Sources of METALS for your stockpile for projects?

Max_Power said:
I'm getting to be pretty good buds with the guys at my local metal supermarket.
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Todd,

Do you have a name and location? If it is close to Savage it is also close to Prior Lake :)

What kinds of materials do they carry? Note that I usually go to Discount Steel so that would be my reference point.

Arvid
 
Yip, Thats t he one EdK pointed to:). Dan and Dave are the guys there usually. They have about anything you want most of the time, or can get it by the next morning. Usually I go right in and they cut my pieces on the spot, while I wait. My favorite new material to get there is Durabar cast iron bar...Lots of fun to work with! :biggrin: Ed, when are we gonna have that Minnesota club coffee meet??? Arvid, sounds like were close...let me know if you want to meet for a chat or beer sometime? Todd
 
I go to Spirit surplus center. They sale 7075 and 2024 aluminum for .75/lb and also sometimes have some SS at very good prices. Down side is the aluminum is fairly large and requires a decent sized bandsaw to cut to size. Also another local surplus steel/aluminum around town sells all aluminum for 1.25/lb and all steel for .50/lb for round and square stock.
 
Maglin said:
Down side is the aluminum is fairly large and requires a decent sized bandsaw to cut to size..
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Fairly thick aluminum sheet can be cut to rough dimension on a table saw with a carbide or metal blade, or even with a hand-held circular saw with a metal blade. Just take it slow.
 
By large I'm talking 12x9x20" for the smaller drops and go up to 5"x3"x12" pieces. Most pieces are around 12x10x24". So a larger than 4x6" bandsaw is definitely needed. I've been eye balling the 7x12" and Harbor Freight. I'm hoping to be able to get one on a good sale with a 20% off coupon or better yet at one of their parking lot sales. I wouldn't mind getting a new dented one for half price.
 
True,cold rolled is just a process. We tend to loosely refer to low carbon cold rolled as simply "cold rolled". Actually,my stock of square W1 is cold drawn.
 
I got lucky and had the winning bid on a lot of miscellaneous stock at an auction. It turned out to be over three tons of aluminum, brass, stainless, carbon steel, tool steel and plastic shapes and plate. As it turned out, I was the only one bidding on it for what it was instead of for it's scrap value and ended up paying just over $1000 for it. I sold all of the G10 and polycarbonate for what I paid for the lot and kept the rest. If I need anything special that I don't have on hand (rare) I usually get it from McMaster Carr. They are a bit pricey, but their selection and rocket fast shipping make it worthwhile.

Tom
 
TLGriff said:
I got lucky and had the winning bid on a lot of miscellaneous stock at an auction. It turned out to be over three tons of aluminum, brass, stainless, carbon steel, tool steel and plastic shapes and plate. As it turned out, I was the only one bidding on it for what it was instead of for it's scrap value and ended up paying just over $1000 for it. I sold all of the G10 and polycarbonate for what I paid for the lot and kept the rest. If I need anything special that I don't have on hand (rare) I usually get it from McMaster Carr. They are a bit pricey, but their selection and rocket fast shipping make it worthwhile.

Tom
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One word come to mind, "Jackpot!". I'll second that on the McMaster Carr, not the cheapest but great service.

-Ron
 
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