Hey guys. I'm after some sheet aluminium (good stuff preferably) and steel.

Unfortunatly, where i live there is none of it.... AT ALL, so.. I know glen gets his steel free, so I'll probably end up doing what he does, but that would take up alot of time and he's quite busy with school so can't really help out. Also, i'd prefer to keep this request to the sydney guys, as i can afford the shipping, sorry.
So, is there either any good sheet metal shops in the city or near it, or does anyone have some that they don't need and i can buy? I'm sure there's alot of places to buy metal in blacktown, but i was wondering if anyone knows of any places just alittle closer to home! .
Thanks heaps.
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You are right, there isn't much on the North Shore!

For steel, there is Edcon: http://www.edconsteel.com.au/feedback.htm these guys are very helpful and steel is VERY sheap compared to aluminium. The "black" flat bar is the cheapest and the oxide coating gives it a little rust protection.

For aluminium, there is a Capral trade centre in Brookvale: http://www.capral.com.au/_contact_us/# These guys are a bit expensive but they cut popular items to size

Smart Aluminium is also in Brookvale, but I have never been there: http://www.smartaluminium.com.au/Pages/Page3.asp

If you are getting Ali from these places, steer clear of the 5005 grade - it is far too soft. Try for 6061, which is rare, or 5083, ewhich is similar strength and used for boat building.
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Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
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If you *really* want some 6061-T6 and are willing to pay for it (Its not cheap relatively speaking), you could try bothering some of the Gyro-copter guys in your area. Gyro's are about 90% 6061-t6 with a few 5083 and 2024 bits here and there..

From memory, one of the guys in Australia (Broken Hill maybe?) gets a custom bulk lot extruded from (I think it used to be Alcoa, is it still ?) every now and then and sells it to a few distributors in each state, so it depends on how longs its been since the last bulk lot was made as to how much is available.

It was available in 3,4 and 5mm plate, 30mm round, and 2"x2.5" rounded-corner box tube from memory when I built mine.

All Aluminium alloys are a trade-off between strength, weight, cost, weldability, machiniability, corrosion-resistance, fatigue and so on.

Apparently its quite common in the aviation world to get a laminate of two alloys. a high strength base, with a corrosion-resistant layer over it.

If anyone wants to explore this route, you can find the Gyrocopter guys and a list of clubs and contacts who could probably put you in touch with a 6061 stockist over at http://www.asra.org.au/forum/default.asp
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I found that places like O'Briens will order it in, but then you have to buy the whole sheet and the price was at least 50% higher. I looked at the tensile strength of 6061 vs 5083 and decided that 5083 was way better value - it might be different for gyros, but for bot chassis that *will* get smashed, the extra cost of 6061 just wasn't worth it to me.

The US seems to be the reverse of here - 6061 is quite common in all sorts of shapes and relatively cheap too. They also have 2024, 7075 and even fortal in useful sizes if you look around.
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There's another place in Brookvale, called Warringah Aluminium I think, who I've bought various bits from - because Capral don't like to sell anything smaller than the standard size. They'll cut a 6m bar into 30cm chunks for you, but they won't sell you less than 6m!

The other place had heaps of offcuts, and they'll happily sell you anything you can find there for an estimated price, but it's still not super cheap stuff.
They're on Old Pittwater Rd, behind Warringah Mall, etc.
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The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

http://www.warralum.com/index.html

Interesting! They don't list material sales but a place like that would certainly have an interesting offcutss bin. I must have driven past many times and never noticed them...
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yep that's them

I actually got their address from one of the guys at Capral, after they didn't want to sell me a metre of pipe on its own.

Warringah Aluminium will sell you pretty much anything you want, either cut to length, or from the offcuts bin.
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The Engine Whisperer - fixer of things

Awsome, thanks for all the info! But uh nick, that link to http://www.warralum.com/index.html Doesnt work Are you sure its still there? I can get to warringa pretty easily actualy!
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Well, that's bizarre! I cut 'n pasted the url after looking over their site and deciding it was a keeper. Its either been taken down since last week or I was looking at a cached page > Here is their street address and Capral's as well. BTW: you might get lucky 'dumpster diving' for free stuff

WARRINGAH ALUMINIUM
3B2 / 106 Old Pittwater Road,
Brookvale NSW 2100
PH: 9938-6144
FAX: 9905-3967

From the photos, it was a unit in a drive in industrial complex, which explains the "3B2" address

CAPRAL ALUMINIUM
2 Powells Road BROOKVALE 2100 NSW
Phone: 9905 3833
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Australian 2015 Featherweight champion
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Exellent! Now to begin phase two of my plan.... convincing my dad to drive me! XD
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Just was browsing the Obrian site.. Check this out:
http://www.obrien-aluminium.com.au/
Off coarse, these specials are still outragous for most... but 2024 sheet...

Anyway... I'm after 5mm aluminium sheet in a 5083/6061/7075 grade. I only need around 1m2 and can't really afford more than $100 on it... That's the max, i'd prefer to spend less!
Any help greatly appreciated.. I'd like to get started on this bot post haste!
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Just remember that 7075 is not weldable like the other two grades. I wouldn't mind buying some 5mm sheet myself - stocks are running low. Perhaps if we can find two or three other builders around Sydney, we can buy a full sheet between us. 5083 is far cheaper than 6061 and is usually available off the shelf.
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Just for interest for people who may be seeking aluminium in future, here's a list of what quotes i've gotten back from various suppliers. Unfortunately I can't afford any of them as yet. Chris is helping me out though which is super!

<> 1m 2 of 5mm 5083 : $180 plus GST from extal

<> 4ft x 4ft of 6061 T6 plate 0.19 inches thick: $275 plus GST from performance metals. They also indicated they have offcuts but not in the 0.19" I was enquiring about.

<> Full sheet of 5083 5mm (5 x 1200 x 2400mm) : $390 plus GST from atlas metals.

These guys will be great in helping me for the MDP when I have to buy the metal, but damn, it's gonna set me back!
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My scrap yard happens to be a profile cutting company's here in Adelaide.

I just happen to service there profile cutting equipment. (Plasma and Oxy cutters)
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That quote from Extal is a real rip-off ! Going on their price for a square metre, a full sheet would be $518. The Atlas metals price is better, but I seem to recall it was less from Aluminium Specialities http://www.alspec.com.au/Products/Product.asp?C=61&P=606&V=G Urlich Metals is another good place.
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