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Anyone have a good source for tool steel?
My supplier has run short and he says it's impossible to get because China is buying all of it up...I knew there had to e a downside
He sent me a piece of W1 today to make some reamers....It wont harden :confusion:
The Chinese are buying it all up?
Are businesses in North America that stupid? They will kill anyone left still trying to do any production work by cutting off the supply and then wonder what happened when the Chinese tell them what they will pay, not what the seller wants them to pay. I'm sure this is no 'accident' on the part of the Chinese central planners either.
Sometimes "capitalism" is too stupid for its own good- it's basic motivations are pretty simple- "produce profit" and everything else is essentially irrelevant at the end of the day. The Chinese can (and do/are) easily manipulate such a system for their own long-term goals.
Man, I'm glad I call the shots in my own little business. I'm a Canadian seller to Canadians- and have more than a couple times refused an order from someone outside Canada if the item they wanted was in short supply- if I sell it to them and don't have it for a Canadian buyer the next day- how can this be a good long-term strategy? Canadian customers (i.e. the market for the business) can't get things because they were exported to a one-off buyer, and then this Canadian buyer goes somewhere else the next time they need something because they perceive I may never have stock on things. Brilliant plan that would be.
In any event- some fabrication shops will sell metal on-the-side, sort-of. A business around here ("Bell's") was running a fabrication (welding primarily) shop, but was also running a distribution business of some sort in hydraulics and metals out the back door. As far as I know they still are- but I have no idea if they keep the same sort of inventory they did a few years back.
Yes they are really that stupid...and that's exactly whats going to happen.
Thanks for the lead I will check them out.
Let me tell you how bummed I was after spending a couple hours making a couple reamers only to find out they wouldn't harden...he must have gotten mixed up and sent up a piece of alloy.
Make sure your wallet is full!Quote:
Originally Posted by SeanMP
Ever since the new owner (who I know personally) took over a few years ago, prices have at least doubled (maybe more) on any work to be done. Not sure about prices on stock/steel though...(but knowing the money-hungry S.O.B, I wouldn't doubt that it has jumped considerably also...)
Good luck in your search!
Todd
Hmmm. Same Story from Bells
No got
Impossible to get
...expensive (It's not really that expensive if you consider the alternatives)
I don't know if they have what you need but they're almost next door to me and seem to have plenty of metal but sadly no english version of their web site http://www.acierpicard.com/index.html
Haha fortunately I can read french a heck of a lot better than I speak it.
But no joy....looks like they specialize in Hot Roll
But I think I have a solution...if this works out I'll have enough O1 in stock to satisfy my needs for ten or twenty odd years
Phone call was something like...
"....not talking any chances...ship it all...every size"....
"Huh?"
"Yup...Ship it"
"Okay Sir...Who are we billing?"
"Ummm, Fox Sporting Goods, Perth Ontario"
:glee:
We can do that! :eek-new:Quote:
Originally Posted by SeanMP
You can try McMaster Carr in the states...
http://www.mcmaster.com/#grade-o1-tool-steel/=hyj4zn
Dunno if it's worth it though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DocGadget
No, you can't. Or, yes, you can- but at some point police will be knocking on your door as the supplier will not be getting paid and won't likely have any other options.
Smarta$$es !
Hehe...I have yet to work out the details of the plan.:acne:
But in all seriousness I did find a supplier and I am buying about ten year worth
I'm not taking any chances with any more lost time over this
Sholo:
You were right. Bell's called me back about 2 hours later. They found one piece and they want about 200% of what I'm currently getting it at
Are you only looking for O-2? what about O-1? A-2? P-20?
What I bought was O1
W is much easier to machine but tends to warp more during hardening