A Source for Aluminum

[Ron Wanttaja]

I don't recall seeing this mentioned on RAH before, but I just had a very
nice experience buying some aluminum angle.

I'm in the process of switching my plane to an Odyssey drycell battery
(thanks, Jerry!) and have to build a new battery box. I needed some
aluminum angle for the interface to the cockpit floor. I'd gone to Boeing
Surplus on Friday and gotten totally skunked...there was hardly a bit of
scrap metal to the place.

I was debating the usual Aircraft Spruce or Wick's order, but hated to
think of the shipping delay. I decided to check the local yellow pages
under "Aluminum," and came up with a company called Metal Supermarkets.

Not only did they have it in stock, but it turned out one of the three
stores in the Seattle area was just a five-minute drive from work. The
price was only a bit higher than Spruce, and, of course, I picked it up
immediately. Unlike most of the local metal stores, they have no minimum
order size...and they'll cut off just what you need at no extra charge.

Their web page is:

http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/

....if you want to check out whether they have a store near you. Their
selection isn't as wide (they only had 6061 and 6063 angle, no 2024), but
the one I was at did stock stuff like 2024 sheet and 304 stainless steel.

No connection, other than being happy I found what I needed and can butcher
it tonight... :-)

Ron Wanttaja

[Peter Dohm]

I've heard equally good things about Future Metals Inc in Ft Lauderdale FL
from one of our chapter members.

There are probably good vendors near most of us, but the cost is prohibitive
for most of them to advertise to the whole world. So if anyone is playing
webmaster for a compilation, I'll be glad to contribute the occasional .02
as information comes to my attention.

Peter

Ron Wanttaja wrote:
>
> I don't recall seeing this mentioned on RAH before, but I just had a very
> nice experience buying some aluminum angle.
>
> I'm in the process of switching my plane to an Odyssey drycell battery
> (thanks, Jerry!) and have to build a new battery box. I needed some
> aluminum angle for the interface to the cockpit floor. I'd gone to Boeing
> Surplus on Friday and gotten totally skunked...there was hardly a bit of
> scrap metal to the place.
>
> I was debating the usual Aircraft Spruce or Wick's order, but hated to
> think of the shipping delay. I decided to check the local yellow pages
> under "Aluminum," and came up with a company called Metal Supermarkets.
>
> Not only did they have it in stock, but it turned out one of the three
> stores in the Seattle area was just a five-minute drive from work. The
> price was only a bit higher than Spruce, and, of course, I picked it up
> immediately. Unlike most of the local metal stores, they have no minimum
> order size...and they'll cut off just what you need at no extra charge.
>
> Their web page is:
>
> http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/
>
> ...if you want to check out whether they have a store near you. Their
> selection isn't as wide (they only had 6061 and 6063 angle, no 2024), but
> the one I was at did stock stuff like 2024 sheet and 304 stainless steel.
>
> No connection, other than being happy I found what I needed and can butcher
> it tonight... :-)
>
> Ron Wanttaja

[Richard Riley]

In Los Angeles, the equivalent is Industrial Metal Supplies, locations
at least in Irvine and Burbank. They're on the web. No 2024.

Even better, Max Industries in Gardena, and Burbank Metal Supplies
(right next to the IMS in Burbank). Genuine surplus, about $2.50/lb.
All grades, all shapes on a random basis.

On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 12:35:26 GMT, Peter Dohm >
wrote:

:I've heard equally good things about Future Metals Inc in Ft Lauderdale FL
:from one of our chapter members.
:
:There are probably good vendors near most of us, but the cost is prohibitive
:for most of them to advertise to the whole world. So if anyone is playing
:webmaster for a compilation, I'll be glad to contribute the occasional .02
:as information comes to my attention.
:
:Peter
:
:Ron Wanttaja wrote:
:>
:> I don't recall seeing this mentioned on RAH before, but I just had a very
:> nice experience buying some aluminum angle.
:>
:> I'm in the process of switching my plane to an Odyssey drycell battery
:> (thanks, Jerry!) and have to build a new battery box. I needed some
:> aluminum angle for the interface to the cockpit floor. I'd gone to Boeing
:> Surplus on Friday and gotten totally skunked...there was hardly a bit of
:> scrap metal to the place.
:>
:> I was debating the usual Aircraft Spruce or Wick's order, but hated to
:> think of the shipping delay. I decided to check the local yellow pages
:> under "Aluminum," and came up with a company called Metal Supermarkets.
:>
:> Not only did they have it in stock, but it turned out one of the three
:> stores in the Seattle area was just a five-minute drive from work. The
:> price was only a bit higher than Spruce, and, of course, I picked it up
:> immediately. Unlike most of the local metal stores, they have no minimum
:> order size...and they'll cut off just what you need at no extra charge.
:>
:> Their web page is:
:>
:> http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/
:>
:> ...if you want to check out whether they have a store near you. Their
:> selection isn't as wide (they only had 6061 and 6063 angle, no 2024), but
:> the one I was at did stock stuff like 2024 sheet and 304 stainless steel.
:>
:> No connection, other than being happy I found what I needed and can butcher
:> it tonight... :-)
:>
:> Ron Wanttaja

[Big John]

Ron

You need to talk with Robert Borovec (my SIL). He's cheap and knows
all the places around Seattle to get the good stuff <G>

Big John


On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 01:03:23 GMT, Ron Wanttaja >
wrote:

>I don't recall seeing this mentioned on RAH before, but I just had a very
>nice experience buying some aluminum angle.
>
>I'm in the process of switching my plane to an Odyssey drycell battery
>(thanks, Jerry!) and have to build a new battery box. I needed some
>aluminum angle for the interface to the cockpit floor. I'd gone to Boeing
>Surplus on Friday and gotten totally skunked...there was hardly a bit of
>scrap metal to the place.
>
>I was debating the usual Aircraft Spruce or Wick's order, but hated to
>think of the shipping delay. I decided to check the local yellow pages
>under "Aluminum," and came up with a company called Metal Supermarkets.
>
>Not only did they have it in stock, but it turned out one of the three
>stores in the Seattle area was just a five-minute drive from work. The
>price was only a bit higher than Spruce, and, of course, I picked it up
>immediately. Unlike most of the local metal stores, they have no minimum
>order size...and they'll cut off just what you need at no extra charge.
>
>Their web page is:
>
>http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/
>
>...if you want to check out whether they have a store near you. Their
>selection isn't as wide (they only had 6061 and 6063 angle, no 2024), but
>the one I was at did stock stuff like 2024 sheet and 304 stainless steel.
>
>No connection, other than being happy I found what I needed and can butcher
>it tonight... :-)
>
>Ron Wanttaja
>

[Ryan Young]

in article , Peter Dohm at
wrote on 10/7/03 5:35 AM:

<snip>
> There are probably good vendors near most of us, but the cost is prohibitive
> for most of them to advertise to the whole world. So if anyone is playing
> webmaster for a compilation, I'll be glad to contribute the occasional .02
> as information comes to my attention.
>
> Peter
>
> Ron Wanttaja wrote:
>>
>> I don't recall seeing this mentioned on RAH before, but I just had a very
>> nice experience buying some aluminum angle.

I'll bite. I've compiled a page of suggestions and experience.

http://users.lmi.net/~ryoung/Sonerai/Aircraft_Aluminum_Sources.htm