KYBOY Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I cant believe it and thats with a small discount. $8.25 for one stick of 3/8" 1018 :mad: My supplier told me in November he was paying .28 cents a pound for steel and right now they are paying .36 cents a pound for scrap in detroit:confused: He said the prices are leveling off on the west coast and should level off here in a month or so. He said it will take a couple years for steel to get back to Novembers prices. This is what I was told anyway. This is kill'n me :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Yesterday I bought 4 metres of 30mm bar total weight 30Kg. It cost me RMB 226. That is 13 feet of 1.2" bar total weight 66 pounds. It cost $32 which is less than 50c per pound. That included delivery and them cutting it into 2 equal lengths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Recent steel bill = little over 200 bucks for about 75-80 bucks worth of steel. Killin all of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 20 ft 2"X1/4' flat stock $35.00 on friday, same piece $38.00 yesterday:mad: 1 foot schd 40 pipe $48.00 and none of it made in the USA. Canada & China:o stamped on them. I no longer give job quotes based off of past jobs because the steel mill that I purchase my steel from told me that the prices change ( go up ) daily and some times twice a day. Oh and they use to deliver any order over $200.00 now it is is on orders over $350.00. It looks like its time to build a rack extender for my truck or trailer so I can still pick up full length sticks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FieryFurnace Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I live in Columbia Ky. near Sanduske steel supply. In Ga. I was paying $10.00 for 20 ft bars of 3/8 round. $12.00 for 3/8 square. I pay half that much now, so I'm happy. Maybe thats to much still, but I don't know any better. The Kidsmith, Dave Custer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted May 8, 2008 Author Share Posted May 8, 2008 That $15 piece of steel was $12 last week, forgot to mention that :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 ya ive paid 18 $ a twenty foot leingth for 1/2 sq..... it has affected my sell prices even for little stuff ..I hope it dosnt go the way of gas or were all in trouble! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrynjr Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 For those of us who are hobbiest, the prices are a bigger deal. I would think those who are smithing professionally and selling the product to a customer, the increase in cost will get passed along as well. Unless you prebid something using steel prices that are no longer accurate and are not able to rebid using new steel costs. Then you are out of luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 I now insert a clause at the bottom of proposals, This price expires in x number of days due to the ever increasing cost of steel. Been averaging 5% a month for the last year. I still ocasionaly give a price off the top of my head that I end up eating. The price of steel was about the same for most of my career, and simple railings I price by the foot. Including other increased costs, that fixed price should be at least twice what it used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Those fuel prices are directly linked to these steel prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Bought a 20' stick of 2x2x1/8 angle yesterday. $31.60 + tax. Good thing I have most of what I need for this project in my stock pile. I'm putting together a Variable Volume forge for the shop. Ouch! Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Leppo Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Not Blacksmithing, but custom steel control panel production; We currently have some big projects that span 2 to 3 years, and we’re loosing out because since we bid the job, prices have increased +50%! Material is CRS sheet & rectangular tubing, mostly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ornametalsmith Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 Bought a 20' stick of 2x2x1/8 angle yesterday. $31.60 + tax. Good thing I have most of what I need for this project in my stock pile. I'm putting together a Variable Volume forge for the shop. Ouch! Frosty COOL beans, Frostilio........you know we'll need pix. fwiw....the last 1/2" sq. solid I got.....was $11 for 20', here in FL. That was from a local supplier. IF I'd needed more and ordered from Tampa Bay Steel, I'm sure it would have been less. And I agree it's painful to the hobbiest........but just be glad your not wanting to play with Copper or Sil. Bronze. DOH!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 COOL beans, Frostilio........you know we'll need pix. I think I'll post the drawing to a new thread and we can kick it around there. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Mulholland - Tetnum Posted May 8, 2008 Share Posted May 8, 2008 i am proly lucky but i can still buy 3/8 round 20' for $1.78 +tax thats what i paid a week a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 "For those of us who are hobbiest, the prices are a bigger deal." Don't take this as a shot accross your bow. Consider this. Those of us that make a substantial part of our living forging and selling forged goods can't just "pass it on" to the customer as easily as you may think. Go buy 10-15 sticks of hot rolled rod and square ( 3/16 through 1/2) and a group of other stuff ( sheet etc ) and look at last years prices to compare. Then compare energy costs to forge and weld. I build functional day to day items to be used for cooking and other camp related things as well as doo dah's for consumers that they can't get from China at the local mass merchandiser. Custom work as well ( stock inventoried items ). Will be interesting to see how the year goes with rondys and other shows as to how folks hang on to their cash. I have been in business (field) for roughly 34 years. Maintaining