Check with the owner. You may be able to "feel him" out. I've been able to do that before... with competing yards. You just have to be likable.

The average computer tower is around 20-25 pounds, so if you pay him $0.20 per pound, you'd be paying about $4-5. Modern systems are lighter, though.

I think that a deal to give them the metal back could work for you. With my yard, I get the computers for free. He gets an equal number of cases for free.

Of course, I'm friends with the yard owner, so you probably shouldn't try that offer.

He wants the metal, though (usually). I get free tires from my yard, because he wants the aluminum rims, and doesn't want the tire. Same thing here. You want computer parts. He wants computer cases.