how did you guys survive?

Well, Im back into the saddle again. From working nonstop to staring at a wall and doing literally anything to survive from November into March. Things werent going well, no calls, no work, cancelled advertising since locals forgot all about me. Seriously. I read on local boards. Suddenly, calls are pouring in and I have a windfall of scrap and barely enough time to repair and rebuild from winters toll on my equipment. Now that its warm, back on the horse. How did you guys weather the winter and disastrous market tumble?

By living in Florida. sry couldn't help it.

Fortunately I don't rely on scrap to survive. I put scrap on the back burner for the winter and didn't pursue any new ventures but have to fulfill a few obligations to remove farm scrap. The price actually picked up here locally and I got $120/ton for prepared iron, 1.95 for copper, 1.35 brass and .35 cents for Al. today.

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Originally Posted by olddude

By living in Florida. sry couldn't help it.

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Olddude You need to move to Marco Island. Work is a four letter word. :)

By focusing on my other divisions. More than scrap value received priority, and scrapping steel went to the back burner.

Steel is up to $50/Ton in Billings, MT, so we're starting to climb!

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Steel is up to $50/Ton in Billings, MT, so we're starting to climb!

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OUCH
So what is the price when the going is good/normal?

Last summer, in Cody, WY (2 Hours from Billings), I was paid $0.05 per pound ($100/Ton). In Billings, it's usually higher, so I'd say $120-140 per ton is considered "good".

Everything evens out a bit, though. The median family income for the county is about $20,000/Year. Living costs are a lot lower than back East, but the flip side is low prices.

I haven't been to the Cody yard in a while, but shred was bringing $30/Ton then (Middle of February).

I'm getting ready to take a load to Billings. It didn't cover gas to do it over the winter.

I had enough work to do just shoveling the snow, and I was sick for half the season.

The best guess is selling all sheet metal, wire, and any low price metals to be able clean up an area is a benefit. It is not a money making proposition around here, but out of site out of mind produces more business. Stockpiling non ferrous, # 1, and prepared for better returns. It is a gamble, but one I am willing to take. Diversification is also a key. Diversification in my mind is hunting and fishing during bad markets and hauling during good times. Now is the time to evaluate your business model, goals, and strategies for better times. This was a good time for my business because neglected maintenance and shop work can be finished. Rolling the dice and letting them ride.

The economy here is seasonal so i generally figure on being unemployed in Jan,Feb, and part of March. We live much like our great grandparents did. You work hard from the time that the weather breaks in the spring till late December. The idea is to put up enough food, fuel, and other necessities to carry you through the next winter.

In the modern age .... you pay your monthly utility bills ahead and bank some extra money.

Maybe you make sure that your vehicles are in tip top condition going into the winter ...

That kinda thing.

Stayed with my E-waste buyer and stockpiled the carcasses. Didn't have much choice as they were buried and frozen to the ground. Looked like a bunch of drunk Eskimos got loose in my yard. Just took half of it in to Billings on Monday and got $74.10 for 2,200lbs.
1660 lbs. of light iron @ .03 per pound.
540 lbs. of prepared heavy @ .04 per pound.
Matador's right. Wasn't worth it over the winter.
Shhh, he's kinda my neighbor...whether he likes it or not. ;)

Wow, $60 a ton! That's better than what I thought! What yard was that: Pacific, Golden, Schnitzer, or Big Sky?

I didn't keep the closest eye on prices over the winter, but they stunk! If I load my trailer and truck to the gills, I can haul 6000#. Right now, that's $180. I have to make a 250 mile round trip to do that, though. Until we bought our 1 ton, it didn't pay to go. I had to clear up some space with our 1/2 ton Chevrolet. I made $10 after gas, but before expenses, time, or maintenance.

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I don't mind neighbors. I know a few people in Montana that I get along with very well! I'm not one of the people that has an axe to grind with Montana. Plus, I love the higher speed limits! Now, if only they would finish up on the road work between Fort Rockvale and Laurel!

Oh well, you can't have everything! But, $60/Ton- I'll take it!

I survive by being financially savvy with my scrap dollars and overall business. I used the term business because we are entrepreneurs and it's time guys and gals stop being ignorant to the process and run there scrap business like a business.

I had a particularly tough time and kept it to my self .
A unexpected expense of $2100 due to fines from Dogs off property from dog warden
from five years worth of tickets .( my neighbors kept calling up with pictures) yup $200 a pop . Finally they mellowed out
and nobody calls I think in time they felt bad for there revenge ??? ( the inventory )
any way pay or Jail as told to me by judge and I was not gonna test him .
I took an advance from work and figured no problem , I got scrap to survive till advance is paid ......
So paid the court - and the perfect storm happens ---- yeah guess ..... That was the week scrap DROPPED big time and fast
I could not believe it , the confidence of earning $100 from 1000 # mix turned to $60 $50 then $40 .04 a pound for mix
Copper bearing was paying what mix was .11 (almost ) I was devastated .

I had to act fast
Aluminum .48
Copper $2.12
saved me ,
then I found a yard paying .15 for copper bearing and that was fine cause for them that included TV boards VCRs
including motors - sealed units ETC . ( shout out to Greenblot Binghamton NY )
I kept the mix going for the $20 to $50 and pounded out copper - copper bearing - AL. and fast enough they were paying
.05 # to ,06 # for mix ...
It was hard - snow the cold - but the money kept flowing .

I respect the money power of scrap but we need remember how fast we can get put out . It has not been easy for us ,
even yards cut hours for there workers .
I survived from scrap and in this case cause I know how to dismantle and what is AL CB and MIX

Maximize what you have.

With the prices being what they have been lately I'm glad I just do this part time. I know it's been hard on you that do it full time.
For me the amount of ewaste coming in has tripled and I've been very busy processing everything. I'm keeping all of the good circuit boards for now because I have room to store them but I have continued selling everything else because I don't have room for it.
Prices for that scrap has increased a little which is good so I sold all of it this weekend. These are the prices I got.
Shred-1300lbs @ .05 a lb
Copper bearing motors-85lbs @ .15 a lb
Aluminum cans-43lbs @ .65 a lb
Old sheet & cast aluminum-142lbs @ .43 a lb
#3 insulated copper wire-296lbs @ .47 a lb
#2 copper-9lbs @ 2.15 a lb
Circuit boards-130lbs @ .10 a lb Yeah they only pay .10 a lb for all circuit boards. That's for mother boards and ram if you're dumb enough to sell at that price. The only boards they get from me are my brown or anything that is low grade and that's only after I have removed what I want to keep.

by picking up the slack of others and tripling my money but prices are rising a little again and weather is good even the rain feels great to scrap in if I need to so more people are out and so I have to get out faster again as things shape up but on the ewaste side its amazing I am currently working with a local firm and drafting up some blueprints to build since I am not able to find a suitable property but found a few nice sized lots to build on so maybe that will be my birthday gift this year but got a long ways to go from my goal since its much pricier

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