Where do you guys buy metal/sheets?

[DLaw]

I'm right above Philadelphia in the Bensalem area. Was just curious where you guys get metal from for projects? Whether it's sheets of a certain gauge or anything else. I mostly do carbon and stainless.Just curious if there's any certain way you guys go about buying sheetsi of metal for projects

[ryanjones2150]

Where do you guys buy metal/sheets?

I'm nowhere near you, but I'll tell you want I do a lot of times. Buying from a supplier can be expensive and hard to handle. Around me, the suppliers generally want to sell whole sheets or sticks of metal. Many of my projects and jobs are small time stuff and my shop isn't big enough for me store inventory of raw materials. So I go to the scrap yard and hunt what I need. I have a good relationship with the owner and his family at this point and he lets me have what I need for the right price. Sometimes, if all I get is a small piece of pipe or something, he gives it to me for free.

[mbramble]

I usually buy small quantities from a nearby welding shop. Smaller pieces that are in their scrap bins they will sell to me at scrap prices since that's what they're going to get for it anyway. I'm sure there is some markup when they cut pieces for me but it is better than having to buy a 20' length from the local Bell Steel. I did buy some full sheets of 10 guage sheet metal from them. But if I don't need a full sheet, or 20' length of flat, round, angle, or whatever, I go to the welding shop....

[eecervantes83]

Find out who stocks the large weld shops in your area they usually sell to the public for cheap .

[Aeronca41]

Find out who stocks the large weld shops in your area they usually sell to the public for cheap .

Agree. That has been my experience with Pacemaker Steel in Utica & Binghamton, NY. Understand that's not close enough to help you but may be a help to others. I usually buy a full sheet or stick of whatever I need, but they will cut it (for a shop fee of 12.50). I just take my little Milwaukee Hack-zall and cut bar, tubing, angle, etc myself in the parking lot. For the small stuf I usually buy it works fine, and I have them cut anything large. They also maintain a good stock of cut pieces of light and heavy sheet and plate that they sell by the pound as a straight fraction of the cost of the whole sheet by weight. They have been very accommodating and prices are reasonable. Hope you can find a similar dealer in your area.

[dvice]

for my personal projects, I use

http://www.discountsteel.com/items/by_type.cfm

they will cut your stock to the size you need. I haven't found an online source cheaper, but the shipping is expensive...buts that's not them, that's the delivery companies.

if you keep the length under 8 ft UPS will ship the stuff...longer you need a truck freight company.

dvice

[old jupiter]

Or, you could talk to the welding instructor at the nearest trade school and see who supplies their metal. But generally I end up calling around to the various local suppliers, because while there are a couple who tend to be less pricy, sometimes the best deal will not be where I expect it. What seems strange to me is that the quoted prices for a given order can be quite dramatically different from the various local metal yards, and I sometimes save a pile of money by phone-shopping.

And ditto the suggestion on getting to know your local scrapyards and recyclers for great deals on odd pieces you buy to use "some time" in the future. With the outrageous prices of metal nowdays, I don't give much scrap to the recyclers, and keep pretty small pieces to use as gussets and braces, just because metal costs so much. People (generally non-welders) laugh at the boxes of rusty little scraps I keep, but I do use the scraps rather often.

[Burnt hands]

Hi DLaw,

I use Joseph Fazzio in Glassboro, NJ.

A bit of a drive for you but they are very helpful.
They have some pre-cut sizes of stainless sheets which are cheaper since there is no cutting charge for these pieces. Price is per pound.

Also stainless and carbon steel lag screws, nuts, bolts and washers by the pound.

I try to stay away unless I truly need something as any visit usually turns out to be expensive.

Too much temptation.................................

They have a surplus area where you can buy lots of wrenches, impact sockets and die springs by the pound.

You can ask for a quote on line and save a trip.

http://metals.shopjfi.com/?l=1

[dvice]

I have a scrap dealer in my town...he has a 25 ft high 75 ft round pile of aluminum...with all kinds of good usable stock in it.. and the guy doesn't want to sell any of it...he doesn't want to be bothered....he gets it in and throws it on the pile and maybe once a year crushes it and move sit out...

dvice

[ja baudin]

I pick up my material from a local ship yard in the area. Any shipyards in your area along the Delaware River or near the bay? Give that a try.

[ja baudin]

I pick up my material from a local ship yard in the area. Any shipyards in your area along the Delaware River or near the bay? Give that a try.

The AKER Philadelphia Shipyard is not too far, or the Navy Shipyard.

[ryanjones2150]

I'm not even sure what a facade panel is. Sounds expensive.

[H80N]

I've recently moved to Philadelphia just started settling down. Suddenly realise that I need facade panels.
I used to live in Estonia and heard about that firm http://metal-disain.com/
Any ideas where can I buy perforated sheets like thouse ?

Lots of perf suppliers.... you could start by looking here

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...&fr=yfp-t&fp=1

BTW... welcome to the U.S. ................

(Gotta watch out for those Mad Estonians )

Regards

Heiti