Rules change....

Well, the prices went back up on Shred (Sheet Iron) at the local yard to $195/NT. However, when I showed up today, they no longer take printers, keyboards, mice, or speakers. After I unloaded my first load this morning, I left and came back with my second load. That is when they told me. Thankfully they didn't deduct anything for the first load, but they stood by and told me what I could and couldn't unload. Good news for me is that the first load had most of the mice and keyboards. I brought a bunch of speakers in my second load and I had about 6 or 8 printers that they made be take back. And...on a brighter side...they told me that if I removed ALL plastic from my computer cases then I will get $230/NT for them as "Mixed Clips." They were very nice to help me unload and separate what I could sell as mixed clips. At the end of the day, I got more than I thought I would (because of the mixed clips pricing on some of the load) even though I brought home about 100 pounds of printers and speakers.

Since the rules change at this yard, and I was making a trip to my other yard, I took the printers with me. They would gladly accept them for free...they don't pay for printers anymore either, but they will at least take them. I'll have to decide if it is worth it to smash them up so that I can remove most of the plastic before taking the insides back...I guess I'll have to start charging to remove printers along with CRT monitors....

Sorry if it sounds like I'm down on my yard. I'm just frustrated, but very thankful that they were willing to take the time to help me separate and teach me (again) what they wanted and how they wanted it separated. They guys at the yard are great.

Any good tips on how to take those pesky brass nuts out of the plastic??? :)

A day in the life...if there is anything I've learned it is that you must be flexible, know your material and be able to swap buckets on the fly as the rules change...

Ken

Brass separating from plastic...a BFH. :) That's my answer to everything, also works for removing printer plastic, just remove the ink first.

Can't say I blame them for not taking computer speakers an mice. More plastic then anything else, an nothing but a magnet an the wire on a computer speaker, or any speaker really. You should be busting down them keyboards. The lbs add up fast, an a couple buyers on here, pay a good price for the mylar.

I break down my mice, keyboards an speakers. Mice for the wire, an low grade an wire. Keyboards for mylar, lowgrade, an wire. Speakers for magnet, an wire. Sure ya know all this, but..for the others out there that don't know whats in those things.

oh an my protip of the day...Try selling your computer speakers on CL or whatever you use, they sell good for me. Had one guy buy about 10 sets off me, at 7 a pop. He used them for a cheap home theater, an added speakers to his man cave. lol. I sell'm all day long local, if they work. Otherwise they get tossed into a box for when I got time to break them open for the magnets. I also kept 2 working sets in my shop downstairs. Plug the phone into it an listen to all my tunes. Them little suckers sound good if their decent.

Sirscrapalot - Quotes will return..eventually.

I just throw all my printers and comp cases in a scrap car if iv got one. They dont complain. Most of the insides are plastic anyways. They probably go to a different place and have all the plastic seperated? Just a guess

Keyboards and mice are not metal, you should be thankful you got away with it for as long as you did.

mixed clips here is the same as shred. so ya we just load er up in a car or freezer

went to the usual yard today 120 mile round trip. last week com wire was #2 at 2.75 today it was com wire at .40. last week hard drive trays (clean) were cast alu/die cast at .40. today they were zink at .10.

I had 180+ lbs of com wire and 90 lbs of hard drive trays. took a big big hit. + the trays are a b**ch to clean.

with prices so volital these days me thinks the yards are scrambling just like we all are to keep up but on a much grander scale. I just sent my customers a new price list last thursday now with gold at 1222 I will probably send a new one this week. Getting close to the breaking point on gold scrap.

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Originally Posted by olddude

went to the usual yard today 120 mile round trip. last week com wire was #2 at 2.75 today it was com wire at .40. last week hard drive trays (clean) were cast alu/die cast at .40. today they were zink at .10.

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Might be worth a call before you even load

Last keyboards I mixed in felt bad about it anyway, knowing they were mostly plastic, so I left the cords on to make it look at least a little better ; )
Older name brand computer speakers can handle some sounds, lots better than cheap crap they sell nowdays

I did call for prices. didn't think to ask if they reclassified every thing.

Dunno Bear..ones I have aren't that old, an sell like hot cakes. I'll take it all day long. ;) An I don't have to deal with eBay. Works for me!

