Group Sourcing Metal Ideas

[PeterT]

What do you guys think of the notion of placing a bulk order with OLM or Speedy Metals in the States FOB one of those Montana border depot places & 'somebody' is the dedicated pick up guy? who is compensated fuel. Or maybe rotate among a group of willing mules who have trucks & time. Maybe do it 2x per year or whatever makes sense. I recognize this would take some leg work to prove out logistics & obviously it has to be a net better deal or why bother.
https://www.onlinemetals.com/

Some advantages (subject to validation)
- a LOT more alloy / size / qty selection than any place in Canada is ever going to be able to offer
- shipping inside the States is pretty cost effective, its the border crossing BS is where we incur added costs
- 10-20% discount sales come up pretty much every couple months. We could aggregate a standing order, wait for the sale & then submit (terms to be agreed upon)
- maybe there is some further discount or financial benefits to having an account with them? Example maybe on $1000 orders they have a line on trucking that reduces shipping?
- OLM offers 'pickup' but closest is Seattle. That's a long haul.

I just did a spot check on the 1018 to give you a comparison. I didn't figure out $/lb. Need to factor the cost adds: USD/CDN FX + tarriffs? + USA ship cost.... etc

Would a dude showing up at the border with $1000 of metal attract customs scrutiny as though he were a business? I somehow don't thnk they would be sympathetic to a 'club' but even with paperwork. Or does it even make any difference - the value & items dictate the fees?

 

[Brian Ross]

I did look at Online Metals as well. There is certainly a lot more selection - you can get 1045 or 12L14 for a lower price than 1018. The prices look pretty good until you convert to CAD, add shipping and, if applicable, tariffs. I calculate a price of $2.50 to $3.00/lb CAD before shipping and tariffs. If there are no tariffs and someone could arrange for shipping to Montana getting it through customs, it might be a viable option.

 

[kevin.decelles]

All good discussion! I proxy my vote and money to @Janger

John, I'm good up to $500, variety in sizes etc . Hot , cold - all good

I have no immediate use for stainless or aluminum though




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[EliseLCR]

I did look at Online Metals as well. There is certainly a lot more selection - you can get 1045 or 12L14 for a lower price than 1018. The prices look pretty good until you convert to CAD, add shipping and, if applicable, tariffs. I calculate a price of $2.50 to $3.00/lb CAD before shipping and tariffs. If there are no tariffs and someone could arrange for shipping to Montana getting it through customs, it might be a viable option.

I looked on there too.. and oh my goodness! I didn’t realize shipping was sooo much from the States! [emoji54]
Hence this thread became even more appealing [emoji846] lol

 

[EliseLCR]

If a daughter she could be named Joni! That's how Joni Mitchell got named!

- If we were doing hot rolled structural steel, and we had a bulk order for 5 guys at about 200$ each, there's lots of guys that would give us a discount.

Here's my particular wish list, and why:

2" X 3" square stock: for making mounts and BXA tool holders (1 1/2 X 3 is better for AXA) I could use 4 feet (based on 5 users, that's a stick)

1/2" X 6 square stock = more jigs and fixtures, 5 feet

2" round, 5 feet: to supplement the 4140 purchase.

1" round,. 10 feet: for everything else

-my point - All the variety of thickneses and sizes is less interesting for me from a stocking point of view. If I neeed 1.4" plate for a specific job, I can buy it by the piece at the time of that job (I always buy double the qty I need, so I have leftovers - bothe for mistakes, ans also for the next job)

Since I'm a little frugal these days, I'd prefer 4' lengths, but I'd settle for 5' to make the purchase. My tops budget is 200$ however.

-- I also have an aluminum wish list, but that's another issue.

Haha, alright. John or Joni it is!

Also, I’d be happy to get in on this. I’m liking the $200 range as well

 

[Chicken lights]

What would the shipping be for a load like that? How many of those bundles in the pictures?

I won’t know until I see the settlement, likely in the $800-1200 range.

I picked up 11 small bundles, each roughly 2800 pounds

 

[PeterT]

I think the OLM's of the world would be best suited to alloys that are harder to source here. You guys are talking more conventional steel & larger sticks of generally plain steel. That is probably the only thing we can compete at actually. Price out a stick or brass, bronze or aluminum in Canada & it will bring tears to your eyes. If its not the right application for this particular order that's fine, just something to keep in mind. I'm kind of on the other side of the coin - no immediate need for slabs of structural, but perpetual need for small quantities of diverse materials.

 

[Johnwa]

A bit off topic but I’m looking for a piece of ⅜ plate 8”x8”, circle would be even better.
John

 

[EliseLCR]

Ooh! I think I picked something close to that out of a scrap bin..I’ll find it and measure and let you know

 

[EliseLCR]

A bit off topic but I’m looking for a piece of ⅜ plate 8”x8”, circle would be even better.
John

Could it be a little bigger? It’s a circle

 

[Johnwa]

Could it be a little bigger? It’s a circle

Absolutely, I can always make it smaller.

