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I have a question for everyone that has cold winters where they live with snow... Are winters slower with buisness, like do you get less scrap in the winter than in the other times of year like summer, and spring? I know for me this happens, in the winter I get way less scrap metal and people put out less stuff by their trash cans in the winter where I live and I just want to know how it is for everyone else during the winter, a reply if greatly appritiated thanks -DevinThaScrapper
Cold and ice slow everything down except time. In the scrapping I do, winter brings on a whole new set of challenges. The first challenge is to get machinery started. Diesels gel, grease freezes, and oil becomes so thick it barely pours. Once the machinery is running the metal is frozen to the ground. After freeing it you have to knock off the snow and ice or the yard will not accept it. Loading it on the trailer is dangerous when sliding around. Fighting frozen com-a-longs and chains to secure the load is time consuming. Once on the road you have to deal with ice on the roads, crazy drivers, and limited visibility. The good news is there is never a line at the yard. This is assuming you can even move around with all the snow. Sometimes clearing the drive way is the only success for a days work. It is a pain in the *** and I love every minute of it.
When they close the schools for the day, I will admit defeat and work around the place on my non-ferrous metals preparing them for a spring run. In deep snow I prepare metal by cutting up combines, tractors, and other machinery so it is ready for the thaw. That way I only have to deal with one truck getting started, one truck getting stuck, and my torches. The winter months are also used to make and prepare equipment for hauling during the good times. It is assumed little money can be made during this time and I will make up for it in the spring. Just a perspective.
I hibernate during the winter. I've got stuff piled up in the basement to tear down (wiring, computers etc) by the wood stove. The trailer is buried in the snow. The cabin I use for my shop is snowed in, heat shut off and not interested in shoveling the doorway. My scrap piles are buried in snow. If somebody called with something I didn't have to tromp around in the snow, I'd go get it. Otherwise, I'm not interested. This year, I've got a bunch of stuff to go on ebay, too. I intend to stay in the house and stay warm. I've spent enough of my life working out in the cold. Even plowing my driveway, I'll stay warm since the garage is attached to the house. The truck is backed in. I go warm the truck up (with the garage door open to let the exhaust out). Then plow as I drive out. Get done, back in the garage and go get a cup of coffee. I don't even wear a coat.
You guys in warmer climates are lucky!!! Winter is the busy season for me. What I mainly buy dies in the heat. You just don't know until it's cold.
during this winter i have and will continue to expand my empire (calling computer and appliance places to set up contracts) i also switch over to selling stuff on ebay and repairing computers for this time of year and drive around gravel roads to line up farm cleanups for ater the thaw in mn we usually get a long winter so i cant just sit back and relax when i was in iowa the past 3 years i hauled cars and iron 3 times a week in the winter because we barely had any snow
In MN, it for sure slows down for me, the truck takes longer to warm up, i get cold, ect. so my business slows down, however, prices tend to go up in the winter because the yard has less volume moving through, so if you can get after it, winter can be a great time to make good money. My problem is, in the summer I can have a mountain of stuff to break down in the back ( I live in a rural area) and break down in the back yard out of sight, in the winter, the garage just doesn't allow for enough space to have as much stuff.....I need a warehouse.......
It hasn't slowed me down...much. When I went to the yard yesterday morning it was -5 degrees. It warmed up by the time I left...it was -2. All of my scrapping is done indoors. The only time I'm outside is at the yard and when I'm trekking stuff from buildings to my car. I'm not bashful about asking to load either in people's garages or to pull the truck and trailer into the business's loading area. Actually, the businesses I work with are willing to pile up their ewaste and other non-ferrous scrap that I pick up from them indoors. They don't have to schlep it outside and I show up to my scheduled pick ups like clock work.
The last few winters have been pretty light in the way of snow so scrap was business as usual.
this year is storm after storm and I am way to busy to make any runs but still have a little time for breakdowns and prep. The piles just keep getting bigger and i keep needing to find containers and upgrading to larger storage. When we get a stretch of clear weather I got plenty to run in and now that we have a good snow pack i can finally move large items across the yard with ease.
even now i worked this morning and am taking an hour before i go back out these two day storms are a killer and you gotta get sleep when you can. If someone plows your driveway road whatever there is no better thanks than a hot cup of coffee.
and yeah patriot diesels are rough in -10 with 40 mph winds. We smartened up this year and put tarps over the engines because the snow would blow so hard when you opened the hood the entire compartment would be packed with snow, frozen locks and doors ext ext the bad side of winter.
I pick up cutting edges from plows from a dozen snow removal company's and have found if they are cold you only need to cut half the material and then break the rest.
so the more it snows the more money i make and the more scrap i get the colder it is the easier the steel breaks. I love Winter!!
"snow is a cash crop" john c 4x4 you got that right!!!
Last two winters have been warm and wet up here. This winter is unlike anything iv seen in a long time. Already 2ft of snow. Usually barelybhave a few inches by now. Went to fire up the stinky dodge yesterday (which was a no go... just FYI) and found it buried under a mountain of snow. Couldnt pick up the scrap car I got. PITA for work. GREAT for snowmobiling! First time trails have been open before mid Jan in years
Have a lot of small high grade boards from avionics,mainframes and test equiptment. Lots of tantalum I think, will check with Etack once I pull them. Also plenty of gold pins from server power supplies to pull. Good stuff to get caught up on.