a raw materials and finished goods inventory is part of my life. I refuse to be snuffed and have taken on the first steel inventory of the year. Time will tell but I remain optimistic. The steel ( suppliers - read mills ) for the day job I work have told the company that they will guarantee a 3 day quote ( this may be on an order of 500 24' pieces of 2 x 2 1/2 11 ga tubing along with another 4-5 ton of other tubing and bar). There are business owners that frequent this website that budget for the amounts I mentioned in the last sentence. These owners also budget employees time and benefits. Large order items are not the issue. Stainless is incredible in price. Fortunately my day job has business and I have somewhere to go when I'm not home in the shop. The ones that say that the price of materials is a pittance of the final cost of the finished goods had better wake up and smell the coffee. Some stock has gone up 5 TIMES the cost in the past 10 years. Has your retail followed ? KY boy, thank you for starting this thread. These are issues that should be discussed. I mean no disrespect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete46 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Ten Nailed It . People Have Less Desposable Income So They Pass On What Your Sell'n . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfb343 Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 well at least we've still got smiths in india will to work for penny's a day(and they can smelt thier own metal). Like Ten Hammers said, I'm glad that smithing isnt my daily bread maker, cos noone wants to hear that that Fort Megis axe is 75 buck cos its hand forged, when you could go to the next tent over and buy one thats cast, from who knows what metal with mold lines and poor casting drips hangin off of it, for $25 bucks. So my heart and prayer go out to the people that depend on smithing for their income. "steppin off the soapbox" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerkid Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 For those of us who are hobbiest, the prices are a bigger deal. I would think those who are smithing professionally and selling the product to a customer, the increase in cost will get passed along as well. Unless you prebid something using steel prices that are no longer accurate and are not able to rebid using new steel costs. Then you are out of luck. Yeah I know waht you mean Larry. Its killing me!:mad: I`ve had to start charging Friends , who `s projects was going to be free. Also the price of welding supplies, gas,wire etc., is hurting my wallet.:mad: Thanks,Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Its not only the bid's time limit, its the time from bid, to delivery can be 6 months or more under normal manufacturing conditions for pattern welded blades, due to the Que of other orders ahead. Even with time limits on bids, some makers have a waiting list of 2 years out! So I Don't think my 6 month wait is hurting me as bad as them. But the cost rise from the time I got the assignment until I get it paid for is eating what little profit I had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 I just finished a large railing 560' in length, the steel was $22,640. The price of steel is not going to go down, it may level off for about an hour or so. The thing is no matter how much I raise prices, my customers are still wanting product and services. The price of steel is just a part of doing business, same as the $7,900 worth of fuel my rig has eaten in 9 months. That good old American greed will take us all down, some much sooner than others. Until then I'll keep banging on iron and charging what I think will pay my bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_sandy_creek_forge Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 I now insert a clause at the bottom of proposals, This price expires in x number of days due to the ever increasing cost of steel... I don't even go that far. My disclaimer on my quotes now is to the effect of "quoted labor costs guaranteed for x days(usually 30). Quoted prices of steel subject to change depending on supplier's prices" Last two projects (one I finished up a month ago or so, other one a proposal in the hands of the clients now) I've explained to the clients that steel prices are rising everytime my supplier gets a shipment in. Those two clients at least have been pretty understanding about why I can't guarantee the price of steel past what I was quoted yesterday... -Aaron @ the SCF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KYBOY Posted May 14, 2008 Author Share Posted May 14, 2008 I just sold my last batch of trap drags. Ive already told people that either the size of the material will get smaller for the same price or the price of the original size will go up by "X"%. Their choice. I dont expect to sell to many more to be honest. Trappers are a tight waded bunch by nature I know,Im one of them ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 I heard that steel mills were shut down in Beijing, China in preparation for the Olympics -- to clean the air up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphonse Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 (edited) Here in Cleveland, OH, there is a steel supply guy that had a lot of Canadian steel; mostly structuals, plate, sheet, tube, and bars. I buy mostly "cut offs" on the cheap. He use to charge [last bought 1 1/2 years ago] 40 cents a pound on anything in the short rack, picked up. Now he's up to 75 cents for shorts. 90 cents for full lengths. As far as delivered "Iam not in that league and am afraid to ask" He was going really good for 15 years, added another location 5 years ago, and this month he had to give up the second shop and move it into the first...Sales are WAY DOWN and he's the lowest price in N.E. OH.! Edited May 22, 2008 by alfonso Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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