where do you get metal?

[arlo]

I go to a local metal recyling center. Usually there is a long line of sellers with shopping carts full of interesting items but I've never seen another buyer. Last time I was there they had a quantity of brass hex rod. The price for brass was $3/lb. I'm not sure how that compares to Enco.

There are usually other materials. Copper bars and sheets, aluminum in a lot of forms and a lot of steel(s).

 

[Almega]

I go to Alro Steel in Jackson, where they have an outlet store with drops of all kinds. There is tool steel, hot roll, cold finish, stainless, brass, copper aluminum structural shapes, odd size and shaped drops and everything is sold by the pound. It is all very organized, clean, the pricing is reasonable and the staff is helpful and cooperative. The place is not overly busy on Saturday mornings at 8:00, which is usually when I go there. Alro has these all around their territory which is basically east of the Mississippi. Sorry, doesn't help much in Houston, but there must be others who follow a similar model around the country.

 

[4GSR]

As Tony said there are many places that sell in Houston. The list is almost endless. Google steel suppliers in Houston. I use to deal with Jorgensen, they will do, or at least used to, call in an order, go pick it up when ready, and pay for it. Also triple S steel, great place for any structural materials. Another is Energy Alloys. I don't think any do COD's anymore. Most will take CC's before they will take a check! Most may have a minimum, it don't take much at over $1.00 a pound, to add up for most steels. Aluminum, Jorgensen one source, another that will do small quanities is Morris Metals and Lokey Alloys. There's others, these come to mind.

Last one that I forgot to mentioned is Scott Industries in Brookshire. Their mainly into tubing. There's one more out that way, but just can't remenber who it is.

 

[xman_charl]

There is a closed submarine base, 5 miles from me. You can drop off old
machines for recycling, next building over has scrap and inside "good stuff".

I think the outside scrap is 55 cents a pound. Got over 100 lbs for welding, fabrication.

Not been there for a year, so prices are more...

Mare Island Submarine base, sure got some huge metal working machines there.

There is a machine shop privately owned, don't know what they make.

Charl

 

[arlo]

I go to Alro Steel in Jackson, where they have an outlet store with drops of all kinds. There is tool steel, hot roll, cold finish, stainless, brass, copper aluminum structural shapes, odd size and shaped drops and everything is sold by the pound. It is all very organized, clean, the pricing is reasonable and the staff is helpful and cooperative. The place is not overly busy on Saturday mornings at 8:00, which is usually when I go there. Alro has these all around their territory which is basically east of the Mississippi. Sorry, doesn't help much in Houston, but there must be others who follow a similar model around the country.

I go to Alro in Dayton Ohio. Good prices on Al, steel, Delrin, Nylon and more odd pieces in their Will Call. Basically sold at scrap prices. They have a facility in Tulsa.


Despite the name similarity, I am not associated with Alro.

arlo

 

[twowheelinjim]

Hi Xman, I grew up in Vallejo just outside of Mare Island. Graduated from Hogan Sr High in 1990. I miss Vallejo and now live in NC. Metal for projects can be found as close as your nearest machine shop. Where I work, we mostly purchase 6"X 24' 4140 roundstock and usually toss a 12" to 22" remnant sections in the metal recycling bin. Any piece under 36" or shorter whether angle or square tube etc. gets tossed for lack of storage space. We gladly give away small pieces if someone asks for them. Free metal, or drastically reduces metal is available if you look around.

 

[SE18]

btw, someone mentioned free shipping, but read fine print. Free shipping usually has weight restrictions and steel can be heavy.

 

[Halligan142]

I've bought a couple of times from Haverhill Steel (nearer to you, than to me) and found them to be hobbyist-friendly (which means willing to cut pieces for a random guy who pulled up in a station wagon).

Doing a price comparison is difficult, though. The weight of what you want is the straightforward part. But the price per pound seems to be constantly changing, and the cut fees sneak in there when you're not looking. I'd like to hear some hints on how to get an apples-to-apples price comparison from suppliers.

Hrm i'll have to make some time and head up there. Luckily Admiral Metals is only 10 min away for all my stainless, brass and aluminum. Super friendly too even though the poor guy is stuck in a booth at the end of what amounts to a shed

 

[twraska]

Flat stock, round stock, plate, billet, etc. Where do you get it? More specifically, if anybody knows where in HOUSTON to get it, that would be helpful. I would like to pick it up locally if possible vise ordering from McMaster or other website to avoid the shipping. But if there's a cheaper website I'm all ears.

Give me a call, I'm in Wallis and have a pretty good idea of where to get what.
Tim Raska
979-571-7097

 

[bpratl]

Hrm i'll have to make some time and head up there. Luckily Admiral Metals is only 10 min away for all my stainless, brass and aluminum. Super friendly too even though the poor guy is stuck in a booth at the end of what amounts to a shed

I also purchase a lot of non-ferrous metals from Admiral Metals as they are good people to deal with and have a great inventory of different diameters/shapes in precut lengths of 1,3 and 6 foot lengths. Bob