Originally Posted by
matador
Alright- the first year. It can be fun!
Trucks:I started out with a Dodge Dakota that I already had. It was a good truck, but a little too "end of life." I'd make sure to get a good, reliable truck if you don't have something already. There really isn't a bad choice, but you'll want at least a half-ton. For heavy stuff, I prefer the Ford 300 Inline 6. For speed on the Interstate, I like a Small Block Chevy V8 (Currently run a 305). Whatever you get- it needs to work. If your truck fails, so will you.
Space: I did E-Waste in my basement for the first year. I now have a processing center in our town- for the $150/month it cost me, it's well worth it. I spent more in gas to take stuff home. Don't run out and get a space, though. My first year was slow enough that it wouldn't have been profitable. By year 2, I had enough stuff coming in to justify it. We now get 4-5 computers per week. We offer free recycling, so if you paid out, you may get more stuff. Who knows? We're really starting to advertise, though. Speaking of which,
Advertising: Cheap is good. Free is better. In a crowded area, competition will be tougher. I'm the only E-Waste processor within 100 miles, so conventional advertising works. I run newspaper ads. Some are free, and one is $7 per every three weeks. Well worth it. I run radio spots, too. They work well for collection events. I did an E-Waste drive in May. I had about 40-50 computers come in off the radio ads. For free drop-off, though, radio seems to be worthless so far. I've received two desktops because of radio. I can port my ads across the state. Next month, I'll try on the other side of the state and see how they do. One of the best ways of advertising, though: Truck signage. I made a plywood cap structure, so I have a Chevrolet 1/2 ton box truck, if you will. I painted the sides with our name and number. For the $50 it cost me to paint a box I needed anyways, it's well worth it. Plus, nobody will steal my truck, now!
Trucking Nightmares: Going across state lines? Keep it under 10,000# Gross. Otherwise, you have DOT issues. Hauling CRTs can be an issue, too. Nobody has ever checked my truck, and they're enclosed and whole, anyways. Take them apart, and who knows? My largest issue with trucking has been the weather. I started with a stake rake on my Dakota. I now have an enclosed and caulked box on my Chevrolet. I lost a lot of stuff to water damage the first year. Now, this is much better. Winter pickup? Not a problem! If you're not a handyman, look into a Suburban or cargo van.
Hard Drives: Wipe them, or destroy them. I take apart anything less than 60GB, that got wet, or has failed. If it's an 80GB or larger, I can put them in computers. Those drives get hit with DBAN. Any computer will work- I have three "wiping servers" - a Pentium III Compaq, a Pentium IV Dell Dimension, and a Pentium D generic (for SATA drives). The Dell is no faster than the Compaq. The Compaq is large socket, though, so it's worth more than the Dell ;)
Good Stuff: I run a computer shop that sells refurbished computers. Look into the Microsoft Registered Refurbisher program. License good computers, and you can make more than scrap. I don't apply licenses until somebody picks out their computer. This way, I don't run the risk of licensing something that never sells. Laptops are more desirable than desktops. Sadly, you'll probably get way more desktops.
Bad/Old Stuff: Take it apart, and scrap it if it's newer than 1995. Vintage stuff can sell, but nobody wants piles of Pentium II and III Dells. If it isn't rare, don't worry. You'll get more. If it's rare, what the heck? Try selling it on Craigslist or in the classifieds maybe. You have nothing to lose.
Buying Stuff: Don't buy at first. Wait until you make your first shipment or two, and then decide what to do. I had a man who wanted to sell Pentium II laptops for $10/each. I got them for free, and made about $5 on each of them. If I gave him $30, I'd have lost money.
Shipping: Free boxes are key. If you can find a good buyer, shipping takes care of itself. Just don't splurge. My last shipment had a box with a muddy tire track across it. A $5 box means I just gave away some stuff. Plastic makes a good packing layer if tight. There is a major buyer on here who is paying $0.07 per pound on plastic. If I use bubble wrap, I get $0.00 per pound. Plus, I can get rid of it.
Plastics: I hope there's a plastics processor near you. There isn't out here, so I actually lose a little on plastics. It will pile up quickly.
Metal Cases: They're not worth much. I get $0.05 per pound for them. My last load earned me $56 for them. I paid nearly $40 in gas, but keep reading...
Networking: Get your name out there. I made $0.05/pound on cases, but I now get computers from that metal recycling outfit. I get to keep everything, as long as I give them an equal number of cases for what I get. I'll give him a few cases in a heartbeat for computers. I also got free truck tires off of him. The point: meet people. I'm shy, so this has been a big challenge for me.
Injuries: You'll get them. My fingers are often sore, and there's a little blood on them sometimes. Don't be aggressive like me if you want to avoid this. You'll still bleed, though.
Making money: You will... eventually. Don't spend at first if you don't have to. I bought a box truck for events. It was the dumbest move I made. I got a rust bucket that I pulled off the road for safety. It's been in the shop way too much until I pulled the plug for major frame rust. I made only three pickups with it. When I needed it, it was in the shop, or wouldn't run. I went back to my Chevrolet or the Dodge many times when I needed that box truck. Now, I have an overpriced storage unit that gets moved with a farm tractor and chain. I should have waited on a truck. My Dakota was on it's last legs, but it lasted me long enough to show me what E-Waste could do. Don't spend on equipment, though. My hard drive shredder is a belt sander for the platters. My wiping computers were all turned in for recycling.
Mistakes: You'll make them. I sold about 200# of large socket boards, some with 486 CPUs, for $0.20 per pound. I really don't want to talk about that. I did get, my payback, though. There was a free recycling bin for a few months with that company. I loaded it with all the gutted CRTs I could process. I now charge for CRTs. If that bin wasn't there, I would have had no free outlet for them. I get $10/unit ($5 for old iMac G3s), and don't make much with that.
My advice (condensed): go for it. Don't invest much in it, and you won't lose much. Make sure to read the DEQ/EPA laws, and any laws for your area. Trucks need to be good, not like my E350. Keep a box/cap on trucks. I lost about $500 of stuff in one major rain storm. Now, that doesn't happen. Have a neat work area. Don't have stairs unless necessary. Using my basement was a terrible idea! Be ready to make mistakes. You will. Trust me, I've made many... and still do. I made money my first year, because of resales. That's the lions share of my profit today.
Most importantly, don't be afraid. Get some old computers, take them apart, and send a few boxes off to a reputable buyer.
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Sorry for the long rant that may not bear much to the question. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll tell you what I can.
Happy scrapping!
