[narrobb]

Hello everyone,

I've been looking at onlinemetals but their prices are in the upper end. eBay supplies don't seem to be very competitive in their pricing either.

Can anyone advise or (not-advise) getting 'unfinished' aluminum flat compared to 'mill' finish? I mean if I am going to end up milling it and removing the unfinished outside, might as well take advantage of their pricing! Found 6061 unfinished, extruded for about $6/lb. I think i can find cheaper?

Does 'extruded' makes it any less attractive?

What's the best place to get good and 'competitive' price for aluminum stock? 6061 & 7075. (Please keep in mind this is for hoppy work, personal parts and even if some parts will be sold, it won't need certs). Will be great to make list of different suppliers and experiences with them.

I guess I am trying to pick the brain of those with experience and been doing this for many moons and maybe they can provide their take on the sources and types for newbies like myself.

Thanks guys.

[Jim Dawson]

I use these guys a lot. Not the least cost, but not too bad either. https://www.onlinemetals.com/

[Zetopan]

I also use OnLineMetals.

[Zetopan]

"Does 'extruded' makes it any less attractive?"

If you machine a number of large holes in extruded aluminum, it will distort so much from the remaining extrusion stresses that the holes will not maintain their original orientation. For example, 4 holes for rods that would eventually have linear bearings on them will no longer be parallel, etc. I have seen this happen first hand and I avoid extruded aluminum except for very simple constructions.

[greggv]

Try Max Industries in Gardena Calif (310) 327-1820 I usually get cut plate rather than bar stock as it is cheaper. Their prices have always been good. And they'll ship!

[joshetect]

I buy from MSC for about $3 lb shipped for 6061, Kaizer Aluminum (I get a bit of a discount though)

My local metal place, Metal Supermarkets is about $4 a pound, Allied Aluminum

[narrobb]

Thanks guys.

I think Metal Supermarket available here in Chicago, will check them out.

[rdsi]

When I lived in the big city we always had metal suppliers that had remnant sales where all their cutoff pieces are for sale – just like a candy store. If you’re in Chicago there should be plenty around ...
Now that I’m retired out in the sticks I’m stuck with the online sellers. For AL you can find lots of sellers on eBay.

[Jim Dawson]

Metal supermarkets is a good place to buy, my local one has a whole room of plate rem pieces, $3/ lb as I recall. They are quite high on their cut pieces so I don't buy that much from them.

[biqut2]

+1 for Metal Supermarkets, I done extensive business with them in Nashville, TN and BIrmingham, AL. They always have very competitive prices and cut anything I need at no extra cost.

[MichaelHenry]

Have you tried Alro? They have several locations near or in Chicago.

[BTRahn]

I have been looking for aluminum sources within driving distance.
Have used Onlinemetals and MSC but shipping sometimes cost as much as the metal.
I had never heard of Metal Supermarkets.
Thanks for the tip. There is one in Jacksonville, FL, only a two hour drive. That's doable.
Bruce

[narrobb]

Seems Metal Supermarket price is much more attractive when ordering 48" and longer stock. Just compared few, and I can reach the $4/lb when going that long. Even cheaper when selecting 72" ones! Thats perfect.

Have you tried Alro? They have several locations near or in Chicago.

Just started, this is for hoppy so material running cost is something to consider seriously. Expecting to get a machine pretty soon.

Off topic, do you guys use a lower-grade and cheaper material for the first part cut (or during prototyping) before the final part is done, or just using the same grade for both prototype and final product?

[RCaffin]

Off topic, do you guys use a lower-grade and cheaper material for the first part cut (or during prototyping) before the final part is done
Light pine!

Extruded Al does have internal stresses - OF COURSE. You can relieve a lot of these by stress-relieving' the extrusion. Nothing fancy - something like 1 hour at 100 C is a start. That is either boiling water or a domestic oven on LOW. You may need to go up to 150 C for several hours. As far as I can see, this is still an arcane subject, and I am flying by the seat of my pants.

