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If you want to buy steel and you don't want to get ripped off then you may find this article helpful.
You'd think buying steel is easy for the average person welding and fabricating from their garage or small shop. And it is after you find your sources. So if you are buying steel for the first time you might run into a few small challengers prior to your first order.
That's what happened to me. I went to Home Depot thinking they had everything and someone there could help me. Boy was I wrong! The store I went did not have one person who new their metals, and they sure didn't know what the difference was between bar stock and round tubing, let alone square tubing.
So I went to an online steel business: Online Metals. Their prices were not bad and it was pretty easy to order. Since that first order I have ordered from King Metals as well. They are pretty good.
The problem with ordering from online dealers is that they have to cut down the metal to a certain size for shipping.
You have to pay for cuts! Paying for cuts is both good and bad because if you just want your material to show up at your front door all pre-cut and ready to weld after preparation (always prepare your metal), And if you don't know your metal types very well or what the difference is between wall thickness and gauge you may find it a little confusing.
When I need to make a bigger order I go to a local
supplier so that I don't have to pay for very many cuts, which are $20
per cut, not including a $50 set up fee! So I order material, load it on
our truck, and make the cuts at home.
Like I said, sometimes I just want the material pre-cut and ready if I have limited time. I order online. One source I use often is Online Metals.
I couldn't believe it when I discovered the Amazon is now getting into the steel business. Man, they have their hands into everything. Pretty soon they'll be delivering tubing and sheet metal by drones! Now that would be cool.
Here's some of the most common types of steel you can order on Amazon. And note all the great feedback they are getting...
Square tubing:
Sheet metal:
Bar stock:
Angle iron:
Aluminum sheet:
I bought steel from Amazon and the experience was easier than buying from local suppliers and other online dealers. Mainly because I know what I need, and since I am a Prime member I can get free shipping. Try it yourself.
Petaluma Scrap Yard
Going to a scrap yard is a whole other ball game because most of them don't have new stock to sell. But a good scrap yard is a great place to find material and get ideas for projects. I recommend you go to one in your area just to see what it's like. It can be fun.
But some of them can be very expensive so try and bargain with them. I will do an whole guide on scrap-yarding shortly so make sure you are on our list.
If you have any tips on how to buy material for fabrication or where a good low cost source is please share it!
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While your steel supplier may be very knowledgeable on the variety and types of steel grades, you are ultimately responsible for defining the steel grade, size and quantity needed. This first step is critical to receiving an accurate and thorough quote from a steel supplier.
There are several categories of steel plate products, but the most common include:
Each category of steel contains grades suited for applications in different environments. These differences are often documented with composition, hardness, ductility and strength tests.
Also See: Exploring Structural Steel
Engineers are ultimately responsible for determining which type and grade of steel are best suited to the project at hand, which is why the steel grade needed must be communicated to your steel supplier.
Some projects require very specific grades of steel. However, some projects have greater flexibility in the steel grade.
For example, if you need abrasion resistant steel with a hardness of 480 bhn, both AR 450 and AR 500 grades could be options for this project.
Knowing if alternative grades are acceptable for your specific project could give you more buying power in terms of pricing and availability, which we’ll touch on later in this article.
Determine if Prime Materials are Needed
Once you decide which steel plate grade is needed for your project, it is important to determine whether prime steel plate is required, or if secondary steel plate is an option.
Prime steel plate meets regulatory or mill proprietary standards, such as ASTM specifications, for chemical composition and physical properties. Prime plate is required in highly-regulated industries where it is crucial for materials to adhere to standardized properties, such as infrastructure, road plate and construction.
Secondary steel plate – also known as sub-prime steel plate – does not meet regulatory or mill standards due to small imperfections, such as not meeting a specified flatness or missing a mill test report. Secondary plate is typically used in non-structural applications where these imperfections do not impact the functionality of a material, such as trash containers, roll-off containers or secondary pipe rollers.
Examining your project requirements and knowing whether secondary steel plate can be considered could provide more buying options and flexibility.
Next to knowing a project’s required grade(s), knowing the size of your steel plate needs is one of the most basic pieces of information steel suppliers need to quote an order.
Steel plate is purchased in units of Thickness x Width x Length. Steel plate, by definition, has a minimum thickness of 0.1875” - 0.24”. Although width and length can vary greatly, steel plate’s most common dimensions are around 8ft wide by 12ft or 20ft long.
