Purchasing Steel

[bill18163]

I needed some steel blocks to use in the installation of some "D"rings on a flat bed trailer I bought. Found a place online where I bought eight pieces of 3/4"x21/2"x6" steel cut to size and shipped to me UPS. Price seemed OK to me and it was convenient. They cater to small orders and us do-it-yourselfers. Here are links to the ones I found. Check them out. All Metals Incorporated® - Steel, Aluminum, Stainless, and Brass. Small Quantities. No Minimums. Metals Depot® - Buy Small Quantity Metal Online! Steel, Aluminum, Stainless, Brass Buy Steel Shapes & Save at DoItYourself.com Metric Steel Today - Parker Steel - shafting, tubing, flats, squares, hexes, plates stainless, carbon, alloys, aluminum and more!

 

[Dargo]

Dang, it seems that they don't carry any of the stuff I have been using lately. I've been using some Stressproof rod, stainless angle, stainless sheet, and 2"X2" X 3/8 wall square tubing. Each time I try to price any of that, it just gives me a blank and says "nothing in your shopping cart" after I hit the "get price" button. I assume they don't carry much of that stuff?

Oh, I got the other links to work and found them. I guess that tells me that the account I have with O'Neal Steel does give me a pretty good discount for medium sized orders. I got a 4'X8' X 3/8" stainless for about 60% less with the account locally. But, they wouldn't mess with small orders like you mentioned.

 

[Harry c]

Try a local scrap metal yard. They'll usually sell you what you need much less expensively than a steel supply co. You may have to buya larger pc and cut it yourself. Also, places like Oneal will sometimes sell what they call "Drops". Drops are pcs. cut off full sheets for cut to size orders.

 

[sandman2234]

Problem with most of the steel companies in this town, are minimum orders. You have to have anywhere from $150 to $500 to even pick up the stuff yourself. Some require an account to be set up, with a credit check, even if you are paying cash.
David from jax

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Around here I think the minimum is more like $25. Recently I bought a $40 piece of steel here:
BENCO Steel, Inc. - Hickory, NC
They take a credit card. Only problem is the loading hours end at 4pm - Luckily it's only a mile from work so I can go over lunch hour.

 

[California]

What is normal price for scrapyard channel, angle, plate? Is that sold by the pound?

 

[MadReferee]

What is normal price for scrapyard channel, angle, plate? Is that sold by the pound?

Usually scrap is sold by the pound. The amount per pound will vary wildly between scrap dealers. It could be anywhere from 25 cents to 50 cents per pound. Sometimes the price will vary depending on the type of steel (angle, channel, plate). Bottom line is that every place is different.

 

[kossetx]

Well, It's nice to be able to just get on line and order something, but that can have dissavantages.

The downside is that this online sight quoted me 781.00 plus 55.00 shipping for 6 2'X2' pieces of 3/8" steel sheet. A local steel supply quoted me 368.00 for 4 2'X3' and 2 2'X2' pieces of the same 3/8" steel. Thats an extra 8 sq feet of steel for way less than half the price.

 

[RobJ]

Usually scrap is sold by the pound. The amount per pound will vary wildly between scrap dealers. It could be anywhere from 25 cents to 50 cents per pound. Sometimes the price will vary depending on the type of steel (angle, channel, plate). Bottom line is that every place is different.

Good answer. I go to SSS Steel in Houston. If I find a 1' piece of scrap in the scrap yard they will measure and sell (even for a couple bucks). Square tubing is prices slight differently than pipe, angle, etc. I just tossed a reciept but I recall square tubing is .35 a pound, angle, etc is .20. This is all surplus and depending on when you get there, no rust, little rust, lots of rust. Maybe a little bent, maybe just slightly out of spec. Still the surplus is less that half of new.

 

[robomarc]

You can find a lot of stuff in small quantity at mcmaster carr.

McMaster-Carr

We buy a lot of difficult to find article in small quantity there is the delivery is incredible. Usually order ship on the next day.