Materials
We stock common bar sizes in each grade across carbon, alloy, and stainless steels, aluminum, and brass. Material and condition are paired: each grade is offered in one condition optimized for our process.
Carbon & free-machining steel
Free-machining carbon steel. Lowest cost, fastest turnaround — the default for most custom shaft work. Not weldable, not for food contact. Full 12L14 guide →
Low-carbon mild steel. Weldable and easy to machine, with no free-machining additives — a solid all-around pick when you don't need extra strength or hardening. Full 1018 guide →
Free-machining low-carbon steel that case-hardens well — a tough core with a hardenable surface. Good for pins, studs, and light-duty gears. Full 1117 guide →
Medium-carbon steel, stronger than 12L14 (~77 ksi yield). Heat-treatable to spec by the customer. Harder to machine than the free-machining grades. Full 1045 guide →
High-strength free-machining carbon steel. Near-alloy strength as-supplied with low distortion when machined — a shaft that skips heat treat. Full 1144 guide →
Resulfurized free-machining steel for fast, clean, high-volume turning. Not weldable, not for food contact. Full 1215 guide →
Alloy steel
Chrome-moly alloy steel, annealed. Through-hardens for demanding loads — the go-to when the part genuinely needs wear resistance and tensile strength. Full 4140 guide →
Stainless steel
Free-machining stainless. Corrosion-resistant with good machinability — the best balance of stainless properties and shop-floor friendliness. Full 303 guide →
Corrosion-resistant stainless for FDA/USDA environments. Tougher to machine than 303, but meets food-contact and sanitary requirements. Full 304 guide →
Marine-grade stainless. Resists acids, chlorides, and harsh chemicals — the premium stainless for extreme corrosion. Full 316 guide →
Free-machining martensitic stainless — the easiest stainless to turn. Magnetic and hardenable, with moderate corrosion resistance. Full 416 guide →
Precipitation-hardening stainless. Stainless corrosion resistance with high strength and toughness — a cleaner-machining cousin of 17-4. Full 15-5 PH guide →
Precipitation-hardening stainless. High strength plus corrosion resistance — common in pump, valve, and aerospace shafts. Full 17-4 PH guide →
Aluminum
The all-purpose aluminum, about a third the weight of steel. Good machinability and corrosion resistance; T6 temper for structural strength. Full 6061 guide →
Architectural aluminum with a smooth finish. Best for cosmetic and light-structural parts; softer than 6061. Full 6063 guide →
High-strength aluminum approaching mild-steel strength at a third the weight. For highly-loaded lightweight parts; less corrosion-resistant than 6061. Full 7075 guide →
The most machinable aluminum — fast, clean cutting with an excellent finish for high-volume turned parts. Full 2011 guide →
High-strength aerospace aluminum with excellent fatigue resistance. Common in aircraft structure and high-stress fittings. Full 2024 guide →
Brass
Free-cutting brass — the machinability benchmark, turning effortlessly with a superb finish. Corrosion-resistant; ideal for fittings, valves, and bushings. Full C360 guide →