An you guys drop off that much plastic an wonder why the yards do what they do? Keyboards don't take long to break down with a drill. Mylar comes right on out, a long with the cord. An we have buyers here who pay good money for them. Not to mention all you ebay fans..come on guys, your leaving money on the table! I think that's what you all always yell at me when I get on my anti-eBay rants. :)

Mice..smash with a hammer, yank the tiny little board an cord in one go. I don't see the issue here, not like your spending hours stripping tiny motors for copper. If I ran a yard, I'd do the same to people bringing me nothing but plastic.

Funny, you guys will spend hours doing ebay sales..but take an hour to break down 300 keyboards an thats asking to much..lol. :)

Ah well, your gonna do what your gonna do, long as your happy with it..not for me to judge.

Sirscrapalot - On strike, send beer.

I'm going to try to sell my complete speakers sets that I have. Unfortunately, and I didn't take them with me to the yard today, I have about 200 sets of just speakers...no AC adapters for them. I asked him while I was there, and after he told me about the new rules of no mice and keyboards (I think I had like 5 or 10 of each and was actually the first time I had taken keyboards as I usually break them all the way down), if I could bring them (the speakers) and he said no. When I came for the second load is when I found out about the printers. I asked at that point if there was anything else and he said nope...I had hit them all...lol. then he said...oh yeah...no more fax machines as they are just like printers. The "fortunate" thing is that my last load I took in probably 400 pounds of printers and faxes. It was the same guy as today and we jawed a while about where I had gotten them. He said he hadn't seen that many printers in a long time. We laughed about them being made to be disposable and he even made the comment about how great it was that I was recycling them. I'm sure that there will be more stuff that they are cracking down on. Like someone posted, I was just fortunate that they accepted these things in the past. And...like I said, they were very friendly and helpful today and even helped me learn how to separate out so I make even more money according to their new rules. He was almost apologetic.

Hey Mud, I may have some extra adapters from speakers that don't work. I'll drop ya a pm later for details on the ones you have. I just keep them for backups/extras. Hate to break them down as their quite useful to keep around.

Sirscrapalot - No quotes!

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Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Dunno Bear..ones I have aren't that old, an sell like hot cakes.

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I made no mention of how they sell, my comment was about how they sound ; )

Speaking of changing rules, I took a load of mixed transformers in during the summer and the scale guy begins taking them all out and cutting into the wires on each one, looking to reject any that were aluminum wound. These were all older transformers that I would certainly have been better off to have cut the wires out if I'd had the time. While I was contemplating just taking them to another yard, the yard owner walked over and glanced em over and told him to weigh em up

Good yard owner. Heh.

I've noticed my shady yard down here, the owner is around more now an more active, so their practices are getting a bit better. I noticed this the other day when I helped a buddy take a load in.

There just might be hope for this yard yet. lol.

Sirscrapalot - Still for rent till I end my strike.

I remember about a year or so ago. we had someone posting about this type of stuff was bound to happen. Elect motors would be checked for alum or copper, no christmas tree wire with your #2 ins. plastic on keyboards, coffee pots and such would lower price, And we all laughed at him, me included, just can't figure out who it was to see old posts!

Olddude comes to mind. I recall some posts of his about the future an such on some topics. Wasn't the thread that talked about the fella took some in an was hit with a wetness charge or something was it?

I do my ****edest to not take to much plastic/non-metal waste in when I go to the yard. Granted I leave some on the tower units I take in, but thats small potatoes. Printers I've always smacked the plastic off, an folks just laugh at me about using a hammer. ;) There is a reason to my madness at times. Usually anything mostly plastic I break down much as possible. As I don't want my yard doing this to me. Coffee machines annoy me..I hate removing the plastic from them, but the **** things are like 75% plastic.

Sirscrapalot - Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don't give up the fight. - Bob Marley

The best lesson that I learned at the yard in all of this is that if I take just a little extra time to take off the plastic of the computer towers I get $35 more a ton. That doesn't seem like a lot, but every bit helps. Of course I don't beat all the plastic off those pesky dell form factor pieces, but a lot of the other towers are pulling the front off (which you usually have to do anyway to get the CD/DVD drives out, a green board and some wire) and taking out a few screws that hold two or three pieces of plastic on. I've kept a weight of the computers I've torn apart since the last trip to the yard....I'm making more money by taking the plastic off. The weight of the plastic isn't a lot percentage wise...but it is just messy. And I'm probably breaking even on the breakdown time verses additional money earned.

Now if I could just find me a plastic buyer....

