Source of cheap turning stock?

I could probably put an assortment in a medium flat rate box for $13.80 at $8 per pound for the brass. Does that sound like a fair deal?
No idea on alloy type but it is yellow color.
 
McMaster takes my eye balls out shipping nuts, and bolts out to me. I'll have to see what kind of deal they have for materials.
 
So I found a really funky building surplus place about an hour from my house (Star Supply Bargain Outlet in Youngstown, OH) with really good prices on metal stock.

I got a bunch of pieces, including:
- 1" x 6ft length of 6061 aluminum round stock for $29. ($114 at metalsupermarket.com)
- 9/16"x 12ft length of brass round stock for $32 (only size brass they carried)

So I'm a happy camper now. BTW, The place has funny signs all over ... surplus Steel discs labeled as 'Olympic grade frisbees', an odd nylon web harness labelled as a 'government issue jock strap', that sort of thing ... Worth a visit if you pass anywhere close to Youngstown! (I don't think they ship, walk-in only)
 
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Try the local auto mechanic. The shafts on McPherson struts are chromed, but one you get under it, the steel machines beautifully! They also have tubing inside of them.
Be warned though, they are full of rotten smelling oil, and some shafts are hollow

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i would look in the 'free' section of your local craigslist or free ad paper etc to see if someone's maybe getting rid of something with substantial pieces of metal in it that you could scavenge
 
I didn’t have my truck but I came across a barbell handle 7’ long by 2” did in the flea market. It was machinable and the guy only wanted $15 for it. About scrap price. I know it was machinable because a file cut it easily. More than likely 1018.


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You should be able to locate a scrap yard near PIT. Here in Eastern Pa I have 3 close by that will let a person wander around and sell steel for 45 cents, alum for 1.50 and brass for 3.00.............Bob
 
Steel is getting crazy expensive. I have considered purchasing round stock from china and putting it up on E-bay. Perhaps a store of just round stock for the lathe enthusiast. I actually find Mcmaster the best place to buy from if they have what you need. Speedy Metals has just about everything but they charge shipping along with a hefty shipping markup.
 
bhigdog said:
You should be able to locate a scrap yard near PIT. Here in Eastern Pa I have 3 close by that will let a person wander around and sell steel for 45 cents, alum for 1.50 and brass for 3.00.............Bob
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Some scrap yards will but a lot here won’t. I may have posted this but the closest Metal Supermarkets lets us pick from their scrap bin. Then sell it for what they get paid for it


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