How bad is your scrap addiction.

**BHNathan** · 10-24-2018, 07:32 PM

From picking up bottle caps off the ground or collecting paperclips... what is the most ridiculous you have done to make a buck...or less?

**Patriot76** · 10-25-2018, 12:45 AM

Brass from ammo might be a little frugal to some.

**miked** · 10-25-2018, 05:19 AM

Originally Posted by Patriot76

Brass from ammo might be a little frugal to some.

Or perhaps normal.(at least at my house) Mike

**greytruck** · 10-25-2018, 10:50 AM

Not me, but I saw a guy digging threw a box across the street from my house and take out a snow flake decoration made of pipe cleaners

**SKWrapper** · 10-25-2018, 12:14 PM

I almost always save the brass connectors at the end of wires and power cords and put it in my brass pile....

**BHNathan** · 10-25-2018, 01:29 PM

I try to save every single screw and bolt and nut from every breakdown I do convincing myself that the 5 cents per pound is worth it.

**greytruck** · 10-26-2018, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by BHNathan

I try to save every single screw and bolt and nut from every breakdown I do convincing myself that the 5 cents per pound is worth it.

Thats an easy 10lbs a week right there

**recyclersteve** · 10-26-2018, 03:32 PM

I have no qualms about picking up a penny if I see it laying on the ground. But I would have to be careful about how I'd do this if my daughter was with me- as she would get embarrassed. I might say something like "Sweetie, you go ahead and I'll catch up to you"- just before squatting.

A bit more closely related to actual scrap, I have no issues with picking up a single aluminum can.

**RLS0812** · 10-26-2018, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by greytruck

Thats an easy 10lbs a week right there

The question is how much of your time do you sacrifice for $0.30 ? I know sorted & graded nuts and bolts are worth a lot more per /lb, but that takes a lot of time.

Me personally, I do not go 'scrap crazy' if it takes too much time. I'm not going to spend several hours to recover a few cents worth of scrap. I only have a limited amount of time left in this life.

**520** · 10-26-2018, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by RLS0812

The question is how much of your time do you sacrifice for $0.30 ? I know sorted & graded nuts and bolts are worth a lot more per /lb, but that takes a lot of time.

Me personally, I do not go 'scrap crazy' if it takes too much time. I'm not going to spend several hours to recover a few cents worth of scrap. I only have a limited amount of time left in this life.

IDK man I have seen you break down some pretty low grade e-waste in your videos! lol

I collect all my screws but I spent 50 bucks on a real nice roller magnet with an aluminum case. All you do to release the nuts and bolts is pull up on the handle and everything just drops off. I get prepared price for them so at .0775 cents a pound I should have the magnet payed for in about a year or so! lol

**andyheim** · 10-27-2018, 02:06 AM

Always nuts and bolts and screws. Always pick up change. Always walk with a bag for caNs. Its a way of thinking man, there is no turning it off for me.

**jimicrk** · 10-27-2018, 02:55 AM

I scrap computers in my garage and yes all of the screws go in the metal bins. I can only assume most people clean up their work areas. I have a push broom and a dust pan and my garage is swept when I get through. Before I empty the dust pan I run a magnet across it. It only takes a few seconds.

I also pick up pennies in parking lots.

**greytruck** · 10-27-2018, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by RLS0812

The question is how much of your time do you sacrifice for $0.30 ? I know sorted & graded nuts and bolts are worth a lot more per /lb, but that takes a lot of time.

Me personally, I do not go 'scrap crazy' if it takes too much time. I'm not going to spend several hours to recover a few cents worth of scrap. I only have a limited amount of time left in this life.

I throw them right into a 5 gallon bucket next to my work area and when full i dump it in a dryer. extra 50-60 lbs. Takes no time at all. I probably make more money off screws than that garbage you take apart in your ewaste videos.

**SKWrapper** · 10-27-2018, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by BHNathan

I try to save every single screw and bolt and nut from every breakdown I do convincing myself that the 5 cents per pound is worth it.

It's worth saving the fasteners if only to save your tires.

I do the same thing and put them all in an aluminum can while I am working so I can throw it in with my ferrous. It takes virtually no time since I don't sort it - it would take the same amount of time or even more find them and then sweep them up and throw them into the trash. Yes I clean my garage and put away/lockup my tools after every time I work in my garage. It is never a mess for long.

**NJSouth** · 10-28-2018, 04:28 AM

FIRST OFF... mind your OWN business.... I don't HAVE a scrap addiction... I can stop anytime I want. Its not like I HAVE to do it.... LOL With that said... ugh I do it from two aspects... scraping for money and environmental stewardship. I hate throwing things in the trash that can ultimately be reused. That said... ((Clears Throat))) I save the twist ties from bread wrappers and I take the metal handles off of chinese food containers and it all goes in my shred pile. Whew.... I feel better now. Long story short I scrap everything. Metal = money...... even if it takes a while.

**recyclersteve** · 10-28-2018, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by RLS0812

Me personally, I do not go 'scrap crazy' if it takes too much time. I'm not going to spend several hours to recover a few cents worth of scrap. I only have a limited amount of time left in this life.

What complicates this for some of us is stubbornness, and in some cases, doing something for the first time just to get the experience.

I have to admit there have been things that looked really simple to tear down or strip initially. Then, when I'm knee deep in the job and swearing like crazy, I justify finishing the job by saying to myself "I will let this be a learning experience, but this will be the last one of these that I ever scrap."

Six months later I find another doohickey and say to myself "Wow- never seen one of these. Let's give it a shot." (and I've already forgotten the one from six months ago)

**recyclersteve** · 10-28-2018, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by NJSouth

I do it from two aspects... scraping for money and environmental stewardship. I hate throwing things in the trash that can ultimately be reused.

I totally agree with the environmental stewardship. I feel an obligation now to make up for all the things I threw in the trash when I was younger and not as environmentally conscious.

**mseashell** · 10-28-2018, 05:22 PM

I save all my screws in a small bucket while doing breakdown. When I am finished, I dump my small bucket into a five gallon bucket. Anything that will go as short steel in the bucket, and in a pile for the large items. When I have several buckets full, and a good pile, I take it off. Tin/shred is $90/nt. Short steel/#1 prepared is $130. Big difference in price, it makes a difference when you have at least 1000 lbs. That $20 extra is gas money for a day, ( if I don't go nowhere else except home in my gas hog).

**mseashell** · 10-28-2018, 05:24 PM

2003 Dodge Dakota, V6 Magnum. 12-14 mpg town driving. 12-14 mpg hwy driving. Loaded or not, it uses around the same amount. As long as I don't have over a ton, or pulling a trailer

**msmoorad** · 10-29-2018, 03:52 AM

at times im like a drug addict-- when im walking to the mosque, i will be scanning the pavement & surrounding area for any metal...

i often see drug addicts doing the same thing as im walking along- they look at me & i can see them thinking:
"this guy doesnt look like a druggie but u never can tell for sure these days"....

How bad is your scrap addiction.

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