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Sourcing Metal | General Discussion

DavidR8 said:
8020 is 80mm x 20mm so it's metric.
The US has something called 1530 or 1.5" x 3"
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Yup, that's what I'm saying. Buying from spool3D means you're locked into metric and can't easily source from most other folks that are selling imperial.

That's why I have the pricing 4080 separated out.
 
Yeah, looks to be hobby/industry dependant too.

The 3d printing sites sell in metric, but whereas van build outs and racing cockpits folks are all imperial. I'm digging into the latter world and all I see are companies selling imperial stuff.

www.tnutz.com seems to be very popular (well priced) among enthusiast in the US and are all imperial. Tnutz shipping isn't that far off off from Fazstek but they only do UPS so it's a no-go.
 
skippyelwell said:
What are guys using this extruded aluminum for, something 3D printer related?
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Can't speak for the architect, But I just need two lengths about 4' long for a custom mobile toolbox/pushcart I'm building for work. It doesn't have to be extrusion, I just spied the 2 lengths I had in my scrap rack and thought they'd be perfect, until I pulled them out and they're too short. Would be nice to mount accessories like lights and maybe a speaker/cupholder etc too and have stuff be modular and interchangeable. Would like to find a source to also make a SIM rig for racing/flight sim at some point too.

I know there used to be a bunch of extrusion companies up around Vaughn at one point, Not sure if they're all still in business, but I'm sure a few still are. Back around 2007ish I tried to get one to make us a custom die for a new (what I thought anyway) profile* and they came back and told us that they pretty much have that same one in stock for another customer, and they could run us a bunch of product if we committed to buy a whole run. Boss ended up not going for it (our company went TU shortly after anyway). Anyway....The had a website that showed a bunch of stock profiles, they ran regularly, and a call for quote option, but they also did custom and short run work too. I can't remember the name, and searches just now turn up nothing. It was something like Alumastrude, alumextrude, or something similar. I'm sure there are still a bunch around the GTA, and ecommerce being much better now than back then, I'm sure a few sell direct instead of paying that extra retail markup.

*One of those ideas I came up with that I thought was going to be a huge timesaver for us, but turns out somebody already beat me to the punch lol. I love "inventing" stuff that other people have already come up with. D. It was extrusion stock for clamp risers for destaco 202 toggle clamps. We always used 1x1.5" solid 6061, then drilled and tapped four 10-32 holes to hold the clamp down, and some 1/4-20 in the bottom to mount the block on the fixture bases. I though we could extrude that 4 hole pitch, and some for 1/4"-20 the entire length. Then just cut them off to the length we need, tap the holes, and you're done. Turns out somebody already came up with that (many years before me even). The chinese fixture component market is even bigger now, and you can get all kinds of modular stuff that we would have only dreamed of back then. Used to be if carr lane or EQ, didn't have something that would work, we made it custom. And we made a lot of custom stuff.
 
I don't get the supply connection to 3D printing. Are they fixing machines or building custom printers or...?
 
I have made an inquiry about ‘cut’ pieces from PROAX.
They happen to be close to a few vendors that I visit on a weekly basis in Toronto.
Stock lengths are 20 ft. and if the profiles are similar to European Standard, their are several End Users in our area.
 
PROAX will cut to length if you request.

I bought (2) #TSL670017 x 300mm (11.8”) Long.
$20/pc.
I picked them up, just off the 407, in Mississauga, ON.

Normal stock are in 20 ft. Lengths
 
In had to clean out some messages and when I looked at ‘WIP’, I saw that I had not followed up on my comment about ordering ‘cut pcs’ at PROAX.

We are still in NZ for two more days !!
 
I've had really excellent service from https://dotcommetals.com/

They're in Bolton right near the princess auto and typically about half the price of metal supermarkets and better service. They also do local delivery, and have a nice pile of various offcuts for cheap. Unfortunately not open outside normal business hours (so weekend warriors like me have to go on lunch break or whatever).
 
Sqought said:
I've had really excellent service from https://dotcommetals.com/

They're in Bolton right near the princess auto and typically about half the price of metal supermarkets and better service. They also do local delivery, and have a nice pile of various offcuts for cheap. Unfortunately not open outside normal business hours (so weekend warriors like me have to go on lunch break or whatever).
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Thanks, I usually stop at https://mckinnonmetals.com/ on the way home from work, I've been shopping there so long I don't know if there prices are good or not.
I'll stop by dotcommetals and have a look.
 
skippyelwell said:
Thanks, I usually stop at https://mckinnonmetals.com/ on the way home from work, I've been shopping there so long I don't know if there prices are good or not.
I'll stop by dotcommetals and have a look.
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I have spoke to a few people from McKinnon Metals and was told that they have an ‘off cut’ bin if you are looking for shorter pieces. Prices were higher than others, but, they seem very to be quite informed of the metals and properties.
If you have a few recent prices from them send me a PM.

I am going to stop in to check out their ‘off cut’ selection in a few weeks.
 
Had a visit today with the VP of Golden Triangle Specialty Metals in Cambridge, Ontario.
He gave me a tour of their basement storage that is full of ‘drops’ and ‘small piece selection’ of carbon steel, aluminum and plastics (acetal, UHMW, etc).

The photo below gives you an idea of their inventory of aluminum, they will cut with NO minimum.
 

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They deliver within 100 kms and will ship if further abroad.
Talk to Alex or Aaron in the sales office.

Saw or flame cutting service is currently available with HD Plasma coming.
 
Does any one here know of a company that stocks bronze flat stock? I've been searching everywhere online for a source of bronze flat stock. Terra nova steel is Canada's leading distributor of bronze, but their website only shows round stock like rod and tubing. Every other place I've found bronze sheet like Amazon, is extremely expensive.

After my laser engraving/etching projects that I've done using brass and copper, I am eager to use bronze. Bronze gives much more contrast in comparison to brass, and has lower heat conductivity and reflection compared to pure copper.

My laser etched last plaque was made of pure copper which took around 90 hours to etch the desired depth because of it's high heat conductivity and how reflective it is. The only thing that keeps me attached to copper alloys is color. Both the color of polished coper, brass, and bronze are nice as well as the ability to patina copper with heat or liver of suffer.
 
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