Where do you get your steel from.

[padroo]

I have been retired for over 4 years now and I used to have access to steel to make projects for home. Now I get frustrated going to the hardware stores and not finding what I need.

Where do you get your metal from?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Local place that does recycling, farm equipment junkyard, small NAPA store/new parts, farm supplies and of course steel.

http://www.genesrecycling.com/index/index.html

 

[ghnl]

On Line Metals

 

[NUTTSGT]

On Line Metals

Reminds me.

https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/

I used they guys when I needed some aluminum sheet for work bench tops in the enclosed trailer. I bought steel stock from them but I believe it was more expensive that the other place I mentioned above.

I'd have no issue using them again for what I need.

 

[gearhead1]

I buy about 90% of mine from a local seller, Foymart.
http://www.foymart.com/foymart/
http://www.foymart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Steel-and-Pipe-Price-Sheet.pdf

I have used Dillon supply and Metal Supermarkets
http://www.dillonsupply.com/default.aspx?page=customer&file=customer/disupp/customerpages/steel.htm

https://www.metalsupermarkets.com/raleigh/

I also like this place:
https://www.jdrecyclers.com/

 

[James-W]

I am fortunate in that we have a place not too far away that has pretty much anything you want in stock and the price i s reasonable too. They have new metal and used metal, the used metal is less expensive but they may or may not have what you need.

I usually buy new metal because I don't normally need a lot of it so the amount of money I would save by getting used metal used is negligible.

 

[gearhead1]

I think it comes down to you just have to figure out who the players are that are close to you. Find machine and fabrication shops and ask them.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Just don't ask me where I get wood from...

Tommy

 

[strength_and_power]

Metal Supermarkets has a great selection and will sell you an inch if all you need is an inch. It’s going to be a very expensive inch though. I’m sure a quick google search for Steel suppliers in ( insert your city here) will give you some choices.


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[readhead]

Local welding shops. I used to scrap a few thousand pounds a week. I rarely charged and would sell full sticks when needed.

 

[dogdog]

check local yellow page for steel yards... then call if they sell one or two pieces...and if they allow you to cut pieces on site to fit your truck / car ....
Keep in mind these are not scrap yards, so they sell whole pieces and whole pieces are like for example 2x2x25' 10 Gauges or 12 gauges etc.... or a sheet of 4x8 or 4x10 of 1/8 etc .... most don't sell just what you needed, but they will sell you a whole piece no issues..

I usually haul about 2x 2x2x25x10ga and a 1x3x25' in my jetta no problem cut in 1/2... just commute back is a pain.... I mean pain.. As ghetto as it gets, but that worked for me..

 

[bad_idea]

I found a yard local to me that sells steel in 2' minimums. Great prices too. He sells some used steel but mostly new material. I asked around the shop and found an old guy that told me about the shop. Small mom and pop shop. Word of mouth is king here. Ask around town where the hobbyist get their metal. Buying steel on the internet is WAY more expensive.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Home Depot is the worst, the other hardware places are bad, the supposed steel suppliers are pretty high, but the ag and architectural fab shops seem to be happy to sell me whatever they have on hand for not much over cost.

 

[Rc_Guy]

Discount Steel

 

[crewchief888]

I have been retired for over 4 years now and I used to have access to steel to make projects for home. Now I get frustrated going to the hardware stores and not finding what I need.

Where do you get your metal from?

ive bought new steel from AAA supply in schererville.

theres also a couple of steel fabricators on summit street in crown point.


ive never looked around out in your area, but i'm sure theres someplace. i'd look around any "industrial" parks.

 

[Marctrees]

There must be "Surplus" or "used steel" yards in Gary...

Often in the same neighborhoods as metal recyclers.

Marc

 

[bugnut]

ALRO and Suburban Steel
Suburban will cut to length and paint especially A36

http://www.alro.com/locations/locationsmain.aspx

 

[CraigStu]

McMaster Carr. Their steel is really nice. I try to keep 3 ft or so of 1/8 and 3/16 thickness in 3/4 to 1.5 width on hand because the local HD or Lowes stuff is terrible.

 

[A**holes Garage]

Living in large metro area, I'm fortunate enough to have several steel yards nearby that sell to the public and that will cut to size.

And yes, buying steel pieces at Home Depot is a huge rip off.

 

[lilredex]

I have a shed to house all my steel in the back of the garage. I got most of it from scrap yards, garbage days, demolition sites, dumped off in our big park, and from a friendly scrapper that lives on the next street. In particular, watch out on garbage days, you'd be surprised what people throw out.

I got a bunch of 1/2 X 3" (4 FT) bars out of a fence that was torn down next door.

For Canadians, keep your eye on PAL, they often have sales and clear out steel. I once got a few 3/8 X 2 and 3" (5 FT) bars for about two bucks each.....I got them all.

I agree, HD and Lowes are not the place to go unless you are desperate.

 

[OccupantRJ]

In Goldsboro, Dillon Supply 3 miles away, and Griffin Steel 2 miles away for new steel. There is a recycle yard 25 minutes away that sells nice leftover steel for 33 cents a pound in Wilson.

 

[crewchief888]

There must be "Surplus" or "used steel" yards in Gary...

Often in the same neighborhoods as metal recyclers.

Marc

aint much in gary except abandoned buildings and gunfire.

i dont know if metro in griffith allows you to leave with scrap you picked up in the yard.

pauls in lake station might let you. my neighbors used to haul stuff there and come back with more **** than they left with

 

[Capt Crash]

I am lucky in that my BIL owns a welding shop so I sort through his scrap bin every time that I need something. He will let most people do that and he will take a case of beer or $20.
Brian

 

[nes999]

Mostly metal depot online as often they are cheaper than buying it in person. It's also nice to have everything cut to size.

