STEEL PRICES!!!

[Barrion2018]

I can't beleive the price of steel!

The smoker I built last spring, and the one I'm just starting with my daughter, was and is built with materials that was given to me, and the rest I got out of the scrap pile at work.

I'm also building a gantry with a 2-ton chain hoist from scrap 4-1/2" x 1/4" wall pipe I was given, so that I can lift/hoist the smoker when I need to. I also picked up a 19 foot long heavy I-Beam from someone for $125.00, which I cut in half for the main beam on the gantry.

So today, I needed to exchange my oxygen and acetylene due to being empty.

While I was there exchanging my tanks, I rummaged through their scrap metal. I found four scrap pieces of 2 1/2" square tubing by 24" long each, and four pieces of 2" square tubing by 31" long each.

I wrote down what I had, and put it into my truck and headed inside to pay for everything.

I went to the counter and gave the cashier the list of scrap I found, plus the gas and oxygen so I could pay for them and head home.
The cashier was very helpful and nice, but when she told me what the total was after she rang it up, I almost SH_T myself!!! $378.79

The oxygen and acetylene was $73.00, the SCRAP METAL was $305.79!! I asked her to take the metal off my bill, and I would put it back where I got it from.

How in the world can anyone afford to build anything at those prices!

[Big T]

It's outrageous! I had a couple of big pit builds lined up when steel started rising in price a year or so ago. We decided to wait and see if it would go back down but unfortunately it has steadily increased since that time.

[Dirtytires]

It has definitely gotten out of hand and many of my projects have been put on hold as well.

With that said, it sounds like he is selling his scrap at new steel prices so you might just be off getting a full stick of the shinny stuff. I gave up on scrap material long ago as it just isn't worth the hassle and really didn't save me any money till I got my time/fuel/extra prep costs added in.

[Barrion2018]

It has definitely gotten out of hand and many of my projects have been put on hold as well.

With that said, it sounds like he is selling his scrap at new steel prices so you might just be off getting a full stick of the shinny stuff. I gave up on scrap material long ago as it just isn't worth the hassle and really didn't save me any money till I got my time/fuel/extra prep costs added in.

Good point.

I'll go with full sticks and sheets from now on, and bypass the scrap bin.

Thank you

[SeenRed]

No question, steel prices have become ridiculous…however things are finally beginning to get better at my local steel yard. I planned to start my current RF build last fall, but when I priced the steel I changed my mind. 4x8 sheet of 1/4 inch plate was $450…so I decided to wait and see if things might get better. Glad I waited, because last month that same plate was $365 - still close to $100 more than it was before Covid hit.

Red

[Big T]

I paid $250 for a 4x8 x 1/4'' in late 2019 and the last time I got a price it was $500 . I haven't priced anything since then, I'm glad to hear that it has came down a little bit.

[Barrion2018]

I paid $250 for a 4x8 x 1/4'' in late 2019 and the last time I got a price it was $500 . I haven't priced anything since then, I'm glad to hear that it has came down a little bit.

It’s ridiculous isn’t it!

I needed/had to buy some steel yesterday so that me and my daughter can finisher her build. It worried me on how much it was going to cost me.

Not wanting to go back to the steel yard I went to before that wanted to charge me over $300 for scrap, so I decided to drive ~50 plus miles to another steel yard.

All totaled, the out the door price was $297.30. I was expecting it to cost much more than that.

I did ask how much a 4x8x1/4 sheet was selling for? He told me that it cost $479.61 a sheet, luckily I didn’t need a sheet.

Even though I may have spent to much on the steel I bought, I’m still happy with the purchase. I can only imagine what that other place would have charged me, especially since they wanted to charge me over $300 for a handful of scrap.

Below is the list of steel I bought yesterday:
• 1 Sheet of Flat ¾” x#9 Expanded Metal: $120.64
• 20ft of 1-1/2” x 1/8” Flat Bar: $18.74
• 20ft of ½” Round Bar: $18.30
• 20ft of 1” x1” x 1/8” Angle: $18.63
• 20ft of 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” x 3/16” Angle: $41.45
• 20ft of 1” x 1” x 1/8” Square Tubing: $56.20
• Tax: $23.34
• Total: $297.30

I’m sure this is probably twice what it cost a couple years ago, but at least I got a sh_t load more steel for less than $300, compared to that other place for a handful of scrap.