How much are you paying for steel?

[lostcause]

I have been building and repairing trailers, implements, and whatever else has been needed off & on for the last 15 or so years. I used to work for a large fabricator and was able to buy some stock sizes at their cost - $0.17-$0.27/LB. When I needed smaller and more specialized shapes, I got them from another local fabricator / steel yard and paid around $0.35/LB for flats, angles and channels, and about $0.45/LB for tubes.

For a few years I didn't build anything requiring new steel, and now I've moved, and recently went to a local shop looking to buy some stock. I was given prices of $0.80-$1.00/LB for gage plates, and $1.00-$1.25/LB for light angle, channel, abd flats - L2x2x3/16, C3x4.1, etc.

I know prices have gone up drastically over the last few years (I've sold my share of scrap), but I wanted to know whether these numbers sounded reasonable. I haven't gone directly to a steel service center yet, only to a fabricator that will sell to the public, so I'm getting an extra level of mark-up. I just wanted to hear what others end up paying so I know what to expect.

Thanks.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

The other day I purchased 2" x 2" x 3/8ths for 57 cents a pound new in OKC. One scrap yard wanted 50 cents a pound for used (but they pay 5 cents a pound if they are buying).

Within the past month I have purchased new angle in Muskogee, Ok for about 30 cents a pound, but that dealer sells a lot of mill rejects.

 

[jjcc246]

i pay .65 lb for new and .30 for cut offs. all new steel. minor cuts are free and put on a scale to be priced.

 

[deepNdirt]

2 weeks ago at the local scrap yard I purchased some new 1/4 3x5 x 12 ft. angle for .35 lb weigh in at 87 lbs cost 33.00 but to have bought this at the steel plant supplier I'm sure would have cost double if not triple that,

 

[rdln]

try metalexpress.com and pretend you are placing an order, it will give you an average price between all of their locations.

 

[Cami]

I'm looking at the last quote from my metal supplier and I paid ~$0.75-$1.17/pound for hot rolled shapes, up to $2.25/pound for cold rolled, and $3.25/pound for A53 pipe.

I get salvaged steel for $0.44/pound right now.

 

[niemeyjt]

To give you a comparison with what we pay in UK from a proper steel supplier, yesterday I paid (by length, not by weight):

6m length of 40 x 40 x 5 angle - ｣16.56 incl TAX
[19.7 feet of 1.6" x 1.6" x 0.2" - $24.85]

6m length of 100 x 6 flat - ｣24.83 incl TAX
[19.7 feet of 4" x 1/4" - $37.24]

6m length of 50 x 50 x 5 box - ｣46.04 incl TAX
[19.7 feet of 2" x 2" x 0.2" - $63.07]

I also noticed some of it was made in India . . . sad that we closed one of our North East steel plants last week.

J

 

[Bill_C]

Last big new steel purchase for me was about 6 months ago, various HR--flats, angle, and square tubing. Ran around $1 a pound from the big local steel supplier (20 foot sticks loaded onto my trailer). That may have included sales tax.

Smaller quantities--8 foot lengths or less--I get at one of the Metals Supermarket places a few miles from my work. Typically about $1.10 to 1.30 a pound plus tax.

The local scrap yard has sold me lots of steel very very cheap, but it's tough getting specific sizes, and of course I have to sandblast all the rust off.

 

[lostcause]

i'll have to do a little more checking around for better prices. if the $1.00-$1.25/LB is not too far form the norm, it makes a lot of projects futile. If you're making a custom implement, then it's probably still going to be a lot cheaper, but if you're building something basic like a trailer that can be purchased for $500-$2000, building it yourself hardly seems cost effective any more. a new equipment trailer isn't much more expensive now than it was 10 years ago, but the price of raw steel seems to be triple, not to mention higher prices on tires and pre-fabricated stuff like fenders, axles, hitches, jacks, etc.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I haven't bought for a few months, but last time I paid about $0.65/lb.

Last I checked my scrap yard sells scrap for $0.20/lb., but that's old car parts and busted up lawn mowers. They seldom have much that's worth salvaging.

 

[dfkrug]

Last fall, I called my usual steel warehouse (PDM) and got some prices
for A36 that ranged from a low of $.60/lb for angle, to nearly a buck for
thicker structural pieces. These are uncut 20-ft sticks that are a pain
to handle/transport. I instead went to a recycler and was thrilled to
snag some sched 80 galv pipe for .35/lb.

In Jan, 2010, I bought some new 1/2x4" A36 for a bit over $5/ft, so the price
is lower than it used to be.

 

[jenkinsph]

For bars and plates I am paying from .47 to .53/lb. and for structural angle, channel and beam about .55 to .61/lb. Structural tubing cost is higher though but for some uses like 4x4x1/4 square tubing it isn't really that much more when you consider the strength for its weight.

 

[Scooby074]

last week it was around .98/lb for channel. not sure on other shapes though