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Hi All,
I'm a newbie scrapper and I hope my questions are not silly. I collect a lot of small ferrous metals (i.e. bolts, nuts, washers, small metal pieces etc.) that I place in 5 gallon containers
that when filled weigh 120-140 pounds. Do any of you do the same and do the scrap yards frown on such a practice? Also, if metal objects cannot be picked up with a magnet and one cannot
ascertain exactly what type of metal they are can they be scraped as "alloy"? Thank you for your help.
Connie
guilty as charged... here's a "tip" for ya too. If you empty them outta yer pockets 'before' the o'lady does the laundry, you'll be much happier :p
I once took a 25 gallon barrel of old rusty bent nails in, no complaints from the yard.
I was going to say Saturn's BUT you said Metal So I have to go with Kia's :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Connie123
screws from computer cases, tons of them lol
" Also, if metal objects cannot be picked up with a magnet?
Aluminium(Al) or stainless steel(SS) are two possibilities both of which pay 5 to 6 times as much as steel. So you need to do some more learning in how to identify which metals you are dealing with. The good news is you are here where all the information you need is readily available. All you need to do is read a lot of the old threads and start with the sticky threads first. Trust me what you will accidentally run across reading the old threads will make you more money. Mike.
Great advice Mike, that's how I learned!!
I also connect anything metal and put it into coffee cans and then transfer into larger containers like 5 gallon buckets. No room in the budget for waste :)
twist ties and the metal thing from floss
Second the screws from computers. :)
Im always surprised how many brass small screws are used in electronics and other eletrical items. Standoffs from computers are a good place to find them, but they are usually tin coated and that makes them slightly magnetic, but i still get brass price for them.
anything that sticks to a magnet, I got a magnet sweeper from HF , pIck up anything that sticks and throw it in a 5 gal bucket. when the bucket gets filled I throw it in one of my big plastic drums I use for steel scrap
The metal pieces from lighters after they run out of fluid, handles from Chinese carry out, all screws and etc, twist ties even though they weigh nothing.
The only person who will complain about screws and nails at the scrap yard is the guy that pulls in after you and runs over them.
^^ true unless your poor them in a appliance you have OR a appliance that's already in the pile . Less of a chance for flat lol
I always seem to pull into the spot where the nails were dumped out all over the place:mad:
Grinder and sawzall shavings get swept up and put into my small pieces bin :)
Steel tops from pickle, Ragu, or off of any misc glass jars.
I do that after cutting fingers off of ramQuote:
Originally Posted by ryanw
I try to dump them in the pile, not where people driveQuote:
Originally Posted by BRASSCATCHER
I try and put mine in old paint cans, coffee cans and put the lid back on then tape them closed. Microwaves and other appliances are good as well, if you tape them shut. Best for everyone if these stay contained until they go into the shredderQuote:
Originally Posted by MattInTheHat
I thought I was the only one who took them handles off!Quote:
Originally Posted by newattitude
yeeea, ever time I have a flat tire, I can't help but think "Ahhh KARMA" :p
First off great advice from everyone. God I love this place. And trust me any newbie can learn a lot from this forum. I have learned more about electronic scrap in the past month than I have learned in the past 6 months before I stumbled on this site. As for the smallest things....well...some of the screws out of electronics are pretty small. Throw them in a plastic dog food bag, like the kind of dog food u get from the dollar store, and when they get full the scrap yard will buy them as short iron. Which is usually about 20 or 30 dollars more on the ton than shread,or light iron, or tin as some places call it. If I am in my house and taking stuff apart I use my empty dip cans. When they are full they usually weigh about 2 or 3 lbs each. Only the lids are metal, but when they full of screws the yards around here take them. I mix them in with my crushed soup and vegi cans in hundred pound feed sacks and dump them out in the shread pile or the bailer at the yard
After reading this I just realized I sound like a redneck. Haha
I usually find old rusty toolboxes and put the screws and nails in them until they are full. I HATE driving over them in the yard!!!
You don't crush Saturns. You melt them down. Lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnC4X4
put your screws/nails and other like things in milk jugs with cap screwed on,coffee cans with lid, or anything else that wont pop open. The next screw you get in your tire at the yard might be from yourself.
KEYS, most keys are brass and add up quick if you get a few cars sometimes you get rings full of them and you almost always find them in shed clean outs. You can also hit up locksmith shops I had one for a little while till he got wise :)
beer bottle tops, appliance screws, car keys.
"Most keys are brass"....I too have found this to be the case: however, if not brass they are either stainless or aluminum and very rarely steel. Also keep an eye open for those chrome plated brass house keys.
That's serious scrapping right there.....Quote:
Originally Posted by hobo finds
Who says ya can't scrap a Saturn.... I'm guessing I have scraped at least a hundred over the past few years.... As far as small stuff to scrap I try to save every little thing I can.... I have boo whoo's of ties and small screws .... I will start saving my metal lids and caps....
I think you mis readQuote:
Originally Posted by nuttingbutjunk
I scrap many and many a Saturn
But it IS one of the smallest cars I scrap, and lets face it, LOTS of plastic including the fenders
Question was >> What Are The Smallest Metal Items You Scrap?
Not sure if the Saturn counted because of all the plastic, I moved onto the Kia
The little gold balls from dip switches
I put my screws and small pieces of steel in cookie tins and tape the lid on and through them in with the shred. I get alot of cookie tins from the thrift store that I pick up scrap from.
The smallest thing I scrap Is 0402 MLCC caps and chip resistors
0402=0.4mm X 0.2MM
Eric
Those are pretty small!Quote:
Originally Posted by etack
http://www.murata.com/new/news_relea.../ind_img01.jpg
Yeah and the don't add up all that fast either.:lol: But they come in all different sizes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gravitar
Eric
Screws, nails, tiny ball bearings, metal off disposable lighters, zipper heads and metal buttons off old clothing (even non metal ones get saved up by me and sold off in big bulk lots to crafters for couple bucks).. old matchbox cars.. and yep even guilty myself of twisty ties and chinese takeout handles..
If it's metal I don't care how small it is, in the coffee tin it goes.
staples and paperclips for me.
yes i save screws bolts and things its money wasted otherwise as for the idea of saving them i find alot of plastic sheets and some even the screens from the big box tv's and i glue hard drive magents to them in rows to catch most and use them under my work areas so i can lift them and scrap off the steel and the rest a simple magnets on a paint roller poll to catch what that did not so the rest is then alu.