Note: 'stress relief' an extrusion for post-machining stability is very different from annealing for subsequent bending or forming.

Cheers
Roger

[jttoner]

Thanks to all. I had not heard of Metal Supermarket and checked them out. One is located just five miles from me.

[kstrauss]

If, like me, you make mostly small one-off prototypes don't overlook the local scrapyard. I frequently buy aluminum (6061 and 7075) as scrap for cdn$1/pound. It isn't as convenient as cutting a piece from a 12-foot bar and there is often more waste but considering the price it works for me.

[MFchief]

+1 on the scrapyard, or now a lot of them are labeled recycling centers. The available stock is certainly pot luck and highly variable, but I've also been able to buy for less than a dollar a pound many times. And the ones I visit here in southern Maryland often have brass and bronze for 2-3 dollars a pound. Of course the yellow metal stocks are all mystery alloys. LoL

Terry

[GLCarlson]

First. ANY local scrapyard, should sell for 2 bucks a pound.

Second. This is an admission against interest (mine!) but THE ABSOLUTE BEST source of free machining, excellent quality Al is Scott Kryszinski at Fortal.biz. Fortal is 7500 aluminum; strength of steel, but Al hardness and machining. It cuts like a dream. Scott sells die stock cutoffs. He will not, necessarily, have quite what you want (Fortal is pretty much plate or square, not round stock), and he has what he has from some local companies. If you simply e-mail Scott, he'll send you a current list of what he has. If you are mostly a hobby machinist, not a commercial guy, this is a great source of stuff that's otherwise unaffordable. I normally pick a few pieces for a project, and then send Scott an extra hundred bucks and ask him to pick me a selection. I cannot say enough good about what I've gotten; my price is about 1.50/lb, it's nice blocky stuff, and Scott is more than fair about his selection; I've never gotten anything I can't use. He usually has Blanchard ground stock, too. Your postperson will hate you, but a couple big flat rate boxes from Scott will keep you happy for a long time.

edit: 7075, not 7500.

The third thing to do is build a small foundry. Aside from the sheer joy of terrorizing the neighborhood, a quart size or so pot of pistonium or wheelium (or engineblockium) and a hundred pounds of sand can get you a lot of useful shapes. See Myfordboy's blog. A pattern is easy to make, and if you can make ice cubes for your drinks, aluminum is no sweat. Castings aren't terribly high quality (mine aren't, anyway) but for big pulleys, frames and housings, stuff like that, homebrew castings are no problem. Aluminum sources are either pistons and the like (good quality, usually) or window/door/extrusion stuff, which is pretty crappy but usable. And the best part is that you can unequivocally prove that you can pound sand. You will be a veritable god to the local neighborhood boys. Incidentally- one can do this in a standard household microwave, with the right crucible and insulation. That's my approach for 4-6 oz of bronze or aluminum, but there are some serious tricks to it, and you absolutely do not want to use Mama's microwave. For bigger quantities, use a Gingery furnace or a forced induction gas/oil burner.

[Steve Seebold]

I buy 6061 and 7075 aluminum from Fry Steel in Santa Fe Springs, CA.

*(562) 802-2721‬

I pay between $1.90 and $2.25 for extruded 6061 and I think around $5.00 per pound.

The extruded aluminum I use I’d all imported from South Korea but for what I use it for, imported material works just fine.

[kstrauss]

+1 on the scrapyard, or now a lot of them are labeled recycling centers. The available stock is certainly pot luck and highly variable, but I've also been able to buy for less than a dollar a pound many times. And the ones I visit here in southern Maryland often have brass and bronze for 2-3 dollars a pound. Of course the yellow metal stocks are all mystery alloys. LoL

Terry

Much of the yellow stuff here is aluminum bronze which you may find "challenging" to machine! On the other hand I found some stair rails that were architectural bronze that works beautifully.