learning the ropes: good sources of scrap?

[ilyaz]

I've been experimenting with metal scrapping lately. I have a day job so I am considering this to be more of a "hobby". It started when I went for a walk near my office during lunch time and found dozens and dozens of old and new soda cans in a nearby wooded area where people seem to have been dumping trash for millenia. Over a relatively short period of time I was able to collect there in other similar areas about $40 worth of cans. Not much, but not bad either, considering that I am not planning to make it my day job. Also, I thought of this as a "community cleanup effort with benefits"

Anyway, now I want to see if I can expand this to other types of metals, but to make it as profitable as possible without (i) spending huge amounts of time and gas or (ii) turning my backyard into a scrapyard. I don't have a truck, just a station wagon, and I don't have hours to spend driving around looking for scrap. I do, however, occasionally see some stuff sitting at the curb in our neighborhood on a trash pickup day. I also take apart computers and computer components.

I guess this rules out steel and anything bulky regardless of what it's made of. Instead, I should be looking for copper, brass, and aluminum.

What I am looking for are resources, hopefully in one place, that would describe what type of "expensive" metals can be found in what common types of things people throw away. For instance, does a simple lawnmower contain anything other than steel parts? If I take apart a desktop computer, are there any types of cables that are worth salvaging? How much work is involved before I can take something to a scrapyard?

I don't know if it's realistic to expect a single resource covering all these questions, but in any case, I'll appreciate any help!

[MetalMan]

Good question. I'd like to see diagrams, how-to explantions in one site. I'll keep my eye on the net and see if I can find a comprehensive site. I have found you-tube a decent visual on various scrapping topics, but obviously it is no Gray's Anatomy for Scrapping that you're looking for.

[junior30king]

A lot of it is trial and error. Over the years I have found certain items that I prefer to do as well as things I dread doing. Good example: Stripping copper wire or breaking down electric motors. You get more doing it but can be very tedious. I enjoy computers and microwaves.

[ilyaz]

I enjoy computers and microwaves.

In what sense?

What parts are the most valuable?

[junior30king]

Precious metals, which creates a demand for the materials. I have a price sheet under "what did you scrap", microwaves have motors, wiring and only take a few minutes to dismantle. I sell the capacitors and magnatrons.

[ilyaz]

Precious metals, which creates a demand for the materials. I have a price sheet under "what did you scrap", microwaves have motors, wiring and only take a few minutes to dismantle. I sell the capacitors and magnatrons.

What are High grade boards and Low grade boards?

[Dr. Cadmium]

The problem you're going to have is that everyone else is also looking for copper, brass and aluminum. Most of what's easy to find on the curb is light iron, steel and bulky items like grills.

I will second microwaves as a favorite. They're easy find curbside, easy to take apart, often simple to repair, many of the pieces are easy to resell, and when properly separated their scrap value ads up quickly. You can also fit several in a station wagon easily.

Computers are also something you can fit in a smaller vehicle that can often be repaired and resold. However, most yards do not deal with them intact or buy the more specialized scrap materials from them.

A lawnmower or two can aslo be fit into a station wagon, keep tools handy so you can adjust the handles before loading them up. These are also commonly found on the curb and are simple to fix, part out or scrap.

Also, high grade boards are boards that contain precious metals. Low grade boards do not. Most yards do not take circuit boards of any kind, and most of the yards that do pay low amounts for them. They're a specialized item.

[hobo finds]

The problem you're going to have is that everyone else is also looking for copper, brass and aluminum. Most of what's easy to find on the curb is light iron, steel and bulky items like grills.
I will second microwaves as a favorite. They're easy find curbside, easy to take apart, often simple to repair, many of the pieces are easy to resell, and when properly separated their scrap value ads up quickly. You can also fit several in a station wagon easily.

Computers are also something you can fit in a smaller vehicle that can often be repaired and resold. However, most yards do not deal with them intact or buy the more specialized scrap materials from them.

