Crazy steel prices!

[mcmxi]

I ordered some steel yesterday for two upcoming projects. One is to build a dolly for the 106 gallon Jon Dow fuel storage tank I bought a few months ago, and the other is for a custom grill/brush guard for the MX.

The cost of the steel below which includes a couple of cuts was a little over $485.

24'x3"x1-1/2"x1/8"
4'x2'x3/16"
4'x4"x.125"

This is still "cheap" compared to buying a dolly that wouldn't be anywhere near as good or work as well, or a generic brush guard, but I'm amazed at the current cost of steel.

 

[MOOTS]

It’s Trumps fault.... somehow.

I got quoted $400 for 4 1x1 square tube 20’ sticks a few weeks ago.

 

[mcmxi]

It’s Trumps fault.... somehow.

I got quoted $400 for 4 1x1 square tube 20’ sticks a few weeks ago.

What wall thickness?

 

[MOOTS]

What wall thickness?

Pretty sure I wanted 1/8.

 

[mcmxi]

Pretty sure I wanted 1/8.

Yeah, that's about right. My goto resource for current steel prices is www.metalsdepot.com and they're showing a 24'x1"x1"x1/8" stick at just about $100.

 

[MOOTS]

I look forward to what you come up with.

 

[Oil pan 4]

Try a scrap yard.

 

[Yooper]

According to my daughter, who does quoting for a local fab shop, certain structural steel sizes are getting hard to find. Flat plate took another jump last week. Bad time to build anything out of metal.

 

[mcmxi]

Try a scrap yard.

Up here there are a bunch of junk yards with all manner of garbage packed into them, but I'm not aware of a "scrap yard" selling decent steel. I buy steel off Craiglist from time to time. I bought a couple of 18"x18"x1/2" plates a few months ago for $20.

I have a rolling chassis from a camper that has a lot of c-channel in it. I might be taking that apart for a project given current steel prices. I see them on Craiglist all the time for $300 to $500 so I might have to buy a few. There's one for sale near me with a bunch of milled lumber on it for $750. The steel alone is probably worth $2k at current market prices.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

this is what you get when you don't demand 'Made in America' products.....
the 'writing was on the wall' when USSTEEL shutdown STELCO a few years back...
'plastic' cars and aluminum trucks....
several factors all come into 'play'

I tired to figure out HOW to use brand new 7by7", 6' sections of 5/16" walled steel tubing, 'cutoffs'....ended up going to scrapyard.... 150# each, 13c/pound.....

 

[mcfarmall]

Yes indeed steel prices are elevated. However here's a interesting perspective, people pay $40/lb for a steak just to build a turd.

 

[Lil Foot]

At these prices, maybe I should go to my FIL's place (he passed) and collect all the steel he has laying around....
4'x6'x1/4" plate, a bunch of thin wall square tube in 1/2" & 1", assorted angle iron bench frames, a bunch of pipe.....
trouble is, it has all been out in the weather for 30+ years, an is rusty as hell.
And it would all have to be hand carried thru two 3ft gates, no easy access for tractor or trailer, & then where would I put it?

 

[mcmxi]

At these prices, maybe I should go to my FIL's place (he passed) and collect all the steel he has laying around....
4'x6'x1/4" plate, a bunch of thin wall square tube in 1/2" & 1", assorted angle iron bench frames, a bunch of pipe.....
trouble is, it has all been out in the weather for 30+ years, an is rusty as hell.
And it would all have to be hand carried thru two 3ft gates, no easy access for tractor or trailer, & then where would I put it?

Whoa! I would have been there and done that already! A hand truck will make fast work of moving heavy steel around, particularly plate. Rust can be an issue or no big deal but in AZ (assuming that's where your FIL lived) with no chlorides and low humidity most of the year I can' t imagine the rust is a big deal.

 

[Lil Foot]

A hand truck will make fast work of moving heavy steel around, particularly plate.

Not a 4'x6' plate thru a pair of 3' gates.

I can' t imagine the rust is a big deal.

Under normal conditions no, but in 30+yrs, things get rusty, even in AZ.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: Not a 4'x6' plate thru a pair of 3' gates.

easy, just a lot (5-6 ?) 'S' turns...you basically 'dance' the plate through the opening,BTDT. it wa seasier when I was younger though.

 

[mcmxi]

Not a 4'x6' plate thru a pair of 3' gates.

Approach the gate at an angle greater than 41.5 degrees and you should be able to pass through, assuming the 4' dimension is horizontal on the hand truck.

 

[hedgerow]

Bought two pieces of 2"X 2" 3/16 3 foot angle the other day and it was sixty dollars.

 

[RCW]

I had to make a couple 4” end caps for a coil-over.

I couldn’t find the material locally, and small pieces were commanding big dollars on line

Ended up buying 2 4” washers for survey stakes. Things were stainless and about 10 gauge. $7 each delivered to my door seemed the better option.

I used them right out of the package without any modifications

 

[bird dogger]

The crazy price of Neodymium magnets: $101.40 not even a full handful.

 

[mike paulson]

It’s Trumps fault.... somehow.

I got quoted $400 for 4 1x1 square tube 20’ sticks a few weeks ago.

Orange tractors are great, Orange presidents not so much