Steel prices - Yikes!

[houstonscott]

https://www.breitbart.com/economics...signs-that-tariffs-are-costing-american-jobs/

Are there any economist who can get it right.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

As a reminder; earlier I posted about what transpired during the forming of our great nation. Who knows what direction the country would have taken if it weren't for Treasury Secretary Hamilton. He was instrumental in forging fiscal and commercial trade policies that allowed the bankrupt former colonies (prior to the constitution). I am currently reading a biography on him; his insight into these matters as well as government organization is very enlightening. I should be mandatory reading for all politicians on both sides of the isle.

Ron

 

[ruffdog]

Exactly what they did in telco equipment. Then they practically gave the equipment away to gain market share.

Good article on how "they" get knowledge in the tech market:

China Makes A Big Play In Silicon Valley : NPR

 

[ArlyA]

copied off of boatnerd.com today.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great Lakes iron ore trade down 5 percent in September

10/10 - Cleveland, Ohio Shipments of iron ore from U.S. ports on the Great Lakes totaled 5.9 million tons in September, a decrease of 5 percent compared to a year ago. However, shipments did outpace the month痴 5-year average by 4.9 percent.

Year-to-date the iron ore trade stands at 38.9 million tons, a decrease of 2.8 percent compared to the same point in 2017. The gap has been decreasing over the course of the shipping season. At the end of April, iron ore shipments were down nearly 14 percent.

Through September iron ore loadings are 6.8 percent ahead of their 5-year average for the first three quarters.

Lake Carriers Association

 

[otlski]

Price Report - So I went to Logan Steel's Bargain Barn yesterday. For the longest time the prices were $1.00 per pound. It had been a while since I had been there and the last time I went they did not take credits cards. I had a few hundred pounds of steel on my cart and noticed a sign that said as of June 2018, under one hundred pounds was $1.50 per pound and over one hundred pounds was $1.25 per pound.

I weighed the steel and went to the office to pay. The man asked me "cash or credit" and I told him credit. He calculated it out and it come to almost $200 even. I changed my mind and told him cash - no need for him to make change. The man recalculated and told me $180. A 10% discount. The cash discount is not mentioned anywhere that I saw but I was happy to take it.

In the end I had 152 pounds and it worked out to $1.18 per pound. I chit chatted for a bit and told him that I saw online that Logan Steel would close the Bargain Barn at some point. He asked me where I heard that and then said that it was not true as far as he knew. He then said that I was the second person in two days to say that to him. He was uneasy and I felt pretty bad for him.

Anyway, that's the pricing report. In the end the Bargain Barn is not a real bargain but is convenient and well stocked.

 

[dragoneggs]

Price Report - So I went to Logan Steel's Bargain Barn yesterday. For the longest time the prices were $1.00 per pound. It had been a while since I had been there and the last time I went they did not take credits cards. I had a few hundred pounds of steel on my cart and noticed a sign that said as of June 2018, under one hundred pounds was $1.50 per pound and over one hundred pounds was $1.25 per pound.

I weighed the steel and went to the office to pay. The man asked me "cash or credit" and I told him credit. He calculated it out and it come to almost $200 even. I changed my mind and told him cash - no need for him to make change. The man recalculated and told me $180. A 10% discount. The cash discount is not mentioned anywhere that I saw but I was happy to take it.

In the end I had 152 pounds and it worked out to $1.18 per pound. I chit chatted for a bit and told him that I saw online that Logan Steel would close the Bargain Barn at some point. He asked me where I heard that and then said that it was not true as far as he knew. He then said that I was the second person in two days to say that to him. He was uneasy and I felt pretty bad for him.

Anyway, that's the pricing report. In the end the Bargain Barn is not a real bargain but is convenient and well stocked.

Thanks for the report. My LWS where I buy my steel charges by the foot for each shape. Now you have me curious as to how it pencils out by weight. Will have to do some math.