I was cleaning the hek out of my loads until I realized the others weren't, so I sorta slacked off. Then I wind up with a pile of old dot matrix printers. Heavy rascals but still lotsa plastic. I pulled the heads and stuck each one into a computer case thinking no biggie, they'll snatch it all out with the claw and hardly notice. Turned out I packed em so tight the claw couldn't get in there, so we had to unload it all by hand. Hahaha, then I'm thinking oh crap, but they never said anything, haha

lol, Bear I swear sometimes your crazier then I am. ;)

Yea Mud, the pieces I leave on the towers are usually just the top piece, the rest gets busted off during the break down. Front plate I guess.

Till I find the time to drive to either VA, or central NC, I just keep stuffing the plastic stuff into big gaylord boxes. I really hate leaving my sandbar unless I have to.

Sirscrapalot - Smashy smashy make me happy.

I agree with Sirscrapalot. Some talk about "karma" on the forum, but consider deliberately including extra plastic to pad the weight an acceptable business practice. Some stuff is not feasible to clean off, but padding the weight is the same mindset as putting pebbles in your aluminum cans. I want to be known by the yard as the guy who brings in quality lots, and am still trying to work a deal to buy all their computers. If I had a yard I would downgrade loads with extra plastic, but that would require a trained personnel at the scale who would be more effectively used in another spot. So instead of downgrading individual lots, everyone gets downgraded based on the actions of short-term opportunists.

Rules are made for fools who don't know how to behave otherwise.

My yards have never givin me grief about plastic. They dont really care. Theres not enough weight to really affect the pay out all that much. So, im just gonna keep piling printers, comps with plastic, etc in my scrap cars until they tell me not to.

Knock on wood....

I normally take off excess plastic and other things from my shred loads, except for things like refrigerators, dishwashers, etc. Anyway, the yard pays for 85% steel, 15% other. They don't give you a better rate if you have all metal, or a mix. It is what it is. I don't find myself wanting to take any extra time cleaning what I bring in. If I had a whole load of just straight steel, it makes me want to just throw some garbage in with it. They give you a rate that allows for 15% "other" for it, so give them their 15% "other" :)

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Originally Posted by ryanw

I normally take off excess plastic and other things from my shred loads, except for things like refrigerators, dishwashers, etc. Anyway, the yard pays for 85% steel, 15% other. They don't give you a better rate if you have all metal, or a mix. It is what it is. I don't find myself wanting to take any extra time cleaning what I bring in. If I had a whole load of just straight steel, it makes me want to just throw some garbage in with it. They give you a rate that allows for 15% "other" for it, so give them their 15% "other" :)

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Thats how my yards work. Doesnt matter gow clean the metal is. Steel is steel and they have one price for it. And they also allow for i think something like 20% non metal.

Jord your a special case..heh. You use cars for the container, so yea.. your yard won't *****. An it's not the stuff you can't remove that's a problem, trust me I don't remove every bit of plastic. I just don't take things that 90% to 75% plastic. I mean a washer..I understand. Fridges, same. Printers..to a degree, it's not hard to knock the outside casing off. Same with most things, the plastic comes off easily lest for me. I'm not reselling this stuff it's going to the yard. lol.

Each their own, me I do what I gotta so my yard stays happy an gives me the good pricing. YMMV

Sirscrapalot - I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying. - Oscar Wilde

So im crazy and im special? LOL

Cars are the best shred holders. Dont have to worry about strapping all th stuff down.

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Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot

Each their own, me I do what I gotta so my yard stays happy an gives me the good pricing. YMMV

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To me this is the key...you have to know the rules the yards want you to play by and you have to play within those rules. The initial point of this thread was to note the rules change. I didn't write about it last month, but the same yard changed the rules on wire last month. Ends must be cut off of wire now to receive the same price we were receiving two months ago. Otherwise they put the degrade the wire a step. When I first started only 6 months ago, I made a trip to the yard and specifically asked the yard boss what they wanted and how I needed to prepare the wire. I prepared it just like they told me until last month when I took in 60+ pounds and they wanted to devalue it and give me $0.60/lb instead of 1.60/lb. I told them I'd take it home and trim the ends...they said, no, we'll buy it this time but to cut the ends off. I do cut the ends off now for them and I get a better ROI. I always take the brass off of the male end once I remove it and I leave the female ends intact. Not to mention the fact that that yard accepts the ends as copper breakage. I don't understand it, but that is what they want, so that is what I do and I make decent money on my time and material.

