Material suppliers we have used: EMJ (aluminum, stainless) , Yarde (aluminum, stainless), Laird (plastics), Emco (plastics), Thyssenkrupp (brass, copper), TW Metals, there's a few others. Just about always get 2 quotes on materials, there is the rare exception when you can't find anyone else who has exactly what you need.
Great video, though one quick thing. Alro actually has very competitive prices, but you need to call them directly. Their website is useful for determining what they stock, but their list prices are comical. If you talk directly to a sales person, your costs will easily be 60% off of website value, and over time as you order more and more from them, they will drop the prices even more. Alro also doesn't like to leave remnants laying around, so if you buy something that is 2' long, they still charge you enough to cover the remnant-scrap value, plus they charge like $100 just to setup their saw. It's often cheaper to buy a whole bar, than half a bar. Sometimes you can get lucky and take someone else's remnant for pennies on the dollar. Metal supermarkets is a great place if you have one nearby too. They stock a bigger variety, and don't seam to charge a cut fee (or much of one at least). So if you have a little bit of some oddball size, they are normally the cheapest way.
Plastics international for pretty much any kind of plastics PA steel for aluminum Alro for brass and goofy stuff that nobody else has in stock Southern copper supply for copper (I bet that piece you showed from McMaster is minimum 1/2 price) Rolled Alloys for Stainless, nitronic, specialty alloys in plate and round bar SSA (Service Steel Aerospace) for specialty 4140 VAC melt, inconels, etc. Yarde metals for drops at great prices McMaster is good if you need something quick. But for materials that they charge 200+ for, you are almost guaranteed paying 2X cost
You make fantastic videos. The only piece of advice I would give is: if you pick up the phone, it can change the entire experience and price. Let them know you are shopping other places and tell them you prefer to use “them” Anyone - and I mean anyone, worth their salt, can ship next day air.
Midwest Steel and Aluminum is a good supplier I've used. They give you upfront pricing online, and it lets you play with the cut quantities to see the price breaks. Waaay cheaper than Online Metals or McMaster.
The alro online cart price is for weekend warriors. You need to make a cart with all the material you're buying. You will see the price of every item drop significantly every time you add something. Not the it matters because you'll get the real price when you copy and paste the list into an email and send it in for a quote. I get my best prices most of the time via alro. I'm surprised the local territory manager hasn't stopped by and explained how to do this. Plus the shipping is basically free when you have enough weight in you order because the will put it on a truck to deliver it.
Online Metals and Alro are about the biggest rippoffs in the online game. Alro isnt that bad if you pickup but the mearest to me is 1:30 away. Midwest Aluminum is about best online but has a lead time. Mcmaster is awesome if you need it now. Still mostly cheeper than Online Metals. I also use sendcutsend to cut blanks if its in sheet and plate thickness and finish milling. Qty has to be there though.
Hey Evan, what you shower with Alro incorrect. However, if you send them an RFQ their quoted price is way lower. Not sure why, but it’s pretty much all the time. Videos are great - keep them up and good luck with the goal - I too have a similar goal. Let’s go!
ive had good luck with Yarde for stainless and brass, and performance titanium group for, well, titanium. But I usually am getting multiple bars of precision ground material. One thing I have noticed is that quantity changes prices big time. Ordering cuts, of even single bars will drive the prices up A LOT. Ive gotten quotes for 2 bars of material that were more expensive than quotes or 10 bars of the same material. And then McMaster has been pretty decent for any small orders of oddball materials
What also gets you is ITAR/DFARS requirements. Especially when you do "will call" metals. We are stuck to Alro due to the volume we order and the requirements.
I run into this a lot and have yet to find a consistent supplier for DFARS compliant material over Mcmaster. I filter for DFARS in the side menu I didn't know you could use alro and request dfars. Hopefully, someone who watches has an alternative solution for this one!
@@AscendedTechnologiesremember that McMaster doesn’t supply their own material, so where they are getting it from already had that compliance built in. Identifying that supplier is the move
I use Alro for about all my orders, I have a main distribution center down the road from me. I order about 100k in sheet stock a year, they cater to the bigger guys than smaller. But I looked up your 2x2 copper in my cart. I can get a drop that is 44" long and only costing a little over $500. McMaster is known for costing more, since they are a middle man. All I can say is any company will give you more of cut on stock cost if you order more. That is why big shops are lower cost.
Ahh, I see. I just checked on the exact same drop and it's still $1,100 for me :/ Great insight! It's a good to know that there is wiggle room on some items if they are willing to negotiate. The place I worked at previously didn't go through the online portal for alro, the had a POC. Always got better pricing that way!
Material suppliers we have used: EMJ (aluminum, stainless) , Yarde (aluminum, stainless), Laird (plastics), Emco (plastics), Thyssenkrupp (brass, copper), TW Metals, there's a few others. Just about always get 2 quotes on materials, there is the rare exception when you can't find anyone else who has exactly what you need.
This information is really valuable, thank you!