John

 

[Chicken lights]

What do you guys think of the notion of placing a bulk order with OLM or Speedy Metals in the States FOB one of those Montana border depot places & 'somebody' is the dedicated pick up guy? who is compensated fuel. Or maybe rotate among a group of willing mules who have trucks & time. Maybe do it 2x per year or whatever makes sense. I recognize this would take some leg work to prove out logistics & obviously it has to be a net better deal or why bother.
https://www.onlinemetals.com/

Some advantages (subject to validation)
- a LOT more alloy / size / qty selection than any place in Canada is ever going to be able to offer
- shipping inside the States is pretty cost effective, its the border crossing BS is where we incur added costs
- 10-20% discount sales come up pretty much every couple months. We could aggregate a standing order, wait for the sale & then submit (terms to be agreed upon)
- maybe there is some further discount or financial benefits to having an account with them? Example maybe on $1000 orders they have a line on trucking that reduces shipping?
- OLM offers 'pickup' but closest is Seattle. That's a long haul.

I just did a spot check on the 1018 to give you a comparison. I didn't figure out $/lb. Need to factor the cost adds: USD/CDN FX + tarriffs? + USA ship cost.... etc

Would a dude showing up at the border with $1000 of metal attract customs scrutiny as though he were a business? I somehow don't thnk they would be sympathetic to a 'club' but even with paperwork. Or does it even make any difference - the value & items dictate the fees?

I’d try giving Big Freight trucking a phone call. They are out of Steinbach, Manitoba. They have vans and flats, as well as I believe the ability to broker out loads.

Explain the idea, ask them for some LTL rates. The beauty of LTL is it’s not time sensitive, so it’s usually brokered pretty cheaply.

The last load I brought from Michigan to Ontario I didn’t see any tariff paperwork, I’ve only seen tariff paperwork going into the USA.

 

[EliseLCR]

Absolutely, I can always make it smaller.

John

I found a few options I’ll send you a message [emoji846]

 

[Dabbler]

I used to use Yellow Freight to send orders weighing 450lbs from Alabama. The cost was less than 150$ CAD. That was a few years ago, though. Your best costs are always going to be with a common carrier like Fedex Ground or Yellow. Hercules is another US common carrier that makes regular deliveries to Calgary, or used to.

The cheapest way to ship steel like that is to have the originator slice it into 4' pieces and put it on a stackable pallet. If not stackable, then you pay for the entire cube to the top of the truck. The shipments I used to get were packed as stackable, but were never stacked anyway, it just made the shipping cheaper!

 

[historicalarms]

Elise you probably already know the major steel supliers in
Red Deer ( Red Deer industial Metals owned by Russels & Varsteel) but they only want to sell in bulk 20 ft lengths or full sized flat steel.

There is a Welding shop called Mclevins Welding on Gaetz Ave that will sell small "cut-offs" from their own shop basically at scrap metal prices. I haven't been there for a couple of years but last time I left with more iron in the back of the wifes SUV than I'll ever tell her I had in it for $40. You basically rummage thru their cut-off racks for what you need, have it cut if needed,load it up yourself and then wonder into the office and tell the guy what you have and he'll say "AWW give me $20...if that's ok with you"...usually I double what he asks for just because there aren't many people left that do business like that anymore.

 

[EliseLCR]

Elise you probably already know the major steel supliers in
Red Deer ( Red Deer industial Metals owned by Russels & Varsteel) but they only want to sell in bulk 20 ft lengths or full sized flat steel.

There is a Welding shop called Mclevins Welding on Gaetz Ave that will sell small "cut-offs" from their own shop basically at scrap metal prices. I haven't been there for a couple of years but last time I left with more iron in the back of the wifes SUV than I'll ever tell her I had in it for $40. You basically rummage thru their cut-off racks for what you need, have it cut if needed,load it up yourself and then wonder into the office and tell the guy what you have and he'll say "AWW give me $20...if that's ok with you"...usually I double what he asks for just because there aren't many people left that do business like that anymore.

Oh I did not know they were owned by Russel’s and varsteel actually! Good to know

That’s great info about Mclevins!! I’ll definitely be checking that one out [emoji16][emoji16]
Thanks for the great tip!!

 

[EliseLCR]

Perhaps if anyone is looking for odds and ends they could let me know and I’ll keep my eyes open when I check Mclevins out. I do make fairly frequent visits to Calgary, and have family going back and forth often as well. I’d be happy to make some deliveries!

 

[YYCHM]

I think at federal metals you can buy in 10 ft sections - not in 20. Prices at federal metals are online - you can find the price easily.

Everyone else in Calgary is *more* then federal metals - at least for small quantities.

Well assuming Federal will sell 10' lengths...…….

I came up with $400 tax in from Federal for the following.

1 square 1" by 10' long
3 selections of Flat Bar 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 thick by 6" by 10' long
3 selections of Round 1" 1.5" 2" round 10' long

Some one check my math please, thank you.

I'd be interested in 1/3 or 1/4 of that. Anyone else interested in splitting that 10' bundle up?

 

[BMW Rider]

I would take a 1/4 of that.

 

[YYCHM]

I would take a 1/4 of that.

I have requested a quote from Federal. Will see what becomes of that.

Anyone interested in 1/2 of the bundle?