What started you down the rabbit hole of scrapping?

I started scrapping as a kid for a little bit of extra money, but when the prices dropped down to less than $0.01/lb back around 2008 and I got a whopping $4 for a full load of steel I quit scrapping. Fast forward to college and I decided to give scrap metal removal a shot. It was fun, but when you have to drive 20 miles round trip to the yard for $5-$15 per load in my truck (I didn't have a trailer yet) it just wasn't working. I then begin to learn about the appliance parts side/resale side of things which was less bulk steel and more sit down work. Since then I got to the point on the steel side where I only use steel bins from the scrap yard. I load it, call them, and they do the work. I know some scrappers would say that I'm losing out on the best payout rate because of that, but when you figure in time, ware and tare, etc. I'm not really losing out on that much. Nowadays I've moved away from appliances (except for microwaves) and moved in the direction of electronics recycling and the occasional bit of scrap buying for motors, transformers, compressors, and copper.

QUOTE=406Refining;302707] Since then I got to the point on the steel side where I only use steel bins from the scrap yard. I load it, call them, and they do the work. I know some scrappers would say that I'm losing out on the best payout rate because of that, but when you figure in time, ware and tare, etc. I'm not really losing out on that much.[/QUOTE]

I went to bins for most of my stuff over 30 years ago, especially for my iron. Had rolloffs for years when I was turning 30 tons of #2 per month. In 2012 after I bought a forklift, I moved to 4x3 bins for iron which when full maxed out my 3000 lb forklift. Four years ago I moved my shop 200 miles out of town.

Nowadays I turn around a dozen 4x3s per year. Just turned 3 today which will probably net me 4500 pounds of #2 steel. No idea yet what I will get, but I am guessing $130 per ton or so. Considering that my local market only pays $20 per ton, I think I am getting a good deal having someone else haul it 200 miles for me and pay me a VERY decent price.

Bottom line is that for me it is much cheaper to let someone else provide the bins and haul my scrap for me.