Tips for dealing with scrapyards

[Recyclersteve]

In this topic, please post your tips for dealing with scrapyards to enhance the experience and make it more profitable for the person dropping off the scrap. One of the obvious tips would be to sort items, for instance, having all wiring, aluminum cans, brass, etc. sorted into separate containers. One thing I've noticed is that there is a tendency for employees of the scrap yards to say "That's all steel- take it over to that big pile over there (where they paid only 7 cents a pound)" So they are trying to pay you as little as possible. Any special tips that the experienced scrappers can give us newbies? Also, I have begun to refer to my vehicle as "The Scrapmobile"...

[smackvay]

my #1 advice is to save up as much as possible and make bi-weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly trips.
I scrap a descent amount of metal(all different kinds and amounts) and ive gotten up to $.30 a pound more for #1 copper by calling ahead of time and working out a deal.
I never understood the guys that drive 10 miles to the recycling center to turn in 2 pounds of #1 copper and 10 pounds of pop cans. you cost yourself more in gas than you get back. Even a small scale scrapper can save up and take in descent loads. If you have any amount of stuff, ALWAYS talk to the higher ups and negotiate a higher price. Ive actually got 2 different yards calling me wanting me to bring stuff in and I let them bid each other up until I get the highest price

[uthminsta]

That seems like it might backfire on you, if you haven't built up the relationship with them yet. So I guess that's my advice. Build a relationship with them. Figure out which places are reputable, and be loyal to them... it pays.

[hobo finds]

As you are putting items on the scale state what you have. An example I had several bags of #2 insulated $1.00 lb wire, guy starts to go thru it and sees some christmas light wire tells me that that goes seperate $.15 lb. I tell him thats why I cut off all the bulbs and plastic housing so it is now #2 wire. Ask questions and how they want the stuff for the next time. Never sort your load at the scrapyard have it ready to go. Call for prices before you go and its ok to go to several yards in order to get the best price for what you have.

[smackvay]

That seems like it might backfire on you, if you haven't built up the relationship with them yet. So I guess that's my advice. Build a relationship with them. Figure out which places are reputable, and be loyal to them... it pays.

Where im from its not a huge city so the places im going to all know me by name as ive been doing it a long time.
They all know its about the bottom dollar. Depending on their contracts and who has what contract filled or not filled is how they are basing their price(at least to me anyway). I used to be loyal and under a paper contract with them and then I started calling all 3 yards with an itemized list of what I have and amounts. I never thought about how other places in other parts of the country does things.

id love to hear from some more scrappers on how they do things

[hobo finds]

Calling Dr. Bombay LOL!

silversaddle1 would be a good source of info, hopefully he will post!

[Recyclersteve]

Does anyone have a link with decent photos showing the difference between #1 copper and #2 copper? I can't seem to find anything very easily with Google or Bing...

[kiwiman]

heres some sources.

http://www.scrapmetaljunkie.com/236/how ... p-copper-2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrjfMkeQ-fE

[theirrationalist]

I hope all is well! This write up describes the most practical strategy for selling scrap metal. Also worth noting: if you aren't particularly risk adverse, and don't mind fluctuations in commodity prices, save a large amount of scrap. The biggest mistake scrap merchants make is selling their scrap one pound at a time. http://www.scrapmetaljunkie.com/993/best-scrap-metal-prices

Best of luck!

[silversaddle1]

OK, I'll speak up. I have been scrapping full time for about 22 years now. In those 22 years I have learned a ton about dealing with both people and scrapyards.

Some hints:

Look and act like a business. While it may be true that large amounts of scrap will get you noticed, so will just being organized. Have all your scrap ready to unload when you arrive at the yard. Have everything sorted and ready to scale. Don't waste the yard's time by trying to sort things on the scale. You are wasting someone's time, and it's frowned on.

Talk to everyone. Try to strike up conversations with workers in the yard. Say hello. Be polite. Try to make a good impression. You would be amazed at how well scrapyard workers remember the nice people. Here's a great way to get yourself known. Go to Sam's club and buy yourself a big box of Totsie Pops and carry them around with you in the truck. Offer them to the workers. Everyone likes Totsie Pops.

Always say thank you. Anytime you get help unloading or anything in the yard, thank whoever helped you out.

Less is more sometimes. Try to save up your scrap as long as you can before going to the yard. Yards like your scrap no matter what, but they like it even more when you bring larger amounts in at one time. Remember, it cost the yard to keep that scale operating.

Call ahead to get your prices. Always call ahead. Get to know the scalemaster on a first name basis. That way when you call him up and tell him you have X amount of this and you need prices, you have them before hand.

Bring what you say you have: If you say you have X amount and they bid you for X amount, show up with X amount. Nothing makes a scalemaster madder than when you say you have X amount and show up with Z amount. Say you call up and get a bid on 100 pounds of clean brass. Fine, you get a quote and show up with only 20 pounds. Bad. Now if you were to show up with 95 pounds, Ok or 125 pounds Ok. Over is fine. Under is not.

Ask questions: Always ask questions when on the scale or in the yard. People that are willing to learn make good impressions on yards. Besides, it's to your advantage to keep learning. Hell, I still learn new things to this day.

It's a short basic list, hope it helps.