A lawnmower or two can aslo be fit into a station wagon, keep tools handy so you can adjust the handles before loading them up. These are also commonly found on the curb and are simple to fix, part out or scrap.

Also, high grade boards are boards that contain precious metals. Low grade boards do not. Most yards do not take circuit boards of any kind, and most of the yards that do pay low amounts for them. They're a specialized item.

In the long run you can make more money with the steel as the Dr. said everyone takes the other items first! Also not much to breakdown with steel!

[Hades12]

Precious metals, which creates a demand for the materials. I have a price sheet under "what did you scrap", microwaves have motors, wiring and only take a few minutes to dismantle. I sell the capacitors and magnatrons.

Where do you sale the capacitors and magnatrons to? I have been throwing capacitors (motor starters) away.

[ilyaz]

In the long run you can make more money with the steel as the Dr. said everyone takes the other items first! Also not much to breakdown with steel!

Not sure how I can make more money with steel considering that I have a station wagon and little space to store anything on the property.

What I have a lot of is time in the sense that I can accumulate small items slowly and take them to the scrap yard when I have enough, since I do not have to make a living doing this.

[hobo finds]

All I am saying is that you can fill up your wagon with steel faster than the other items. Granted the other stuff makes much more money

[sillllvar]

Hi everyone

I have just started Scrapping part time myself. Took in my 2nd load last weekend and came back with $288. The first experimental trip a couple of weeks ago with a small amount of Num 1 + 2 cu and brass netted $80. I was hooked after that!

I have a small station wagon myself, but before I started this venture I had a tow hitch put on the car. I then picked up a 5x7ft trailer to haul bigger Items with. It has made a diff for sure as I am free to pick up more metal and larger Items.

My major problem here in the northeast is 1:lower prices than other parts of the country and 2: Competition from others.
Where I work during the day there are at least 3 different guys checking out the dumpsters every day. I asked about a free grill on craigslist the other day and the poster said that he had 9 enquirers within 15 mins of posting. Just a couple of examples of the competition. I'm not complaining though because some competition is a good thing!

So I have started small, but am having fun. Thanks for the people who put this site together, I have seen some good tips here. I'm off to pick up 600 pounds of light steel this morning. Not much money in it, but I'll hoard it with the rest of the Iron

Happy scrappin
Al

[fire medic 160]

Just a suggestion but if you run accross a box fan or other similar household item that has tin on it, strip it and keep the metal. I only have a car but if I'm going to the scrapyard with the motor and copper, I try my best to capitilize on it.

[hobo finds]

Just a suggestion but if you run accross a box fan or other similar household item that has tin on it, strip it and keep the metal. I only have a car but if I'm going to the scrapyard with the motor and copper, I try my best to capitilize on it.

You could also throw in any steel cans or other steel items that you get at your house

[metalcollector1]

Just a suggestion but if you run accross a box fan or other similar household item that has tin on it, strip it and keep the metal. I only have a car but if I'm going to the scrapyard with the motor and copper, I try my best to capitilize on it.

tv
there copper brass and other metals

[metalcollector1]

and collect metal in small tins and take it to the scrap yard when you take off your cans
like nuts screws any thing metal
it add up

[Rosco]

Bought 8 small Aluminum meat platters for 50 cents feels like 2# plus

At country Garage Sale

[Jackson]

Walking a busy roadside along vacant or wooded property will result in lots of cans and can often turn up some large/heavy pieces of iron. Sometimes you will even find some copper or brass. Wait till after the first couple of frost's, the poison ivy and bugs will mostly be gone by then.

[Jackson]

Some of the other scrappers in my area drive around the neighborhood on the morning of trash collection before the trash trucks show up. There is often lots of metal scrap sitting next to the trash cans. They toss the stuff into the back of their truck and move on too the next house

Be carefull with this method. Make sure your not violating a local or state code.

