Price of aluminum

[monte55]

I just checked with my local supplier of metal. I want to use 2"x2" x 1/4 wall
aluminum 6061 box tube for the backbone of my heli project. They want $180.77 for a 24' piece(the shortest they have...no drops) Online with Metal Depot it would be about $97 more. How do these prices sound to you guys?
I know aluminum is high but WOW!! Any feedback welcome.

[weekend welder]

Try www>onlinemetals.com or www.Speedymetals.com

Frank AKA Weekend Welder

[Broccoli1]

Probably about the same here.

16' 16g 1" tubing 30.00 bux.

[fendermender]

Do you know if there is a "Reliance Steel and Aluminum co." near you?

[Bodybagger]

2x2x.25 sq ->
(2-.25)*.25*4 sides=1.75sq in cross sectional area
Vol=A*l=1.75*24'*12in per ft=504 cu in
Wt= Vol*density= 504 cu in*.098 lb per cu in=49.4lb

Market price = $$/lb=$180.77/49.4=$3.66 per pound

$3.66 per pound is not bad for retail considering the fact that they are paying around a dollar a pound for scrap, or around 4 times scrap rate for retail.

Contrast that with steel which I am buying retail for around $1.20 per pound (pipe) and they are paying $0.06 per pound to scrap it, or 20 times scrap rate. I lose 95% of my money on every pound of steel I scrap, whereas aluminum loses only 75%.

And that same pipe was like $0.90 per pound last year. Our dollar buys less and less metal every day. Better lock in that price now!

And be glad you aren't building this out of stainless or copper!

[Old Sporty]

Haven't bought any aluminum lately, but where I buy my drops, the other day a 1 sq. ft. piece of 1/2" cr steel was $23.00. Unreal.

[turbo38t]

I just bought 150' of 2x2x3/16 a500 steel tube for $560/foot but another shop wanted $9/ft. And a 1/2"x6"x20' piece of flat steel plate cost me$173!

I just checked with my local supplier of metal. I want to use 2"x2" x 1/4 wall
aluminum 6061 box tube for the backbone of my heli project. They want $180.77 for a 24' piece(the shortest they have...no drops) Online with Metal Depot it would be about $97 more. How do these prices sound to you guys?
I know aluminum is high but WOW!! Any feedback welcome.

[bvweld]

I just checked with my local supplier of metal. I want to use 2"x2" x 1/4 wall
aluminum 6061 box tube for the backbone of my heli project. They want $180.77 for a 24' piece(the shortest they have...no drops) Online with Metal Depot it would be about $97 more. How do these prices sound to you guys?
I know aluminum is high but WOW!! Any feedback welcome.

I don't think you will beat that price much, but you might check with T&W Steel. They are in Lee's Summit Mo. and carry some alum. if you don't know about them. I bought a section of 3/16 x 2 x 4 Stainless about two months ago and it was around $700

[monte55]

Actually T& W is my local supplier and the ones that gave me that price. Where are you located? Are you in my area?

[monte55]

I've been rethinking the using of 2" square aluminum tube x.250 wall on my heli project being that I only need about 6-8 feet but have to get a 24' piece locally. Been reading a little on DOM on the metal site.........what steel is it? What does it compare to? Is it available in square 2x2 " tube? I understand 2x2"
box aluminum x 1/4 wall is a little over 2 lbs per foot. Would 2x2" steel tube
x .120 wall be as strong...stronger...weaker, and it's weight per foot as compared to aluminum? The two sites I have links to don't give all the info
or I just can't find it. I do need to keep the weight down. Any info on this
will be appreciated. I'm still looking.