I Don't want to be flamed. I have a honest general question for everyone here ....

OK so I've only been a member here for a few days. I can tell that most of not all the members here are genuine people. Mostly kind hearted and always willing to give advice or help their fellow scrapper (or man -woman). I also see very intelligent people. More so than many business people. At what point in yall peoples lives did you decide to become a scraper. Or am I way off base and a large % of people here work a norm. 9-5 and scrap as a way of generating extra income. Like I wrote in my introduce yourself post I hated having a boss. So I'm choosing this career path. The most inspirational post I saw lately was the PATRIOT76 one where he is taking on that massive job. You all know and prob. read it and looked at his photos. So I guess my question may come off as rude or smart. I promise you Im not being a jerk. I just want a honest answer. I hope that when people read this they don't think Im immature or a d*ckhead.. Im just curious how we all ended up here. Is the economy a large factor for many? Do many of you do it because you enjoy the hours? Basically the way I view scrapping is a Jack of all trades. I think most scrappers would do well at so many other careers. Ive only been doing it for very little time under a year and I have so many ideas that I think could generate tons of cash. Maybe I'm still at a naive point and also I don't really have pressure of children and maybe Xwives or ever better wive and children. . . . So in closing I just am curious how scrapping because most of you'll life??? I have learned a lot from intro. urself section too.

Thanks for reading and have a good day!

DayVV

A lot of people on here like telling stories, you will probably get a lot of great answers. You should go back and read Patriot's water tower post, maybe even all of his posts.

I turn 32 next month and I have been scrapping for about 4 years. I also do odd jobs and on call day labor. I started scrapping because I had some personal things to deal with and back trouble, so it was time to try something new. A friend of mine was doing it, so we joined forces. Its fun, its interesting seeing what people throw away, and a good way to make money if you are in the right place at the right time. I can now lift more than I could before my back went out.

I kinda just fell into it. I had been working a ton of overtime at my 9-5 office job and while I do like my job and get satisfaction out of it, 12-13 hours a day grinds on you after a while. I had been considering a second job but couldn't really find anything to fit with my hours.

One day after work, I saw a sink by the curb. I had heard the radio ads for a new scrapyard in the area so I figured what the hell, I'll bring this in on my way home. With $22 in my pocket, I realized I had found my second source of income. I get to be my own boss, meet some interesting people, promote recycling and help to support my family. It's pretty cool.

I don't think this will ever turn into a full time gig, I can't walk away from the health insurance and 401k and other benefits at my 9-5 (plus, the pay is actually kind of decent). But this gives me something to do in my free time, I enjoy it and it keeps me active. Maybe someday I'll get a car trailer and start junking cars. Maybe I'll just keep taking in shred/tin loads. I'll see where it takes me.

When I couldn't get a regular job due to circumstances of choices I had made in life I turned to scrapping.............If you want details feel free to PM me but my story is probably somewhat documented in older posts

Thanks for all the honesty guys-girls (PC)..... I bet a lot of members here are in my predicament too. . When I was younger 19 y.o(33 now) I got arrested for something stupid and while it was many many years ago. Having a blemish on your permanent record is Such a pain in the Ace!!!!! I was able to go to college and work in the medical field MOSTLY due to the hiring managers all being my friends. . I just hate the thought of having a CORI check and some bimbo is looking at my CORI saying... Uhm excuse me what is this receiving stolen property... Then having to explain I bought a radio of the wantAD and it was stolen . I didn't know. Then someone told the local police I stole it.... Just to add to my luck the kid from wantAD was in on it too and told the police I stole it and tried to sell it to him. Perjuring himself( obvi. he had no morals).... And whallla CRIMINAL RECORD?? Again members thanks for the replies :)

DayVV

Way back in the 8th grade, I was president of the newly formed Ecology Club at my school. That spring, we organized the first County Wide clean-up; this was back in the early 70s. I've been recycling since then. 7 years ago I got into Biodiesel; another form of recycling; making biodiesel from Used Vegetable Oil (UVO) and then I got into old Mercedes diesel cars. I started recycling them and used parts; then it branched out to anything old and diesel. I do this part-time to earn extra money. I've considered opening a "green" scrapyard, but I very much enjoy my 8-5 full-time position. It's not a job if you enjoy going to work!

