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Sourcing Metal | General Discussion

Dabbler said:
Here's a secret source for obtaining metal of all kinds. The thing is it is sweat equity. If you live in a moderately big city, or regularly visit one, you can leverage machine shops.

This option is not without risk, and not everyone is well disposed toward hobby machinists. But in almost every case I've been received well. I talk to the foreman about something specific I'm looking for, out of their cutoffs bin. Usually they don't have it. Usually they ask what I make, and we chat. I then ask permission to come back if I need something else.

tips:

Come around lunch or morning break. That's when the supervisor has a better chance of giving you 3 minutes.

Don'tstart with anything exotic. 2" 6160 about a foot long is an example starting point. If they don;'t have any, they sometimes tell you what they typically have, and once in a while you get invited to rummage.

Be very respectful and deferential.

Take no for an answer. you aren't selling anything, you are making a human connection.

As soon as the encounter is over write down who you talked to (including the names of anyone you met), a summary of the discussion, and the outcome. Keep this log for every contact. Review it before the next contact.

I have 4 machine shops where I'm welcome, and one is even collecting extra cutoffs for CHMW members. Another shop has given me open license to jump in to their rollover any time to grab a piece or 2. That 2,000 lb haul of tubing and rod stock including stainless and 4140 rod? Another contact.

All this takes time and patience, but is very rewarding. One time I needed a piece of tubing for a construction. It had to be at least 1X2" 1/8 wall, 24 inches long. A shop had a 2X2X3/16 wall 5 feet long. I told them I could use it nicely. they gave it to me, and told me 'no charge' .

It isn't all roses. Two shops, out of the dozens I talked to, were hostile. I just never went back.
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My brother's forte... as a former machinist he gets along well with machinists and is personable. This is our primary mode of acquiring small stock
 
One place that is kind of obvious, but has worked for me is Kigigi. I have bought rebar, channel, 2x4 solid rectangular bar, sucker rod … Fab shop, Machine shop, and farm auctions are also good sources
 
Megar arc 5040dd said:
Can anyone suggest a good place to by metal in Saskatoon. I am looking for flat bar either aluminum or steel. I briefly looked online at metal supermarket and my jaw dropped when I saw the price of 3/8"x2" and 3/8"x4" aluminum and steel flat bar. Aluminum was almost exactly twice the price. I will admit it has been many years since I bought new metal but I don't remember flat bar being ridiculously expensive. I used to only be able to get it in 20' lengths now I couldn't dream of buying 20' just to make sure I had enough and some extra.

I was hoping to avoid dealing with rusty old metal from my scrap pile since its for dro mounts but I hay have to reconsider.
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I just received two 24” Lg pieces of Aluminum Channel 3x2-1/4” thk.
Nice clean, extruded 6061-T6 with generous inner radius.

After hearing how the pieces would cost me $250 from vendors in Toronto and Hamilton, I ordered the pieces from Millennium Metal in Kelowna, BC for $55 +45 for Canada Post shipping to me in Kitchener, ON. (They were delivered in 8 days to my door)
 

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Somehow this morning I got a notice from this thread about 12L14 steel and how you could get it from Metal Supermarkets here in Edmonton. When I tried to buy some rod stock, they did not have any, but could get it - for roughly 2.5x the price I wound up paying to Online Metals. In case anyone is either living in Edmonton or passing through, I bought too much 12L14 rod (.5" through .875") a couple of years ago and would be pleased to share some at a reasonable price if anyone is interested. I also have some brass round stock in 1", 1.25" and 1.5" sizes that I bought some time ago. Never will use it all, so part of that is also available. Reasonable - to me - means a substantial discount off the current price at MS. Anyone interested in a sq. ft. of bronze - .125" thick? I bought 3 sq. ft. because it was all they sold (plus - all I could afford!) and that's also a bit too much for me. I also have some aluminum/bronze square bar stock in 1.25" and might be persuaded to let a smaller piece of that go as well. Please contact me if you'd like to pursue any of this.
 
Brian26 said:
Somehow this morning I got a notice from this thread about 12L14 steel and how you could get it from Metal Supermarkets here in Edmonton. When I tried to buy some rod stock, they did not have any, but could get it - for roughly 2.5x the price I wound up paying to Online Metals. In case anyone is either living in Edmonton or passing through, I bought too much 12L14 rod (.5" through .875") a couple of years ago and would be pleased to share some at a reasonable price if anyone is interested. I also have some brass round stock in 1", 1.25" and 1.5" sizes that I bought some time ago. Never will use it all, so part of that is also available. Reasonable - to me - means a substantial discount off the current price at MS. Anyone interested in a sq. ft. of bronze - .125" thick? I bought 3 sq. ft. because it was all they sold (plus - all I could afford!) and that's also a bit too much for me. I also have some aluminum/bronze square bar stock in 1.25" and might be persuaded to let a smaller piece of that go as well. Please contact me if you'd like to pursue any of this.
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I am so curious what did you originally buy a sq. ft. of .125" bronze for?
 
The 3 Sq. Ft. piece had a price of $470 US$. Plus shipping of $110 US$. Plus Exchange of course. Will have to see about any duties and GST - some shipments do not bother with this, but others do...
 
Brian26 said:
The 3 Sq. Ft. piece had a price of $470 US$. Plus shipping of $110 US$. Plus Exchange of course. Will have to see about any duties and GST - some shipments do not bother with this, but others do...
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What type of project required bronze sheet? Must have been quite the project with a price tag like that on the materials
 
Well, thanks for asking. I am making the best Ruler Marking Gauges I know how to make. So far, I have been using brass for the ruler guide, but thought that might last only a few decades. So, I decided that bronze would be ideal for this, and should add a century or two to the lifespan. The bronze is on the way, but I made a smaller prototype using older bronze from an old hinge. It is amazing the difference this makes over the brass I was using. Much smoother action. I plan on a posting with some pictures. Probably next week.
 
Brian26 said:
Well, thanks for asking. I am making the best Ruler Marking Gauges I know how to make. So far, I have been using brass for the ruler guide, but thought that might last only a few decades. So, I decided that bronze would be ideal for this, and should add a century or two to the lifespan. The bronze is on the way, but I made a smaller prototype using older bronze from an old hinge. It is amazing the difference this makes over the brass I was using. Much smoother action. I plan on a posting with some pictures. Probably next week.
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Definitely post pics that sounds super cool.
 
Brian26 said:
Well, thanks for asking. I am making the best Ruler Marking Gauges I know how to make. So far, I have been using brass for the ruler guide, but thought that might last only a few decades. So, I decided that bronze would be ideal for this, and should add a century or two to the lifespan. The bronze is on the way, but I made a smaller prototype using older bronze from an old hinge. It is amazing the difference this makes over the brass I was using. Much smoother action. I plan on a posting with some pictures. Probably next week.
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Neat project, I look forward to seeing them, and agree bronze would be the right material.
 
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