[Viroos]

Hi guys,
I'd more than happy for recommendations on small batch material suppliers in Ontario/Canada: aluminum, steel, plastics.
I'm in Ottawa rural area, so online purchase + delivery would be a great help.
Thanks!

[mmsolutions]

You can buy steel/aluminum online from Metal Supermarket's Canadian site! Has always been my go to for a quick price on materials as well when bidding jobs.

[Al_The_Man]

There is also Misumi USA for CNC related hardware etc, there is no brokerage for shipping across the border.
Al.

[hackish]

Metal supermarkets off Hawthorne is a good start. They have a decent selection of stuff and the prices are fair for the small quantity aspect. Metal Pros (it's like having 2 friends who are EXes, don't talk about the other one) is another place. I used to buy a lot of stuff from them when they were the only game in town, but having gone to Metal Supermarket, it's my primary place now. For plastics, cannus is in the same general area. I think it's near the Giant Tiger on Walkley. I've bought from Laird Plastics but I understand they have stopped selling small quantity, so I don't have a great plastics supplier yet. All of those places will cut to spec and deliver. Hope that helps.

[canterburyflyer]

I found some interesting items on Kijiji.com - 5/8", 3/4", and 1" 6061 T651
Of course there will be a little drive to get it, the outcome of this meeting will bring more contacts and options in the future.
I have been offered machining help to get my CNC Router parts made. And this will undoubtedly be a $ saver as the quotes begin to trickle in from the 5 shops in the area (Kingston) I mean honestly I could buy a decent used mill for the cash these outfits are quoting.. Astonishing really :-O

Chris

[hackish]

Chris,

Understand that quotes are high because labour adds up. If you don't have a professional looking print, it isn't uncommon to mark up the quote by 30-50% because they factor in the number of times they will need to go back and forth between a machinist looking at the print, needing clarification on something, going back to you, and so on.

I needed a simple part made for one of my sewing machines. $200 for a machine shop. Materials cost $3. Legitimately I spent all day making the part on my manual mill. I'm probably 3x slower because it's a little benchtop unit. Even so, I'll bet a fast machinist would have still spent 1.5-2h even with a good print. We wonder why all these jobs went off the asia...

[kstrauss]

I needed a simple part made for one of my sewing machines. $200 for a machine shop. Materials cost $3. Legitimately I spent all day making the part on my manual mill. I'm probably 3x slower because it's a little benchtop unit. Even so, I'll bet a fast machinist would have still spent 1.5-2h even with a good print. We wonder why all these jobs went off the asia...

I'm curious what you feel is a reasonable charge for 2 hours of work and $3 worth of materials. Don't forget that the charge needs to cover the machinist's salary, salaries during idle times, shop cost, heating/cooling costs, property taxes, purchase/repair/replacement of expensive machines, cutters, materials plus the possibility that a mistake/misunderstanding will mean that the part must be made twice. When all is considered $100/hour doesn't seem too bad for a one-off job.

[hackish]

I'm curious what you feel is a reasonable charge for 2 hours of work and $3 worth of materials. Don't forget that the charge needs to cover the machinist's salary, salaries during idle times, shop cost, heating/cooling costs, property taxes, purchase/repair/replacement of expensive machines, cutters, materials plus the possibility that a mistake/misunderstanding will mean that the part must be made twice. When all is considered $100/hour doesn't seem too bad for a one-off job.

I think my exact point was that the majority if the cost was in labour. The price quote was within expectations, having given a quality print. If I provided a print scratched on graph paper the quote would have been $400. I made the part myself because I had the time and desire. If I was busy, you can bet I would have paid for it. Other prototypes, I've sent to asia because their quotes came in 1/2 what they did locally - again because of the labour costs.