Metal Suppliers - any recommendations or avoids ?

[jamesd1972]

Need to order some angle to make a battery tray for the tractor plus some other bits so I can play with my new welder.  Was going to order up online - any recommendations ?
I'd seen 'metals4u' and happy with 3m minimums but no way of telling if any good.





Battery tray needs to fit on the side of this !

Thanks
James

[Mantasport]

I've used www.themetalstore.co.uk/ in the past and the quality and service is very good.

Now i tend to use www.fhbrundle.co.uk/ but thats for larger quantites and lengths of stuff

[xbl]

I get mine from these, never had an issue and always quick delivery.

[ferny]

I use metals4u and themetalstore. Never had an issue with either.

[droopsnoot]

I don't buy massive amounts, but I've had steel sheet from Mellards in Stoke before - but then, I'm not far from there. I imagine delivery would make a big difference.

[slater]

I've used metals4u before but mainly for odd bits of ally. They are pricey like alot of online shops but sometimes the convenience wins. With steel your are usually better going to the local stockholder. Mine are atleast 50% cheaper than online and pretty simple to deal with.

[crockpot]

What slater said. I use a local steel stockholder, family run and very helpful. Just not the best time to be wandering into places un-announced...

[droopsnoot]

Jan 11, 2021 12:12:25 GMT slater said:

They are pricey like alot of online shops but sometimes the convenience wins. With steel your are usually better going to the local stockholder. Mine are atleast 50% cheaper than online and pretty simple to deal with.

I had a look at one of the links earlier and was a bit worried. I know there have been some increases in steel prices recently, but the last time I bought 1mm sheet (from Mellards) it was £25 for an 8' x 4' sheet, and that link showed double that. I'm a bit relieved that it might just be because they're online.

[homersimpson]

Avoid FH Brundle like the plague, they are a dreadful outfit and the last time I ordered a sheet of steel off them it was a disaster.

Suffice it to say I ended up with three sheets sent out seperatly of the wrong thickness, couldn't get them to collect them, ended up with them talking to me like I was an idiot who couldn't measure the steel correctly, then they acknowledged their mistake as all the sheets in their depot and head office were all the same and were all too thick.

Then they tried to refund me and ended up charging me again, then after a long battle they refunded me the extra amount they had charged but not the original amount, then after another long battle they then refunded me the extra amount and the original amount despite me telling the person in there office I had already had half the money back.

Finally they realised their mistake and told me they wanted the original payment back at which point I told them to stick it as I had told their operative that they didn't owe me the money and she paid it me anyway so I kept it as compensation for the months and months of hassle, phone calls and general incompetence.

Suffice to say I would not recommend FH Brundle unless the question was where do I stick this red hot poker!

[kevins]

I use IS&G but they only deliver locally to their depots, I'm not sure if they sell part lengths (I only by whole ones as they are generally so cheap) the guys in the office and the delivery guys are great if you pick up from Chelmsford the guys in the warehouse can be down right rude (others may be better), best to order on the phone in advance and then it's all ready when you get there and they just have to point at a pile!

[Darkspeed]

I have used M4U quite a bit in as they hold imperial sizes and thin wall section that my local stockist did not - prices are substantially higher than my local yard where I have the car filled for £20 and have a lot of stuff that would allow me to rummage for sold to me as scrap - contribution to the Saturday sandwich fund. M4U had been pretty good up until the last order where 2 out of 5 items were incorrectly supplied - Customer service by e-mail is hit and miss, so if you do have an issue call and speak with Elise (I think) lovely to speak with and sorts issues out without drama.

[slater]

I think a lot of it comes down to M4U and other online suppliers using a nationwide courier to deliver stuff. (Tuffnels usually as they are the only one i know of that do that kind of work) Sending billets and short lengths are somewhat affordable but the cost of sending a sheet of steel is more then the steel is actually worth! Rather then showing the sheet of steel at 25quid and the postage at 40 they just show the steel as 65 and charge a nominal 10 p&p no matter what you order. Its not always obvious what your actually paying for and when you can save and when you cant. You usually have to sort through the price breaks and see if you can spot when the price jumps massively and it becomes less economical to order a longer length.

Your local stockholder might charge 12 quid delivery but thats really a bargain considering how cumbersome a 7m length or 8x4 sheet is..

[Kron]

Jan 11, 2021 18:28:04 GMT droopsnoot said:

I had a look at one of the links earlier and was a bit worried. I know there have been some increases in steel prices recently, but the last time I bought 1mm sheet (from Mellards) it was £25 for an 8' x 4' sheet, and that link showed double that. I'm a bit relieved that it might just be because they're online.Metal prices are going 

Metal prices are going through the roof at the moment with almost daily increases, if you want it I would get it now as it may well go up next time you look