Where to buy exotic steel alloy bars in low quantities?

[just_some_shmuck]

I'm finding that most suppliers only sell the exotic alloy bars if you buy a whole truckload.

What is your go-to place to buy exotic alloy steel bars (in small quantities)?

 

[SwinnyGG]

You'd get some more clear direction if you define 'exotic'.

Some people think 4130 is 'exotic'. Some people think Monel is not exotic.

I'd start with Alro.

 

[just_some_shmuck]

Good point SwinnyGG. I consider AISI 4063, 5160, 9255, etc. to be exotic.

I wanted my question to be broad and not limit things to a specific alloy.

 

[mfgenggear]

Good point SwinnyGG. I consider AISI 4063, 5160, 9255, etc. to be exotic.

I wanted my question to be broad and not limit things to a specific alloy.

Fry steel

 

[mfgenggear]

Good point SwinnyGG. I consider AISI 4063, 5160, 9255, etc. to be exotic.

I wanted my question to be broad and not limit things to a specific alloy.

High temperature alloys is considered exotic

 

[dgeesaman]

It really does depend on which alloy and which raw forms. I know my company occasionally builds equipment using AL-6XN. Our lead times/quantities/raw form requirements utterly rule out mill runs and we don't work in any exotic alloy consistently enough to have an exotic supplier excited to work with us. So there is only one supplier we can work with and the last time I checked they received two mill runs per year and unless you're prompt after one of those, you'll be waiting months. That's just one alloy for example.

 

[btrueblood]

When I need quick delivery of a small bit of something exotic (i.e. not lying around on the shop floor) I surf over to McMaster.com and look there.

 

[mfgenggear]

When I need quick delivery of a small bit of something exotic (i.e. not lying around on the shop floor) I surf over to McMaster.com and look there.

Tooling was a good way of buying at McMaster Carr.

 

[EdStainless]

I had to laugh when I saw the title of this thread.
We used to make tubing in a specialty stainless alloy.
How special? Well we bought the two heats of it that melted each year.
For specialty steels there are many small distributors.
Start with people like Alro and Fry, if they don't have it they can likely point to smaller guys in your area that handle the 'odder' grades.