Yep, that's the first thing I thought, these are Home Depot prices. Even the people in the office were complaining about how high the prices have soared.Its the tariff war... Things will reset once that gets resolved. Or, you needa find a new supplier. Those sound like Home Depot prices.
A friend has a big welding shop here in CC. He recycles his bits and pieces in two giant dumpsters that get emptied every other month. I dumpster dive in both of them. He said the price of steel was at an all-time low. He had to load up the dumpsters to keep from getting a "pick-up" charge.
Earlier this year, I bought a couple of loads of stock for some projects and, if I remember right, 1/8 1-inch square stock was like $9 in ten foot sections. 1 1/2 and 2" was like $13 and $15 a stick.
Now that you mention it, I am glad I hauled all that stuff home before the trade war kicked off.
Too bad you're not closer...
Same here, also aluminum. A few years back, I was driving (northbound on 67th ave, just north of Greenway, for those who know Phx area) and traffic had come to a standstill. A truck had lost a piece of aluminum stock & it was blocking traffic. Another guy & I were able to roll it off to the side, but I was unable to figure how to get it in my truck to take it home. It was solid 8" bar, 21' long, of 6061 aluminum.I've been know to pull over on the side of the road to grab a piece of steel .
Decades ago, I found a spot north of Phoenix where someone had been shooting at steel plate, 1/4" plain & 1/2" diamond plate. Judging by the piles of brass, they must have been shooting AP from machine guns, 30.06 & 8mm. I brought the steel home, and was able to cut these out from what was left. They're like old friends now, except that I don't take old friends out and shoot at them.
