Rising price of aluminum!

[widgitmaster]

My hobbies require that I purchase a few chunks of aluminum every so often, and I have noticed that the prices are increasing at a rapid rate!

What effect is this having on professional machine shops?
What is the current cost per pound of aluminum in your country?
What is the current price paid for a 50-gallon barrel of aluminum chips?

Most of all, what is driving the price up?

Eric

[Zumba]

I hear global warming is causing the aluminum trees to die. Really sucks. Last year, a 5-day heatwave resulted in an aluminum farmer losing his entire crop.

What are you paying for 6061 in your area? Here in northern CA, where metal suppliers are few and far between, we get shafted at about $5/lb. I can order it online have it shipped, but it still ends up costing around $4.something.

I got a quote from some Chinese supplier a few months back. They wanted $2/lb in 10,000lb qty.

[Eurisko]

Eric,

Here in Ohio, scrapyards pay only 40 to 50 cents a pound for scrap aluminum castings.

Compare that to the $3.25 / lb. (plus shipping) that processed aluminum sells for online.

I did stumble upon a shop in California that sells cast aluminum plates at a very attractive price:

http://www.sandsmachine.com/alumweb.htm

Unfortunately, the UPS shipping charges from CA to OH are outrageous, practically doubling the cost of the aluminum. I may give them a call to see if there is another shipping option.

[mog5858]

well i just sold some AL rims off a big rig and i got .52$ per lb for what they called as clean al i gess that would be the same as #1. as for new stuff i don't really worey that's for my boss to worery about i just bild stuff wtih it. but i have notes that the quatey of Al sheet meatl that we get has bean going down hill. i deal with 3003 and 5603. i have bean having problums with the 3003 craking when i bend it. i just hope it dose not get to the state that the steel market is right now.

[lwalker]

Look for online auctions of local shops going out of business. I haven't weighed my haul, but I picked up about 35lbs of 6061 bar stock at around $1/lb at a machine shop liquidation last month. These are auctions where you bid online and go pick up your winnings in person to save shipping.

[widgitmaster]

Today I placed an order for some MIC-6 cast aluminum plates, and found the current price per pound to be $6.75 USD.

The scrap chips are worth a few cents!

I have never seen it so high!

Widgit

[davereagan]

Hey,
Have you tried Clinton Aluminum and Stainless out of Clinton, OH near Akron? I am 25 miles north of Detroit and they run trucks up my way daily, so I would think they'd deliver to you. I last bought some 6061 bars, 1/8" x 3", 20 bars at 5.4 lbs each for a total of 108 lbs at $2.50/lb delivered. Everytime I think they are high, it's because the market inched up again. I check around and feel better after getting higher prices. www.clintalum.com

[fpworks]

We use Clinton also. Our price is typically 2.08 to 2.50 per pound for 6061-T6511. We place small orders....usually less than 600 lbs at a time.

Every once in a while, I get quotes from other places, but Clinton is typically 10-15% cheaper.

[tobyaxis]

With all the Manufacturing and Construction going on over seas the increases will continue. That means the Shops in the US and other places will have to raise their prices. Unless they want to work for free.