75 diameter. I have some aluminum round to about 4" in diameter. I'll help you out, but am not wanting to get rid of a lot of it.
 
Buying Metals

It has been my experience ordering steel, aluminum, and other metals is less expensive from larger suppliers. I have bought steel from almost ever major supplier. You can get a 20 foot stick from major suppliers for less than drops from local suppliers. For Steel and stainless steel check the bigger city suppliers. For Alluminum, Titanium I just used Charleston Metals in Gaston SC. Got great prices and prompt service. I priced aluminum at four national suppliers and Charleston Aluminum beat all prices by more than 1/2.
Nat Lambeth
 
Local Purchase

I have found that purchasing steel from a local supplier where I could pick up the material is a cost saving eliminating shipping charges. The other method I use is to buy drops from previously sawed material. All steel warehouses charge a premium for cut material. I am assuming that the material purchased from McMaster Carr is purchase in lengths 6 feet and under in length. By purchasing drops of random lengths or whole bars from a local supplier will eliminate the cutting charges. Once a relationship is established with a local company and the same sales person this process gets easier. Your ability to pick up the material will dictate what size stock you can get.

Randy
 
Check out any metal recyclers or jobbers lot outlets in your area. Salt Lake City, Sacramento, Oakland and Salem Oregon and I've always been able to find great chunks of aluminum and SS at the recyclers. It may take awhile for what you're after to come along, especially tubing, but something appropriate always seems to show up eventually. Good luck.
 
Thanks again fellas. I found what I needed up the road at our local Hot Rod Shop. I was making a new action truing jig, and I needed a 2.5" x4" piece of stainless.
Butch, I have very little scrap or material in the shop here, and I'm always needing something. I appreciate your offer. I will take you up on it soon.. Lee
 
Let me know Lee.
I buy barrel drops from the barrel makers. 416R and 4140. Usually in 10-14" lengths for junk metal price.
Shilen had quite a bit at the last swap meet.
 
If you ever want to 'shop' aluminum and are in the Colorado front range area (north of Denver) stop in at Alreco -- its 5 acres of aluminum -- scrap, sheets, new, old, extrusions, drops, plates, absolutely every size and shape you could think of. There is a solid chunk sitting in the yard that is 6' in diameter and 4' tall! All used stuff and drops are sold by the pound. There is a 4'x32' trough piled 2' deep with 2" diameter cutoffs 2-3" long -- I pick up a dozen or two for handles whenever I pass through. Picked up enough plate and I-Beam to build two rails a few years ago for a couple hundred bucks. Old fashioned business... cash or check, no shipping that I know of.

Alreco
11299 Brighton Road
Henderson CO 80640-9335
Phone: (303) 287-7210

Rod
 
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