I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

wrote in message
...
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

I think your 'extruded' angle is hot-rolled steel, the 'formed' angle is
cold-rolled. Is it smooth and zinc-plated? Typically cold-rolled has a
higher yield point since it has already been deformed and moved up the
stress-strain curve by the rolling process, while hot rolled steel is in the
softer annealed condition.

If that's unclear, it's because Gwyneth is singing Do You Want to Touch Me
There on TV right now.

jsw

On Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:11:07 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

I think your 'extruded' angle is hot-rolled steel, the 'formed' angle is
cold-rolled. Is it smooth and zinc-plated? Typically cold-rolled has a
higher yield point since it has already been deformed and moved up the
stress-strain curve by the rolling process, while hot rolled steel is in the
softer annealed condition.

If that's unclear, it's because Gwyneth is singing Do You Want to Touch Me
There on TV right now.

jsw

The "formed" angle has internal and external radius - Rolled angle has
internal radius and square outer edge.
GENERALLY the rolled material is stiffer ( at least torsionally) than
the formed angle but it does depend on the alloy and heat treating, if
any.

"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

I think your 'extruded' angle is hot-rolled steel, the 'formed'
angle is cold-rolled. Is it smooth and zinc-plated? Typically
cold-rolled has a higher yield point since it has already been
deformed and moved up the stress-strain curve by the rolling
process, while hot rolled steel is in the softer annealed condition.

Moreover, hot rolled angle has a fillet on the inside of the angle
that gives extra strength there.

Angle made by forming sheet doesn't have that. I have no idea how
commercial quantities are made. I'd surmise: by rolling or drawing a
strip. But no fillet in any case.

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

wrote in message
...
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Check with steel suppliers. Many have "rems" or "drops" that they sell for
$.30 (that's 30 cents a pound). If you're lucky, you can get what you need
for a couple of bucks.

Worth a shot.

Steve

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:11:07 -0400, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:


wrote in message
. ..
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

I think your 'extruded' angle is hot-rolled steel, the 'formed' angle is
cold-rolled. Is it smooth and zinc-plated? Typically cold-rolled has a
higher yield point since it has already been deformed and moved up the
stress-strain curve by the rolling process, while hot rolled steel is in
the
softer annealed condition.

If that's unclear, it's because Gwyneth is singing Do You Want to Touch Me
There on TV right now.

jsw

The "formed" angle has internal and external radius - Rolled angle has
internal radius and square outer edge.
GENERALLY the rolled material is stiffer ( at least torsionally) than
the formed angle but it does depend on the alloy and heat treating, if
any.

I may be misinterpreting what you're saying, but if it's stiffer, it's not
because of alloy or heat treating. It could be stronger or weaker depending
on alloy and heat treatment, but the stiffness is almost the same regardless
of alloy (except for stainless, which is a little less stiff), and
regardless of heat treatment.

--
Ed Huntress

Mike Spencer wrote:
"Jim Wilkins" wrote:

I think your 'extruded' angle is hot-rolled steel, the 'formed'
angle is cold-rolled. Is it smooth and zinc-plated? Typically
cold-rolled has a higher yield point since it has already been
deformed and moved up the stress-strain curve by the rolling
process, while hot rolled steel is in the softer annealed condition.

Moreover, hot rolled angle has a fillet on the inside of the angle
that gives extra strength there.

Angle made by forming sheet doesn't have that. I have no idea how
commercial quantities are made. I'd surmise: by rolling or drawing a
strip. But no fillet in any case.



One could make a larger bend radius, which would be like having a fillet.

--

Richard Lamb
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~cavelamb
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~sv_temptress

wrote:
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.
[snip]
2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Because you're buying it from home despot. Look up Steel in the yellow
pages and go to your local steel or scrapyard. They will sell you the
stuff, and LOTS of other stuff, by the pound, or by the foot, at prices that
will probably be 1/3 or less what you are paying at the despot. It's a lot
more fun, too.

Jon

On Jun 30, 6:48*pm, wrote:
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

No real hardware stores around? Virtually every one around here has a
rack of rolled steel shapes in 3-6' lengths. Not as cheap as at a
steel yard by the pound but very convenient on a Sun. afternoon. Ace
is da place.

Stan

On Sat, 2 Jul 2011 09:12:23 -0700, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

wrote:
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.
[snip]
2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Because you're buying it from home despot. Look up Steel in the yellow
pages and go to your local steel or scrapyard. They will sell you the
stuff, and LOTS of other stuff, by the pound, or by the foot, at prices that
will probably be 1/3 or less what you are paying at the despot. It's a lot
more fun, too.

