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I'm a trash picker period...and once you start picking...lol.
Some days are a bust sure, but they take everything around here on trash day, so you never know what you'll find.
I'm not just looking for metal, I look for stuff I can use and re-sell too, I doubt I'll ever find the "motherload" and strike it rich, but I wouldn't keep doing it if it wasn't worth it.
Scrap, i been getting lucky running right after 4:30 pm and been loading up each time. And the competition in orlando will never give up. Will just never happen when you can stand in a scrap yard and watch 30 fully loaded trucks and trailers drop of every hour. Only days ive seen that have been slow are days that fall under holidays and trash night.
Well ive been out as well i been doing recon on the local area scrappers and casually talking to them till i figure out what times they usually go out. Then if i find there car out on my route ill plan for before they go out and hit the area again in the morning. Its been working out and they seem not to even notice me filling up my car a few times. But i have been getting alot of electronics by going out early.
Have you tried the oveido area? Or the Curry ford area. both are high population spots with least amount of HOA's which are a pain in the @ss....tell someone to put the trash out only from 6a to 12pm just wtf
Paper,plastic,glass,metal,textile,chemicals,tile,b ricks,wood,plants,cardboard,vegetable oil,electronics,furniture,ceramics,compost,or any combination of these things is left out by almost every house i pass by,all have some value to someone,therefore with a little research you can find a buyer for any of these things. I know most of us will pass by hundreds of pounds of cardboard,just to collect metal,some folks vice versa.Some of this depends on is this worth my time,or efforts to get,and some of this kind of depends on your situation,transportation,space,financial,upset spouse. Myself, i concentrate of things of good value,things that dont take long to break down ,smaller items,or things that i can sell fast,and i ride past the cardboard,glass,cans,tvs,freezers,washers... I realize im leaving alot of money on the ground just because i dont have the time,or space for it all. With a bigger truck,a trailer,and a rented storage space,and a little help,i would get everything i can.
I dont but I might start. A bit worried though, someone may call the police if they see me going through their bins.
If I also add a note or two. Since Onee mentioned (bins) under no circumstances should anyone go through receptacles designated or provided by recycling and or garbage removal companies. That is considerd stealing. There are a lot of towns around here. All provide small bins for recycling ( pop cans, newspapers, beer bottles, ect..) Some towns, not all provide large trash receptacles that you throw you Reg garbage into. These are also not to be gone threw looked in or sifted over. It's bad taste and reflects poorly on scrappers. If its on the curb past the side walk then it is considerd free reign. At least in this area. Between the side walk and street is city easement. Only the city can tell you not to take it given that its placed by the homeowner for removal. Dumpsters in apt complexes are also considerd trespassing. Most of this is common sense. Lastly please, anyone who goes through peoples personal trash cans STOP. Take the only obvious items set out. You make people feel violated when you take the lid off their garbage and rifle through. Stick to taking pita items to get rid if like furniture ( if that's your thing) appliances, Electronics, or whatever else you scrap. Have a little bit of etiquette and common sense out there. AND WEAR GLOVES!
:cool:found a 47" zenith flatscreen sticking out of a bin yesterday watching it now, could not resist that one.
Glad I found this site tonight, tomorrow's trash day for me, and I'm feeling inspired lol. I'm about to take my truck out and see what I can find. It'll be my first search :D, I'll post up if I find anything.
Im sorry but those "Personal" trash bags are the ones that have the high end money pieces. If you leave a mess bad form. but if you can get through the whole bag and not leave a mess i say go for it.
I just got back from my first time going out to look for scrap. Ive picked up some things here and there in the past, but it was always just places I was passing in route to home or work. I spent about 30 min or so driving around, and turned up with nothing to scrap. I did however find a 12ft fiberglass ladder someone had left on the curb. Not really sure why they were throwing it away seeing that it was still perfect. So instead of removing the aluminum steps off of it, I think Ill be adding this to my tool collection.
My wife's uncle and I went out one night when he started with me. I told him to prepare for nothing as there was TONS of scrappers that drove around. We managed to find 2 little bicycles that my 2 daughters love, a satellite dish, and a few other things.
I live in a townhouse area where our trash is placed near the garages in the alley. I have access to about 30 townhouses within walking distance. My favorite is my neighbor two doors down that continually throws away power tools. Most of the time the tools work perfectly.
I never fully understand why people throw out the things they do. Oh well....
Cheers!
Tom
I "Curb-shop" where I live on Mon. and Thurs..
Mostly (for eficiantcy) because I can work as soon as I leave the door.
I found other neighborhoods along my route that have Tue. and Fri. pick-ups too.
This is a nice area where people average over 110k/yr. ,so plenty of lawn-mowers and stuff they don't have time to fix (easily).
I try to go in the morning instead of eve. .
The trucks HAVE to go later in the morning (I figure) because otherwise, they would complain the truck arrived before they put their "crap" out.
The Low-income places tend to have MORE since the high move-in/out rates. Plus people there tend to be less "Kooky" about it all. (In apt.s I have to be careful to be quiet as possible, while making sure to toss left-overs in garbage)
Tends to be a race though. I try to be careful about the recycle bins, since those aren't going to land-fills, and in D.C. ,for example, so many people were taking cans they had to put out public service mssg.s that it WAS NOT for public, etc. there.
I heard FL has GREAT thrift-stores, I Imagine it's because when the elderly there die , thier relatives donate the stuff,
(rather than transporting it to where they live) ...There's probably some good scrap to be had at those there, I Imagine.
It's always funny when I'm racing against the trash trucks, then I get back home to get another load,
and worry they'll see where I live tho'!
Some mornings I've gotten two loads, then had plenty to keep me disassembling (in garage) rest o' day...
Thursdays I tend to not even hit my regular thrift shop, or no time (Due to liability they want me to pick up before hours, or after....stupid d*mn lawyers...I swear!).
One morning I saw some alum. doors, (I usually unsrew one screw, and pry the rest apart)...
I heard "Knock, Knock ,Knock" on the window, looked up and there was a very overweight black lady with no shirt on!
I was like ,"can I take these, please?" She stated firmly out the window ,"NO!"
Thing is I was wondering why she was butt-neked, looking at her garbage pile???
I could only think she was waiting for the regular garbage men , to watch them while doing something VERY PREVERTED!!!!(LOL)
Only thing I can figure about that one!;)
:cool: