the forum seems quiet lately...

[Jedimaster]

Same as most others keep popping in everyday but I'm not a full time scrapper well not yet any way.



Been doing more fridges and freezers lately got a nice pile of compressor motors to strip down.

Been looking into setting up full time scrapping fridges but its gonna cost a lot of cash just to go and do the froen course (gas from the fridge) is £800.

Problem I'm having is non of the Recycling company's round my area are not willing to offer any info or help for a one man bang like myself.

[HipoGear]

Canadian price of scrap copper is holding at 1.90 canadian.... However, now that it is winter, not much copper flow is happening.

With the exchange rate, that makes your copper about $1.31 U.S. Sounds like a good deal for someone that could bring it over the border. I'm only an hour from the border, but can't even get myself over ... no passport, or upgraded license. I miss the good old days when you could cross just by answering a few questions

[aurum]

I don't post too much either, just so busy all the time. Getting more and more volume, and at times hard to keep up. But I do check the forum one or twice a week, and try to post if there is some topic I can contribute to.

[DakotaRog]

Nice to hear from everyone that's posted!

I need to work some larg off as well but my plan to eat a lot of venison didn't pan out this season, we only got 1 smaller deer that mostly in going into meat sticks. If I eat a decent steak or similar protein and eat non-starchy veggies and not snack at night, maybe bust some fat. I didn't snack at all last night (other than 1 pop) so maybe that's a start.

Yeah, the cold makes this harder to get motivated. Just have a single space heater for my side of the garage. Screwed up when I built this place not wiring in a 220 to put in an overhead garage heater for my side and don't do enough scrapping to justify the cost now (nor what to have that fight with the wifey who hates my scrapping). Need to take stuff down in smaller amounts to the utility room and break it down there. Saw an ad on CL with someone who wanted someone (for free) to come pull out a half stripped truck and take the carcass away with the temp hovering around zero F. Not that I'm a wussy when it comes to the cold (still hunt and trap when its sub-zero windchills and such), just that's its not as much fun. I see that ad is gone so maybe someone went out to wrestle $10 of steel out the snowy resting spot or maybe the guy just gave up until another time...

[bigburtchino]

I try to check in once a day, sometimes to busy or nothing to say. I keep a laptop on SMF at work or home almost 24/7 even if I'm not sitting in front of it, as I just like the "mix" of everyone's point of view! Two weeks ago went on a mini vacation, GF caught me checking in on work and SMF on my phone, got my A$$ yelled at for not relaxing, kept myself off for a week.

[DakotaRog]

Hope you vaca was somewhere warm...

[jonnyjeb]

Still teaching full time so it's tough to get on and say anything worthwhile...Still here though, trying to decide what to hoard and what to sell.......

[tski72]

Been trying to keep busy, making a few new connections on the forum and just been taking waste apart. Been looking at the "better than scrap" value lines and testing the ebay waters for a few things that people can't complaint that they done work. Doing some reading here and always at least once a day see whats posted or just re-read some old threads. If something sparks my interest and I can contribute, I do.

[ChildhoodDream]

I have to use others computers as I can't get a dial up connection worth having anymore. Seems that there are to many pups and not enough teats or something.

I even notice that those I know that have the so called high speed connections through my phone company don't have the greatest service either. Even the public computer at the Library that I'm on now has it's speed and connections issues.

So as I have to leave the TIME capsule so that I may surf the net, I have gotten used to doing other things around the salvage yard such as sorting through some of the treasures and doing plenty of relaxing and thinking of the year ahead.

What I miss most about not being able to surf the net is keeping track of the weather and the popular talk of the world as I don't read current publications, listen to radio or watch TV programing of any sort unless I'm visiting with others that have it on.

So I have some TIME to read around these boards and see what is new in the world beyond my little private world.

may the farce be with you, Will Robinson

[silverockdzl]

I have been checking for new threads a couple times a week. I quit posting want ads on CL over a year ago and since then I have stopped picking up scrap as it is not worth it to me as a hobby scrapper. However, I do have a couple repeat customers that I don't turn down as they have given me a lot of good stuff that I have resold for a good profit. I actually just got a call 2 days ago from one gal who has a little bit of stuff for me to pick up. It will likely be some microwaves or light fixtures(Hey Rog, I will contact you to see if you want some items to break down) but it is not much so I will take it off her hands.

While I am not picking up much at this time or possibly ever again, I do still consider myself a scrapper. I have recently broken down about 80 or so hard drives and I have been able to break down a bunch of brass pieces from all of the grills and water heaters that I had picked up the last 2 years. The hard drives went surprisingly fast. I purchased a miniature screw driver set from Lowes that has bits for breaking down escrap. I used a cordless drill with the bits and busted through the hard drives in the evenings when the kids were in bed. I would fire up Netflix and watch a movie or remodeling shows while I worked on the hard drives. The brass grill parts went quick too although I did those in my garage. I bought a garage heater last fall to accompany the insulation I installed in the ceiling a couple years ago. I normally leave the thermostat around 40 degrees to keep things from freezing. When I need to do some work(tore apart my 4wheeler to rebuild the front diff) I crank up the heater. In no time, the garage is nice and warm and great to work in. The only problem is that I haven't been out to my shop much as I bring things to the garage so I can be close to the family.

