With metal prices being so low, what are you doing now?

Back when i was a regular here, metal prices were decent. The average guy could make a living and pay bills with the average load.

I've been hanging out with IdahoScrapper lately, and have seen first hand what the prices are like. They're terrible.



So for the average scrapper, what are you doing now? Have you hit it even harder and maybe expanded? Have you down sized and focused on a specific metal type? Or ....?

Haven't been in the game for a while, so it'd be nice to see how folks are doing, and what they're doing.

Mostly CRV, some feebay, thats about it.

wish i had some game to share with ya ---- my days of Hardcore scrapping look like they came and went --- i do everything i can to avoid the scrap yard ----

Scrap was a sideline to my diesel engine business, which was a sideline to my regular job, so the scrap was just a nice bonus, not a primary thing. I retired from the regular job last year and have been working the business full time with some modest success. An unfortunate effect of the drop in scrap prices has been a serious decline in heavy vehicles (trucks, buses, etc.) being scrapped, so pickin's at the yards have been slim lately. There has to be a lot of stuff "laying in the weeds" out there. I heard yesterday that steel prices came up a bit, which may get things moving again.

I may never have qualified as an average scrapper, maybe only a hobby scrapper. Couple of 4 figure payouts, but $50 was more the norm. With going from 9 cents to 2 cents a pound for shred steel, that $50 is now closer to $10. Not much motivation there.

I don't grab everything anymore, only the real desirable stuff that is smaller. Have told family members to not save anything for me that isn't a computer, or to just save the cord on many items. Haven't brought/sent in much of any, if any at all, of non-ferrous in nearing 2 years, but don't have too much more than I did a year ago.

I started with this as a business even if it was for only extra money at first, I made sure that the mistakes I made along the way learning in this business would be put to better planning, side lines for extra sales, working together with others to ensure better prices and faster turn around. I do work a lot more now than ever before because there is so much more money out there with people that have dropped out because a penny a pound for tin somehow does not add up in there minds.
the best part of all this is that with people passing up curbco and clist free stuff, their also passing up the goodies like copper,alu, and so forth because even with smaller amounts it adds up fast. I have been scrapping since I was a kid so I know what even lower prices are than this let alone people older than me that know it even lower. so for me its still high for prices and yards wiling to pay for steel and loads under a set rate is even more special cause a lot are not doing so.
planning a budget not only for money but also for space is a very important and not just overhead, plan your own daily budget so than any extra you can spend later but make that money first.
I do stockpile some things but only higher value items that will not loose a lot in the longer term say 1yr or longer if you wish that is more like a medium risk savings, something that's easy and you can cash out if you need to. otherwise stockpiles are for those who really have large yards and such space, getting stuff in and out fast can make you and your wallet grow.
take advantage of lower gas prices and plan good routes for curbco to make as much as you can in one trip or use your daily routes to other places and add a few streets to it to improve your scouting and cover areas more and often. money is just something as a product of what we do the best idea really is to have the fun of learning and doing what you like but of course TEARING THE CRAP OUT OF STUFF LOL

It was always a side line for me, mainly something to help keep me busy and take up some down time, it never was a main income stream for me. Nothing has changed, other than less trips to the yard, and smaller payouts. Still hoarding copper and brass.

I haven't been to the scrap yard this year because of my truck being stolen. Been out of work since last fall and have focused mainly on resale items and e-waste. I'm planning on getting back into NDE (Non-Destructive Examination) but am just waiting on a call, which should be coming in the next month or so. That will be a real game changer, although I'll be out of town for the majority of the time most likely. I plan on getting a truck at that point and stating an LLC. Since i'll most likely be laid-off during the winter, I plan on using that time to pound the pavement and lay the foundation for my business. Stay tuned....

I do not scrap as a full time job ...
I deal mostly in electronics - the prices for boards has gone down a bit, but the prices for parts is about the same.
On the scrap metal end of things, I bought junk air compressors recently - fixed one of them ( using the other's parts ), repainted it, and sold it for a nice profit. The donor I'm right now parting out.

I do not destroy items if there are parts I can sell.

the mystery wrapped in a riddle....what is better?...low gas and metal prices...or high gas and high metal prices?

I have a job so this is not my main sorce of income. But I stuck threw these bad times. Getting large volume of material I wouldnt have gotten when the prices were 250-270 a ton for shred and everyone and there mom was out scrapping. I flip my steel as it takes up to much space and hold onto copper, wire, brass and cash some in here and there when i get half a pick up bed full of cans. I gained a auto body shop as his guy stopped answering his phone. Also scored a machine shop. They keep the good stuff but i still get the steel, but some times there is some alum or brass in the mix. I never thought of the amount of appliances there were at curb. co now that everyone quit scrapping. Before it was a washer or dryer once every couple of months, and now its like 3 or 4 a week. Same with gas grills. lucky to find a few a year and one night last summer i found 5 in one area. Prices are starting to rise so ive been seeing other guys starting to go around again and the cord cutters are back at it. we all love those cord cutters.

Like a lot of the other goys on here I have a full time job beyond the scraping but I'm still at it in all my free time I'm making up for lower prices with a lot more junk. I have been selling non-ferrous just like always, I've sold many a pound of copper at $0.50 so these prices ain't too bad, far as shred if the yard is between pickup and home it gets sold right away, if home is closer it goes in the pile (I have plenty of room to stack junk)

less scrapping trips to the yard. more drinking.

I have a regular full time job... Scrapping is mainly for extra money and to supplement paying bills. I keep on doing it but there isn't even as much out there as there used to be.... I have stopped saving steel but I kill time when I feel like it knocking apart lawn mower engines, air conditioners (that have been properly drained/recovered when I get them. and whatever else given to me... I have a regular line on lawnmowers and A/C units... I also like to buy/sell/trade on Facebook. So I am not making money like I used to but it is still coming in slowly.

Retiring towards the end of the month. Not due to low prices, but due to medical issues and the truck having given up the ghost.

I'll still be a hobby scrapper though, mostly ewaste.