best online small and specialty metal supplier?

mark thomas · Feb 17, 2005

Is there a "best" place?

I'm finding that it's cheaper to buy small quantities long-distance, even with shipping. For example, I can get a 1" round by 48" long 12L14 delivered to my door in 2 days for $26, including shipping. To get it from the "local" Metals Supermarket I have to pay $34 and make an hour round trip drive.

Is onlinemetals.com the best for this type of stuff, or are there others?

tnmgcarbide · Feb 17, 2005

onlinemetals.com is way too high on the
stuff i buy. Speedymetals is much cheaper in my experience....they also charge actual shipping
and don't charge for cuts.

mark thomas · Feb 17, 2005

Thanks. Speedy metals wants $21.20 for the item I currently need. onlinemetals.com wants $16.12, so I'll stick with that for this order, but I'll compare prices on other things in the future.

mark ct · Feb 17, 2005

hmm i went to speedymetals.com and all i get is a page with a logo, no link, phone number nothin

peckham4 · Feb 17, 2005

Online Metals seams to have competitive prices, but their delivery is horrible. I ordered their aluminum stock kit. It took them nearly two weeks before they even shipped it out, and then almost a week for delivery. That was fine for just material for stock in my shop but would never work for a time sensitive project. I usually pay a few bucks more and know I will be getting it next day from McMaster Carr.

Greg Menke · Feb 17, 2005

Same here. I tried a few common url's on their site, got Windows-looking file not found errors. So it might be some bizarre Internet Explorer-only site. Sigh... stuck with onlinemetals and McMasters for a while yet I guess...

Gregm

mark ct · Feb 17, 2005

yea i was using internet explorer so i dont know what else they would expect ya to use

rivett608 · Feb 17, 2005

I use a place in Kansas City called Metal by the Foot, http://www.metalbythefoot.com/ I'm sure they are more expensive but they do special cuts all the time..... stuff many suppliers would touch........ I don't have or want a cold saw or band saw so I order everything of any thickness or quantity cut to size.....here are some examples of things I have had them do...... 10 pieces of 4" cr round 3/8" long........ 100 pieces 1/2" brass round 3/4" long....... the best thing is most materials you can buy by the inch so if you need a few little pieces they may be one to call....

Sorry if this sounds like an ad for them, have no connection other being a customer and they have been good to me.

Barry Weeks · Feb 17, 2005

Speedy Metals has been very good to me. They usually have almost 50 pages of steel and alum. drops and randoms on ebay, otherwise you can call them to order too. They sent me a nice catalog and I order 4140 hex stock and some other odd stuff from them. Is always here in 2 days.

Ralph_P · Feb 17, 2005

I've had good luck with Speedy Metals, usually get the order the next day. Once I ordered a 5" aluminum round x 4" long, I received a 4" round x 5" long. When I called back they sent the correct size right away. I asked for an address to ship the other piece back and they said no, just keep it since it was thier mistake.

Chevy427z · Feb 17, 2005

I've had good luck with Metal Express. Usually two day service. Reasonable prices.

www.metalexpress.com 1-800-657-0721

If you talk to Mitch in Charlotte, NC (704-599-3919), tell 'em I sent ya

I believe they have a few places around the country.

<waving> to peckham4. Nice to see another local guy. I drive through your town on the way to and from work every day. I'm up in Clinton.

Mark

kenh · Feb 18, 2005

I have had good luck w/online metals.
They mention on their webpage that small orders will not be filled til' they fill the large orders, makes sense.
If you order in foot increments, no chg. for cutting.
I placed a small order, minutes later the phone rang, they didn't have one piece, (say $5.00 item), asked if the next size would be OK.
Can't beat that.

mark thomas · Feb 18, 2005

I also saw the SpeedyMetals website, which is apparently just reserved, but not actually functional. I called and asked, and they confirmed they do not have an operational web system. They sell on Ebay, and direct (you call them.)

I've ordered a couple things from onlinemetals and I had no shipping problems (yet anyway), except they shorted me on one order, and I called and they sent the missing piece the same day, no questions asked.

I priced a couple things at McMaster, and they were 50-60% higher than onlinemetals.

The most incredible place is Metals Supermarket. They quoted me $155 for a 20' CR 1018 1" round. The structural steel supplier in my town sells it for $82. I asked the guy at Metals Supermarket if he was sure about that price, and how it could possibly be so high, and he said (no kidding) "We have the highest prices anywhere, so do you want to place an order or not?"

Thanks all for the suggestions.

By coincidence, I went by a place today that was shutting down and has a bunch of stock and I got a 1" CR round for $10 -- he's selling his stock at 0.20/pound. Hard to beat that.

norb · Oct 19, 2017

mark thomas said:
Is there a "best" place?

I'm finding that it's cheaper to buy small quantities long-distance, even with shipping. For example, I can get a 1" round by 48" long 12L14 delivered to my door in 2 days for $26, including shipping. To get it from the "local" Metals Supermarket I have to pay $34 and make an hour round trip drive.

Is onlinemetals.com the best for this type of stuff, or are there others?

I buy 440C from toolanddie.com They sell quality Precision Marshal and Timken tool steels at the best prices I have found.

Wm58 · Oct 20, 2017

mark ct said:
yea i was using internet explorer so i dont know what else they would expect ya to use

Chrome browser has as many users as all other browsers combined; explorer is years behind the times and is famous for mangling web sites.

I have had many good experiences with metalsdepot.com

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