Selling steel in nyc
May 19, 2011 8:25 AM   Subscribe

I have 40 6' lengths of 1/2" steel rod. Is it possible to sell this in nyc and get money worth the hassle of transporting the rods?
posted by edbles to Work & Money (12 answers total)
 
Craigslist and have the buyer pick it up. Perhaps as rebar for a self employed concrete business?
posted by Freedomboy at 8:29 AM on May 19, 2011


steel rod ain't rebar...

But, yeah, take a pic, put on craigslist under materials..
posted by k5.user at 8:36 AM on May 19, 2011


figure weight of rods and make sure you get at least going scrap rate for it. I'm sure some metal artist would have a use for it.
posted by cosmicbandito at 8:45 AM on May 19, 2011


According to the internet you have about a ton and a half of steel, which would go for about $300. So, yeah, craigslist.
posted by clorox at 9:03 AM on May 19, 2011


Scratch that, you have about 160 pounds of steel, which would go for about $20. So, yeah, craigslist.
posted by clorox at 9:07 AM on May 19, 2011


Rule of thumb for scrap metal: if a magnet sticks to it, it's barely worth the effort.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:26 AM on May 19, 2011


I'm sure some metal artist would have a use for it.

Yup art students/studios at art colleges? They might even have $20 ...
posted by carter at 9:28 AM on May 19, 2011


Is there a highschool with a welding shop near you?

Drop in and talk to the shop teacher, they might be able to offer you something for it.
posted by davey_darling at 10:16 AM on May 19, 2011


I have no idea what the quality of the materials you have is like, but, for example...
amazon has these at $22 each
posted by RustyBrooks at 10:40 AM on May 19, 2011


And people suggesting this is worth $20... this isn't necessarily scrap steel, right? I mean about the cheapest I'm seeing decent quality 1/2" steel rod is like $8 or $9 per rod 6' rod. Even if someone would only pay half for it (which is unreasonably low - steel isn't like a car that loses most of it's value as soon as it's sold) we're talking $160.

Of course, OP has given no indication of the grade/type/quality/condition of his materials. If it's rusty beat up steel rods and it's only going to be good for scrap, then yeah, scrap is like $300/ton or something. But don't sell, say, cold-rolled steel rod as scrap.
posted by RustyBrooks at 11:06 AM on May 19, 2011


I think the key to craigslisting it is going to be describing it accurately so you can get full value out of it. If it is, as RustyBrooks mentioned, cold-rolled steel rod, that will be worth more to somebody than "steel rods".
posted by zug at 2:05 PM on May 19, 2011


Simpson's Individual Steelettes?

Sorry.
posted by babbageboole at 8:36 PM on May 19, 2011


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