[theirrationalist]

There is no state code against picking up scrap metal from the curb. The trash is considered consumer waste, and you have just as much a right to take the scrap as a policeman has to search your garbage for evidence without a warrant. There are a few possible problems that could arise: IF you try to grab scrap from a dumpster, and IF it is privately owned (most are), and IF they see you take their trash, and IF they decide they want to call the police, and IF they give the police your licensee plate, and IF the dumpster owner wants to press charges (usually a waste management service), and IF the police even want to go after you, THEN you MAY get a lawsuit. But most waste management services will not press charges, because they dont want the trash; they want you to take as much trash as posible because that means more profit for them. They don't care about scrap metal, and they want people to come through and pick it up.

However, it is usually illegal, and rightfully so, to take recyclables from the green recycling buckets at the curb. Firstly, its so petty. Secondly, the green recycle bins have scrap that is recycled by the city to help pay for the waste management for the residents. Stealing from these green bins is the type of thing that gives scrappers a bad name, and I can't stand that.

But to answer your question, I dont think going out in the morning is as efficient as going out in the afternoon. When you take your trash to the street, you don't wait until the morning of to do so, especially if you have a big appliance or something. I go out the afternoon before trash collection to collect.

[simplicitycounts]

Good post theirrationalist

[Dr. Cadmium]

theirrationalist: Actually, while most states do not have laws against curbisde scavenging, many cities and towns do!

Generally it's correct that property within x feet of the road and any trash on it is public domain, but there are exceptions.

The local police in one town near me can and do write tickets of $200 on the spot to anyone who picks up metal curbside on trash day, the logic being the same as taking items from recycle bins, that doing so cuts into the town's and/or recycling company's profits.

The way to work around it in this particular case is that it's allowable if you ask the homeowner for permission first.

Moral of the story: always know local laws because they vary greatly from one town or city to the next and the penalties can be severe. That way you'll also know the appropriate loopholes (if any).

Expect to see more ordinances against curbside scavenging in the future. More and more people are grabbing stuff before it can get picked up, many amateurs are being unnecessarily visible, and cities and towns are looking for extra ways to make money including hefty fines.

[davycoppitt]

I work for Sanitation company and here is the law around us. As soon as the trash hits the curb It is considered property of the company I work for, so it would be stealing if someone were to take it(although nothing would ever happen). If the police want something from the garbage they have to call us and have us pick it up for them(happens all the time), since they cannot legally take it without our permission or get a warrant. I personally do not like it when people take metal from the garbage only because that would mean less for me. I keep all the metal I find while picking up trash. I have also heard from homeowners that they do not like people digging through their garbage, but I also believe that the less that goes into the land fill the better and I probably would be doing the same if I were not already picking it up, so I am on the fence with this one.

[theirrationalist]

I work for Sanitation company and here is the law around us. As soon as the trash hits the curb It is considered property of the company I work for, so it would be stealing if someone were to take it(although nothing would ever happen).

So The minute I set my trash on the curb in your town, it becomes owned by Sanitation? If I set my trash at the street, but then realize I accidentally threw out my son's favorite toy and wanted to grab it, doing so would be breaking the law? I'm assuming not. Therefore, it must still be my property. But if it's my property, and I left it on the publicly owned easement property, it is now supposed to be part of the public domain. There must be a very specific local law that bans this in your town, and I don't really agree with it. I can understand people wanting anonymity, but scrapping metal doesn't infringe on privacy at all. I dont think you are on the fence for this one davycoppitt; If you snag metal from peoples garbage you're breaking that same law every day, right? it shouldn't matter that you work for Sanitation.

[davycoppitt]

I don't know the answer to you question about getting a toy out of the garbage,some laws can be insanely stupid and they are getting worse and worse. I'll ask on monday. I know we own the bins that are used for garbage. I also don't know how I would be breaking the law since I have permission from the owners, my bosses, even if I don't have permission from the homeowners. I am on the fence on this one, but for a selfish reason. It helps me and I am a selfish person, others picking up the metal competes with the amount of metals I get. Morally I see nothing wrong with it just because it is against the law doesn't necessarily mean it is wrong.