Well, I don't have a 9 to 5 but scrapping isn't my main business either, it's more of a "small division" of my business. I'm a reseller and get most of my stuff through storage auctions, estate sales, yard sales and wherever else I can find stuff I can make a profit on. In my quest I find ALOT of scrap (especially in the storage auctions obviously). I hate to just throw things away and I need to squeeze every bit of profit I can out of what I get, which means I have to have several different outlets for stuff. Plus I've always liked to take things apart and see their inner workings, and I'm one of those types that pick up every penny I find on the ground, regardless if its heads up or down! Although I've already forgotten which way is the lucky way (and no one tell me, I don't want to know! lol).

I also realize that everything, no matter how small, adds up over time. So all those pennies have now after many years completely filled up one of those large tall plastic pepsi bottle banks (remember those from the 90's?). I feel that mentality really helps with scrapping. A small strip of electrical wire will barely be worth anything by itself in copper, but add up a piece here and a piece there and next thing you know you've got a bucket full and are cashing in! I do what I do because I HATE working for someone else. I'm not good with handling the feeling of being trapped and it makes me miserable. Also being in business for myself means that I CONTROL how much I make, the only limit is based on how smart and how hard I work at it. People don't get rich working for someone else...unless they worked for google in the beginning and got stock options, those people got VERY RICH working for someone else.

@src3collector I really am interested in that whole field. The estate sales and storage auctions. Ive never been to one YET. I do know that its nothing like the TV shows where they find boxes and boxes of Gold and diamonds everyday. Also I'm jet like you . Taking something apart is just how Ive always been. When I was a little kid. I would take apart all my toys or electronic equipment and rewire it or just put it back together. Actually I would love to start a business where estates hired me to come in and clean out a whole house and get it ready for resale. I went to school for 5 years in HS for construction technology and business management ... Granted it was a HS program. The amount of info and tools I learned I have been able to utilize all throughout my adult life. I also can totally relate to the NOT having a boss.... I always hated the passive aggressive way a manager would talk down to me and say "why did you do this or that"" My reply was always rude and not polite. I was a little rough around the edges. I grew up with a big italian upbringing and Have close family friends that are part of that big italian family in Boston . When a pos boss would think I was going to be scared of them threatening me with being fired and Id say something like IDGAF ill slap the taste out of your mouth.!! HAaha they never liked that but they would respect me .... Sorry Im ranting. I just hear ya loud n clear w NO BOSS and NO LIMITS on the money you can make..

Thank you for your response.

DayV

I have been scrapping for a couple of years now. My dad used to scrap and I remember when I was a kid he was always asking me if I saw any goodies laying around on my summer adventures. The city I live in has an annual spring cleanup and for years I would see all the stuff sitting out and know how much money was sitting there so when I finally bought a house with a garage and had the room to do it, I started in with it. I work a regular job and only do this as a hobby and enjoy breaking stuff down to maximize what I can get from it.

Im in the same boat as mikeinreco. Did some stupid stuff a few years ago. To make things worse, im a drop out with a record and a bad back that will only get worse. I worked a few jobs before i started. They were terrible. From working in a country club to laying cement and a couple in between. I started scrapping during my last job to generate a little more money. Then the job turned to s**t and i left. I scrap full time now while still taking a side job every now and then. It can be a hard life if you dont get your priorities straight before you start but we make it by. One of the best jobs ive ever had though. I will do this until i die... or until i cant move

I started as a kid picking up bottles on my bike to turn in at the store to buy a Coke and candy. A neighbor of mine was letting a scrap guy use his barn yard for cutting and sorting steel and non ferrous. I learned that I could drag in metal items and get paid for those too. It was interesting talking to this guy and I learned a lot from him. That's been over 30 years ago and he's still a good friend.

Later, when we started a demolition business, my first job (a bank) provided enough scrap to buy a brand new Honda 4 wheeler. I was hooked for real then. I save all scrap I create by wearing out my farm equipment as well as from demolition jobs. I even find things selling for less than scrap value at farm auctions and buy them to resell. It's a good thing to keep a ledger of all purchases for resale so you can compare the costs to the sales amounts and see if it's worth doing again.

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Originally Posted by dayvirus

Then having to explain I bought a radio of the wantAD and it was stolen .