 

[ArlyA]

I've not seen "per pound" before either. Square tubing for example, is usually much more expensive than everything else..

Thanks for the report. My LWS where I buy my steel charges by the foot for each shape. Now you have me curious as to how it pencils out by weight. Will have to do some math.

 

[Diggin It]

Have you priced EMT thinwall conduit lately?

Seems like it's up at least a $1/stick for 1/2"

 

[Big Barn]

I phoned Metal Supermart for a price last week:

1/4”x2” cold rolled steel. $.70 per inch. for a 4 foot length.

 

[jmc]

I phoned Metal Supermart for a price last week:

1/4肺2 cold rolled steel. $.70 per inch. for a 4 foot length.

@ .283 lbs per cubic inch, that's $4.95 per lb.! (Maybe part of that was a cutting charge?)

 

[Big Barn]

jmc. Quite possibly. Don’t know for sure.

My regular supplier didn’t have CRS in that size so I gave them a call out of curiosity.

Metal Supermart isn’t exactly known to be economical.

 

[BukitCase]

Dang, you guise are makin' me nervous - last steel I ordered from Ram Steelco came in @ a buck a pound, plus or minus a few cents - that was 2-3 months ago, now I need more "tinker toy" material (2"x1/4 wall and 2.53" x 1/4 wall tube) and some FB - they're closed on weekends, hope Monday isn't TOO rude an awakening

I'll post back when I stop cryin' ...Steve

 

[downsizingnow48]

I just checked McMaster Carr which is where I order steel not available from the local supplier. 6 ft length of 1/4 x 2 cold finished is .55/inch.

 

[Big Barn]

I just checked McMaster Carr which is where I order steel not available from the local supplier. 6 ft length of 1/4 x 2 cold finished is .55/inch.

Which converts to $.71 Cdn. Thanks, Pat!

 

[newbury]

OP here... actually I posted this in the 'Build it yourself' thread because I was recently feeling the pain of buying steel at my LWS and was wondering if other DIYers, fabricators were seeing the same thing. I wasn't really thinking of this growing into a geo-political discussion but since that is what took hold... oh well. Funny how no one really answered my question though.

If I'm reading the descriptions right, total weight would be just over 166 pounds - my price on that from Ram Steelco would be right at $170 USD, free delivery (over $100) - I'm guessing it'd be higher from a LWS... Steve

(considering exchange rate, sounds like you're doin' OK Terry :=)

Well, I came to this thread today to see if buying from my local dealer (who is closing down) at $0.35/lb US is worth it. Looks like it is.

 

[cabinhollow]

What I paid today 11-12-18 in KY.
5'x10'x14ga $109 steel
5'x10'x10ga $174 steel
4'x8'x.063 $90 al 3003
3/8" hr solid 20' $6 steel
1 1/4" x 1 1/4" x 16ga tube 24' $23 steel
#2 grade tube steel $0.40 per lbs

 

[newbury]

What I paid today 11-12-18 in KY.
5'x10'x14ga $109 steel
5'x10'x10ga $174 steel
4'x8'x.063 $90 al 3003
3/8" hr solid 20' $6 steel
1 1/4" x 1 1/4" x 16ga tube 24' $23 steel
#2 grade tube steel $0.40 per lbs

5'x10'x14ga $109 steel is about 156 lbs is about $0.67/lb
5'x10'x10ga $174 steel is about 281 lbs is about $0.62/lb

 

[Dneel81]

I'm too cheap to buy new. I stick with the yards and scrap pieces at about 25-30 cents a pound.

Somewhat of a luxury I suppose: the only stuff I build can be built with scraps.

 

[MotoJock]

It's not just steel that has gone up recently, the cost of copper (tubing & wire) has sky-rocketed recently as well.

 

[dragoneggs]

It's not just steel that has gone up recently, the cost of copper (tubing & wire) has sky-rocketed recently as well.

Very true but that shouldn’t be affecting steel.