E-scrap what am i missing??????

The question i have for you Gail's and Guy's is how many of you make a living just doing e-scrap?I have been in the scrap metal business for a long time and the idea of concentrating on e-waste was very appealing just from the process and working conditions screw gun or tourch,no brainer e-scrap is much easerier.The proublem i have is getting enough material to make it a business not a hobby.I have tryied and still do the advertising and web sites but 10-30 computers a week doe's not cut the mustard,once and a while we do get a decent pick up of electronics but not consistent.The large auctions in tampa sell the computers for 25-30 bucks a piece and thats 500-700 in a lot,I know that they are selling the computers and not scraping them.So e-waste to us is just another item that we scrap like copper/brass ect,Just doing e-scrap would not pay the bills for us so the Question to you is WHAT AM I MISSING?????????????

To me e-scrap is just an added bonus. When combined with scraping everything else it adds up. I personally do not stop at e-scrap alone. I want it all!!!!

You aren't missing anything. You are in an extremely competitive market place. To make a living on it you need to have it as your core business.

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Originally Posted by 1956

The large auctions in tampa sell the computers for 25-30 bucks a piece and thats 500-700 in a lot,I know that they are selling the computers and not scraping them.So e-waste to us is just another item that we scrap like copper/brass ect,Just doing e-scrap would not pay the bills for us so the Question to you is WHAT AM I MISSING?????????????

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It's a regional problem. In my area computers/escrap are fairly cheap. The real problem is getting rid of the stuff because there are no yards that buy escrap (there is one that REALLY sucks). Some yards near me don't even accept computers as shred!! On the other hand, in FL it's super competitive (which I personally attribute to the low pay scale. It's tuff to get a good paying job as well as a larger population). Here scrap just sits out on the curb with very little competition. I got off work at midnight yesterday and loaded my truck up in 25 mins on my drive home.

What you have is a logistical problem. You need to pick up escrap from an area that it is in less demand and get it to where you are. I'm working on my own logistical problems. I can purchase smaller auctions that fit in my truck or trailer, but it often kills me to pass on auctions of 5-10 pallets of computer electronics that are dirt cheap because I don't have a way to get it home (about 45 mins away).

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I can purchase smaller auctions that fit in my truck or trailer, but it often kills me to pass on auctions of 5-10 pallets of computer electronics that are dirt cheap because I don't have a way to get it home (about 45 mins away).

Full article at Scrap Metal Forum: http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/lets-...#ixzz2Q4W6e3qn

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It would probably be worth your while to rent a moving truck for half a day in these cases.

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Originally Posted by Otto

It would probably be worth your while to rent a moving truck for half a day in these cases.

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Thats what i was thinking. Rent a uhaul 1 way. It would cost you like 100-150 but you could move tons of equip with their larger trucks.

If you rent 2 way i might come out cheaper cause they charge out the nose for 1 way.

Usually u can get the largest truck for 24 hours for 39.99 + 0.50 a mile and u need to refill it.

So figure 100 miles would be $50 mileage + 39.99 rent + 50 - 75 in gas for a round trip.

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Originally Posted by drozenski

Thats what i was thinking. Rent a uhaul 1 way. It would cost you like 100-150 but you could move tons of equip with their larger trucks.

If you rent 2 way i might come out cheaper cause they charge out the nose for 1 way.

Usually u can get the largest truck for 24 hours for 39.99 + 0.50 a mile and u need to refill it.

So figure 100 miles would be $50 mileage + 39.99 rent + 50 - 75 in gas for a round trip.

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That is what I have been looking into. It's 65 miles one way. I checked out a few, Uhaul is .79 cents a mile and 39.99 rental plus insurance if I rented locally and returned it locally. It would run me about 140.00 + insurance + gas. I'm not sure what kind of mileage the 26' trucks get but I would guess about 100 in gas. When all is said and done it will most likely cost me 300.00 and a lot of work. That is a big expense on top of an auction. 10 pallets looks good at 500.00, maybe not so much at 800.00. If they were all servers or desktops it would be different, but it is a mix of things I don't care for like printers and monitors. Right now I just buy 2 pallets at a time.

