Expanded steel rip-off?????

[The Pigman]

Dont know about expanded metal but went to scrap yard to pick up some stainless 1 1/2" by 1 1/2" tube for the frame of my wash rack and it was $3.00 lb. Now I know thats a rip but had to have it.

 

[gotwood]

Went to a local scrap yard to get a piece of expanded steel for my fire box in my uds. Found a piece about 4.5' x 4.5'. When I went to pay for it they wanted $30.00 for it. It sounded high to me. They took $25.00 for it because they could'nt break a 100 dollar bill.(had that and a twenty and a five.) Did I get screwed? I've no idea what expanded steel goes for new, let alone from a scrapyard.

what guage/size??
think I paid 3.50/sq. ft. for 9 or 10 ga. so you got a good deal if it was thick gauge

 

[The Pigman]

what guage/size??
think I paid 3.50/sq. ft. for 9 or 10 ga. so you got a good deal if it was thick gauge

It is thick gauge dont exactely remember the size but my welder liked it. and I was wrong before the 1 1/2" by 1 1/2" was the frame of the base. The stainless was 2" by 2"

 

[tony76248]

Most places here in the DFW area will sell metal by the pound. The economy is still rather robust so that might have something to do with it. I have been paying $.50 per pound at Westex metals which is an upper end scrap yard. Meaning nothing they have scrap but they will buy cutoffs from other metal shops and resell it. Everything is neatly on racks and they will also make cuts at $2 per cut. It is probably the nicest metal yard I have ever been to. Great employees and great selection of material too.

 

[Bentley]

Most places here in the DFW area will sell metal by the pound. The economy is still rather robust so that might have something to do with it. I have been paying $.50 per pound at Westex metals which is an upper end scrap yard.

Same here in LA. Paid .50 lb for 3/4 expanded scrap. I think it was about 40# for a 4x8 so I got it for about $20. Bobco Metals

 

[Dale P]

Where I live a metal guys wouldnt cut a fart for $2.

 

[DryCreek]

At our local steel yard the 4 x 8 sheet of 1/2 inch 13 gauge flat expanded metal is $50.10 retail and the 16 ga is $30.61

Rob

 

[thillin]

Most places here in the DFW area will sell metal by the pound. The economy is still rather robust so that might have something to do with it. I have been paying $.50 per pound at Westex metals which is an upper end scrap yard. Meaning nothing they have scrap but they will buy cutoffs from other metal shops and resell it. Everything is neatly on racks and they will also make cuts at $2 per cut. It is probably the nicest metal yard I have ever been to. Great employees and great selection of material too.

Where are they located? I need some angle iron.

 

[txschutte]

$ 1.52 a sq ft. or $30.78 for a 4.5' X 4.5' New 3/4 # 9 ( heavy stuff )

I say you got hosed. If it were new, I'd say ok. I pay a bit lower than Jay, 1.48/ft for the saME STUF, new.

 

[bigmeatbbq]

Mine came out to 81 cents a sq. ft. it is used but after the first burn it will still look used. never accurred to me that i needed new...j/k

 

[txschutte]

I prefer new steel when I'm welding grates together is all.

 

[Coz]

Fellas,if you are sittin on the fence on a project that involves metal its going to get worse.Our suppliers have raised prices 25% in the last month.We use about a semi load a day.Sure makes quoting and requoting a busy job.We get our tube direct from the mill by the semi load and the quality is getting worse.It looks to me like the Fabrication industry is on the verge of taking off again.

 

[thenewguy]

There's also a lot of metal/fabrication shops going on the auction blocks lately too. Tough times are here for many.
$2 a cut is the going rate in my area as well, as anything your milage may vary.

 

[jestridge]

Scrap metal is now bring around 1.45 here

 

[chinesebob]

Check your area for small fabricators. There's one around the corner from me and I got a 4'x8' for about 40.00. I only go to the hardware store if I have too. HF is sneaky, cheap on the big items high on the little things. Valves, castors, etc. Much higher than HD. Lately HD has been cheaper on items if you look in odd places. I found valves in the contractor section that were cheaper than the ones in the "general" plumbing area. Same thing, no id required. Just cheaper.

Generally I go to the source with the hardware stores as a last resort. I did find replacement grills for weber's on sale at HD for 9.00 for the top and 10 for the fire grate. That's about half what lowes and the other places were charging.

 

[smokeandbeer]

The stuff I get is from Ace and it runs about $24 for a 16x32 sheet, so I think you got a good deal.

 

[jestridge]

The only metal I use is junk. The cooker I posted tonight cost nothing. Got it all out of junks bins.