need opinion on crushing cases

Ok here is the deal. I'm not saying who or how or where. It took me almost a year to get this gig and keep it. But I got over 500 desktops....hell maybe a 1000 in the last week. two trucks and trailers are full. So I lost count. So cant use one as a dumpster.

The empty cases take a **** load of room, but don't weigh much. Im thinking baler like for paper. Only problem is this gig is like Im a processing agent on a percentage. Im not making much. Small percentage of 35% that I split with ym partner in half. But I dont mind due to the large volume coming.

Anyway my partner wants to run over it with the old yard dog wrecker that hasn't seen the road in seven years. he dont care if he ruins the tires and figures it would crush the cases maximizing truck load of shred.

I'm thinking of using the 20 ton log splitter that was my dads, RIP! I have used it to crush steel rims and aluminum rims before with no issues. So I think it would crush the tin cases with a breeze and only use a gallon of gas a day in 8 hours.

So what would you do>?

It costs me 10-15 to run a load to the yard in gas, 40 mile round trip. Old f150 302. So trying to maximize!

Eventually I'm working towards getting a skid steer and will run the bastards over. But in the mean time, I think the log splitter is the best option! Shred dumpster would be a good idea, but the bloody yard will charge me drop off and pick up like $150 plus ding me for 7c a lb when I deliver its 10c a lb. So that out of the question!

Whats ya thoughts!!

Log splitter no question.

Running over things to crush them never works as well as it seems it should. I had a 55gal drum full of hand-crushed cans that wasn't heavy enough, so I dumped it out into 2 rows as far apart as the tires on my Ford. Took 20 trips back & forth over them & still missed some.

Hit it with the yard dog. Don't have to load it like the splitter so it saves time.

I asked this same question not to long ago and those are your two best options. I made a simple jig on my splitter basically a steel plate that has legs that fit around the cutting end to make it flat and this seems to work the best. or throw a few on the ground and cover them with a sheet of plywood and let your buddy play monster truck. With the amount you have i would consider doing both for a day and see who's pile is bigger either way it takes time and gas. The thinner ones can simply be stepped on to make them flat but some of those cases are pretty tough. These are the ones I will run through the logsplitter. With the amount you have and what you are getting weekly i wouldn't spend much time on them as your profits could be increased more by moving more steel to the yard. I would suggest a simple trailer to double your capacity on each trip saving time and gas. Good luck

Ok my partner is a old hand at fabing and welding. Will see about getting some 1/4 plate and make a jig up for the log splitter.

Sounds like lots of work either way. my son and I just recycled a little over 300 towers in about 2 weeks time and we just contacted a scrap yard to set a container to throw all our steel cases in. Just think of all the time its going to take you to smash all those cases. Their not going to stack very well once your done. I'm just trying to save you some time and labor!!!!! Trust me I thought of all this and I was so glad I went with this decision. 500 computers is a lot of computers.

Here at Burly Guys we just stomp on them and throw them in the next load.

It's Simple Run Em Over with a old lifted ford! IT will crush easy in to a ball.... then take it for steel scrap 7 cents to 1 70 per pound!

I'm of the opinion that one can never have too many trailers. What about finding a 25/30 foot travel trailer and gutting it down to the frame, put a 2x floor down and fab up some mesh sides? Or weld up stakes every so often and fasten hog panels to them.

That's how I plan to build my next trailer that will be used to haul appliances/computer cases.

if they are dell clam shells they stack nice. we stacked a 16 foot truck half full and got 4400 lbs no prob. could have probably gotten 8000 lbs in. dont make your labor any more expensive then you already are.

Save 1 screw and stuff the cases full of other scrap metal put 1 screw in the cover and stack them neatly they will WEIGH!

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Originally Posted by ScrapYaHerd

Save 1 screw and stuff the cases full of other scrap metal put 1 screw in the cover and stack them neatly they will WEIGH!

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I agree. They hold all of the small stuff that would otherwise rattle around in the trailor or fall out of the back of it while going down the road.

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Originally Posted by olddude

if they are dell clam shells they stack nice. we stacked a 16 foot truck half full and got 4400 lbs no prob. could have probably gotten 8000 lbs in. dont make your labor any more expensive then you already are.

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I agree 100%. Your working with a thin percentage split. I wouldn't put an ounce more effort into them than it takes to load them up. Labor costs to crush them are eating into your split. Use that time on more value added work on those computers.