Where can i get metal stock for machining????

[randyrw]

I found a few places but it is stupid priced. One place had a 7.5" square block of 6061 aluminium for $700.00. I've seen fancy billet parts that size for less than $100. Any info will be great.
thanks

[little bubba]

Honestly. 7.5"X7.5"X7.5" chunk of aluminum, if you only want one, I'd say you are not too far off base. Thats about 40lbs of aluminum. Now you have to find a place that stocks a 7.5" piece of square, or a place that stocks 7.5" thick plate. Either way, they have to cut it, plus stock it, and then sit on it until somebody wants it. Not an easy thing to find, and you will pay a premium for any thick material regardless of what it is.

As for the "billet" part. I'm not sure exactly where you can get "billet", but last I checked its mostly a marketing ploy to get idiots to pay huge amounts of money for useless shiny crap.

What you probably saw was a casting that used only a few pounds of material and was made in very large quantities.

If what you need doesn't need to be extremely strong or absolutely perfect or need to be out of 6061, you might actually be better off getting a small guy to cast you a block. Lost foam would be perfect and I would guess you could get out of it for in the range of $200 or so. PM me and I can put you in contact with a small startup that could most likely help you, if a cast block would work for you.

Originally Posted by randyrw I found a few places but it is stupid priced. One place had a 7.5" square block of 6061 aluminium for $700.00. I've seen fancy billet parts that size for less than $100. Any info will be great. thanks

[jimmytightpants]

check out the metal supermarket. maybe there is one near you. http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/

[aaron p]

Originally Posted by jimmytightpants check out the metal supermarket. maybe there is one near you. http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/

that place is VERY expensive. Ive bought alot from www.industrialmetalsales.com
very good people to buy from.