Carrying steel to China

[Rich S.]

Okay - I'm asking this on r.a.h. because it is the greatest brain pool I can
think of.

Within the last week I have been told:

"If you want to buy the 5/16" steel plate to make a new centerboard for your
sailboat, it will cost $100."

"4130 plate isn't available right now."

"Cyclone fencing isn't on the market. Call back later."

In ALL these cases, there is a common denominator. "China is buying all the
steel."

The Question: How can I make a buck out of this market peculiarity? 'Course,
all of us who can put the answer to good use is certainly welcome to do so.
There's got to be enough potential to make everybody on r.a.h. wealthy
beyond the dreams of our ol' buddy Midas.

C'mon you economics gurus. . . give us know-nothings a clue. Or is it too
late?

Rich S.

[Richard Riley]

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 17:24:01 -0700, "Rich S."
> wrote:

:Okay - I'm asking this on r.a.h. because it is the greatest brain pool I can
:think of.
:
:Within the last week I have been told:
:
:"If you want to buy the 5/16" steel plate to make a new centerboard for your
:sailboat, it will cost $100."
:
:"4130 plate isn't available right now."
:
:"Cyclone fencing isn't on the market. Call back later."
:
:In ALL these cases, there is a common denominator. "China is buying all the
:steel."
:
:The Question: How can I make a buck out of this market peculiarity? 'Course,
:all of us who can put the answer to good use is certainly welcome to do so.
:There's got to be enough potential to make everybody on r.a.h. wealthy
:beyond the dreams of our ol' buddy Midas.
:
:C'mon you economics gurus. . . give us know-nothings a clue. Or is it too
:late?

Off the top of my head - find out how much steel is selling for in
Russia.

[Rich S.]

"Richard Riley" > wrote in message
...
>
> Off the top of my head - find out how much steel is selling for in
> Russia.

And then??

Rich S.

[Del Rawlins]

In > Rich S. wrote:
> "Richard Riley" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> Off the top of my head - find out how much steel is selling for in
>> Russia.
>
> And then??

Buy a boat. A really, really big boat.

----------------------------------------------------
Del Rawlins-
Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email.
Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
http://www.rawlinsbrothers.org/bhfaq/

[richard riley]

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 19:00:18 -0700, "Rich S."
> wrote:

:"Richard Riley" > wrote in message
.. .
:>
:> Off the top of my head - find out how much steel is selling for in
:> Russia.

If it's selling for significantly less than here, see what
transportation to chinese ports is like - can the siberian railroad
take it to Vladovostok? If so, talk to Chinese buyers and see
exactly what they want. Mild steel I beams, or coil, or pig iron?
See if you can get cheap options on that stuff in Russia. You'll
need Russian and Chinese translators (I have a Russian one who'll work
cheap, but English is widely spoken among urban Chinese).

If you can beat the delivered price of the US stuff by 10% and still
make 10%, you got yourself a business.

http://www.steel.org/news/oped/barnette.htm
http://www.ebrd.com/new/pressrel/1998/04jan15.htm

You might also look for steel production in south america. There's a
lot of trade between China and SA

Now, maybe they're buying from the US because they're already buying
everything the Russians have to offer. Or maybe it's a currency rate
thing. But yes, it's wierd, and there might be something there.

[tongaloa]

Del Rawlins wrote:

>
> Buy a boat. A really, really big boat.
>

Actually this is gonna be your best way to make a buck.
Buy as many big boats as you can and get them to Pakistan where
the scrap price is way up. Do a thourough assay. Nickel is WAY up
so you rstainless, your druve shafts, your crank, all your stainless
tubing, etc is gonna add up fast.

-t

[Rich S.]

"richard riley" > wrote in message
...
>
> Now, maybe they're buying from the US because they're already buying
> everything the Russians have to offer. Or maybe it's a currency rate
> thing. But yes, it's wierd, and there might be something there.

Mebbe they're assembling homebuilt helicopter kits to sell at Harbor Freight
Tools????

Rich S. :-)

[B2431]

>From: "Rich S."


>Mebbe they're assembling homebuilt helicopter kits to sell at Harbor Freight
>Tools????
>
>Rich S. :-)
>
Don't give HF any ideas <g>

More likely massive construction projects like the Three Gorges Dam which
probably uses massive amounts of rebar.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

[Richard Lamb]

B2431 wrote:
>
> >From: "Rich S."
>
> >Mebbe they're assembling homebuilt helicopter kits to sell at Harbor Freight
> >Tools????
> >
> >Rich S. :-)
> >
> Don't give HF any ideas <g>
>
> More likely massive construction projects like the Three Gorges Dam which
> probably uses massive amounts of rebar.
>
> Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired


Ya'll joke about it all you want.

But it ain't very funny.

[Rich S.]

"Richard Lamb" > wrote in message
...
> B2431 wrote:
>
> Ya'll joke about it all you want.
>
> But it ain't very funny.

I agree, which is why I raised the subject. Out in my shop, I have a small
piece of .125" 4130. It used to be larger, but I have been giving away
pieces of it to aircraft builders who haven't been able to find any.

The mention of "Homebuilt helicopter kits" was referring to the rumors
hereabout of a certain unnamed helicopter kit purveyor said to be operating
in Communist China.

Rich S.

[jerry Wass]

Seems as if I remember about 65 or 70 years ago another eastern country was
buying a lot of our scrap steel--we were getting a lot of stamped sheet-metal
toys
in return---then the toys got bigger and went BOOM !!

"Rich S." wrote:

> "Richard Lamb" > wrote in message
> ...
> > B2431 wrote:
> >
> > Ya'll joke about it all you want.
> >
> > But it ain't very funny.
>
> I agree, which is why I raised the subject. Out in my shop, I have a small
> piece of .125" 4130. It used to be larger, but I have been giving away
> pieces of it to aircraft builders who haven't been able to find any.
>
> The mention of "Homebuilt helicopter kits" was referring to the rumors
> hereabout of a certain unnamed helicopter kit purveyor said to be operating
> in Communist China.
>
> Rich S.

[Richard Lamb]

jerry Wass wrote:
>
> Seems as if I remember about 65 or 70 years ago another eastern country was
> buying a lot of our scrap steel--we were getting a lot of stamped sheet-metal
> toys
> in return---then the toys got bigger and went BOOM !!
>
> "Rich S." wrote:
>
> > "Richard Lamb" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > B2431 wrote:
> > >
> > > Ya'll joke about it all you want.
> > >
> > > But it ain't very funny.
> >
> > I agree, which is why I raised the subject. Out in my shop, I have a small
> > piece of .125" 4130. It used to be larger, but I have been giving away
> > pieces of it to aircraft builders who haven't been able to find any.
> >
> > The mention of "Homebuilt helicopter kits" was referring to the rumors
> > hereabout of a certain unnamed helicopter kit purveyor said to be operating
> > in Communist China.
> >
> > Rich S.

Really? That outta even out the balance of trade. :)

Serves 'em right too.

Richard