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That brings back memory's
I delivered them for 17 years and then one Monday got a call that they had gone out of Business over night
Getting the book on Monday night when the rest of the people never saw them before Tuesday led to some REALLY good deals

Hadn't looked at your location until I read that. I am around the corner in Middleboro
I used to deliver phone books and scrap the occasional car
Then I was scraping cars and delivering the occasional phone book
Now it's all cars all the time

John 4x4 how old are you. Funny thing I used to date a girl from Middleboro... She was on opal Ave. I believe.... Maybe 18 years ago... Sh#t. 18ys... I'm freaking getting old...You were a lucky guy to get to check it out early.. That's like getting a preview of car auctions before th go public... I bet you Def got some good deals.. That's so funny the www.internet@morons.com(this is a joke).. Isn't it funny though. The want AD was the bible for us folks before all this online business.... I bet hardly anyone ever utilizes paper books or anything these days... Oh yeah the chick's name was Andrea. I went to the HS senior prom in 1999.or2000. I forget. I had my first alcohol adventure that night. Some spicy drink? W little ice chips. Maybe called aftershock.. And good old gold schlaggeer(which I wanted to filter out for the gold chips.. Ahah thanks for the flashback ^_^
DayVV

Scrapping can be any thing you make it. Hobby, part time , second job, or a full time profession. This forum and its members can and will supply you with knowledge I consider equal to any masters degree in any college that other professions require.

You will become a jack of all trades and a master of some + you will acquire survival skills that will allow you to succeed or survive in any thing or situation you desire.

I have fought a war, raced NASCAR, written 3 books (working on 4 and 5) was top 2% salesman for ford trucks world wide 83/84, Ford Grandmaster sales consular. Owned 2 Kiln companies. I built the Kiln that was used to repair the screw shaft (drive shaft) on the Trident series atomic submarines, was a consultant for 10 dealerships on the Cash for clunker program. Married a very hot 18 year old when I was 38, been married to her for 30 yrs. Yet when I neared 70 and in today's new Amerika something strange happened, I suddenly became irrelevant and invisible to any one under 30.
00ps forgot one: owned and operated carnival rides and games for 10 yrs. and developed the sand art business from old school to what it is today.

Soooo I took all I had learned in 67 years and started with 0 $ and became a scrapper. It is and will be what YOU make it.

Well, I always thought it was cool when my mom would take in cans at the Reynolds aluminum trucks.
In middle and high school, I would go through the piles on big trash day to find whatever suited my fancy. My favorites being mowers and weedeaters that needed little to no work to use.
Last summer, we had furloughs at my work, and I decided to take in some metal for scrap. I found this forum and its been on like Donkey Kong since.
I like that I can do this as a productive hobby until I can dedicate more time to it.
I love hunting for scrap and resellables.
I love breaking stuff down, seeing how it works, and fixing stuff for resell.
I especially LOVE taking it in and getting cold, hard, cash in my hand!
I want to integrate this business into and alternative energy business. Solar heating products, retrofits, new energy ideas, permaculture, electric cars etc.
It absolutely kills me to see the stuff folks just throw away. Oh well, it benefits me, others, and the earth, to recycle and repurpose it.
Good thread DayV!
UMR

When gold and silver were high I sold all the broken worn out items around the house caught a little fever. Moved down the value levels of metal and dug around in my basement. Had 25 years of parents grand parents leftovers. I had boxes of stuff I never looked through. Wife's grand father had lots of bits of copper and brass. I went through everything I had stuffed in basement made about 800 bucks . Needless to say I was hooked. I heard bits and pieces of e scrap saved up a small amount of computer scrap found this site and now I am addicted. Extra money in good times, food and utilities in the lean time.

Same here.. When I found out gold was floating around 2k. I had a old bracelet that was about 3oz and it was 24kt... So I got close to 5350-5400. I forget... I was hooked also.. It's totally different scrapping base metals as opposed to precious metals.. It seems like gold and plat and silver you go through. A nice building with small counter top scales with scrap yards. It's basically a lot dirtier and you need a whole lot more to make any money.. Still the theory is that same..

...So in closing I just am curious how scrapping because most of you'll life???...

Been scrapping now for 5 months. Started when a cousin who has rental houses asked to use my pick-up to get rid of a washer and three dryers. Went online and discovered motors, wiring, steel, aluminum, and copper were worth cash! Told him I would haul them off for free (family, right?). Broke them down in my garage with a hammer and screwdriver.

As I'm enjoying the pizza and beer that stuff helped buy, I realized: 'People throw stuff away. I can pick it up and sell it.'

Just a raw newbie's opinion, but here are 4 rules:

1) Be Honest (I sleep good at night)

2) Work Hard (Wake Up and Get Going!)

3) Work Smart (Read these Forums, Let Other People Make the Mistakes/Show You the Way)

4) Get the Tools (Scrapping Forum/Videos Can Show You the Metal That Helps You Break Down Metal)

Best, Steve

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Originally Posted by dayvirus

@src3collector I really am interested in that whole field. The estate sales and storage auctions. Ive never been to one YET. I do know that its nothing like the TV shows where they find boxes and boxes of Gold and diamonds everyday.

