Scrapping several trailers on one property. Need Advice! (With Pics)

Today was much better. First and foremost my stress level has gone down. After speaking with family about the water situation and the slow progress I was offered compensation for working on the water service. This turns out to be a win for everyone involved.

The foundation tenants get water service (Including us) and we get some breathing room to finish the trailers plus the foundation gets a better rate for the plumbing bill than if an outside contractor was hired for the work. A big relief all the way around.

Tonight the pipes will set and tomorrow we'll be able to test the lines.

Also depending on the weather we will get the bigger trailer and take a load to the scrap yard. I'm taking advice from the forum and loading anything metal that's not bolted down. I know of a couple water heaters, 3 bath tubs and the metal that's been staged so far. I'm encouraged at the thought of getting some cash in hand for the first time since beginning.

Today's work
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6259.jpg

Getting to the bad pipe
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6266.jpg

The replacement
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6276.jpg

We are hoping this takes care of it
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6280.jpg

At least we have water at the pump house so we can fill containers to get by.

I don't know if it's been mentioned, but check the water heaters for copper water lines and brass fittings. Just unscrew or cut these and throw into separate buckets. Each may not amount to much, but it adds up pretty quick. Cut the ends of the aluminum window frames off that have die-cast or steel attachments. The main pieces will go as Extrusion. Then, when you have time, you can spread the ends to separate the die-cast or just throw it as Mixed Metal. Make sure to ask the price of aluminum screen before taking it up there. My yard actually gave me less for aluminum screen than Light Iron. I'd have been ahead stuffing the screens into an appliance.

Took in some window screens myself and our yard just paid 0.03 per pound on them. Yeah, they are getting stuffed into other items.

Why do screens pay less than normal metals? They're made of metal, aren't they?

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Originally Posted by Scrap man

Why do screens pay less than normal metals? They're made of metal, aren't they?

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They're made of aluminum, which makes even less sense that they'd be worth less than Light Iron. But for some reason, it is.

Since my last update, I have power at the work site. That alone has made a HUGE difference on our speed.

We have also made it to the scrap yard twice. We have made a few hundred bucks and our fuel consumption runs $21 bucks per round trip. Not to mention the fuel consuption on the property to and from the burn pile.

Our aluminum that we took 4 days to harvest and clean brought 19 dollars at .50c per pound.

I am definitely going to need a sawsall and several blades. I'll check pawnshops for stock and prices.

All in all it feels good to get some cash in our pockets, but I wouldn't be doing this as a normal business transaction if all things were equal. The amount of labor in taking apart the wood, sheet rock, fiberglass, glass, ect. is putting are man hour labor rate at $1.64 per hour each.

But family helps family and it's going both ways.

I also found a use for all the cinder blocks we will be displacing during the process.

Our local scrapyard
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6305.jpg

The trailer today
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6322.jpg

To keep the mud off our shoes, we made a walkway by our home
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6318.jpg

Fixing the roads slowly
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6315.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6312.jpg

Looks like airplane wings. I'd like to collect on that aluminum
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6311.jpg

slightly used car for sale
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6308.jpg

Thats a good use of the blocks.

Did you turn in the sheet alum from the siding? Or was the $19.00 just the window frames?

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Originally Posted by hobo finds

Did you turn in the sheet alum from the siding? Or was the $19.00 just the window frames?

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We still have the siding. It takes up so much space for what it weighs that I'm still deciding on the best way to deal with getting it down to the scrap yard.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6323.jpg



I have some galvanized pipe on the property that is twisted up with dirt in it. How does that get weighed? Do they count the mud inside it? Will the scrap yard want to pay a lower rate on the whole load if it's in the trailer?


We bought a sawsal and a new sledge hammer today. I broke the sledge hammer we were using on the steel frame. I learned today that I could break the welds with it. I just need to be more careful. (No handle was available.)
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6329.jpg


The sawsal looks like it will be able to handle everything from here. Depending on the weather we hope to make some good time tomorrow.
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...DSCN6332-1.jpg

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6330.jpg

The scrap yard will still probably pay normal mixed metal rates for the pipe. But just in case, you might want to mix it in with some other stuff. As for the siding, strap a few pieces on top of everything when you go to your yard. It doesn't take up much room and it helps hold stuff down. Other than that, good luck and keep posting

Its pretty easy to fold that siding into smaller,compact pieces.

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Originally Posted by Scrap man

The scrap yard will still probably pay normal mixed metal rates for the pipe.

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We have been getting .12c per pound. Is that the mixed metal rate?

How are you going to cut up the steel beams? Will they fit on the trailer that long after you break off the welds of the cross pieces?

It might take awhile but if you have good blades the sawzall will cut them beams no problem.

I don't know your location but .12 for mix sounds about right... the yard i have been taking cars to is paying 260/ton for cars which equates to .13 / lb. They recently were paying 250 for cars which was .125 and they normally pay about $10/ton less than cars, for mixed so you're getting 240/ton, which is going rate here...

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Originally Posted by hobo finds

How are you going to cut up the steel beams? Will they fit on the trailer that long after you break off the welds of the cross pieces?

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I can run about three cuts per El Diablo metal cutting blade in the sawzall. I'll go through my share of blades, but that 12amp sawzall is a freaking beast.

I put a little liquid wrench on the axle bolts and take them apart by hand to save blades.

Do you have a metal blade for a Skilsaw? I cut some steel recently and had better luck and quicker speed versus a sawzall.

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Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

Do you have a metal blade for a Skilsaw? I cut some steel recently and had better luck and quicker speed versus a sawzall.

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I tried with one in my DeWalt and it didn't go very well. I could try putting it on the electric 9amp black and decker skilsaw I have and see if I have better luck.

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...n/DSCN6219.jpg

Since you can burn the wood on the property, you will save a lot of money on the disposal fees.

If you are not in a huge hurry, I would remove all of the wiring and set it aside for a later project.

Make sure you are sorting all the different types of metals and selling them to your scrap yard separately.

This will make you a lot more money from this project. Once you get the big and bulky metal from all the

trailers hauled in, you can then take all the electrical wiring that you set aside before and strip it down.

The electric wire (once it has been stripped) should be able to be sold as #1 copper which is worth a lot more

than insulated or #2.

Sounds like you have yourself a great project - tear it up and have fun!