Sourcing aluminum

[LenVW]

I had good pricing from Ryerson for large quantities
(ie. 150pcs 1/2” Plate #6061 - 12” x 18”)
I bought them for a fabrication company in 2016. They waterjet cut them to our required finish size.
Ryerson is best for larger quantities, get in touch with a sales rep and see what they offer for Value added processes, etc.

Tell them you have a lot of buddies in a machining club.

MSM is kind of pricey unless you get lucky with timing, but, they are a good source of odds and ends.

All metals are quite pricey now because of availability. I have bought lately from ELMA Steel in Cambridge and they came out as best price when compared with three others.
Golden Triangle Specialty Metals (Angles and Bars) & Production Metals (Plate and Sheet) are other suppliers in Cambridge.

 

[Former Member]

Consider McKinnon Metal, 427/hwy 7 area

 

[Former Member]

I had good pricing from Ryerson for large quantities
(ie. 150pcs 1/2” Plate #6061 - 12” x 18”)
I bought them for a fabrication company in 2016. They waterjet cut them to our required finish size.
Ryerson is best for larger quantities, get in touch with a sales rep and see what they offer for Value added processes, etc.

Tell them you have a lot of buddies in a machining club.

MSM is kind of pricey unless you get lucky with timing, but, they are a good source of odds and ends.

All metals are quite pricey now because of availability. I have bought lately from ELMA Steel in Cambridge and they came out as best price when compared with three others.
Golden Triangle Specialty Metals (Angles and Bars) & Production Metals (Plate and Sheet) are other suppliers in Cambridge.

I'm surprised you bought it as plate stock about a 25-30% premium over bar stock, I buy 1/2x12x144 on a regular basis and cut to 18" lengths.

 

[LenVW]

At the time it was what was available and they gave us a good deal because the plate was already at the waterjet shop.

 

[trlvn]

How do you find their prices/availablity/services vs the MSM for home hobbiests? I'm about 45min from Mississauga in Scarborough and looking for a place that's priced better than MSM. I'm willing to buy a bit larger quantities to make the drive worth it as well. Any other sources you recommend in the region? This is for metal in general.

The Toronto Society of Model Engineers has a list of suppliers that their members have recommended:

Google Sites: Sign-in

Access Google Sites with a personal Google account or Google Workspace account (for business use).

sites.google.com

They list a handful of metal suppliers that are on the east side of the GTA.

Craig

 

[Aliva]

Locations - ASA Alloys

ASA Alloys - Canada's Premier Distributor of Specialty Metals. We have the largest selection of Aluminum and Stainless Bar, Plate and Sheet, along with our Aluminum Extrusions and Custom Shapes ensures that our customers get the material they need, when they need it. And if we don't carry...

asaalloys.com

 

[LenVW]

You can build a list of suppliers but you are going to lean towards ones that are near by and ones that can offer a variety of products and processes.
Develop an quick way to send out RFQs and send it to vendors that are in your area.
Vendor quotes these days are only good for a couple of days ‘at the most’.

Work with a vendor and let them know what you can live with for finish quality.
(Ie. Flame cut, HD Plasma, Waterjet, Sawcut, Shear)
For us as hobbists our quantities are relatively small, so explain that to the vendor when you are looking. Good customer service will help to find vendors that you will go back to again and again.

 

[Former Member]

One of the things in pricing depends on the quantity. Some now have dollar minimums and line item minimums. The dealers generally charge more but you can get significantly smaller quantities.

So if you only need a less than 100lbs you are generally going to pay more.

 

[chip4charlie]

Just bought some 2” and 2.5” round 6061 from ABC Recycling in Langley, BC for $2.20 per pound. Search “ABC Recycling “ for their ads on Vancouver Craigslist. I took these pics:

 

[PeterT]

Dang! You guys get all the good stuff.

 

[Former Member]

Just bought some 2” and 2.5” round 6061 from ABC Recycling in Langley, BC for $2.20 per pound. Search “ABC Recycling “ for their ads on Vancouver Craigslist. I took these pics:

You did well, wholesale new is about $4.00/lbs

 

[LenVW]

You did well, wholesale new is about $4.00/lbs

There is no better feeling then a good deal !!

 

[chip4charlie]

Only some stuff is $2.20/lb. Some other stuff is $4.50/lb. Their Craigslist ads tell you what they have, and how much.

ABC Recycling has mutiple branches, but apparently they only sell from Langley.

 

[Clipper]

I get industry news from Millenium Alloys in Kelowna and recieved this a few days ago. I can't post lionks so here it is:
From Breitbart dot com. China's magnesium cut backs stemming from power shortages, etc, etc.
As far as I know Canada doesn't have magnesium mines.
Personally I would like to see Canada cut back on trading with China as well as curtailing Chinese ownership of Canadian industries before we become part of The New Silk Road. No obvious solutions tho....

 

[Chicken lights]

I get industry news from Millenium Alloys in Kelowna and recieved this a few days ago. I can't post lionks so here it is:
From Breitbart dot com. China's magnesium cut backs stemming from power shortages, etc, etc.
As far as I know Canada doesn't have magnesium mines.
Personally I would like to see Canada cut back on trading with China as well as curtailing Chinese ownership of Canadian industries before we become part of The New Silk Road. No obvious solutions tho....

Agreed but it’s not a popular opinion

 

[BMW Rider]

Personally I would like to see Canada cut back on trading with China as well as curtailing Chinese ownership of Canadian industries before we become part of The New Silk Road. No obvious solutions tho....

And while we're at it, stop with carbon taxes here and slap one on products produced and imported from pollution heavy countries like China.

 

[Former Member]

Let me refresh you of exactly what Tariff stands for and how it works.....

Government......we will not raise our taxes.
People....Yahoo.
Government.....we will protect you from the following (insert, foreign polution, outside Canada Manufacturers or anything esle you want to insert) by putting Tariffs on them.
People.....Yahoo.
Government....Quietly so the people don't hear....dumb s*&#s don't realize that they are paying a hefty tax on their products.....evil laughter.
People that know....crying.

Look the solution is localised small scale manufacturing. Reduces green house gas and pollution by reducing mass shipping both raw material in one direction and finished products in the other. To do this we need lower realty costs, but unfortunately in Canada thats seems to be a near monopoly (that pays government), so that happening, good luck.


Sorry my rant of the day.

 

[Former Member]

Here is my stock for the next month or so, not including what I have in a storage unit.

 

[LenVW]

Not including your storage unit ??
Are you Hoarding all the 3033 rod for something ?
I think you have more selection then Ryerson does !!

 

[Former Member]

3/8 6061 and 6061 flat stock. Wish that was the case. I have bought out my suppliers twice already last year (and one is an international supplier). Currently I am sourcing stock 40weeks out as that is the current time lines for delivery. Not sure what the Russia situation is going to do with prices and time lines, hopefully it doesn't justify the price gouging.