# Where To Purchase Steel Stock



## JPMacG (Feb 1, 2016)

I want to purchase two 2-foot lengths of hot rolled steel C channel - about 30 lbs total.   I'd like to get it from a local supplier because the shipping charge would be almost as much as the material.   But I don't know how to find a local supplier.   A Google search was not helpful.

How do you all get your material?   Are you able to find suppliers near your homes?   I'm in the Philadelphia area, which has lots of industry.   I think there must be some who has stock near by.


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## JimDawson (Feb 1, 2016)

Try this search in Google.........  steel supply Philadelphia


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## kkcalvin (Feb 1, 2016)

I get most of my stuff from one oft those places:

http://www.speedymetals.com/default.aspx

http://www.mcmaster.com/#

https://www.onlinemetals.com/index.cfm

http://www.ebay.com/


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## Bill Gruby (Feb 1, 2016)

I use this outfit, fast and cheaper than the others.

http://store.buymetal.com/

 "Billy G"


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## eugene13 (Feb 1, 2016)

JimDawson said:


> Try this search in Google.........  steel supply Philadelphia


and ask if they have a Drop Shop, that's where they sell their cut-offs and sutch


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## LEM (Feb 1, 2016)

I buy most of mine from use-enco.com.  Usually when they have 20%off and free shipping.  They have free shipping right now.


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## kd4gij (Feb 1, 2016)

Are any of these near you.
http://www.alro.com/locations/locationsmain.aspx?Loc=PA


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## brino (Feb 1, 2016)

I have a metal recycler in the next town over that also supplies new steel to what little industry is left. They will cut the new steel to length with an oxy-propane rig.

They also allow me to walk thru the wrecking yard and pick pieces of used metal. The banged-up, painted and sometimes a little bent stuff from the scrap yard is waaay cheaper than new. And many times it is "good enough" for my projects if I just need small pieces.
The problem is you may never know exactly what mystery metal your getting.

Hey I even picked up a "project mill" from their yard........that is still a work in progress.

-brino


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## coffmajt (Feb 1, 2016)

See if there is a metals supermarket close to you.  They will cut to length and sell small quantities == Jack


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## Terrywerm (Feb 1, 2016)

I've used speedy metals, online metals, and McMaster Carr for small pieces. I've even used Enco for a few small pieces. For large projects where I'll be getting 500 or 1000 lbs or more I order direct from McNeilus Steel and it shows up a couple days later on their truck. I just have them deliver it to the shop at my employer and I pick it up there and haul it home.

Something else that I used to do was purchase my steel from a local welding shop. Most of them will sell steel, cut to length. As long as there isn't too much extra cutting involved many of them will cut the pieces just the way you want them with little if any extra charge.


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## HitFactor (Feb 1, 2016)

Alro Steel has a warehouse about 20 miles south of my location. They usually charge $8 to deliver.  My material orders are 300 to 400 dollars. Maybe they have a location near you.


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## DSaul (Feb 2, 2016)

Fazzio's in Glassboro, NJ is not that far from Philly.  http://www.shopjfi.com/steel


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## fixit (Feb 2, 2016)

In those quantities I would would check out local "fabricators" & beg them for some drop offs. Take a dozen donuts, they buy a lot in small shops.


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## Billh50 (Feb 2, 2016)

You might also have luck finding what you want at a local welding shop. Many of them have cut off pieces laying around.


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## kingmt01 (Feb 2, 2016)

brino said:


> I have a metal recycler in the next town over that also supplies new steel to what little industry is left. They will cut the new steel to length with an oxy-propane rig.
> 
> They also allow me to walk thru the wrecking yard and pick pieces of used metal. The banged-up, painted and sometimes a little bent stuff from the scrap yard is waaay cheaper than new. And many times it is "good enough" for my projects if I just need small pieces.
> The problem is you may never know exactly what mystery metal your getting.
> ...


The yard I buy from has a spectral scanner or what ever it is called. They have let me know which metals I bought. They don't have much for tool steel but what they do is cheap.


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## Waterlooboy2hp (Feb 2, 2016)

Thanks for the heads up, on that site. I already see over a 25% savings , on the 5/8" hex Aluminum, that I buy on E-bay. Now if they only sold Brass material, it would most likely save me some cost there also.   ----  John

================================================


Bill Gruby said:


> I use this outfit, fast and cheaper than the others.
> 
> http://store.buymetal.com/
> 
> "Billy G"


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## JPMacG (Feb 2, 2016)

Thanks for all the good suggestions.   It turns out that there is a Metals Superstore in Norristown - about 20 minutes drive from my employer, and they have what I need.    So I will make a lunchtime trip later this week.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Feb 2, 2016)

Metal Stock on Cottman Ave. in Philadelphia
http://www.metal-stock.com/index.html​


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## Grandpop (Feb 4, 2016)

+1 on Fazzio's. I live in chalfont and the drive to the DE store takes exactly an hour. They have 5' lengths cheaper than the shiiping for online sales. Also a place on Catherine rd in Warminster that is helpful, but forget thename right now.