I do typically buy my square tubing locally. They'll sell you any amount you want but it's cost prohibitive. I think by the time you buy 8 ft your better off purchasing a full stick

I'm lucky, because we use them for work they will cut the sticks in half for my personal projects too. Otherwise its a 5 dollar per cut fee.

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[Falcon67]

>Now I get frustrated going to the hardware stores and not finding what I need.

Unless that's the only way you can get it, it's extremely expensive. I go to a local steel supplier - they will do one cut, so they will make a standard 24' joint into two 12' pieces for no extra cost. Cost per foot is way, way less than any home center or hardware store. 24' can cost about what 4' costs at a big box.

 

[dr_clyde]

I buy from Alro Metals, Harbor Steel and Supply, Chicago Tube and Iron, and Schupan Aluminum, depending on what I'm looking for. The each have specialties and some will be very cheap while the other guys are 50% more, then flip flop with something else. For instance, CTI doesn't stock plate, so they're very highly priced vs Alro, but they'll beat the pants off anyone else with tubing and pipe.

I call the salesman, and the truck is outside my shop the next day.

Harbor is local to me, about a 10 minute drive. They have a "random" short rack, and anyone can walk in there and pick out what you want. Or just buy full bars, they'll cut them in half for you for free. They have a $40 minimum. I just prefer to have them deliver. I think delivery is $10.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I buy from Alro Metals, ...

I have one within a few miles. The mail order places have better prices, but you have to pay shipping.

I always wonder why so few places stock square/rectangular, round corner, aluminum tube ? Much nicer to work with on structural projects.

 

[blazemaster83]

Metal prices are crazy these days, and going up. I check all the available sources before I go buy new material. Ebay, scrap yards, craigslist, local metal guys. It's worth spending the time to search for me.

Just the other day I had a customer wanting a custom work bench for glassblowing. Called up a local guy that basically has a scrap yard in his back yard, found all the material I needed for about $150. That was for a 4'x10' sheet of 1/4" thick steel plate, and about 80 feet of 1.5" square tubing. Some of it had some light rust on it from sitting outside that needed to be cleaned up but to put it in perspective I called around to see what a new sheet cost, $375 was the cheapest quote I got.

 

[rburke65]

Well my metal projects are on the smaller scale so my metal needs are on the smaller scale. I’m always on the look out for scrap out on the “curb”, bedframes, weight lifting benches, and the like.

 

[Marctrees]

Anykinda like machining, welding, any kinda steel fab shop usually has a scrap dumpster.

Marc

 

[coljar]

2 local steel sales places.

 

[1slow62]

Alro

 

[gtae07]

We have a local steel supply; pricing is generally good but they are stuck in 1982. No online catalog, no price list, gotta call and get a full quote and someone prints it up on one of those printers with the tear-off hole strips on the side.

I hate dealing with them for the above reason but they're nice and the cheapest place in town, by far.

 

[dr_clyde]

We have a local steel supply; pricing is generally good but they are stuck in 1982. No online catalog, no price list, gotta call and get a full quote and someone prints it up on one of those printers with the tear-off hole strips on the side.

I hate dealing with them for the above reason but they're nice and the cheapest place in town, by far.

I don't know why most of these places don't have a good online catalog. But I do very much understand why there's no price list.

Raw materials, especially metals, fluctuate wildly based on market factors. Quotes are only good for 24 hours right now. Volume of the order has a lot to do with it as well. I will get a lot better price if I buy a couple tons of metal vs a few lengths. Longtime customers will also get a better price than a new person. There's no way to have one price on a website. Its like Grainger, their website price is pretty much useless. You need a salesman to unlock YOUR price, because the list price is OUTRAGEOUSLY high. Nobody in their right mind pays that.

As far as the old printers, they are the fastest way to generate 3 or 4 hard copies of something at once. Yeah, they're old, but in one swat they have an internal office copy, a copy for the order pickers and shipping and receiving guy, and a copy for the customer. A lot of the industrial world still uses fax machines, so it'll be a while before we get rid of these old printers.

 

[Samh]

Have been using Metal Supermarkets for around 15 years. They have treated me well. Large selection of stuff, will custom order, and offers cutting services. There is actually one closer to me, but the one I am loyal to the original one.

 

[8mpg]

Discount Steel

I love these people here in Texas. They have a ton of drops in the showroom. Hot rolled, cold rolled, aluminum and stainless. They also have shorter lengths of pieces if you dont want a whole stick. My favorite place.

 

[Marctrees]

Discount Steel -

I have been to the MPLS location a few times.

AFAIK, they have been there over 40 yrs.

Good place, but I moved, and have not been there in 25 yrs.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Ordering online is great, especially for specific and smaller pieces.

Otherwise, going to an Old School yard that has new, surplus NOS, "usables", drops, etc.

Always good to see the old craggy guys that spend their pay at the local old seedy strip joint torching lengths to your order..

And the total mud all over the yard where the outdoor racks are if rainy...

So many bargains to find.

Many good memories.

Warehouse and Steel area of old MPLS, NE edge of Downtown.

Marc

 

[padroo]

Thanks for all the good ideas. I worked in one of the NW Indiana steel mills for 40 years and now that I am retired it like being in the ocean with no water to drink. lol
Our shop had racks full of steel, funny thing is they bought it from outside vendors.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

I just go to my very local scrap yard and sort through the drops, cuts, spares, and other treasure. Fast friendly service from the...um... proprietor....