You always say I don't include you enough Jord..so yep, special an crazy. ;) Welcome to the club.

An I think I need to change up my YMMV...

the new one shall be YYMV..Your Yard may vary..lol.

Sirscrapalot - Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. - Nelson Mandela - 1918 - 2013

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Originally Posted by erewen

I agree with Sirscrapalot. Some talk about "karma" on the forum, but consider deliberately including extra plastic to pad the weight an acceptable business practice. Some stuff is not feasible to clean off, but padding the weight is the same mindset as putting pebbles in your aluminum cans. I want to be known by the yard as the guy who brings in quality lots, and am still trying to work a deal to buy all their computers. If I had a yard I would downgrade loads with extra plastic, but that would require a trained personnel at the scale who would be more effectively used in another spot. So instead of downgrading individual lots, everyone gets downgraded based on the actions of short-term opportunists.

Rules are made for fools who don't know how to behave otherwise.

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Considering your opening statement erewen, and your closing one, that's rather stern ain't it? Specifically if they're both aimed at someone here on this thread. I've seen numbers who discussed different yards acceptable mix etc, but nobody talking about purposefully hiding pure plastic.

I will not speak for theirs, but will attempt explaining my own, about stacking the printers into the computer shells. They won't quite fit into the hard cases, only into the tops, which are open on at least 3 sides. I didn't put them all on bottom, I certainly didn't put them all on top, but mixed them with the load of cases, some on bottom, some in the middle, some on top, but None at any level were hidden.

The yard I went to has qualified personnel at all points, At least three in the scale office overlooking the scale, one of which will usually be the owner, and at least two office workers, All of which are qualified scale operators. They see down into my trailer every time I cross it, are looking into my trailer as they take my weight, and look across it again when waving for me to proceed. Out in the yard is a qualified hoist operator with a qualified rigger, both with radios, who Will let the office know of any excessive abuse in quality of merchandise.

If your yard is less prepared to deal with incoming loads, maybe you should find a better one.

I found it rather humorous that we had to dig it all out by hand, but was still Not found to be abusing their standards. Those old late 80s and early to mid 90s Dot Matrix printers were built with solid steel frames, rods, gears, and real motors, with only an outer plastic shell. They are Not like the ones of today which are plastic through and through with only a couple of metal rods and a tiny mostly plastic motor and plastic gears.

It was in no way hidden, although it was certainly mixed, nor was it loose plastic. My mix could possibly have been at that one time near maxed, but it Was Not exceeded, else I would have certainly been docked, and knew it. I was in no way attempting to slide one by them, even if I did make an effort to blend it in, from top to bottom, knowing if it was all on bottom it would be seen by the crane operator, or if all was on top seen by the office, but it was instead well mixed, so all would see it, and know it, although maybe not all at once.

I cannot speak for others who posted in this thread, but for myself, do not feel I would be deserving of such a scathing post. So, as far as your opening statement, as well as your closing statement, if they were also directed at posters on this thread, maybe you could have blended those a little better also. ; )

Just an observation Bear. It's not meant as scathing, just meant to be direct commentary with a sweet quote a la Sirscrapalot. People bring what they bring, and yards take the load, request something cleaner, or lower their prices to reflect the market value of the lower quality loads.

Some contamination is inevitable and economically unavoidable. So knowing that contamination is allowable, people are presented with three personal choices: deliberately pad the weight, deliberately leave all the contaminants in up to the limit, or remove the "easy removable" contaminants to the detriment of volume/weight. These are business decisions each one of us make.

I'm not naive, and I don't put any weight into karma, but I guess by my actions I am willing to sacrifice a couple of bucks for my own personal standards. Not everyone feels the same, so your mileage may vary. No big deal. It's just steel and plastic.

I used to work in a food related industry, and the practice of adding bad to good to reach a certain allowable percentage of contaminants is an allowable and acceptable practice there also. It's the way of the world. I don't need to pi55 in anyone's cornflakes, I know what's in them. Bon appetit!

haha, all you need to do is see "food inc" on PBS "Point of View" to know about that, and never buy another processed food product ; )

I still say almost anything makes its way to a shredder will be processed. Plastic in cars, fridge and keyboards. Lots of seperating waste from shredders to make sure they get all the non farris metals. The point is if your yard wont take them find a yard that will!