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## Grandpop (Feb 4, 2016)

Fazzio has warehouses in NJ, DE and Pottstown, PA. I have no connection to the place; just a very satisfied customer on a budget. Structural steel averages $.50 / pound.  Never been there, but friends tell me the NJ store is supposed to be more disorganized than the fairly clean & organized DE store. If you go, they sell Grade 8 Hex head bolts, nuts, washers, etc by the pound, make sure you ask where they are and stock up. Averages about $2.50 / pound (bolts, nuts, washers, etc all same price) if I buy about 6-10 pounds worth - way cheaper than the no grade hardware in the big box stores.

Place in Warminster is Commercial Metal Exchange. More expensive, but can't get any closer to home than that!

http://commercialmetalexchange.com/Metal-Distributor.cfm?pageName=Apps-Hobbyists


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## Deerslayer (Feb 4, 2016)

I've made friends with the local weld shop, if he don't have it he will get it.


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## TommyD (Feb 4, 2016)

Go to a welding/fabrication shop and ask where they get their stock from.

The place I use will even plasma cut shapes for a couple of more bucks. Saved me a ton of time when I was making my arbor press bolster plate.


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## JPMacG (Feb 4, 2016)

Funny....   It turns out that I have a friend who owns a welding shop and I never thought to ask him.   We fly RC model airplanes at the same field and have known each other for years, but I sort of forgot what he did for a living.   He has exactly what I need and will be happy to sell it to me for a good price.


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## ebgb68 (Feb 4, 2016)

Ask your local welding shop about drops. I stopped in ours to buy some and the rack was almost empty . They said they just took a load to scrap and price was so low they didn't get much. Next time they said they will call me and I can pick out some stuff I want.


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## Bill C. (Feb 5, 2016)

You can always check with your local machine shop to see it they any material in the short rack. It could stock off the butt end where the roller mill has massed it down the end/beginning of the bar.


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## intjonmiller (Feb 5, 2016)

fixit said:


> In those quantities I would would check out local "fabricators" & beg them for some drop offs. Take a dozen donuts, they buy a lot in small shops.


And do take the time and invest a few extra bucks to buy the good ones! If you don't know the best donut shop in town ask around on Facebook. (Or actually talk to humans in person? That's still a thing, right? Funny how often that's the last option to occur to me anymore.) 

Glad you realized you know someone. Start there and when he doesn't know just ask him for names of shops that might have it. I have hundreds of pounds of steel from a shop where I worked. Some were factory reject pieces (alignment of holes were just out of spec), while others are bizarrely discarded perfectly good stock of perfectly good and usable size. It is insane how much great material is thrown out by metal and wood shops every day. 

What is really sickening to me is my nearest scrap yard who has an entire part of the yard that is off limits to scaven, er, buyers like me. They have building-size mountains of brand new, flawless industrial scraps. Coils of flat bar hundreds of feet long in different metals and grades, most particularly aluminum. For some reason there is a clause in their contract with the local manufacturers they buy from which states that it can not be resold to anyone. One guy said he thinks they don't want other companies to get cheap metal from their waste. Another said he thinks it's a liability thing. Like someone is going to make something out of that scrap and it would somehow come back to that manufacturer after it fails? Probably the case, but how in the world would they be found liable? If you buy a car from its second owner and it fails somehow can you sue its first owner? It would either be a matter of your own fault, the fault of the person who sold it to you without properly disclosing something, or the original manufacturer (in this case the mill, before the manufacturer who scrapped it). 

Sorry, had to rant.


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## 4GSR (Feb 5, 2016)

intjonmiller said:


> And do take the time and invest a few extra bucks to buy the good ones! If you don't know the best donut shop in town ask around on Facebook. (Or actually talk to humans in person? That's still a thing, right? Funny how often that's the last option to occur to me anymore.)....snip.......



Once in a while around lunch time, I'll go by KFC and pick up a bunch of their "Go Cups" and take them by my friends machine shop.  I get royal treatment! Raw material, phosphating, you name it, works everytime!  Of course, they hit me up at times for taps, end mills, grinding special tools for them, too!


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## coolidge (Feb 5, 2016)

coffmajt said:


> See if there is a metals supermarket close to you.  They will cut to length and sell small quantities == Jack



Their prices are insanely high I only buy from then when I'm desperate.


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## BGHansen (Feb 5, 2016)

I buy stock from www.onlinemetals.com.  Sign up on their web site for email notifications and wait for the 10-20% discounts.  

I buy steel locally from Alro steel (Michigan based).  They have a surplus store right next to Harbor Freight in Lansing, MI!  Wow, buy a piece of junk from HF and go next door for the stock needed to make it work right!  

We also have a metal recycler in town (Padnos Recycling).  They have used angle, plate steel, aluminum and will band saw/torch to length.  Price is $0.24 per pound for steel and $1.25 per pound for aluminum.  I've visited a couple of machine shops and BS'd with the machinist.  Not only learn a few things but also get access to a few pounds of shorts in back.  You may have similar local outlets.

Bruce


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