Caught my scrap guy cheating, now doing it myself.

Hi!

I've recently acquired possession of an old flour processing plant full of several hundred tons of equipment and metal to scrap. The entire facility was heated by steam distribution by 2 large minivan sized boilers.

I had enlisted the services of a scrap guy that came highly recommended to start cutting up the facility boiler room. Our agreement was that he'd pay me 35% of all tickets at the yard. As he rolled out with a load, I glanced at the trailer including sorted brass and copper valves, pipes, and fittings. A few hours later, he brought me a ticket without any brass or copper.

I don't care about the $50-100 he cheated, but I can't have him in my "house" anymore. I asked him for a copy of his business license because the city "required" it and haven't heard back.

So now, it looks like I'm in the scrap metal business. There's miles of steam pipe, hundreds of yards of grain augers, and a few tons of aluminum explosion proof enclosures.

How much fun will I have? :)

Here are a few pictures of the boiler room.

Attachment 77Attachment 78Attachment 79

Dang (: that looks like Fun... how I wish I could find a job like that lol keep us posted
God Bless

NICE FIND!!!! good luck keep us posted !

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Originally Posted by udunnome

Here are a few pictures of the boiler room.

Attachment 77Attachment 78Attachment 79

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Wow! The amount of steel and brass and even electrical boxes and wire...what did you pay for such a find like this? I would certainly think about getting a torch or something for the tearing down you'll have to do there.

I wouldn't accuse the guy if cheating you, you should have made it clear with him that you want to split EVERYTHING not just the steel.

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There's miles of steam pipe,

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UH, just because I was once asked to remove some such pipe from a building, and was told that the insulation was NOT asbestos, but it was...

Is asbestos a factor here? I'd hate to not mention it, and you get sick...

And on edit:

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I wouldn't accuse the guy if cheating you, you should have made it clear with him that you want to split EVERYTHING not just the steel.

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Our agreement was that he'd pay me 35% of all tickets at the yard.

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Seems pretty unequivocal to me....

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Originally Posted by Ditchdigger

UH, just because I was once asked to remove some such pipe from a building, and was told that the insulation was NOT asbestos, but it was...

Is asbestos a factor here? I'd hate to not mention it, and you get sick...

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Prior to my purchase, the entire facility was tested for asbestos and lead based paint by the Kansas Department of Health & Environment. The only thing they found was some roofing and floor tile containing asbestos. Interestingly, this was a disappointment as the interested buyer was counting on state funding assistance to clean it up.

Despite this, we're still cautious while working with any insulation.

PROGRESS: My guys have spent a few hours each day pulling and striping copper... $600 in two days... with another drop in the morning. I'm now shopping for a cutting torch and plasma setup.

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Originally Posted by BigIgg

I wouldn't accuse the guy if cheating you, you should have made it clear with him that you want to split EVERYTHING not just the steel.

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Uh... huh? You're confused. What makes you think it wasn't clear?

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Prior to my purchase, the entire facility was tested for asbestos and lead based paint by the Kansas Department of Health & Environment.

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That's good to know. In my case, the building owner told me that all the asbestos in the building had been "removed" before he bought it. What he had been told was that it had been "abated." What had been done, was that any problem areas, had been "encapsulated", which simply means that the outer coating had been replaced, and it was now deemed safe. Sometimes, you really need to know the vocabulary.

As soon as I saw what was inside the coating, I stopped, took a sample to a lab, and paid to have it tested at my own expense. Asbestos. Very "friable". (Means it would've been a really fine, dusty mess.)

As far as I know, those pipes are still where they were.

I mention it in this discussion only so that everybody reading might be aware of the possibility in any future situation.

Good luck, and have fun! :D

Wetting down the asbestos with a hose keeps the dust down. My father did that when he removed the asbestos insulation from a building and he's fine. Wear some kind of dust mask just in case.


You should re-post this to the "A day in the life of a scrapper" section.

And later, when it dries out, and somebody else comes along and unknowingly stirs it up and inhales it, you'll be long gone...

C'mon now. It's considered hazardous material, and regulated, for a reason.

Of course you have to vacuum as well. Or pay to have it removed, which I'd guess is several thousand dollars. Are all the pipes coated in it? You could just ignore the pipes that have it.

Can I come and scrap the metal? ;) That's a goldmine you got!

In New York, the owner can remove and dispose of asbestos in their own property a little at a time. If it's wet, removed wet, bagged, broomed wet, and vacuumed, You're good to go. Just wear gloves, use a good respirator, bring clothes to change into after, bag the clothes you worked in (and wash immediately when home), and you should be fine. (almost exactly how the asbestos removers would do it.)

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Originally Posted by udunnome

Uh... huh? You're confused. What makes you think it wasn't clear?

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Well then he was looking to rob you @ss!