Thread: Where do Canberra-based machinists get big chunks of FCMS from?

Hi Ian,
I get new steel from hertzogs in fyshwick, they carry pretty big sections. You can get recycled stuff from the back of metalmart, and I have recently heard of a place on Lithgow street with heaps.of.big stuff, the story I got they charge 60c a kilo. I have not been but if you go I'd love to know what it is like.

Ew

I'll check Herzogs, but all I've seen there and at Metalmart is structural steel - which, I don't know if it was my use of indexable tips or the properties of the steel, but it was not nice to machine.

I was hoping to treat myself to some 1214 grade steel, made specifically for machining.

Yes, possibly I'd pick up chunks of this grade at the scrap dealers, but so far I haven't stumbled across anything nice at Metalmart -- the other one in Lithgow St is M.G. metals.

So far all I can find is little rod stuff on eBay or a trip to Sydney, Wollongong, Wodonga or Melbourne -- and I'm not sure which of those wholesalers (yeah moite, got it in 6m lengths, where's ya truck and I'll crane it out to ya) will be willing to deal with a wee little 'model engineer' in a Noddy car, with a high little squeaky voice asking for "just 200mm of this and 100mm of that, Sir"

I don't think you can get anything but black or bright bar in this town. I have never seen 1214 anywhere. Hetzogs will cut short lengths of round, the bright bar is nice to machine, far better than the black bar. I am yet to find a recycled piece I cannot get a reasonable finish on one way ot the other.

Ew

1214 is not all that common anyway - last time I tried to get some from my normal steel supplier it was special order. A lot is used by repetition shops (for example car hose fittings) but the standard supply type is as hex bar. I think Harold calls up that stuff because it's easy to machine, looks good and is more readily available in the UK but here I suspect you will just have to use what you can get. It's all practice though.

Michael

Originally Posted by Michael G

1214 is not all that common anyway - last time I tried to get some from my normal steel supplier it was special order.
Michael

Interesting. It seems that 1214 is all I can get! Sometimes I get lucky and find 1045 in the size I want. Usually I am relegated to 1214.. That said I am not complaining. I can't say I have noticed much difference machining 1214 vs 1045. Last purchase was some 120mm solid round.. 1214..

Not that I am in Canberra..

Yeah I think that's right Harold specifies his big lumps of 1214 (i.e. 230M07, aka EN1A) for its machinability, but EN1A was I think favoured also by previous generations of make-it-yourself workshop equipment gurus like Ian Bradley and George Thomas. Ahh, must be nice.

To be restricted to just "merchant bar" from the local Canberra reo suppliers is a bit like all the woodies on the forum only being able to get radiata pine and nothing else. I could put up with that forever, but I think I'll try and do better for once.

I'm making a list of the different big multi-state wholesalers who list different grades in their literature, like Atlas Steel, Interlloy, Bohler Uddeholm, and Global Metals.

I'll just contact them one by one and see who seems to be the most tolerant of having a dweeb turn up for 20kg of metal in assorted finicky sizes, then plan a visit when I'm driving to Sydney or Melbourne. That's if any of them will do it.

Seems the only way.

Originally Posted by Gunnaduit

I'm making a list of the different big multi-state wholesalers who list different grades in their literature, like Atlas Steel, Interlloy, Bohler Uddeholm, and Global Metals.

I'll just contact them one by one and see who seems to be the most tolerant of having a dweeb turn up for 20kg of metal in assorted finicky sizes, then plan a visit when I'm driving to Sydney or Melbourne. That's if any of them will do it.

Seems the only way.

As a side note, I get all my steel from Bohler Uddeholm. You can be assured they stock a ton of 1214...

Originally Posted by variant22

As a side note, I get all my steel from Bohler Uddeholm. You can be assured they stock a ton of 1214...

How do you find they go with you buying smaller quantities (if that's what you do)?

Do they have a range of sizes in 1214 (50x50, 32x32, 25x25 etc)?

Do you have to pay a lot in cutting fees?

http://www.buau.com.au/

I have bought 50 x 50 cut to length from Bohler, smaller stuff comes in a full length only, but they will cut it half for transport purposes. Bohler (the Brisbane one anyway) also have a $60 or $80 minimum charge, but its not too hard to reach that amount.

You may be allowed to rummage through the offcuts skip, but that is up to the storeman who is there on the day.

Originally Posted by Gunnaduit

How do you find they go with you buying smaller quantities (if that's what you do)?

Do they have a range of sizes in 1214 (50x50, 32x32, 25x25 etc)?

Do you have to pay a lot in cutting fees?

They have no issues with me buying small quantities and lengths. In-fact I usually buy 300mm of the larger heavier steel. Usually it is only marginally more expensive than the per meter price. Sometimes they give me longer lengths, which is a nice bonus.

I have never been charged a cutting fee anywhere. Not Bohler, OneSteel or Bluescope.

They have every size imaginable! (Except for really oddball stuff like 50x35). I have 50x50 and 25x25 sitting here from my last order. My local Bohler is a 2hr drive away. They send my steel with their sales guy who comes down each month. Free delivery to my door! If I want it right away it costs $40 in postage regardless of how much I order.

I have not found any of these guys to be reluctant "sellers". The exact opposite. Usually they take an interest in what I'm making.

Look here for easy to machine model making metals in small quantities cut to size. Not much in larger sizes though, square cast iron up to 80x80mm and 1214 steel up to 1-1/2" sq:
http://www.miniaturesteammodels.com

Variant & Bob, your comments about dealing in relatively small quantities with Bohler are encouraging.
I now know that the benchmark is to aim for no cutting fees.
I'll also see what the various suppliers say regarding delivery fees.

I plotted a Google map of SE mainland Australia to show myself where the suppliers of 1214 grade FCMS steel are - all that I've found so far, anyway.
Might be handy for anyone else looking at this thread for ideas ...

SE Aust steel suppliers.jpg

Cba, I did see that Miniature Steam Models also supply some 1214, but suspect prices are a fair bit higher than going to a wholesaler.

Ian

Not that I use a massive amount, but I second Bohler as a supplier. If you work with them, I.E. don't put silly time constraints upon them, they will let you pick through their offcuts and do their best to sort you out. At least down here in Tassie.
Sorting through offcuts may soon be a memory of the past due to insurance/liability issues.
I can understand why cutting fees are applied in many cases. Having worked where sales to the public were common, it was not hard to spend $10 worth of time to sell $5 worth of stock, not to mention the delightful customers who wanted that material cut into multiple 10mm sections!

Originally Posted by Karl Robbers

Not that I use a massive amount, but I second Bohler as a supplier. If you work with them, I.E. don't put silly time constraints upon them, they will let you pick through their offcuts and do their best to sort you out. At least down here in Tassie.
Sorting through offcuts may soon be a memory of the past due to insurance/liability issues.

I used to be able to pick through the offcuts bin at Nubco but not any more, just for that reason. Generally I can get one of the staff to take me out there though, seeing as I've spent so much money there.

Plus, I don't waste their time - I take the offcut, or a reasonable chunk and I do my own cutting. I think a cut charge is totally justified if you want multiple cuts done.

PDW