Author Topic: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)  (Read 2593 times)

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Offline jeremyTopic starter

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Hi,

I’m looking to buy some copper stock to be used in some heat transfer applications. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find solid copper in any sort of aspect ratio close to 1:1 which is not a tiny rod near me. Ideally, I’m looking to get some 50x50 mm bar stock (50.8mm/2” would be fine as well). I’d be fine with buying up to 500mm of it if necessary.

Also, if anyone can recommend a supplier that would be able to sell me such a thing near Brisbane, Australia? General comments on copper suppliers in Australia are also welcome.
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2019, 02:28:12 pm »
Hi,

I’m looking to buy some copper stock to be used in some heat transfer applications. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to find solid copper in any sort of aspect ratio close to 1:1 which is not a tiny rod near me. Ideally, I’m looking to get some 50x50 mm bar stock (50.8mm/2” would be fine as well). I’d be fine with buying up to 500mm of it if necessary.

Also, if anyone can recommend a supplier that would be able to sell me such a thing near Brisbane, Australia? General comments on copper suppliers in Australia are also welcome.
If you have any local electrical panel builders, ask them if they can sell some of their stock. I think that they use that size for making busbar in switchboards.

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Offline aargee

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2019, 10:42:36 pm »
Also might be worthwhile canvassing some metal recycling companies, asking to look through their copper scrap.
Not easy, not hard, just need to be incentivised.
 

Offline jeremyTopic starter

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2019, 11:39:42 pm »
Doesn't McMaster-Carr ship to Australia?

Not sure if you are being ironic, but McMaster famously hasnt shipped to anywhere outside the US for a long time. I think they got in trouble for some export control stuff once and their solution was to simply refuse all international orders.
 

Offline wilfred

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2019, 12:09:53 am »
 

Tac Eht Xilef

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2019, 05:48:16 am »
McMaster-Carr started shipping o/s a year or 2 ago, but by God it can be a hassle with them.

George Weston & Sons over at Carole Park used to be pretty hobbyist-friendly & sell cut short lengths, but it's been a decade or more since I bought from them. I also vaguely remember hearing about a place at Hendra, but can't remember the details (& I might gettting confused with alu stock or copper pipe).
 

Offline jeremyTopic starter

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2019, 06:14:11 am »
Interesting. It seems they might ship after all. Technically you need a GST registration though.

Quote
Australia and New Zealand Customers. For purposes of Australia‘s and New Zealand‘s goods and services tax (GST), if you are located in Australia or New Zealand, each time you purchase Products from us you are certifying that (i) you have a current national Business Number and GST registration in the country to which the Products are being shipped, and (ii) you are acquiring the Products from us only for the purpose of using them in the course of running your enterprise in the country to which the Products are being shipped.
 

Offline duak

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2019, 06:12:39 pm »
I second the scrap or recycler.  I needed some 5/8" round for spot welder tongs.  A local over the counter supplier wanted more than $70 plus I had to wait for it to be ordered.  A local recycler had 3/4" round for about 1/3 the price.  They had various other sizes including 2" round.

 

Offline jeremyTopic starter

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2019, 03:25:27 am »
Just a quick update in case anyone finds this via google:

I called most of the scrap dealers around me that I could find today. They were pretty much all a flat out no except for one. I went to check out the only one that would let me in, but the selection was very limited and quality was low; mostly copper sheet metal covers of thickness 2-3mm, and some burnt busbars which were roughly 30mm x 10mm with lots of tapped holes in them. No solid round at all. They had a huge amount of cable though. Price from them was AU$10 per kg, approximate price for today on the metal markets is AU$9.50 per kg.

I also called George Weston, and they quoted me for a brand new 300mm length of 2" square bar at about AU$12 per kg.

Edit: Ok, I take that back. Something felt wrong so I double checked my quote with George Weston, they are actually quoting AU$45 per kg (there was a mixup in the length of bar)!!!!!! Maybe not such a good idea after all. For reference, I just checked and McMaster is about AU$32 per kg.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2019, 03:35:27 am by jeremy »
 

Offline thermistor-guy

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2019, 03:54:54 am »
Doesn't McMaster-Carr ship to Australia?

Not sure if you are being ironic, but McMaster famously hasnt shipped to anywhere outside the US for a long time. I think they got in trouble for some export control stuff once and their solution was to simply refuse all international orders.

I bought some parts from McMaster-Carr late last year, but they were shipped via my US freight forwarder (shipito.com). So there is a work-around.
 

Offline TerraHertz

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Re: Where to buy solid copper bar in Australia (preferably Brisbane)
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2019, 12:21:33 am »
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&initiative_id=AS_20190425161824&SearchText=heat+pipe

Have you considered using heat pipes? They are somewhat flexible, and work amazingly well. Vastly better than solid copper, and much lighter.
Collecting old scopes, logic analyzers, and unfinished projects. http://everist.org
 


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