Your next home improvement project may need the use of many pipes. If so, then you may consider buying your material from surplus pipe sections of any local steel supplier.
Surplus items are those materials that are left-over from your previous project and you have sold to the supplier for resale. As they have so far not been used hence technically cannot be classified as ‘used’.
Also, they are not absolutely new because they have not come from the manufacturer directly.
Buying construction materials which are usually classified as surplus pipe may not be the same like buying items brand new. Such materials will come with different information, reports and expectations.
You can expect following three things when you are buying surplus pipe from any metal supplier.
- No mill reports
Steel pipes, which are manufactured will come with mill test report generated by manufacturer and includes all the import information about item. Also, it guarantees piece or materials are as per engineering standards.
Mill test report includes:
- Dimension of material
- Appropriate ASTM standards
- Physical and chemical specifics
If pipe is bought as surplus, then mill reports may not be available. However, if the individual has kept it for the surplus items then there can be little chance.
In most cases, it is likely that mill report is either left behind or misplaced.
- Testing is also available for these surplus materials
Few projects may need proper measurements before the use of these pipes and any other materials to meet few industry specifications. Without mill report, it will be very difficult to know whether it can really be used for any specific projects or not.
Luckily, it is possible to get pipes get tested. Many suppliers may offer compliance testing report for pipes, which are sold as surplus. This can help individuals to know what they are really purchasing. Also, it can give them little peace of mind.
- The material quantity available for buying may vary
Most suppliers depend upon what others will bring to them for creating their surplus inventory. So, the amount of these materials available for purchase may vary dramatically.
Most suppliers usually try to ensure that they have sufficient stock of certain material for meeting all customer needs, but as far as surplus items are concerned, only items that have been really offered for resale will be available.
If for the project, there are no sufficient materials available then new or used pipes may supplement materials bought as surplus.
Proper understanding about the expectation while purchasing surplus pipe can help make buying experience easier.
