Get Stuff Made
Reviews, tips, and tools for fabricators
Updated July 2025 - by Mark "The Shark" Delantes - Diversified Welding Systems
Get Finished Parts for Less Than Raw Materials: What is SendCutSend doing?
Skip the markup. Stop overpaying. Start making. I wrote this after using onlinemetals one too many times. SendCutSend delivers custom fabricated parts for less than what traditional suppliers charge for just the raw materials. Disclaimer: I love SendCutSend and they gave me a hat 3 years ago.
SendCutSend vs Onlinemetals
The Raw Truth: Metal Supply Pricing is Broken
As a fabricator, I've spent years watching my material costs eat into project budgets. We've all been there, browsing OnlineMetals.com, MetalsDepot.com, or hitting up the local MetalSupermarket, only to face sticker shock at checkout.
The traditional metal supply chain wasn't built for makers and small fabrication shops. These suppliers operate on outdated models with significant markups at every step: distributors mark up from mills, retailers mark up from distributors, and you pay the cumulative premium.
What's worse is the hidden costs: cutting fees, minimum quantities, shipping surcharges, and those dreaded "handling fees." A simple $50 worth of aluminum can quickly balloon to $150 after all these extras are tacked on.
The markup on raw materials from traditional suppliers can reach 300-400% over mill prices for small quantity buyers, making projects prohibitively expensive.
How SendCutSend Breaks the Mold
Direct Purchasing Power
SendCutSend buys materials in massive volume directly from mills, eliminating multiple layers of middlemen and passing those savings to you.
Material + Fabrication Bundle
By combining material cost with precision cutting in one seamless process, they eliminate the separate markup that happens when you buy material then pay someone else to fabricate it.
Digital-First Operations
Their automated quoting, nesting, and production planning systems reduce overhead costs that traditional suppliers pass on to customers.
In my own shop, I've completely changed how I approach projects. Instead of stockpiling raw materials and dealing with the headache of cutting and processing them myself, I now upload my designs to SendCutSend and get back precision-cut parts ready for welding or assembly.
This shift isn't just about cost savings. It's about rethinking my entire fabrication workflow. When you consider the value of your time, equipment wear, material waste, and energy costs, getting custom-cut parts delivered becomes an obvious choice.
Real-World Price Comparison: The Numbers Don't Lie
These prices were compared in September 2024 for identical materials. SendCutSend's prices include precision cutting to almost any custom shape you need, whereas the other suppliers only provide rectangular stock that you'll still need to cut yourself.
What's really crazy is that with traditional suppliers, you're still looking at additional costs after purchase: your time spent measuring and marking, the cost of consumables like saw blades or endmills, electricity, and the inevitable material waste from your own cutting process. If you're running a plasma table, you know my pain.
For complex parts requiring multiple operations, the cost difference becomes even more dramatic. Parts that might take hours on your own equipment arrive ready to use, often at 30-50% less than just the raw material cost elsewhere.
Beyond Price: The Speed Factor
Customers are used to Amazon, and they expect that fabrication moves at the same speed. In a fabrication environment, time is literally money. One of SendCutSend's most compelling advantages is their rapid turnaround time, which fundamentally changes how quickly you can iterate designs or fulfill orders.
1
Traditional Process
Order materials (3-5 days) → Receive shipment → Set up equipment → Cut parts (hours/days) → Clean up → Secondary operations
2
SendCutSend Process
Upload design → Instant quote → Order → Receive finished parts (as fast as 2-3 days)
This means you can go from concept to physical parts in days rather than weeks. For those of us who bill clients for fabrication work, this translates directly into faster project completion and improved cash flow. For product developers, it means more design iterations in less time, ultimately leading to better end products.
I recently had a client request a last-minute design change on a custom railing project. Instead of panicking about material lead times, I uploaded the revised design to SendCutSend at 10am and had the parts in hand by noon two days later. That kind of responsiveness is impossible with traditional supply chains.
Material Selection: Made in the USA Steel
A common misconception is that lower prices must mean lower quality materials. In my experience with SendCutSend, the opposite is true. They stock mill-certified materials that meet or exceed what's available from traditional suppliers. Most of their mild steel is from US mills too.
Their aluminum is primarily sourced from North American mills with full traceability, their steel meets ASTM standards, and their specialty materials like brass and copper maintain tight tolerances. For critical applications, material certs are available upon request.
What's particularly valuable for makers is the variety of materials available without minimum order quantities.
Metals Available
  • Aluminum (5052, 6061, 7075)
  • Steel (Mild, A36, Galvanized)
  • Stainless Steel (304, 316)
  • Brass & Copper
  • Spring Steel
  • Titanium
Each material is available in various thicknesses and finishes, giving you design flexibility that would typically require relationships with multiple specialty suppliers. The ability to order exactly what you need for each project, rather than being forced into standard sizes or minimum quantities, eliminates waste and further reduces your overall project costs. They have a bunch of plastics and carbon fiber too, but I usually stick to metal.
