metal supermarket calgary - aluminum offcuts

[PeterT]

I haven't been there since the summer & it was (COVID) rear lot pickup, so really not in the store. I was just wondering if anyone has been by recently - do they still have the bin of offcuts, specifically aluminum sold by weight? Or is that a bygone feature of the old shop? I've got decent stock of rod & rectangular bar/plate for next round of projects but I've managed to beaver through most of the blocks like offcuts from 1" bar. I use them for fixtures & what-not.

 

[YYCHM]

The Calgary MSM hasn't sold by weight for quite some time now (2+ years or more). If you pull stuff out of the cut off bin they grade it and give you a discount but I haven't a clue how they derive that discount. I've gotten some good deals and some not so good deals, but that was over a year ago.

I miss the pay by weight thing. I could go in and simply weight out what my budget could stomach.

 

[RobinHood]

Was there last week. Bins with cut-offs were well stocked. Not aware if they still sold by weight - I don’t think so. They were slow the day I went in - one employee was measuring the cut-off pieces and marking them. The last time (about 2-3 months ago) I bought from the bins, it was by length.

 

[Dabbler]

When I was there in early 2020 they sold me some offcuts of DOM tubing, they said the offcuts were 30% off, but the few pieces I bought were ver inexpensive.

NOTE: I normally don't go there any more. I was with someone else and I was waiting for him and I just threw the question our there. The price was acceptable...

 

[combustable herbage]

In the fall I visited the one in Stoney Creek and everything was $.50/lb so his scale went up to 60 lbs my buddy threw one more chunk on after it overloaded at 60 so we got even better deal for $30 I'll definitely go back if I travel there again. On the other hand in Ottawa no such deal and I couldn't compare prices cause he gave me someone else's bill but it was way more expensive so unless I need something specific I'll wait to go back there.
The first time we went to Stoney Creek the front was still closed but surprising he let us dig through the back and I was able to find some 4 plus inch stuff for backplates etc.

 

[Susquatch]

I haven't been there since the summer & it was (COVID) rear lot pickup, so really not in the store. I was just wondering if anyone has been by recently - do they still have the bin of offcuts, specifically aluminum sold by weight? Or is that a bygone feature of the old shop? I've got decent stock of rod & rectangular bar/plate for next round of projects but I've managed to beaver through most of the blocks like offcuts from 1" bar. I use them for fixtures & what-not.

The place in London won't let you in - even at the back door. They told me on the phone that their "odds N sodds" rack is not available right now. On the other hand, they have always been good to me on pricing. Even shipping was reasonable for those few times I needed it.

By far and away the best place I have ever found for metal is still farm supply places. They often sell metal to farmers for farm machinery repair. Farmers are generally cheap so the markup is often low - sometimes lower than scrap value.

 

[Dabbler]

sometimes lower than scrap value.

cool! I'll keep that in mind and try that avenue in the future!