Results 1 to 13 of 13

Your Dream Find While Scrapping?

| A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
  1. #1
    DJWhiteGuy started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Southfield, MI
    Posts
    12
    Thanks
    8
    Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts

    Question Your Dream Find While Scrapping?

    I guess this is mainly directed at curbside scrappers and the like. We all go out and try to find lots of precious metals in appliances/computers/etc. BUT, what is your dream find, be it scrap metal or an actual item you could use (maybe with a little fixing up)? Even if its not your dream item, what are your better finds while out?



    Dream find: a discarded diamond ring someone forgot in a jewelry case. I always search large piles where someone was clearly evicted/etc. and hope a ring slipped through the cracks.



    Honorable Mentions:
    -Money
    -Candles. Girlfriend loves melting them down and making new ones. Always brownie points for me
    -CZ Diamond with certification. Est. value $50.
    -A Knight Statue, iron. Was a fireplace tool holder, now a statue for me.
    -Two cases of discarded Pepsi. Cans were sealed, tasted great!
    -A giant glass pig. Girlfriend currently throws spare change in it. Its just awesome.

    Have only been scrapping for six months, so looking forward to more interesting finds!

  2. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by DJWhiteGuy:



  3. #2
    brandon's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2011
    Location
    North Carolina
    Posts
    787
    Thanks
    46
    Thanked 673 Times in 310 Posts
    When I was curb shopping my eyes were open for anything. My most memorable finds were:
    1) $35 face value in silver dimes in old suitcases with two modern $50 bills attached = $1000 total at silver prices on the day. kept
    2) Westnofa Siesta Chair with footstool = $800-$1000. kept
    3) Kovacs chrome stacked orb lamp, needed new cord, $145. sold
    4) Wassily Chair, chrome and white leather, $2-$300, still have
    5) 13 Russell Woodard, Sculptura line, outdoor chairs, Sold 5 pieces for $600, kept 8 pieces.
    6) An art print titled ZERMATT, a 60's print of a 30's painting, Jan 2010 auction results from Christies in London $24,000. hanging on the wall
    I have found gold and silver jewelry, autographed music posters, cd's, dvd's, and so much other stuff that I have sold at yard sales and flea markets that I cant remember what I had.

    I guess most of my good finds are mid century modern items, and that is probably why I am hanging on to them.
    My fortune cookie said:
    You discover treasures where others see nothing unusual.

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to brandon for This Post:


  5. #3
    eesakiwi's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    2,531
    Thanks
    2,909
    Thanked 2,556 Times in 1,227 Posts
    These, they have made me sooo much money since I found them....

  6. #4
    greytruck's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Thornton, Illinois
    Posts
    1,875
    Thanks
    1,640
    Thanked 1,735 Times in 895 Posts
    I once saw a scrapper digging threw an old sofa for change. Thought that might be a good idea, but also a easy way to get stuck with a herroin needle

  7. #5
    ScrappinRed's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    texas
    Posts
    709
    Thanks
    319
    Thanked 710 Times in 342 Posts
    Went out on bulk trash day in my neighborhood, and literally 10 houses down from my house this guy and his son were stacking 3 PALLETS with 486 computers, monitors, printers, etc. I pulled up and asked if I could have them, and help them bring out ALL THE REST that were in the garage. The guy got so excited he started handing me boxes of ram and finger cards. That was a great find!! Also great to watch all the other scrappers pull up, stop, ask, and be told, "she's already got it all, thanks!" LOL
    ~You have to start somewhere to get anywhere~

  8. The Following 5 Users say Thank You for This Post by ScrappinRed:


  9. #6
    ggariepy's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Southeast Michigan
    Posts
    157
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked 114 Times in 58 Posts
    My best trash find ever was on the day I decided to walk my dog behind the Blockbuster video and discovered their dumpster was *full* of the video tapes they had stopped carrying that day. I dug over 800 VHS tapes out of that dumpster and made hundreds of dollars on them. I have had other really good days too, but that one stands out as the single best day.

    After the store manager found his dumpster empty the next morning, they started smashing every tape they threw out (there weren't many more.)

