304SS material pricing

SeymourDumore · Apr 25, 2018

Guys, a quick question.

Just off the cuff, can anyone tell me an average price for:
304SS .5 x 4" flat bar, need approx 200 bars ( approx #17,000 )

Normally I don't fish around for pricing because a few bucks here and there doesn't really matter, but this is substantial
and will repeat perhaps 2 more times.

I have a couple quotes in and want to know if I should keep diggin' ...

Thank You

XD341 · Apr 25, 2018

Round bar used to go about 1.90/lb say at the end of last year, flat stock was maybe $.25 more..the last time I quote some out it was significantly more expensive. Prices are going up.

wrustle · Apr 25, 2018

We use Atlantic Stainless for a lot of our stainless needs. They offer "True Flat" bars (I believe it's called that anyways) which are nice with near perfect square, flat edges.

I have no idea what their pricing would be per pound but with the amount you're looking for I do believe you will be paying a lot less than most.

EMJ will often times actually be cheaper than Atlantic though, so it wouldn't hurt to check with them as well.

Pennsylvania steel is another one that is very competitive also, and I believe they have a hub in Conn. so that could work in your favor as well.

The only issue I have with Atlantic is a lot of their stainless comes out of China, and I cannot use that for any military jobs. BUT, when requesting "domestic only" they always confirm either it is, or it is not. They've never left me in a bind.

Later,
Russ

ManualEd · Apr 25, 2018

If you need a nice edge on it, definitely confirm with the supplier if you're actually getting a rolled flat bar.

Last time I ordered 304 flat bar it was sheared from plate, and the outside 1/4" was rolled over 1/16".

Ries · Apr 25, 2018

My stainless prices went up 15% within a week of Trump announcing the tariffs. I recently paid about $2.35 a pound for flat bar, in approx 1000 lb lot- which means you should be looking at around 2 bucks, a bit less if you are lucky. Nobody is holding quotes for more than a few days these days, so my price a month ago is meaningless today. At 17k lbs, you should be able to get down below 2 bucks, but for real flat bar, as opposed to sheared from plate, I dont know how much below. Quotes today are usually good for, well, today.

Guest · Apr 25, 2018

As others have hinted at, make sure you specify what you want, sheared from plate will be the cheapest, but the quality can vary quite a bit.

SeymourDumore · Apr 25, 2018

Oh, I did specify that the 4" edges will not be machined, so sheared plate is not an option.

But, just an FYI, one of the quotes I've received was $3.27/lb!!! for #8100 !!!

Ries, thank you for the number, sounds like I am going to be digging much deeper and outside of my normal suppliers.

Bobw · Apr 25, 2018

SeymourDumore said:
Oh, I did specify that the 4" edges will not be machined, so sheared plate is not an option.

Keep telling them that OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER again... Big BOLD letters on
any purchase order issued... "Material will be rejected and NOT paid for" etc etc etc....

I can't count the number of times I've very plainly and clearly asked for "true" bar, specified
"NO sheared plate"... Been assured "no sir, these are nice square edges", and bulbous distorted
sheared crap shows up...

That also could be why you are running into high quotes.. I've found that 1/2" and thinner 304,
90% of the time is sheared plate.. 1/2x4 actual BAR stock might be a very rare duck...

ManualEd · Apr 26, 2018

Plasma or laser cut edges would have a pretty good finish at only ½” thick.

It rolled flat bar is uncommon enough that it’s driving prices up enough it might be an option.

mkd · Apr 26, 2018

recently paid 3.5/lb for 1" round cut to 48' lengths
$400 total order, so a low quantity and some cutting bumped it up.

now I don't need all of it, so if anybody is looking for some.....

Matt@RFR · Apr 26, 2018

Copper & Brass just quoted me "about" $2.29/lb as a mill run for 1/2" x 4" 304 True Bar, 8-10 week lead time, plus freight. I was also warned of the volatility of the market and that today's price is not tomorrow's price.