So, since I am posting I am going to just keep rambling for a minute. I have also been purchasing broken dryers to repair and resell. I have mentioned this in the past so I am kinda repeating myself. Ok, continuing on. I just picked up a 2 year old dryer that is showing the dreaded "needs new control board" code. I probably paid too much for it but, if and when I get it repaired I will be able to double my investment. I ordered a new relay for the control board which I am hoping will fix the problem. The rest of the control board is fully functional. The relays go bad from the high current draw when the dryer is started. I have repaired electronics since college so I can swap out the relay and hopefully bring the dryer back to life.

Ok. Ok. I am done now. I just want to try to contribute a little bit back to this site as I have learned so much from the rest of you. Good luck fellers.

[DakotaRog]

Yeah, M, we'll get in touch. I need to create some more flat space in my pile to start laying out pheasants skins to dry. I'm behind schedule this year. Maybe next weekend...

[submarinepainter]

I check in from time to time, scrap is a part time thing for me right now . I do notice I have to put a lot more into it to make my 100.00 a run . leaving less time to post !

[Area67]

I sold my yard before the bottom dropped out (whew) and took 6 months off. My body healed up really well (better than I dreamed possible). Back at it with some accounts and helping a local upcycler (amazing world). Running lean and mean in all directions. Low prices = big opportunity. Seems like the best time in years to sell car parts from junkers. I will make a point to share some results.

[philshark2]

I haven't gotten any material for scrapping lately, and I dont have a truck yet so I cant drive and pick up scrap.

[SteelMill]

I check in a few times a week, but, I've really moved away from scrap. Anytime I generate an amount worth selling from a project, I just stack it on the back of the property. It's no longer really worth it to scrap steel, so, ill be stockpiling until prices go back up.

[TrashureSeeker]

I like stripping wire much more when it is cold, the insulation just rips off instead of wobbling around under the blades.

[Scrappah]

I'm around from time to time but the new job is a real bear. They moved me up into a department head position after the first month on the job.A lot of responsibility and more than a few sleepless nights.

Not much fun to be around lately so i've been keeping it on the DL.

[miked]

I'm around from time to time but the new job is a real bear. They moved me up into a department head position after the first month on the job.A lot of responsibility and more than a few sleepless nights.

Not much fun to be around lately so i've been keeping it on the DL.

Congrats. Sounds like great news to me. Mike

[Kalvlin]

I am on about once a week- waiting, no hoping for the good news of some prices going up somewhere. Holding onto a ton of ferrous and a few hundred pounds of copper wire and aluminum scrap.
After sending in 3 pallets of e waste I am burned out so I am taking a break for a few weeks.... then I'll be back up and running, playing catch up again. BUT I would not do it if I did not enjoy it.
It helps me keep my sanity in this crazy world.
Over and out

[Freakbilly]

I pop in time to time just to make sure I haven't transcended into a alternate reality or anything... All the scrappers in my area have just vanished. Never see loaded down trucks or even trucks crawling around on trash night anymore. The local yards are empty, used to there would be a hour or more wait to weigh in and unload on saturdays, not anymore. I couldn't tell you the last time I saw anything scrap related on the curb, even the local city waste trucks that do "large item / bulk pickup" that normally have tons of tv's and appliances in the back now rarely have anything besides furniture.

It's almost like no one throws out anything anymore and it didn't happen over time, just all at once. I drive a lot with my job and even the back woods areas that throw things over the hillside are clean (not complaining about that though, that's a good thing). The only things I get anymore are the occasional lead acid battery from power chairs at work, and random items through people at work, church and the like. I mainly stop in just to study and see others post about current endeavors to make sure the years I've spent scrapping were not just a weird dream I had .

I have a feeling since West Virginia leads the nation on drug overdose rates, and with the media coverage of junkies destroying ac units, electric lines and abandoned houses to scrap things, scrapping now more than ever, has a bad veneer to it. The actions of a few have affected everyone. People have returned from vacation to find flooded basements where people broke in and cut the copper pipes out and ripped the walls apart for the wiring! It's crazy.

I've seen people throw my business cards away and mumble about "get a real job" under their breath, I just smile and keep it moving. I work 60+ hours a week delivering and setting up medical equipment (hospital beds, oxygen systems, power chairs, etc) for a living. It seems if your under 50 years old in my area scrapping, you are a "druggy". No matter if you work full time plus some, own your own 2004 f150 truck that isn't beat up or rusty and 95% of the time very clean, speak clearly and warmly, wearing a "I <3 my church" wristband from a church fundraiser and a wedding ring (will be married three years this august). All of that is just a clever disguise I suppose.

I'm only 29, so I'm just a "no good punk looking for a fix" as one person told me. Yet these same people wonder why young people stay in so much trouble and conflict anymore... You guys give me hope that one day, recycling and scrapping will have a positive view in my area, since WV tends to move years behind in social norms and trends. Kudos to the people who adapt and overcome adverse conditions in this market, you help give me the motivation to keep on truckin'!