As someone who's built everything from Boeing components to artistic sculptures, I've found their material quality to be consistently excellent across the spectrum of applications.
Precision Manufacturing Capabilities
Laser Cutting
± 0.005" tolerance with clean edges on materials up to 1/2" thick. Ideal for complex shapes with tight tolerances.
Waterjet Cutting
Used for cutting carbon fiber and G10 with minimal heat affected zone. Perfect for heat-sensitive materials and tough to cut stock
CNC Machining
3-axis and 5-axis machining in 6061 billet for complex 3D parts with threaded holes, countersinks, and precise dimensional requirements.
What truly separates SendCutSend from traditional metal suppliers is that you're not just buying materials, you're accessing advanced manufacturing capabilities that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to replicate in your own shop. Those lasers can run more than $1M each.
Their manufacturing processes achieve tolerances that are difficult to match with typical workshop or garage equipment. As an former machine operator, I appreciate their ability to hold ±0.005" on laser-cut parts and even tighter tolerances on machined features. It's good to go when it arrives at my door, and eliminates hours of hand-fitting components during assembly.
The Hidden Costs of DIY Fabrication
1
Equipment Investment
A quality bandsaw ($2,500+), drill press ($500+), and basic machining equipment ($5,000+) represent significant capital expenses before cutting your first part.
2
Consumables
Saw blades, drill bits, cutting fluids, abrasives, and other supplies add $15-30 to each project's true cost.
3
Energy Costs
Running shop equipment adds $2-20 in electricity per project depending on complexity and machine time.
4
Material Waste
DIY cutting typically results in 20-35% material waste, effectively increasing your actual material cost proportionally.
When I first started fabricating, I fell into the trap of thinking I was saving money by doing everything myself. After tracking my true costs over several projects, I realized that the "savings" were an illusion once I factored in all these hidden expenses.
This doesn't mean there's no place for in-house fabrication. Certain operations and prototypes still make sense to handle yourself. But for production parts and complex components, the economics strongly favor services like SendCutSend that combine material supply with precision manufacturing.
The most valuable realization was how much more I could accomplish by focusing my time on design, assembly, and finishing rather than basic material processing. My productivity increased dramatically once I stopped trying to be my own raw material supplier.
Real Projects, Real Savings
"I needed 35 identical brackets for a custom shelving system. OnlineMetals quoted $432 just for the raw aluminum, and I was looking at 2-3 days of cutting and drilling. SendCutSend delivered precision-cut parts with all mounting holes for $287 total, and I had them in hand 48 hours after uploading my design."
— Jake K., Furniture Designer
This experience mirrors my own. Last month, I needed to fabricate a custom electronics enclosure with multiple cutouts and mounting points. The material alone from MetalsDepot would have cost $118, not including shipping. SendCutSend delivered the complete, ready-to-bend parts for $88 with all cutouts perfectly positioned.
Beyond the direct cost savings, the precision of the manufactured parts eliminated hours of measuring, marking, cutting, filing, and drilling. The parts assembled perfectly on the first try, with no rework needed. For client projects billed at $115/hour, this efficiency translates directly to improved profitability.
The economics become even more compelling for complex parts or when working with harder-to-machine materials like stainless steel or titanium. Parts that would require specialized tooling and multiple setups arrive ready to use, often at 40-60% less than the combined cost of materials and shop time.
Getting Started: From Design to Delivery
Prepare Your Design
Create your design in any CAD software that can export DXF or STEP files. Even simple 2D designs drawn in free programs like Inkscape work perfectly. I prefer Fusion 360, and it's free for hobbyists.
Upload & Get Instant Quote
Upload your design to SendCutSend's platform and select your material, thickness, and quantity. Their instant quoting engine gives you pricing in seconds, not days.
Place Order
Once satisfied with your quote, complete your order with standard payment methods. No minimum orders or complex purchasing processes.
Receive Precision Parts
Your custom parts arrive at your door in as little as 2-3 days, ready for the next stage of your project with no additional processing required.
The simplicity of this process changes how makers and small fabrication shops can operate. Instead of maintaining inventory, managing multiple supplier relationships, and dedicating space to primary processing equipment, you can focus on your core competencies while leveraging industrial-grade manufacturing capabilities.
For my own projects, I've transitioned to a leaner workshop focused on assembly, finishing, and specialty operations. The space formerly occupied by material storage now houses more valuable equipment that adds value to my projects.
Please tell them Mark the Shark sent you! I need another hat.