Most U-Haul places also rent trailers, and it's usually pretty cheap. Renting a trailer larger than your own might be an option.

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Originally Posted by Phantoms001

That is what I have been looking into. It's 65 miles one way. I checked out a few, Uhaul is .79 cents a mile and 39.99 rental plus insurance if I rented locally and returned it locally. It would run me about 140.00 + insurance + gas. I'm not sure what kind of mileage the 26' trucks get but I would guess about 100 in gas. When all is said and done it will most likely cost me 300.00 and a lot of work. That is a big expense on top of an auction. 10 pallets looks good at 500.00, maybe not so much at 800.00. If they were all servers or desktops it would be different, but it is a mix of things I don't care for like printers and monitors. Right now I just buy 2 pallets at a time.

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Maybe not even that much. Hoss and I ran a 26' from Ogden, UT to Meridian, ID for $140 in fuel. It was about 5 hours drive time.

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Originally Posted by 1956

The question i have for you Gail's and Guy's is how many of you make a living just doing e-scrap?I have been in the scrap metal business for a long time and the idea of concentrating on e-waste was very appealing just from the process and working conditions screw gun or tourch,no brainer e-scrap is much easerier.The proublem i have is getting enough material to make it a business not a hobby.I have tryied and still do the advertising and web sites but 10-30 computers a week doe's not cut the mustard,once and a while we do get a decent pick up of electronics but not consistent.The large auctions in tampa sell the computers for 25-30 bucks a piece and thats 500-700 in a lot,I know that they are selling the computers and not scraping them.So e-waste to us is just another item that we scrap like copper/brass ect,Just doing e-scrap would not pay the bills for us so the Question to you is WHAT AM I MISSING?????????????

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10-30 computers a week? If you're getting them for free i'd be happy to get that many...

Ok so from the feed back most of us like myself just treat e-waste just as another item,there will always be a whale in every business,but in my area the e-scrap makes up about 5% of our business,I do have a large 24 foot flat bed for large loads,just will not be e-scrap on it,o well happy scraping to you all

Its my main focus, to many metal chasers on my sandbar, and surrounding areas.

I don't turn down regular scrap, but its not my main focus anymore.

To each their own, you don't slam my ewaste, I won't mock your metal chasing,clean outs, etc. Hell if I wasn't in a mostly tourist rental area, I'd offer to do clean outs, etc. Sadly for that kind of work I'd have to leave my county, sandbar, and deal with normal every day people..who needs that aggravation. :p

Sirscrapalot - Hi ho hi ho its off to scrap I go..hi ho hi ho..

1956, If your just out looking for electronics to brake down for the curcuit boards your not going to make a living at it. What you need to do is start buying curcuit boards and flipping them. On your side of the state there should be some good buyers, you might have to look around for the right one. I would not sell e-waste to a scrap yard, they are in the scrap metal business. I've been doing this for almost 6 years and just now started making enought money to support myself without having a regular job.

E scrap? Never works alone You need to use combinations with e scrap to profit... Steel is your booster... Copper is your adder.

Take it from me, The road is only easy if you can get the right combo

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Originally Posted by ScrapMetalKing

E scrap? Never works alone You need to use combinations with e scrap to profit... Steel is your booster... Copper is your adder.

Take it from me, The road is only easy if you can get the right combo

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There are quite a few on here that would disagree with you..All they deal with is Escrap and seem to be doing fine. I prefer a mixture of things to keep from getting bored.

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Originally Posted by ScrapMetalKing

E scrap? Never works alone You need to use combinations with e scrap to profit... Steel is your booster... Copper is your adder.

Take it from me, The road is only easy if you can get the right combo

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Steel= computer cases, dvd/floppy cases,ups
Copper= #2 insulated power supply wires, power cords, heat sinks, chokes
Aluminum= heat sinks, hard drive bodies
Motors= transformers from ups, dvd drives,floppy drives
Brass= ups,resistors on heat sinks
lead batts= ups
Gold,silver,platinum etc= self explanatory
I think there is plenty of combinations with escrap to make a living. You just know what to look for and how to get to it.