Great video, though one quick thing. Alro actually has very competitive prices, but you need to call them directly. Their website is useful for determining what they stock, but their list prices are comical. If you talk directly to a sales person, your costs will easily be 60% off of website value, and over time as you order more and more from them, they will drop the prices even more.
Alro also doesn't like to leave remnants laying around, so if you buy something that is 2' long, they still charge you enough to cover the remnant-scrap value, plus they charge like $100 just to setup their saw. It's often cheaper to buy a whole bar, than half a bar. Sometimes you can get lucky and take someone else's remnant for pennies on the dollar.
Metal supermarkets is a great place if you have one nearby too. They stock a bigger variety, and don't seam to charge a cut fee (or much of one at least). So if you have a little bit of some oddball size, they are normally the cheapest way.
Great info and examples. Thank you for your informative videos! Could you please add links into your description in the future?
Thanks for the support and feedback, I'll add links for the future!
So much valuable information. Thank you!
Plastics international for pretty much any kind of plastics
PA steel for aluminum
Alro for brass and goofy stuff that nobody else has in stock
Southern copper supply for copper (I bet that piece you showed from McMaster is minimum 1/2 price)
Rolled Alloys for Stainless, nitronic, specialty alloys in plate and round bar
SSA (Service Steel Aerospace) for specialty 4140 VAC melt, inconels, etc.
Yarde metals for drops at great prices
McMaster is good if you need something quick. But for materials that they charge 200+ for, you are almost guaranteed paying 2X cost
You make fantastic videos. The only piece of advice I would give is: if you pick up the phone, it can change the entire experience and price. Let them know you are shopping other places and tell them you prefer to use “them”
Anyone - and I mean anyone, worth their salt, can ship next day air.
Great info, how about tooling? Drills, endmills, taps?
Look ma! New AscendedTech video!!
Midwest Steel and Aluminum is a good supplier I've used. They give you upfront pricing online, and it lets you play with the cut quantities to see the price breaks. Waaay cheaper than Online Metals or McMaster.
The alro online cart price is for weekend warriors. You need to make a cart with all the material you're buying. You will see the price of every item drop significantly every time you add something. Not the it matters because you'll get the real price when you copy and paste the list into an email and send it in for a quote. I get my best prices most of the time via alro. I'm surprised the local territory manager hasn't stopped by and explained how to do this. Plus the shipping is basically free when you have enough weight in you order because the will put it on a truck to deliver it.
Thanks! Great info.
Online Metals and Alro are about the biggest rippoffs in the online game. Alro isnt that bad if you pickup but the mearest to me is 1:30 away. Midwest Aluminum is about best online but has a lead time. Mcmaster is awesome if you need it now. Still mostly cheeper than Online Metals. I also use sendcutsend to cut blanks if its in sheet and plate thickness and finish milling. Qty has to be there though.
I have been using HADCO a lot recently for Aluminum and stainless
This is really good information, thank you!
Hey Evan, what you shower with Alro incorrect. However, if you send them an RFQ their quoted price is way lower. Not sure why, but it’s pretty much all the time. Videos are great - keep them up and good luck with the goal - I too have a similar goal. Let’s go!
ive had good luck with Yarde for stainless and brass, and performance titanium group for, well, titanium. But I usually am getting multiple bars of precision ground material. One thing I have noticed is that quantity changes prices big time. Ordering cuts, of even single bars will drive the prices up A LOT. Ive gotten quotes for 2 bars of material that were more expensive than quotes or 10 bars of the same material. And then McMaster has been pretty decent for any small orders of oddball materials
Check out the drop zone. Can be a game changer, especially for fixturing
I use Tyler, Tool, And Steel here in Tyler, Texas
What also gets you is ITAR/DFARS requirements. Especially when you do "will call" metals. We are stuck to Alro due to the volume we order and the requirements.
I run into this a lot and have yet to find a consistent supplier for DFARS compliant material over Mcmaster. I filter for DFARS in the side menu
I didn't know you could use alro and request dfars.
Hopefully, someone who watches has an alternative solution for this one!
@@AscendedTechnologies Alro can meet the crazy Aerospace/DOD requirements, but the cost shoots up.
@@AscendedTechnologiesremember that McMaster doesn’t supply their own material, so where they are getting it from already had that compliance built in. Identifying that supplier is the move
Steel and most structural grade from INFRA METALS
Castle metals, Samuel metals as well
Harbor Steel is a good option
Previous company i worked for would get a lot of material from Ryerson.
I use Alro for about all my orders, I have a main distribution center down the road from me. I order about 100k in sheet stock a year, they cater to the bigger guys than smaller. But I looked up your 2x2 copper in my cart. I can get a drop that is 44" long and only costing a little over $500. McMaster is known for costing more, since they are a middle man. All I can say is any company will give you more of cut on stock cost if you order more. That is why big shops are lower cost.
Ahh, I see. I just checked on the exact same drop and it's still $1,100 for me :/
Great insight! It's a good to know that there is wiggle room on some items if they are willing to negotiate. The place I worked at previously didn't go through the online portal for alro, the had a POC. Always got better pricing that way!