I wish. I went to three steel yards that day. The best I could do was
a 20 ft length for $18 provided I bought 6 of them (minimum $100
sale). If I bought it from the dealer they sell to, the price doubles
after cutting. Not that they had any...

In the end I got it in Home Hardware. I just did not trust that formed
stuff in HD.

Interestingly, about a month ago I went to Nanaimo "Metal
supermarket". When I compared the prices from there (factoring in
cutting but not the travel) Home Depot was actually cheaper if one
bought the 48" lengths of comparable stock.

I took the opportunity to ask about other things in the said steel
yards. Tha availability of stuff was very limited (12L14, 303, 416
etc.) The same story in Nanaimo. OTOH I got a line on small quantities
of aluminium so it was not altogether a waste of time.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

On 7/2/2011 6:30 PM, wrote:
On Sat, 2 Jul 2011 09:12:23 -0700, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

wrote:
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.
[snip]
2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Because you're buying it from home despot. Look up Steel in the yellow
pages and go to your local steel or scrapyard. They will sell you the
stuff, and LOTS of other stuff, by the pound, or by the foot, at prices that
will probably be 1/3 or less what you are paying at the despot. It's a lot
more fun, too.

I wish. I went to three steel yards that day. The best I could do was
a 20 ft length for $18 provided I bought 6 of them (minimum $100
sale). If I bought it from the dealer they sell to, the price doubles
after cutting. Not that they had any...

In the end I got it in Home Hardware. I just did not trust that formed
stuff in HD.

Interestingly, about a month ago I went to Nanaimo "Metal
supermarket". When I compared the prices from there (factoring in
cutting but not the travel) Home Depot was actually cheaper if one
bought the 48" lengths of comparable stock.

I took the opportunity to ask about other things in the said steel
yards. Tha availability of stuff was very limited (12L14, 303, 416
etc.) The same story in Nanaimo. OTOH I got a line on small quantities
of aluminium so it was not altogether a waste of time.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

For steel (angle & square tubing type stuff), my local structural steel
place that sells beams & lintels for construction is cheaper than the
steel store. They consider pretty much anything under 10' a drop so goes
by the pound. You might check to see if you have one near you.

MikeB

--
Email is valid but not checked often

wrote:

I wish. I went to three steel yards that day. The best I could do was
a 20 ft length for $18 provided I bought 6 of them (minimum $100
sale). If I bought it from the dealer they sell to, the price doubles
after cutting. Not that they had any...

I guess I'm lucky that I've got a local steel merchant (
http://www.coyotesteel.com/ ) with a "no minimum order" policy. Really
friendly, and they're always happy to get me whatever I need, even when they
are busy supplying large orders for the big guys.

Jon

On Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:30:59 -0700, wrote:

On Sat, 2 Jul 2011 09:12:23 -0700, "Jon Danniken"
wrote:

wrote:
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.
[snip]
2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Because you're buying it from home despot. Look up Steel in the yellow
pages and go to your local steel or scrapyard. They will sell you the
stuff, and LOTS of other stuff, by the pound, or by the foot, at prices that
will probably be 1/3 or less what you are paying at the despot. It's a lot
more fun, too.

I wish. I went to three steel yards that day. The best I could do was
a 20 ft length for $18 provided I bought 6 of them (minimum $100
sale). If I bought it from the dealer they sell to, the price doubles
after cutting. Not that they had any...

In the end I got it in Home Hardware. I just did not trust that formed
stuff in HD.

Interestingly, about a month ago I went to Nanaimo "Metal
supermarket". When I compared the prices from there (factoring in
cutting but not the travel) Home Depot was actually cheaper if one
bought the 48" lengths of comparable stock.

I took the opportunity to ask about other things in the said steel
yards. Tha availability of stuff was very limited (12L14, 303, 416
etc.) The same story in Nanaimo. OTOH I got a line on small quantities
of aluminium so it was not altogether a waste of time.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC
That's what comes of living "out in the sticks" where your suppliers
are limitted, largely because their market is limitted.

Try the same in, say, Vancouver, or Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto,
Kitchener, Montreal, etc, where many diverse industries use the
materials in question.

Luckily you DID have a Home Hardware store - what they stock and sell
out of the huge warehouse in the little town of St Jacobs Ontario is
staggering!!!! And their prices are pretty fair, on the whole.

