Lots of scrap, no ideas, please help

**jessej21** · 08-31-2012, 01:34 PM

The company I work for has given me the ok to remove and aluminim from one of our old beverage trucks before it is sold to a junkyard. I have removed the roof and doors, but there is a lot of weight still on the body. (1000+) lbs.

Here is my situation:

The body is 1/2 inch thick in some parts.
The truck doesn't run so it cant be moved.
I cant scrap the whole truck because it had to be sold in acordance with my companys accounting rules.

I am not a scrapper, I just see a way we can raise some cash to buy stuff for my employees.

Any thoughts on how to cut out the posts and frame parts?

BTW the mess you see in the one bay was from trying to rip it out with a forklift. It didnt work out well for the forklift so that is not an option.

Thanks for any ideas.

I cant post a picture yet, so if you need one, email me and I will send it.

**Eepah** · 08-31-2012, 01:53 PM

Dear jesseJ21

First welcome to the forum. It's kind of hard to tell without a picture, but I would say a sawzall or a torch might be my weapons of choice.
Please be careful using a torch around those gas tank(s). If you don't know how to run a torch, I would get someone with experience or stick with the sawzall.

Be careful and good luck. If you can post a pic, that would be a big help to some others here that might have other ideas.

Just my .02 worth

Eepah

**jessej21** · 08-31-2012, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Eepah

Dear jesseJ21

First welcome to the forum. It's kind of hard to tell without a picture, but I would say a sawzall or a torch might be my weapons of choice.
Please be careful using a torch around those gas tank(s). If you don't know how to run a torch, I would get someone with experience or stick with the sawzall.

Be careful and good luck. If you can post a pic, that would be a big help to some others here that might have other ideas.

Just my .02 worth

Eepah

I think because I am new it wont let me attach pictures. It is basicly like a soda or beer truck. I have been using a sawzal but I think the metal is just too thick. I am thinking of renting a plasma cutter, is it something I can do myself?

**taterjuice** · 08-31-2012, 02:31 PM

Just get a 10 lb sledgehammer and go buck wild on it !

**Eepah** · 08-31-2012, 02:35 PM

Hi JesseJ21

If it's like the size of a soda or beer truck, just be cautious of what you cut first, next, next, etc. What I mean is as your cutting, plan your moves so nothing falls on you. Be sure to be able to scramble to safety just in case.... As far as doing it yourself, it should be doable. With help, it would be much easier.

I know that I am probably more cautious than some other guys here, but I have gotten several "knots" on my head from stuff falling on me, and most times it is just because I didn't think things through.

As far as the plasma cutters go, the guys on the forum that have them in general really like them. I (unfortunately) don't have one but it is on my list of tools to buy
Good luck my friend and be safe

Eepah

**KeyCityRecycling** · 08-31-2012, 02:38 PM

You need to upload your photos to a site like Photobucket, and then enter the link to the photo here on the forum. The forum doesn't allow attachments.

**KeyCityRecycling** · 08-31-2012, 02:54 PM

Best thing for cutting up a beer truck box is one of these.

But since you likely don't have one the next best thing would be a plasma cutter. Next best to that is a motorized chop saw (handheld cement saw, looks a lot like a chain saw with a big cutting wheel). You can rent them at the local rental place if you don't have one available.

You will be wasting your time and a lot of money trying to melt through it with a torch.

Most of the aluminum from the box will be extrusion which is a higher grade aluminum then just your run of the mill clean aluminum so make sure you get paid properly when you sell it. Could be a difference in $0.20/pound.

If you brought the box to me I would buy the entire box for 5000/6000 series aluminum if you could haul it in whole. The price difference between the extrusion price and 5000/6000 price wouldn't be worth your time to cut it up. You would need to remove the larger metallic or steel parts such as any springs and cables from the doors though first before you hauled it in.

Since you have a fork truck available you might try and detach the whole box from the truck, find someone with a trailer if you don't have one yourself and load the box on the trailer with the fork truck and haul the whole box to the scrap yard in one piece. You won't really gain anything money wise per pound by cutting it up.

**IdahoScrapper** · 08-31-2012, 06:31 PM

If you rent a plasma cutter, you're going to need a compressor, or rent one as well. Although I hear some machines have a built in compressor. I have no experience with those.

By the time you figure time, labor, expenses it may be better to go the route KeyCityRecycling has suggested.

**ResourcefulRecycling** · 08-31-2012, 07:20 PM

Or find a local scrapper on here that will do it.

**Mechanic688** · 08-31-2012, 09:01 PM

here you go; http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/smf-s...rum-video.html

**jessej21** · 09-05-2012, 09:44 AM

Sorry for the delay, work has been insane, here is the picture of the truck. I am thinking the cutoff tool would be the way to go. I have a friend to help me, I am thinking of cutting the roofline between the bays then tying a chain around it to a forklift and seaing if i can snap of pices with brute force. As cou can see in the pic we tried using the forks to lift out the sections of the bays, but i amost snapped the forks. Thanks for the input.

**RustyDollars** · 09-05-2012, 09:53 AM

Isn't it possible to unbolt that aluminum box from the truck's frame? It had to come as an accessory when they ordered the truck I would think.

**jessej21** · 09-05-2012, 09:59 AM

That is another angle, but I would have the ability to move the box in one shot. I would need to cut it up anyway, so I am thinking that would be an extra step

**RustyDollars** · 09-05-2012, 10:21 AM

I was thinking of removing the box and placing it on it's side with the forklift, removing any ferrous and then cutting it into subsections and pancaking it with the forklift.

**Libertytow** · 09-07-2012, 12:19 AM

from expereince if you have a pick up chain it to the box go underneath 16 bolts hold it to the body either ccut the bots and pull the body off or undo bolts and pull body off