Definetly slower in the winter. I like to call the winter, water heater season. Anyways... In spring threw fall, I could get 1-2 loads a week from curb co. Now it takes about 3 weeks to get a full load, and there is less competition around. Best times for the to-do pile(s).
Winter? Snow? What's that??? I sure love the south!! ;)
We haven't had a winter in the last 5 that I couldn't work all winter. Just found a piece of machinery this week that I couldn't break out of the ground with my skidsteer...dang! Usually I like those big chunks of frozen earth hanging on....it weighs up GOOD! Actually under the snowbanks the ground is not frozen so no problem there. Had to start the generator to run the battery booster to jumpstart the skidsteer (with starting fluid) the other morning. Don't like to do that but need to keep going or I'll get behind. I need a bigger trailer.
A-Typical Winter scene:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a4...D550/ry%3D400/
And if they're too wide, just stand 'em on end !
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47a4...D550/ry%3D400/
Up here in MN yesterday it was neg 20 degrees when I went to fire up the old mazda for a run......before windchill.......it was the slowest "putt.......puttttt.....put......." but then it fired up! and started to rev out of control, so i killed it, started again, and the heater quit, third times the charm! started up, blew warm air, idled down and after letting it warm up for ten minutes we were in business. Got to love the cold.....Quote:
Originally Posted by jord0690
Warehouse good!Quote:
Originally Posted by jennija
I WISH I was photoshopping this pic.. here is our "forecast" for the next few days! BRUTAL COLD! From a former born and raised Central New Yorker (read: 181" per winter snowfall average) even THIS makes me want to poop me pants!
https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho..._3949108_o.jpg
Haha!
I'll send you all some scarves an mittens, your going to need them!
Sirscrapalot - Will ship sand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot
I'll take whatever you want to send my way kind sir! Maybe mix the warm sand with rock salt?
Why don't ya just ask for a fifth to! Yeeesh!
;)
Sirscrapalot - Would share but doesn't ship liquor.
Just looked at the forecast. High Monday and Tuesday is - 20. Wind chill - 45 and -50. Time to bring out the sweater. In Minn. it is suppose to get really cold. They might need your mittens Sir.
Wife makes mittens, purses, scarves, sure she could a sweater..haha! I should get her a seller spot in the shop for all you guys that need to win your way back in the house after being kicked to the dog house after you took up all her space with your "junk". ;)
She makes a lot of things actually, way to much for me to list! I keep telling her to try an open her own shop, but we like the hotel discount when we travel. lol.
Sirscrapalot - Sitting on the dock of the..err..ocean..
Living in the south, winter tends to be my busiest time. I think people clean out their houses while homebound, and are too busy with outdoor fun during the summer to worry about upgrading their appliances and electronics.
Winter for me is a lot busier than summer. would I rather do scrap in the summer while I get a tan? you bet. Even with stuff being cold, if you have the right heaters, block heaters ect. you can get the equipment working in the winter and make the money fall in your pockets. As far as stuff frozen down, that's where a m35a2 comes in real handy, then go back with the flatbed and load up. The thing I have always liked about winter is the people around here complain, piss, moan about the weather and don't show up, I am out there in the elements picking up the stuff the people don't want in their yards or by their business's, and that makes me the better guy. Ultimately I get a lot more stuff and people remember that for the next time. Not my fault people give perfectly good scrap away!
Well I think the weather folks here are just trying to out-do each other -40 windchill? Really.. The local fox station said possibly -55 windchill.. Let's just go for broke -100 windchill. OY!
http://dpgdpp04o44b.cloudfront.net/w...1/STATS_22.jpg
I just called my weatherwatch. Guy's exact words: "A look at monday: sunny but a bit cooler, a daytime high expected of only 58 degrees". Any lower than that and its too cold for me to go scrapping. I love new mexico the only way I'm leaving is in a box
lol...that's how I feel about my sandbar. An Tucson when I was there, but i left before I was in a box.
Sirscrapalot - Scraps in all weather, usually.
Ya know there should be a "Warm sunny and sandy beach" Group. And then a "The real world cold hard arse scrapper" Group!
Hey hey, I scrap in the cold, unlike Doya!
:p
Sirscrapalot - Would throw a snowball at Sledge if he had snow.
And another section for the guys that will go scrap when its 115 with no cloud cover. In nothing but short shorts cowboy boots and a glistening layer of sweat/manliness
That was an image I coulda done without. lol.
I get to be in both groups! Yey!
Sirscrapalot - Will take a 115 Tucson day any day of the week over a 85 east coast summer day. Bonus quote : It's a dry heat!
I'm just yankin your chain I don't wear short shorts and boots. Its usually yellow flower print swim trunks and boots haha. I'm young enough I can get away with running around half naked as long as the wife don't catch any rukas staring. Back to the subject of weather though, its been as low as 20 here lately which is horrible for us. I would hate to be up north you yanks got it rough
Snow is just as good as piles of scrap. In my state here it is white gold i make just as much plowing as i do scrapping. just got to work with what you got. But scrap is alot slower in the winter i find.