"Steve B" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Check with steel suppliers. Many have "rems" or "drops" that they sell
for $.30 (that's 30 cents a pound). If you're lucky, you can get what you
need for a couple of bucks.

Worth a shot.

I'm pretty sure the days of 30 cents/pound are long gone.

I purchased three beams for the house I'm building, new material, that cost
me right at 33 cents/pound---but that was a few years ago. I expect that
you're going to pay no less than 50 cents/pound now, and probably more.

Harold

On Jul 2, 11:00*pm, wrote:
...
*That's what comes of living "out in the sticks" where your suppliers
are limitted, largely because their market is limitted.
...

I bought angle and channel for several projects from a place "out in
the sticks" that sells recycled pallet racks.

jsw

On Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:48:03 -0700, wrote:

I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

That might be shaped hot, via bending rollers. (like metal roofing)


So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

Given the same alloy, absolutely. Look at the crosssection. Extruded
is much thicker at the root of the V.


2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Only in the Borgs or retail stores. In real metalmonger stores, it's
cheapest in 20' lengths.

--
Just getting back after a farkin' virus ate my computer.
I'm still without any email or usenet archives. sigh

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:48:03 -0700, wrote:

I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

That might be shaped hot, via bending rollers. (like metal roofing)


So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

Given the same alloy, absolutely. Look at the crosssection. Extruded
is much thicker at the root of the V.


2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Only in the Borgs or retail stores. In real metalmonger stores, it's
cheapest in 20' lengths.

--
Just getting back after a farkin' virus ate my computer.
I'm still without any email or usenet archives. sigh

Angle iron (steel) is not extruded. The standard structural product is hot
roll-formed. Cold-roll-formed angle has uniform thickness throughout, but
the hot-rolled shapes are squeezed in their plastic state so they're thicker
at the bend and thin out at the edges.

It is possible to extrude steel, and it's done, for more complex shapes.
I've never heard of it being done for simple angles. It involves using
molten glass as a lubricant and it's fairly involved, unlike aluminum
extrusion.

Cold-formed steel is inherently stronger because of the effect of
work-strengthening, but the shape of the hot-rolled product is superior in
structural terms. Pound-for-pound, there is a tradeoff, but I think the
hot-rolled comes out with a strength advantage due to shape, over the
strength advantage of cold-rolled due to work-strengthening.

--
Ed Huntress

"Harold & Susan Vordos" wrote in message
...


"Steve B" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Check with steel suppliers. Many have "rems" or "drops" that they sell
for $.30 (that's 30 cents a pound). If you're lucky, you can get what you
need for a couple of bucks.

Worth a shot.

I'm pretty sure the days of 30 cents/pound are long gone.

I purchased three beams for the house I'm building, new material, that cost
me right at 33 cents/pound---but that was a few years ago. I expect that
you're going to pay no less than 50 cents/pound now, and probably more.

Harold


Reply:
Go to Goodwill or other thrift stores. Lots have bed frames, that they will
give you or sell for a buck or less. Good source of angle iron.

"Califbill" wrote in message
m...
...
Reply:
Go to Goodwill or other thrift stores. Lots have bed frames, that they
will give you or sell for a buck or less. Good source of angle iron.

Bed rails are good strong steel, somewhat like 1045. I think they are
recycled manganese-steel railroad track. They are more difficult to saw,
drill and weld than hot-rolled mild steel.

jsw

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...

"Califbill" wrote in message
m...
...
Reply:
Go to Goodwill or other thrift stores. Lots have bed frames, that they
will give you or sell for a buck or less. Good source of angle iron.

Bed rails are good strong steel, somewhat like 1045. I think they are
recycled manganese-steel railroad track. They are more difficult to saw,
drill and weld than hot-rolled mild steel.

jsw

They're *******s to weld.
The HAZ ends up large and very brittle.
If you do weld a bedframe, then normalize around the weld for at least a few
inches - preferably more.

Don't ask how I know. :-)

--
Jeff R.

"Jeff R." wrote in message
u...

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message ...

Bed rails are good strong steel, somewhat like 1045. I think they are
recycled manganese-steel railroad track. They are more difficult to saw,
drill and weld than hot-rolled mild steel.
jsw

They're *******s to weld.
The HAZ ends up large and very brittle.
If you do weld a bedframe, then normalize around the weld for at least a
few inches - preferably more.
Don't ask how I know.
Jeff R.

