Help with price for 12" stainless square tube

Trevlaw

Trevlaw

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I recently bought 1400lbs of steel tubing and misc stuff from my work for $.08/lb. Got lots of good stuff I'm going to use.

I also managed to snag a 26" long piece of 12" stainless Square tubing with .5" wall thickness for $.08/lb. It would make a very nice base for something, but I'm wondering how much money's worth of tubing I'm actually sitting on.

Having a hard time finding many places that sell this size of tubing, and worse luck getting a quote back from anyone.

Just curious if anyone here might have better resources and could help me figure out a ballpark price of what this would cost to buy new, as I'm thinking about trying to sell it.

Any help is appreciated, thanks

And of course, a couple pics. Just the two pallets, didn't get the double stacked ones

IMG_20220327_175231078_HDR.jpg
IMG_20220327_175218909_HDR.jpg
 
That 12"x12"x.5" wall was one expensive piece when attached to whatever length it came from!

What are the dimensions and wall thickness of the rectangular tubing in pic 1?
 
flyinfish said:
That 12"x12"x.5" wall was one expensive piece when attached to whatever length it came from!

What are the dimensions and wall thickness of the rectangular tubing in pic 1?
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Did some rough math and the 4x4x0.375 weighs 39 lbs. Costs about $13.90 per lb

12x12x0.5 weighs 168 lbs. At the same price/lb $2,335.20

Unless I messed up my math which is possible.

And by rough I mean square corners.
 
flyinfish said:
That 12"x12"x.5" wall was one expensive piece when attached to whatever length it came from!

What are the dimensions and wall thickness of the rectangular tubing in pic 1?
Click to expand...
The big tubes are 6"x3" .25" wall, 49" long and I got 24 of those.

The rest was 4"x2" .12" wall with about 13" of useable length if I cut the angled ends off. 60 of those pieces and 60 of some that are 45* angles on both ends, should make nice corner pieces for something.

Then there's the big weldment, it's a heavy bitch, been milled flat on most of the faces and has three thick leveling pads welded on with 1" threaded holes.
 
Apparition said:
Did some rough math and the 4x4x0.375 weighs 39 lbs. Costs about $13.90 per lb

12x12x0.5 weighs 168 lbs. At the same price/lb $2,335.20

Unless I messed up my math which is possible.

And by rough I mean square corners.
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That sounds about right, I can't remember where I saw it, but found some 8" .375" wall for like $1500ish.

Think I've got a nice expensive paper weight lol
 
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Trevlaw said:
Just curious if anyone here might have better resources and could help me figure out a ballpark price of what this would cost to buy new, as I'm thinking about trying to sell it.
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Cost new = very expensive. Worth now = scrap value. Looks like current national scrap prices for 304 (IDK what grade you actually have) are $0.51 per lb.
 
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Trevlaw said:
That sounds about right, I can't remember where I saw it, but found some 8" .375" wall for like $1500ish.

Think I've got a nice expensive paper weight lol
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Finding someone who'd want that would be difficult. Someone may want to cut it up for 1/2" plate though at way less/lb.
 
BlueC said:
Cost new = very expensive. Worth now = scrap value. Looks like current national scrap prices for 304 (IDK what grade you actually have) are $0.51 per lb.
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I'm aware I'm not getting close to new price, but to look at that tube and throw it away for a measly $85 is just dumb. It's not like I brought home a bucket of 1" rems and drops.
 
Apparition said:
Finding someone who'd want that would be difficult. Someone may want to cut it up for 1/2" plate though at way less/lb.
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Yeah, I got plenty of time though considering I paid $15 for it. I'm pretty good at fishing, at least on Craigslist that is. There's plenty of crotchety shop owners out there that like to save money
 
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When the pieces are usually less than 48" they become remnants and sell for just above scrap prices. Some very nice pieces of steel there!
 
Trevlaw said:
I'm aware I'm not getting close to new price, but to look at that tube and throw it away for a measly $85 is just dumb. It's not like I brought home a bucket of 1" rems and drops.
Click to expand...

Do you know someone who wants to buy a chunk of metal with those dimensions? If so, I suggest you start talking to that person. Otherwise, it's scrap with no other use or value.
 
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