Where Can I buy Raw steel?

Hey, I`m starting a welding shop in my garage.
I been gathering machines for 4 years now. I finally got my first welder. I`ve welded before. I am wondering where I can get some raw steel in the St. Louis Missouri area.
any help would be awsome!

 

Are you joking?...the yellow pages would be a good start...hard to believe any welder worth their salt wouldn't already know where every local steel supplier was and who had the best quality metals...something sounds fishy here...

 

Raw,lol!

 

If you are going to weld in your garage, you should also look in the yellow pages for a friendly insurance agent that specializes in fire insurance.

 

how about a source for cooked steel?

 

You may want to do a little more research before you start a buisness. Can't even find a steel yard on your own......

 

That was my first though. I hate sound like I'm giving you a hard time but in all reality if you already weld and have metal working equipment and don't know where to get steel and material there may be a problem bigger than you are ready to handle.
You can start here
http://www.google.com/search?source...ouis+Mo&btnG=Google+Search&aq=o&aqi=&aql=&oq=

If you have a business license you are set but you usually need that business license to get wholesale prices or a decent discount and sometimes discounts depend on how much material you buy in a set amount of time.

Sometimes you can get a deal from one of the steel fabricating shops on their left over pieces. One of the local AG manufactures here (cattle feed trucks) has a steel supply yard but also sells the cuttings and trimmings by the pound and that is usually what I buy to make gussets and brackets out of. Try to buy the short pieces off their rem rack to save a cut charge. If you only need four ft of inch an a half tubing to finish a project you might not want to buy a 20 ft stick at that time.
Go down the Google list I posted and see which steel supply yards are close and then do a bit of research and find out which of those is willing to deal with a guy/shop that tends to buy small amounts, at least to start.

 

no shit! same thing i thought....reminds me of people who one time painted their 86 mustang and then want to open up their own bodyshop

 

starting a welding shop in your garage, you just got your first welder, and you welded before, and don`t know where to find steel, good luck in your venture, i think your gonna fail.......

 

this is some good reading.. lolol... think ya pissed'm off, i was hoping to see a response

 

I'm starting a shop tomorrow then...

 

hell, i shoulda started one 20 years ago.......this sucks......

 

I'm speachless!

 

Do you have any certifications? Insurance? You do a job that fails and someone gets injured, your SCREWED!

 

WTF!!!!!! spam on the HAMB?

 

Rush service = reported

 

sounds like a real bute

 

Popcorn ready!

 

Well I guess I deserved that.
I used to weld uni-bodies in a body shop. Raw metal never came up.
Well TY anyways.

 

Try a search engine like www.dogpile.com it will reveal places like http://www.shapirosupply.com/ to buy Raw Stock. You gotta be thick skinned around here there are alot of inflated ego's at work.

 

It's probably best to find out from the local guys what steel yard is the best to go to. And you will probably end up going to different ones for different types of steel. One may have a better selection of tubing while another may have better selections for flat and still another for the sheet goods like 18 0r 20 gage.
And find the places that will give you a deal on small quantities or sell remnants as that will help you keep away from having to by a whole stick or sheet of metal when you only need a certain amount.

 

Thanks man. I know the board is tight. Thanx for the links. I have alot of frame designs and a design to put a harley XR70 engine in a 175cc kawasaki.
I`m just starting out at the moment. I still have alot of equipment to collect still.

 

Stay away from raw steel,it will give you worms.

 

Detroit Sushi?

 

Worms!! great for fish bait!

 

Tip: Being a skilled fabricator does not necessarily mean skilled business man . If you build it , they will come only works in the movies. Get some basic business courses as well as a source for supplies. Good Luck to you !

 

so, your saying there is 'baked steel' ?

 

You know all the guy was looking for was some advice on were to get some steel.Then you get some guys chimin in about learing how to run a buisiness.
We have been in buisness since 73.None of the 4 guys including myself have any formal training on running a buisiness.I wonder how whe made it this long.Most say it cant be done.Im around plenty of accountants and bankers that dont have the answers either.So when a guy askes for help with a simple question why not give it to him?Rant off.

 

[QUOTE I have alot of frame designs and a design to put a harley XR70 engine in a 175cc kawasaki.[/QUOTE]
Yea, there's a ton of money to be made there........

 

I'm thinkin the name say it all.

Nutwagonfromhell