High Cost of Metal

[halfmile]

Today I priced some 4 1/4" 6061 solid aluminum 12" long to make some rear wheel conversion kits. $174 for a foot plus cutting charge. WOW!! That would make 3 sprocket and 3 brake disc adaptors. $ 25.49 plus cutting charge for 1 5/8" round bar for the spacers and $ 13.40 plus cutting for 7/8X.125 wall aluminum tubing for the center bearing spacers. Then there`s bolts, bearings and my usual worthless (free) labor. That Cognito Moto rear hub is looking better all the time.

 

[gggGary]

There's some good deals on shorts n cut offs on flea bay if you dig a bit.

 

[Signal]

Yes the prices here are eye watering as well.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I was looking at some 1.5” 6061 on Amazon. I needed a short piece to build some wheel spacers, $24/ft. But at least it’s free shipping lol

 

[WideAWAKE]

There's some good deals on shorts n cut offs on flea bay if you dig a bit.

Last time I needed brass to make some spacers, that’s where I found it the cheapest.

There was a water jet shop I used to work at and sometimes people would stop by and ask if they could buy some of the scrap cutoffs. Owner would always sell em whatever they wanted as he could get a little more from them than the recycling company.

Might be good to make friends with the local shop to go treasure hunting In their scrap bins if you often need small cut offs.

 

[halfmile]

A few years ago Topeka had a scrap metals yard ( before they all became recycle centers) and they would just let you walk through and pick up what you needed and sell it by the pound. Dirt Cheap! The trouble with that was I always bought way more than I needed.

 

[Jim]

Next time you're in town Phil, swing by Metal By the Foot. They've got a pretty big cutoff/scrap bin. Not sure on their prices though.

 

[halfmile]

Our Metal by the Foot here in Topeka has a cutoff bin too but the prices are the same as the retail price.