The angle melts more easily than 60xx filler rod and may pull away from the
bead. I switched to bolted joints so I don't know if a higher strength
(lower melting) rod would help.

jsw

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...

"Jeff R." wrote in message
u...

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message ...

Bed rails are good strong steel, somewhat like 1045. I think they are
recycled manganese-steel railroad track. They are more difficult to saw,
drill and weld than hot-rolled mild steel.
jsw

They're *******s to weld.
The HAZ ends up large and very brittle.
If you do weld a bedframe, then normalize around the weld for at least a
few inches - preferably more.
Don't ask how I know.
Jeff R.

The angle melts more easily than 60xx filler rod and may pull away from
the bead. I switched to bolted joints so I don't know if a higher strength
(lower melting) rod would help.

jsw

Noted.
It wasn't the process of welding that caught me up. That semed to go well.
It was the extreme embrittlement around the cooled weld. Snapped like
plaster.

--
Jeff R.

On Aug 11, 8:31*am, "Jim Wilkins" wrote:


They're *******s to weld.
The HAZ ends up large and very brittle.
If you do weld a bedframe, then normalize around the weld for at least a
few inches - preferably more.
Don't ask how I know.
Jeff R.

The angle melts more easily than 60xx filler rod and may pull away from the
bead. I switched to bolted joints so I don't know if a higher strength
(lower melting) rod would help.

jsw

I have had good luck with Mig welding. But do not use bed frame angle
iron for things that have much stress.

Around here the Goodwill and Salvation Army stores do not have cheap
bedframes.

Dan

"Califbill" wrote in message
m...
"Harold & Susan Vordos" wrote in message
...


"Steve B" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
...
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.

I believe that "regular" angle iron is made by extrusion. These pieces
looked like someone put a 1.5" flat in a brake and bent it at right
angles (I believe the term for this is "formed"). I was reluctant to
buy this as it just did not *look* as strong as the regular extruded
type. I tried to work out the relative strengths from the Machinery's
Handbook but without success.

So the questions a

1) Am I right in assuming that the extruded angle iron is stronger
compared to the formed type? If so by how much?

2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

Check with steel suppliers. Many have "rems" or "drops" that they sell
for $.30 (that's 30 cents a pound). If you're lucky, you can get what
you need for a couple of bucks.

Worth a shot.

I'm pretty sure the days of 30 cents/pound are long gone.

I purchased three beams for the house I'm building, new material, that
cost
me right at 33 cents/pound---but that was a few years ago. I expect that
you're going to pay no less than 50 cents/pound now, and probably more.

Harold


Reply:
Go to Goodwill or other thrift stores. Lots have bed frames, that they
will give you or sell for a buck or less. Good source of angle iron.


I visited my local steel distributor yesterday. New structual steel is now
$1.16 per pound if you buy mill length 20'. Stuff from thier scrap bin is
..53 per pound.

Best Regards
Tom.

On Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:49:05 -0700, azotic wrote:
"Califbill" wrote ...
"Harold & Susan Vordos" wrote ...
"Steve B" pittmanpirate@hotmail wrote ...
mkoblic@gmail wrote ...
I needed some 3/4"x3/4"x1/8" angle iron for a project. Previously I
bought a 3-foot length in Home Depot so I headed back there. They had
an item with that description but it did not look like what I had
bought before.
[snip]
2) Is there a good reason why a 72" length of stock should cost 1.5x
as much per inch as a 36" length?

Check with steel suppliers. Many have "rems" or "drops" that they
sell for $.30 (that's 30 cents a pound). If you're lucky, you can get
what you need for a couple of bucks.

Worth a shot.

I'm pretty sure the days of 30 cents/pound are long gone.

I purchased three beams for the house I'm building, new material, that
cost
me right at 33 cents/pound---but that was a few years ago. I expect
that you're going to pay no less than 50 cents/pound now, and probably
more.

I visited my local steel distributor yesterday. New structural steel is
now $1.16 per pound if you buy mill length 20'. Stuff from their scrap
bin is .53 per pound.

A couple of years ago I paid 20 cents per pound at a South Dakota
yard I visit when driving through there, up from 15 cents a pound
a few years before that. 3 months ago I bought a few hundred pounds
at 30 cents per pound.

Here are some pictures of some 15-cent-per-pound chrome-plated-drops
bins and rust-plated-drops bins in 2002, all of which are long gone,
replaced by other stuff & now twice the price:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61108728@N04/sets/72157627409702492/

--
jiw