I pay more for the 5'-10' drops, buck something. Often, when I need a 3' or so, they kick me out the door because it isn't worth the time to write a ticket. I bought a 12" stick of that little hobby brass that you find in hobby stores or Ace. They couldn't get a price out of the computer and said 'get outta here...'. Ace would have nailed me for a couple of bucks. The places that store the cut ends outside charge less, but it's a crap shoot on what you'll find and then you have to clean it (yes, even in dry arizona). Here's a trick... I have a pile of pea gravel in the backyard. I'll take a stick of rusty whatever and run it back n forth through the gravel and it takes surface rust right off. I did find a 20' bundle of 1 or 1.5 square tubing outdoors once that had a bend about 2' from the end. Must have been exciting when they dropped the whole bundle. Since it wouldn't fit the inside racks with the bend, they just put it out in the yard. Built the frame for a panel saw out of a couple of those, under $.50/lb USD.
Bumper straps. Lay the material straight out in front of the car and strap it together tight in several places. Drive over it. Lift it up to the bumpers and run straps around the bumpers and the material.
Joel. phx