  10. #7
    happyisthealero's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2012
    Location
    michigan
    Posts
    529
    Thanks
    439
    Thanked 114 Times in 83 Posts
    that manager is stupid, one good reason would be that why would you pay people to break VHS when you should be paying them to help run your store. That my friend is just pure ignorance, if they can't sell it and you can, "we should break them" Yea that makes sense, lol.

  11. #8
    Mechanic688's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Warsaw , Ind. In the heart of the lakes, and down the street from the hotel where Al Capone stayed.
    Posts
    9,568
    Thanks
    11,247
    Thanked 10,730 Times in 4,728 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by happyisthealero View Post
    that manager is stupid, one good reason would be that why would you pay people to break VHS when you should be paying them to help run your store. That my friend is just pure ignorance, if they can't sell it and you can, "we should break them" Yea that makes sense, lol.
    That goes on more often than you can imagine. I know of a non-profit that does it. It comes out of their donation bin and if they cannot use/sell it in their little storefront then it gets busted and thrown into the dumpster.
    P & M Recycling - Specializing in E-Waste Recycling.
    If you enjoy your freedom, thank a vet.

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Mechanic688 for This Post:


  13. #9
    happyisthealero's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2012
    Location
    michigan
    Posts
    529
    Thanks
    439
    Thanked 114 Times in 83 Posts
    There should be a place to recycle the VHS. Instead of just throwing them in the dumpster

  14. #10
    ggariepy's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Southeast Michigan
    Posts
    157
    Thanks
    87
    Thanked 114 Times in 58 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Mechanic688 View Post
    That goes on more often than you can imagine. I know of a non-profit that does it. It comes out of their donation bin and if they cannot use/sell it in their little storefront then it gets busted and thrown into the dumpster.
    I'm sure that in the case of the Blockbuster, there was probably some deal that forbade them from destroying the local market for the movies by dumping them in the dumpster intact. Some assistant manager probably was lazy figuring that nobody would ever look in the dumpster. Then I came along.

    Same thing happens with softcover books and magazines. Check out the dumpster behind a bookstore on the right night and you will find stacks of unsold periodicals. They will have their covers torn off or mutilated. It's done to protect the market for the merchandise; after all, if word gets out that all you have to do to get a free copy of Time Magazine is just wait until the next one comes out, how many would they sell?

    Dumpsters are fun, my friends.

    --Geoff

  15. #11
    Gravitar's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Central Texas
    Posts
    1,086
    Thanks
    1,258
    Thanked 1,431 Times in 525 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by happyisthealero View Post
    There should be a place to recycle the VHS. Instead of just throwing them in the dumpster
    If you really wanted to recycle them, you can take the time to take out all of the tape and sell the plastic. That's recycling, and you get to smash stuff.
    Made in China, Recycled in the Republic of Texas!

    "When the mind fails, brute force prevails" - CTSSolutions

  16. #12
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    China
    Posts
    53
    Thanks
    27
    Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts
    Nice subject.

  17. #13
    Jillyenator's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Asheville, NC. Also Arizona.
    Posts
    346
    Thanks
    853
    Thanked 280 Times in 142 Posts
    Busting up perfectly useful items is a particular peeve of mine.

    I used to work at a Muffin shop, as a teen. Every day, we'd throw away 50 pounds of fresh made muffins. I begged and pleaded with management, and eventually we found a pair of nuns that would come by every day at closing to bring them to a homeless shelter.

    Don't even talk to me about destroying books, which I would be forced to do at Waldenbooks once. Sacrilege!

  18. The Following User Says Thank You to Jillyenator for This Post:



  19. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. you never know what your going to find
      By gueroinchicago in forum Misc. Metal Recycling
      Replies: 20
      Last Post: 10-13-2014, 12:06 AM
    2. Dream Machine Wiring Stripping Like The Pro's
      By theelectronrecycler in forum Scrap Metal Videos
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 10-01-2012, 11:41 AM
    3. just started scrapping...first find
      By Troyer16 in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 07-15-2012, 11:10 AM
    4. Check this find out!!
      By newattitude in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 20
      Last Post: 07-02-2012, 07:57 PM
    5. Need advice scrapping trailers! New to scrapping!
      By Instaed in forum Scrap Metal Questions and Answers
      Replies: 10
      Last Post: 01-11-2011, 08:59 AM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook