I live up in middle earth, Colorado (Salida). So far I’ve just been buying steel from the hardware store and lumber yard or online a few times. Where do you guys buy steel (1/8) and aluminum (1/8 and 1/4) and what kinds of prices are you paying? Thanks!
I would imagine the steel at the hardware stores must be overpriced. I remember a bit of shell shock seeing the prices at Lowe’s when I first got into welding. Found the local suppliers and when I heard their prices I thought I won the lottery.
I’m in Utah, on my last order, I was paying around $12-13 For a 20 foot piece of 1x1 16g square tubing.
A 4x10 foot piece of 16 gauge mild steel was around $75. I used to go to the supplier and cut stuff down myself to fit in my trailer, but they don’t charge too much for delivery so it’s definitely worth my time to pay to have it brought to me.
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Decent prices in large metro areas are around $0.69/lb for A36 sheet steel right now. I’ve found that 3/16" and up tends to be a little higher. Square, C channel, Angle etc seem to be about the same for thinner stuff and 10 cents more for bigger C Channel and I beams.
You can google the weight per square foot of any sheet or shape and do the math for a rough estimate. 16g sheet A36 is 2.5lb/sqft. 4x8 sheet is 32 square feet. 32 x 2.5/lb x $0.69= $55.20 which is almost spot on to what I’m paying locally.
For drops (left over pieces or remnants) I’m getting them for anywhere from $0.25/lb to $0.69/lb depending on what it is. I haven’t bought new aluminum sheets or shapes so I can’t help there. I’ve bought lots of aluminum drops up to 1/4" and they’re anywhere from $1/lb to $2.80/lb. I would think new sheets are more like $4/lb.
These prices are in Phoenix where we’ve got suppliers everywhere. If you’re in a small town with one supplier, I’d expect to pay up to twice that much if they’re really screwing over the locals.
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OffroadDevilDog and Brownfox - thanks so much for your replies. It’s so hard to find pricing online. I’ll definitely check out a supplier in the city.
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I know its been awhile since your post but I live in canon city and we have a metal supplier here if you’re ever in this area. Its penrose steel.
Thanks Eric!
@Ranchero7 We are in Colorado Springs and Glaser Steel is the best here, they are off of 31st Street. Great prices and a lot of the larger suppliers here buy from them. If they don’t have it they will order it, usually one day turn around.
I’ve been using western steel for quite a few years, I’ll have to check out Glaser.
Thanks.
We used to use Western then we found out that Glaser supplies Western. Charlotte and her son Tony run the place and are great people, and you will be blown away pricing. We just can’t say enough good about them. Example on pricing 20 gauge 304 stainless 4 foot by 10 foot around $170.00. Well worth your time to give them a call. And we hope you got your table today, ours was a day early.
That is a great price, I will definitely be calling them next time I need steel.
UPS still says tomorrow, so hopefully I’ll be assembling this weekend, maybe try some first cuts if things go well.