Where do you buy your raw metals?

[dynosor]

I confess to having spent too much at McMaster for aluminum and steel because they seem to have everything.

Today I found Speedy Metals have much better prices than McMaster. The obvious question is, how does the quality compare?


For instance:

2 1/4" square by 12" 6061 aluminum costs

$ 27.42 at http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-2504-8378-2-14-sq-6061-t6511-aluminum-extruded.aspx

and $49.08 at http://www.mcmaster.com/ (no convenient link)


Speedy Metals seems to have a lot more size variety, but fewer alloys. Does anyone have experience with Speedy quality?

Where can one get quality raw metal at the best prices?

[gsrmmeza]

I happened to look at your profile and it said you are in California.
In southern California where I'm at you could use the following:
Fry Steel
Industrial Metal Supply
Cal Mesa Steel
Escondido Metal Supply
Jorgensen
Tube Services

[nwrepair1]

I suggest Dix Metals in Huntington Beach, CA. They also do great blanchard grinding. Best price I've seen on 6061 and cast aluminum.

[dynosor]

Thanks Gents

A whole bunch of places I've not even heard of.

I happened to look at your profile and it said you are in California.
In southern California where I'm at you could use the following:
Fry Steel
Industrial Metal Supply
Cal Mesa Steel
Escondido Metal Supply
Jorgensen
Tube Services

I suggest Dix Metals in Huntington Beach, CA. They also do great blanchard grinding. Best price I've seen on 6061 and cast aluminum.

[tauntdesigns]

I used speedy for my last order and I got a shipping notice within 24 hours.... speedy!

[shadrag]

Interesting, for the pieces of 6061 I have been looking at, mcmaster is cheaper. I guess it's a YMMV kind of thing.

[l u k e]

onlinemetals.com

[l u k e]

I noticed that speedymetals.com starts out cheaper than onlinemetals but the more you buy at online the cheaper it is...

[twocik]

A few links

http://www.metalexpress.net/cgi-bin/...b22359892c7048


http://www.onlinemetals.com/



http://www.industrialmetalsales.com/247.html

[br1]

I am not sure this belongs in this category but would like to know what people do with all the scrap, when we laser cut parts (specific for our industry) we have a lot of huge plate, 1/4hrpo, 3/16 hrpo that we scrap some times 20" x 30". Is it cheaper to send it to the recycle or sell it to someone who can use it, if so who buys this stuff ?

[l u k e]

Run an add in the paper. Sell it by the pound, somewhere between recycle and your purchase price. There are guys with home shops all across the country that would to get a good deal on steel.

[twocik]

Where are you located ?

Take pictures of what you have, and you'd be surprised at how fast it will go "at the right price"....