Does anyone buy metal on-line?

[TMGT]

I buy things that aren't worth buying in large quantities because of price, usually specialty things like tool steel, a couple feet of pin material etc.

I had a job where I had to make 3in pins for something, wasn't worth buying a full stick of 3in 1144tgp for less then 2feet of pins.
Regular stock material that I use a lot of I either go to a local supplier or add it to my buddies orders when im not in a hurry.

 

[GLyford]

I have used both onlinemetals and ebay, I try to bundle projects to combine shipping where possible.

 

[crazyal]

Simply design your projects around Amazon offerings,,,

Access Denied

Smatter in a few pieces from eBay,,

steel bar stock | eBay

You have your steel shipped to you C H E A P !!,,, :cool2:

Eby is great if you can find someone selling a drop. If it's someone who sells steel they also ask unreasonable shipping charges. Amazon is hit or miss. One of the places that had what I want says "unavailable". I'm sure if I look long enough I can find someone who has what I want that I can buy if I look long enough.

Have you put a fleet of trucks and drivers on the road lately? And you think $20.00 for deliver is too much?

Maybe they should deliver it for a couple of bucks.

I can't even drive far in my 2500 for $20.00 of fuel alone.

If I was talking about hundreds of pounds of steel it would be one thing but I'm talking about 3 lbs worth that can just be put in the mail. I did a price check and for less than $10 I can have a 1" square bar 3 feet long shipped to by both UPS and USPS. On-line metals wants $16.60 to ship it UPS. I'm guessing that they are charging $7 handling fee.

 

[Jeepnford]

They don't have a huge selection but if you're looking for smaller tube and angle I've bought some from Summit Racing. I bought some DOM from them for bushings.

 

[Ortimber]

They aren't the cheapest (by a long stretch) but they are an outstanding vendor for metal. I use them every week for my business.

McMaster-Carr

 

[crashz]

I forgot about McMaster. I was looking for angle yesterday and found out just how hard it is to find a steel supplier that will sell direct to the public. Finally found something close to what I wanted (still too light) at a building supply house.

I found the online metals store and had the same experience as crazyal. A two foot section of angle that I wanted was reasonable enough ($16) but the shipping was around $35. I realize the cost is based upon the weight, but any time the product is half the cost of shipping, I feel that a local option is better.

I need a friend at a fab house...

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Amazon has some limited items. You need to put the thickness in the search. If they work a lot of the shipping is free. Never tried it myself as we have a supplier (welding supply) close buy that sells cut to order.

Ron

 

[JerryK]

I have bought some from Amazon, but my last project I bought online from DiscountSteel.com .... My local places quoted me really new high prices, plus some of them have moved to the ' have to buy it in 20' sticks thing '. I ordered steel for a new drag and it came in two huge 1/2" thick hard cardboard tubes with wood plugs in the ends. The steel was packed in pretty good so it could not slide around. Was shipped Fedex Freight, and two guys dropped it off at the house. I thought I would have to at least go into Gaylord to pick it up at the freight terminal. Nice unrusted steel. Not cheap, but I would do it again if I had to. Cheaper than buying thick angle via 20' lengths, anywhilst ... I bought three 4' hunks of 3" 3/8" wall angle, two 6' hunks of 3-1/2" 1/4" wall angle, and a couple other hunks of angle from them. [ if my memory is still working ]

 

[Cord]

I have a commercial account with Speedy Metals. They do a ton of on-line UPS sales. Thankfully, they're local and being commercial they'll delivery that $3 piece of metal for free the next day. They're also good for weird angle cuts and will plasma cut my drawings. That said, they're quite expensive. I've found that it's much cheaper for me to buy sticks of steel and then resaw it myself.

 

[dstig1]

Discountsteel is local here and I have been there a number of times. They have "caught on" starting several years ago and realized that the small scale user could be a very profitable one. They are always very professional and helpful no matter how little of a piece you want. Used to be drops from them were cheap, but then they organized it all better and brought them inside to these nice new retail racks where they jacked up the prices. And it all sells like hotcakes. As a couple have mentioned a lot of steel yards don't like doing retail, so these guys clean up. Fortunately I also have a steel yard here in my town that has better prices but the same level of service to retail or large orders. They have common stuff on hand but can get pretty much anything within a day or a week at the worst. And they are only a few miles away, so I like them better (Steel Towne, if anyone is curious).