Why Is E-Waste Business So Expensive [[ Warning Rant ]]

I'm still technically a "hobbyist" at this stage, still a LOT to learn (but getting that education on SMF). Anyway, to the OP: I get my material haphazardly but I'm always looking & asking. I've acquired a lot of stuff just by asking - sometimes that's all it takes. 4 towers in one "score" is a good starting point. You can tear them down in minutes, and then just start sorting. I started with (& still use) a few 5 gallon buckets and a box or two. Strip, separate, throw in the bucket / box. Wait for the next "score". After awhile, the buckets and/or boxes are full. I don't ship gaylords at a time, I'm a 50-65 lb box at a time guy right now. But I can tell you this: I'm shipping from Georgia to Ohio. My last two checks (after shipping costs) were $155 and $110. Now, that might not seem like a lot to any "pro", but for me, it's fine and I'm learning new things all the time. And once you spread the word (& always take an opportunity to spread the word), you may be surprised how much material you end up with. You will see hundreds of posts about this. It's a volume thing and you get volume by being aggressive. Ultimately, you may decided it's (ewaste) is not for you, but always keep in mind there are other ways to profit on this stuff besides strictly srapping.

Again, I think your original issue was largely with the cost of shipping. Look again at options (buyers) on this site - you may be surprised. If I can spend $+/- $25 to get a check back for $100+, that is a fair tradeoff for me (especially at my hobby level).