where can I find metal stock?

andrewj · Nov 12, 2006

hi I am new to this forum, but have been around TBN for some time. I would like to make some projects but I am wondering where you can find stock pieces to work with? Looking for 3-4 inch square tube, as well as flat bar. thanks.

MadReferee · Nov 12, 2006

Let your fingers do the walking in your local Yellow Pages. Look under "Steel Suppliers" and "Scrap". There is always a local distributor or two that supplies your area. Some will charge by the pound or by the length or a combination of both. Most suppliers can get anything you want.

kenmac · Nov 12, 2006

Just bought some 2'' sq tube 20 ft lenght 11 ga ( to bulid a small ATV trailer )cost around $43.00 at a steel supply house .I usualy get a better deal by the ft than by the pound

RonR · Nov 12, 2006

If you can find a place like we have locally, you can do well.

We have a surplus store that handles a lot of surplus steel. Most of it is new or drop off pieces. Their steel area covers about a city block, so they have everything, generally.

They sell by the pound and make one cut free, so you can have them cut a 20 ft stick in two and haul it in a pickup.

When I get ready to build something, I stroll through to see what they have that might work--let it influence my design.

But they always have standard angle and box sizes, such as 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6 inch sizes on the rack. A lot of it is rusty, but I can deal with that to buy it cheaper.

ron

MadReferee · Nov 13, 2006

If you can find a supplier that has a different price per pound for each type of steel then you have found a good supplier. The suppliers do not buy steel as $X per lb. They buy it as $X per lb per individual type of steel. The prices will vary depending on supply and demand and source mill for individual types of steel. Most of my steel comes from Canada.

For example, 2" x 2" x 1/8" tube (11 gauge) may cost $0.69 per lb where a 4" x 1/4" flat bar may cost $0.50 per lb. If they charge you a flat amount per pound regardless of the steel type then they are making a bigger profit from you. So, buyer beware.

BTW, the prices above are what I just paid for steel and include my volume discount. I buy 1000-2000 lbs at a time.

Gary_in_Indiana · Nov 13, 2006

If you can't find anything in your local yellow pages for what you want, try contacting local welding production shops and ask them who buys their scrap from them. That would be your source for the material you need. Good luck with your search. I hope this helps.