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Recommended mail-order raw metals

Online, and if you have time put your stuff in a cart, save it, and wait a few days. There is a good chance you will get a discount coupon.
 
If you're talking one or two feet of material, online metals is good.

For single bars cut down to ship UPS, Alro Steel has been excellent for me. They can even get me the certs before it ships for me to make sure it's correct*.

*It turns out there are two different ways to quench and temper B7 4140. One of them is better than the other for my application. You can tell from the cert which it is.
 
When shopping these 3 vendors, Speedy Metals, Metals Depot and Online Metals, it pays to compare prices as they often vary a whole bunch, and it's not unheard of to get hosed if you don't shop wisely.

The quality of their search feature means a lot to me too..some of them are just beastly!:eek:

Stuart
 
Don't overlook McMaster-Carr. I use them often for pieces up to 6ft.

So true..but beware! When you order (anything), it's no longer noted where it's shipping from, LA or Chicago. If you order several items and one of them is in Chicago, it will ship separately, you'll pay separate shipping on that item, and if you're on the west coast, it will deliver at least a day later than the stuff out of LA.

Before this change, when making up an order, it was noted where it shipped from. If I ordered something and it was coming out of Chicago, I knew it then and had the option to change the item ordered to one available on the west coast. Not so anymore.

McMaster-Carr has always been the absolute model of customer service, but they are doing some scary stuff lately that makes me as nervous as a whore in church!

Stuart

Two posts, back-to-back...just like the Termite:o
 
I have been using McMaster-Carr for convenience, but now hoping to shop for prices a bit. All very helpful recommendations, THANKS.
 
For single bars cut down to ship UPS, Alro Steel has been excellent for me. They can even get me the certs before it ships for me to make sure it's correct*.
I use Alro's website to price material for quotes. When I buy, I call my salesman and he always gets me a lower price.
 
So true..but beware! When you order (anything), it's no longer noted where it's shipping from, LA or Chicago. If you order several items and one of them is in Chicago, it will ship separately, you'll pay separate shipping on that item, and if you're on the west coast, it will deliver at least a day later than the stuff out of LA.

Before this change, when making up an order, it was noted where it shipped from. ...

Yeah, I was annoyed when they changed to this. However, it's not very often I get two boxes from different warehouses on one order, maybe 1 in 5 or more. I got over it. I get stuff next day (in the a.m.) for less than UPS ground rates, hard to complain. I did get an odd size flex hone once, returned it, then changed my mind and reordered it. Came from Cleveland both times, shipped separate. That thing is worth like $80 now. I need to make a case for it.

I use online metals. The have gotten worse on price. If you check in often you can get coupon codes. They are limited in what they carry. Mcmaster has WAY more materials to choose from but the prices are not as good.
 
I use online metals when I only need small quantities of specialty materials. Otherwise I call in directly to Thyssenkrupp. Online Metals is Thyssenkrupp (at least that’s what my sales rep there told me). For non-specialty stuff, I go with my local suppliers. If it’s small quantities (under a 20’ length) they will sometimes have a remnant laying around that they are wiling to cut a deal on
 
Scary stuff? like what?



So true..but beware! When you order (anything), it's no longer noted where it's shipping from, LA or Chicago. If you order several items and one of them is in Chicago, it will ship separately, you'll pay separate shipping on that item, and if you're on the west coast, it will deliver at least a day later than the stuff out of LA.

Before this change, when making up an order, it was noted where it shipped from. If I ordered something and it was coming out of Chicago, I knew it then and had the option to change the item ordered to one available on the west coast. Not so anymore.

McMaster-Carr has always been the absolute model of customer service, but they are doing some scary stuff lately that makes me as nervous as a whore in church!

Stuart

Two posts, back-to-back...just like the Termite:o
 
Yeah, I was annoyed when they changed to this. However, it's not very often I get two boxes from different warehouses on one order, maybe 1 in 5 or more. I got over it. I get stuff next day (in the a.m.) for less than UPS ground rates, hard to complain. I did get an odd size flex hone once, returned it, then changed my mind and reordered it. Came from Cleveland both times, shipped separate. That thing is worth like $80 now. I need to make a case for it.

I use online metals. The have gotten worse on price. If you check in often you can get coupon codes. They are limited in what they carry. Mcmaster has WAY more materials to choose from but the prices are not as good.

If I need something before 10am next day. I make sure it ships from chicago. I'll put 10-20 taps/endmills drills inserts etc etc in there just to make sure it comes from chicago.
standard delivery from la is next day for us. but ups shows up by 11.
however stuff from chicago normal shipping comes fed x and is there right around 8-9am next day.
mc master car is high priced but it saves me running around town picking stuff up. it actually works out cheaper mc master carr way.
we do have a new dealer in town thats seems to carry alot of what I like to use they deliver 2 times a day. starting to use them more and more.

as far as material, I wouldnt think ordering online would be cheaper than ordering local if they deliver. one nice thing about Az is we have always had lots of material suppliers -coast jorgenson bralco inductrial metals and a few more for specialty alloys and tool steels. usually get everything the next day delivered
 
Scary stuff? like what?

Well...I think I may have overstated my concern, sorry.

I've been ordering from McMaster-Carr since 1982 and have only good things to say. If all companies operated as well as they do life would be wonderful. In all those years, the only change they seem to have made is the one I mentioned above, and all I was saying is that I hope it isn't a portend of things to come.

So, all is good, I just get nervous quite easily!:)

Stuart
 
I probably am 50-50 between McMaster and Online. Often McMaster will be higher price on the metal, but overall cheaper due to them passing on their shipping discount. Sometimes the shipping charges with Online are insane, while some items the metal prices at McMaster are insane. If there is something neither of the two have I have went to inappropriately named Speedy Metal. Often "Speedy" will take 2-4 days just to send something out the door.
 
If you order from Speedy Metals and call in the order, they always seem to sell it cheaper than the online price, sometimes a fair amount.
 








 
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