Rising costs of materials

Hi

I ordered a block of en1a yesterday 3x2 x 1&1/4 from my local rapid metals.

Couldn't get a price over the phone as the chap wasn't at his computer "but don't worry it won't be a lot" was the reply.

Went to collect later to be told "that will be £18.00". I won't repeat what I said here . Ended up paying £13.80 which I think is well over priced

Before Covid you could have bought a piece of Brass that size for less

It has gone through the roof here in Oz too. I just paid the equivalent to 30 Quid for two pieces of 3/8" round bright mild steel bar, each 2 metres long. Would have been less than 10 Quid pre-Covid.

It's much worse in industry!

We are seeing constant rises in steel costs and huge lead times (as much as 12 months).

Material quotes are often valid for only a few days, but I have been told some prices are only valid if ordered immediately!

Jim

Would EN32B have done, £3.60 per inch from M-Machine

pre lockdown mild steel offcuts at my local stockholder were £1000 per ton now £2400 plus vat

Jason , just about any steel would have done. If they had told me the price when I ordered I would have gone elsewhere. Pity because rapid metals were always the cheapest supplier and better choice plus being local no postage either

Edited By Brian Rutherford on 08/04/2022 15:57:32

I machined my 5” wheels from cast iron round bar, but machined my 3 1/2” wheels from rectangular steel bdms. Worth looking at material options as well as form when considering price. Have to agree prices have rocketed over the past couple of years, been looking at sheet material prices and there seems quite a variance.

So this is really a thread to ‘non-recommend’ that particular supplier?

My sons now run the family company, and they use an awful lot of plastics. and have seen the prices soar over the last 2 years. The have negotiated a new deal with a UK based American company, for US produced plastics cheaper than any from mainland Europe. They are pretty convinced that some of the rises of unjustified!

Ah well my personal scrap box must be worth a fortune now.

Doug

Just look up 'price gouging' on Google, the pandemic & now Putin have created a perfect & ongoing opportunity for the many rip off merchants.

Tony

Our hobby is starting to get expensive but I had a pleasant surprise recently when I bought some RHS steel.

The list price is $76.88 / 8m length ($9.61/m) and I asked for a full length but 500mm was cut off the end and got the remainder at the off-cut rate (25% discount)..

My plan is for the next time is to check if there are any off cuts and if not, ask for a 500mm piece ($9.61 x 0.5m + $2.50 fee for cutting = $7.30). Then buy the remaining off cut at the discount price ($9.61 x 7.5m x 0.75 = $54.05)

So instead of paying $76.88 full price, only pay $61.36 (It's worth trying )

The last 'financial crisis' hit as an apparent surprise. It shouldn't have been, since they happen regularly enough and always as a result of too much easy money and profligacy. The difference was that this time the global response was to reduce interest rates instead of traditionally increasing them - perhaps as an experiment in financial engineering? Follow that with the pandemic and huge global government spendings and there is a lot for the financial world to be grateful for in a huge cost increase devaluing currency without direct blame - suddenly all those loans become relatively smaller.

pgk

I was always told that any hobby is a pleasant way of spending money

Roy

ps. If I stopped eating I'd be well off

A free weeks back bought a few bits from my local supplier in Brum, Edwards Metals. No problems but advised not to reckon on any prices staying the same as they were changing with every delivery.

Consider a second morgage before buying any copper based metals, eg brass, bronze Etc. Noel.

One club here, is re - lining the walls of a wooden storage shed with sheets of fairly thin ish plywood, about 10mm. A few weeks ago, they cost £42, the member went back this week for more and same quantity was £55!

Not just materials food has rocketed had not been to a shop for a few weeks my 6 pints of milk from £1:40 now £2