Hello fellow scrappers,
My name is Russell. I'm just lookin for some advice on how to score more scrap. I live in a hicktown in Central Illinois. I have cities around me but they're about 30 miles away. I am currently using Craigslist and I have been calling auto shops and machine shops. I have been getting replies but they have been decreasing lately. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Thrift shops. Ask them for their non-working electonics. Pitch it as you're doing them a favor keeping the unwanted stuff out of their dumpster.
Try craigslist, post an ad offering to take away scrap for free.
Call remarketers in your area and ask if they have any broken equipment they would like you to haul away, they always have something because they are constantly buying.
Call your local county, there should be someone in charge of asset recovery, and should have everything from computers to filing cabinets.
Canvas the neighborhoods in your area with a flyer offering to pick up scrap.
Contact any manufacturers in your area and ask them if they have an industrial waste, sometimes they will require you to possess a business license or to comply with local/state/federal requirements so this might be something else you would want to look into.
Government auctions taking place at military or government installations close to your location. There are several online sites.
Grocery stores or for that matter any retail location, they are constantly producing all kinds of waste material from cardboard and pallets to shelving, cash registers etc.
Local schools
Your local irrigation district, I know that sounds weird but you wouldn't believe the items people dump in irrigation ditches or canals, etc.
car repair business produce a lot of material for recycling, and some allow it to pile up for awhile before they dispose of it. The ones that do the most business are more likely to give you their scrap car parts for free.
These are just a few I thought of off the top of my mind, but there are many many others. If you think in these terms "How can I provide someone's business value while making money off their scrap" you will be more likely to find someone willing to work with you. If you look for scrap under the assumption that someone is going to give you something worth money, because they are being kind then you will almost always miss the target. So long as you are providing them a service, and they know this, people are far more likely to give up their scrap.
Good luck
Scott
Try State auctions - Maine has separate auctions for vehicles and surplus equipment.
You might also check out yard sales and hand the owner a "business card" offering to haul away
anything that's left so they don't have to pack it away.
When I do this, I donate the clothes and maybe nick-nacks. The better stuff you can put into
a yard sale of your own, or take it to a consignment shop and let them sell it for you.
You'll get some stuff to scrap plus get a receipt for the stuff you donate to them.
I've gotten some calls for scrap pick-ups from some of those from 2 years ago.
If they want something gone, they'll remember you.
Many good suggestions to get your started. All excellent ideas. I can from experience on the yard sale one. Folks call me regularly to come pick up left overs from their sales, an I don't mind. Ususally something that makes the wife happy, something to make me happy (I get to scrap it) and stuff to donate to a couple thrift stores we have a relationship with.
Good luck to ya an let us know how it works out for ya!
Sirscrapalot - Thinking about jumping on the pub crawl bus.