Finding Metal Stock Suppliers

[Morydd]

We're giving metal work a try on our current show, but I can't seem to find a supplier for stock.

We have a great metals shop at the far end of the building, but they mostly use thin sheet stock and occasionally round tubing. Most of which seems to be scavenged by the students. Oddly, the guy who runs the shop doesn't seem to know the name of the supplier they use, and my google research isn't finding me anything close to local. What do I need to search to find a supplier for things like 1" square tube?

I'm in Lake County, Illinois if anyone happens to know specific vendors.

 

[len]

I searched "steel tubing lake county illinois" and found this Lake County, IL Metro Steel Foundries on Citysearch

There are tons of places in Chicago that will deliver but I'm sure the delivery charge would be a little steep, especially if you buy in lengths greater than 10'.

 

[SimplyCircus]

How about in Boston, any preferred metal vendors?

Also want to know who people buy steel pipe from?

 

[Footer]

Get a phone book and dig into the yellow pages. For stuff like this sometimes the old ways are better.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

 

[FatherMurphy]

Most metals are bought from steelyards, just like most wood is bought from lumberyards. I'd second the Yellow Pages suggestion, or if you can't find a category for metal, look for fabricators and machine shops, and see if anyone is friendly enough to give you some local suggestions. Pipe is often best bought from plumbing wholesalers/supply houses.

Most of the yards in my town will deliver in-town for free, if you're willing to wait a day or two for them to get you onto the same truck as a bunch of other small orders - that saves trying to find a vehicle capable of hauling 20' lengths, or extra cut charges to make your order fit into a pickup truck.

The potential downside of working with wholesalers is that they'll probably want to set you up like a corporate customer, rather than handle you as a cash sale. Then again, if you find a smaller yard run by the owner, he might be willing to donate to school and community theaters.

 

[Morydd]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'll keep digging. We actually work like a corporate customer. Requesitions, POs and Invoices. The school takes 30+ days to reimburse if I pay out of pocket, and they don't give us any other way to pay.

 

[TJCornish]

Metal Supermarkets works well for folks like us with small orders. They apparently have several stores in IL:
METAL SUPERMARKETS - Buy Metal Online - Small Quantity Orders for Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Hot Rolled Steel, Cold Rolled Steel for Delivery or Local Pickup

 

[gafftaper]

A side note about buying schedule 40 pipe: There's a plumbing supply place in town here I go to. It's the kind of place all the plumbers go to for their supplies. They sell it by the bulk piece... 21 feet if I remember right. Then they charge $1 per cut for straight or threaded cuts. It's way cheaper than anywhere else and you get just what you want. If you buy a large order, delivery charges are quite reasonable. Look for plumbing supply places or call a plumber and ask him where he get's his parts.