Ries · Apr 26, 2018

Matt@RFR said:
Copper & Brass just quoted me "about" $2.29/lb as a mill run for 1/2" x 4" 304 True Bar, 8-10 week lead time, plus freight. I was also warned of the volatility of the market and that today's price is not tomorrow's price.

when you say "mill run" does that mean in 40,000 lb increments?
If so, then my goal of 2 bucks a pound is wishful thinking, lost in the mists of time- ie, 2 months ago.
All this talk of tariffs has definitely raised prices.

Matt@RFR · Apr 26, 2018

Ries said:
when you say "mill run" does that mean in 40,000 lb increments?
If so, then my goal of 2 bucks a pound is wishful thinking, lost in the mists of time- ie, 2 months ago.
All this talk of tariffs has definitely raised prices.

No, 200 bars just like Seymour asked about, about 16,400lbs worth.

dstryr · Apr 26, 2018

I just quoted out 50k lbs of 1018 bar stock yesterday.... 2.05 a lb for cut pcs of 1018.... This world is going crazy. Pricing is outrageous on every metal right now.

Finegrain · Apr 26, 2018

dstryr said:
I just quoted out 50k lbs of 1018 bar stock yesterday.... 2.05 a lb for cut pcs of 1018.... This world is going crazy. Pricing is outrageous on every metal right now.

That's ... :nutter:

.

I paid $1.95 for about 100# of 303 last July. Now, same vendor, higher quantity, $3.20/# :rolleyes5:

.

Regards.

Mike

XD341 · Apr 26, 2018

We just priced out a repeat job for us out of 6061 sheet,1/8 inch, sheered to a particular width, obviously value added service add cost but what was a $4 a pcs job last december is now an $8/Pc job. How a 10% tariff on aluminum can lead to a 100% increase in price is a head scratcher.

Long story short, the mills are taking liberties on prices but the distributors are as well. When confronted on the huge increase in price they cited a new cutting and shearing "policy". uh huh...

Don't get me wrong, demand is up which is good, and prices rise naturally with demand but distributors are cashing in as well. I had a service center sales guy tell me that Kaiser has "closed the books" on ordering plate for the rest of the year? I was like WTF? how can that be possible?

SeymourDumore · Apr 26, 2018

Finegrain said:
That's ... .

I paid $1.95 for about 100# of 303 last July. Now, same vendor, higher quantity, $3.20/# .

Regards.

Mike

MIke

2 weeks ago got some 303 rounds delivered, small qty, perhaps #250 total
303 C'less ground was $4.75, while plane-jane 7/8 round was $2.50/#

That seems to be in-line with the ups and downs over the last few years of the same matl.

AARONT · Apr 26, 2018

From Alro, I am seeing $1.75/lb at that quantity.

XD341 · Apr 26, 2018

AARONT said:
From Alro, I am seeing $1.75/lb at that quantity.

Shipped? The Alro online deal is a little deceptive I think. Decent place to get prices for quoting, but I can usually find a better price.

Ries · Apr 26, 2018

I dont think its individual distributors driving this up- its global commodity pricing. Every one of my suppliers checks London prices every day. Same thing with the scrap yards around here. Nobody wants to leave money on the table, obviously, but metals are a commodity, and pricing is international. So if they decide, out of the kindness of their hearts, to sell below market price, they end up getting bit in the backside for doing it in the end. Global commodity prices, like the stock market, are based on hunches, rumors, fears, feelings, and a lot of other completely irrational factors.
My suppliers have always charged the same prices per pound regardless of what they paid- which means they may have material they bought last week for $2.00 a pound, and material they bought a year ago for $1.25, but it all gets sold today for $3.00.
Obviously, if you live in a place where there is a lot of freight costs added, like, say, rural montana, its gonna be global prices plus freight.

That should be much less of a factor in a place like Connecticut, though- and there should be enough competition there that you should get lower prices than much of the country.

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