Cutting tables allow many steel plate suppliers to sell steel plate customized to unique length and width dimensions. Thickness, however, cannot be modified.
While there may be small differences, the weight of a plate of steel is generally about the same, regardless of the grade. To calculate the estimated weight of your steel plate order, multiply the quantity of plate by volume and density:
Weight = {[Thickness (mm) x Width (mm) x Length (mm)] x 0.00000785 kg/mm3} x Plate Qty
Or, in pounds and inches:
Weight = {[Thickness (in) x Width (in) x Length (in)] x 0.2836 in/lb3 } x Plate Quantity
Weight = {[0.5 in x 96 in x 240 in] x 0.2836 in/lb3} x 15 plates
= {[11,520] x 0.2836} x 15
= {3,267.072} x 15
= 49,006.08 lbs
The density of steel (0.2836 in/lb3) can range anywhere between 0.28-0.291 lb/in3. The above formula provides a good weight estimate, but your final material weight may vary slightly.
The price per unit of steel plate decreases when purchasing steel plate in bulk. The term “bulk” means at least enough steel for one truckload, which is typically around 21 tons (42,000 lbs).
In the case of a standard 0.5in x 8ft x 20ft steel plate (like in the weight calculation example above), orders of 12 or more would likely be considered bulk.
Bulk steel plate suppliers – such as Leeco® Steel – pass down cost savings from labor and equipment use efficiencies (it takes time, a human and a magnetic crane to load steel plate) onto the per-unit cost of the steel.
While bulk steel plate suppliers specialize in full and partial truckload orders, these suppliers can often be competitive with small or one-off orders, too. Feel free to reach out to the Leeco Steel team – via web form or at (800) 621-4366 – for quoting on your next project.
Needing steel this week versus needing steel in three months can greatly impact your steel plate vendor choice and overall price.
Steel plate suppliers have a finite inventory. This inventory could all be housed in one location, or could be spread throughout multiple locations, like we do at Leeco Steel.
If the plate you need is at a location near you, then receiving your steel plate quickly and cost effectively is very doable.
However, if your steel plate requirements are specific and unique (such as requiring uncommon sizes, rare grades or specific country of origin), steel plate suppliers may need to special order the plate directly from a mill. This process could take months.
When evaluating your steel plate supplier, it is important to ask if the product you need is in inventory, and – furthermore – where that inventory is in relation to the delivery destination.
Freight is a major factor to the cost and availability of steel plate. Of course, the further the plate needs to travel, the greater the cost and time. Therefore, one of the first freight questions you should ask your steel plate supplier is, "Where is my order coming from?"
Vendors with inventory locations near your final destination may be able to fulfill your order at those locations, thus reducing the time and money spent on transportation. Of course, having a physical inventory location does not always mean the supplier can fulfill the order from that particular location.
The second question you should ask your steel plate supplier is if freight is included in their quote. Leeco Steel, for example, works with a network of freight carriers, and includes the cost of transporting an order domestically in each quote, unless otherwise specified.
If a steel plate supplier does not provide freight solutions, your team will assume responsibilities of coordinating the delivery with a trusted 3PL, so it’s important to clarify this during the quoting process.
There are more options for buying steel plate than ever: over the phone, through email or on a website.
Not all steel plate suppliers offer all these options, however, so it is important to clarify which buying methods potential suppliers offer. Leeco Steel gives customers the option to buy steel plate on its ecommerce website, Leeco Pro, or through communication with an experienced sales representative, allowing flexibility in buying options.
After you determine which buying methods a steel plate supplier offers, it is important to evaluate which of these best suits your steel plate needs. Ordering plate online could make buying popular steel plate grades – like like A572 or AR500 – easier and quicker. However, someone with more specialized plate needs may opt to work with a knowledgeable sales representative on their order to ensure their order requirements are met.
When it comes to supplying steel plate, company longevity, reputation and trust matter. Here are some good trust indicators to use when evaluating steel suppliers:
Much of this information can be found online, but – ultimately – the relationship you have with your sales representative says a lot about a company. Leeco Steel’s sales team prides itself on being more of an extension of your team, rather than a supplier.
Leeco Steel is a leader in supplying steel plate material to companies across the country and around the globe. Browse Leeco Steel’s range of steel plate grade offerings and receive a quote on your steel plate order today!
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