I set 1" x 18" here. Get them from a concrete guy for a little beer. Before that I was at about $3 a rod.
I do the same. I mounted an abrasive cutoff saw on a stand, made a jig to control the length of cut, and added a couple of roller stands with edge guides to support the piece being cut. With a helper to feed me sticks of rebar and stack the cut pieces, I can cut several hundred pins in a morning.
Now don't get Keith going
he's gonna call you a 2 bit rebar installer.
I do the same as Stephen. I cut my own at 18", and with a cut-off saw, I get good square ends that drive much better than the sheared ends.
I buy 20' sticks from the local lumberyard, and I pay about $0.50 per 18" piece. I can also cut the 5/8", but it's just a little bit more.
Around here we see "IPP" sometimes, or iron pin placed. We call it iron pin promised.
I really don't keep up. We order 25' sticks at about 30 at a time and cut them to our length. Chop saws are fairly cheap and there is always some 30 minutes the crew is standing around during the week they can cut them. We aren't charged delivery on them as we are about a block from where we get them. I call, an hour later they deliver, 1 hour later they're cut ready to go.
We use 1/2" x 60" rods for marking corners and points on line like we have in years past with "T" posts. I can tote a helluva lot more of them and they drive with a hammer and not a driver and they're WAY cheaper ("T" posts are about $5/each now).
I bought from Farwest Reinforcing (Farwest Steel) in Eugene last year, 100 for $133.00. That was after paying $2.80 each from the local Willamette Graystone earlier - never again unless I'm really desperate. No shipping (except gas) as I sent my wife with her pickup to collect them. Of course, I risk a shopping trip while she's down there.
I can't find the receipt immediately so I can't give you a telephone number.
I think Far West may have opened a facility in Vancouver. Check the phone book or on-line.
Never mind - Farwest Steel Reinforcing (360) 735-8744
Tyler in Corvallis
Saw cut
#5 x 24" $1.84 each