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Haha, nope nothing like the shows, except for maybe the beginning and bidding part, after that though is another story. You rarely find that one magical item, and if you do you can't just walk into any store and just have them appraise it. The worst offense is how easy they make it look. It makes people think they can just buy a locker, find a valuable item, sell it right away and make tons of money. What they don't show is all the hard work and nastiness involved. You have to dig through ALOT of trash, and that trash doesn't just magically disappear, you have to do something with it. I've had many units where probably 90% of it was absolute junk and garbage. Plus all the dirt, dust, mold, mouse/rat turds, hazardous chemicals (that are usually leaking), rotting food, bugs, spiders (one time I brought a Black Widow into my garage unknowingly), used sex toys, stained whitey tightys. The only positive critter I brought into my garage were some gecko's. I didn't mind them at all since they eat bugs. Selling the stuff you find isn't always easy either, you have to put up ads, deal with flakes, etc.

Anyway, I don't mean to rant, it obviously does have its good side too, otherwise I wouldn't be doing it. I will say this though, the auction part and the bidding is alot of fun at times and can give you a bit of a rush. Problem with that though is you can easily get carried away and into a bidding war and overpay.

But back to the topic, this site and scrapping has helped me tremendously with what I do. So far I've been able to avoid having to make trips to the dump which would cost me more money and instead either bring in money or get rid of stuff on craigslist. Probably the best example is a unit that was FULL of old telecom boards and equipment and looked like absolute garbage (nothing was really hidden either). Most of the buyers out there would have just taken most of it to the dump and didn't want to deal with it, which worked out for me as I won the unit for a mere $10! Processed most of the boards, shipped it out to a buyer on this forum and got a check back for almost $700! And I still had some sellable items and larger items that I needed to work on.

Hello dayvirus :)

I am a 50 year old mom of 3 sons and wife to great hubby. In 2003 I left my job with a podiatrist so I could take care of my maternal grampa in my home so he wouldn't have to go into a nursing home. When he passed, I then took care of my paternal gramma in my home until she passed for the same reason. Both were mentally and physically draining on me being sole caregiver 24/7 as well as still raising young kids (3 years total time wise between the 2) so when my gramma passed I wasn't ready to go back into a workforce around people yet, I was just so emotionally stressed.

After gramma passed my parents tore down her old house and built their own new place on the old spot. The workers had left a large pile of scrap from the old house in the back yard. Dad told me to run it up to the yard for money. I'm like, ''What yard? WHAT are you talking about??'' I had never before heard of ''scrap for cash'' before believe it or not.

So, I took my first load up not knowing WTH I was doing because dad told me to lol. I had steel, AL, copper and wire all tossed in my truck willy nilly. I get to the yard and the one guy comes out and tells me ''this copper pipe is #2 because it has brass on it. I'm like ''Ummm...okayyyyy...'', I thought it was *just* a pipe.'' Lol, good thing he was nice enough to help me separate when I told him I don't even know what I'm doing dad made me do this!

When they handed me my money afterwards, I stood there with it in my open palm bewildered and said to myself ''they just gave me money for junk, I could do this!''

So, after finishing cleaning up gramma's stuff a true blood competitive scrapper was born. I researched ''scrap metal'' and joined this forum as well and learned so much from here.

I decided this was the perfect job for me- I'm my own boss, work as many hours as I want (which is almost 24/7 lol) and its something that fulfills the competitive side of me as well as the perfectionist side of me as well as the (best part IMO) sledge hammer break down/get dirty as heck part of me. I love being outside, love tools, love being in charge of my own destiny and appreciate what scrapping does for the earth, the community and myself and family.

For me, burning a pair of jeans in the fire when they are no longer wearable = job well done and satisfied to the hilt!!!!

I've going on my 5th year :)

I get to the yard and the one guy comes out ...... good thing he was nice enough to help me separate


Thanks newAttitude for your response..... What i copied and pasted from your response is funny to me..... Im 100% not a sexist person at all... I just know in my own experience. The guys at the one scrap yard i frequent. . Sort of take advantage of me. . I have a friend scrapper and he saw what I was bringing told me I should get XYZ for it. . I ended up with significant less amount. I do think everything is a learning curve and a learning experience too. So I'm not mad about anything I just want to go back there with a ton more knowledge so whey they mumble to each other and say oh yeah thats copper#2 and whatever I want to know what is really #1. I also love that men and woman do this job. Coming from the medical field as a RNFA basically nursing was a all woman career for so many years now its very diverse. So when you were at the podiatrist were you a assistant or nurse or clerical?? I know hippa laws are whatever but many years ago. I assisted on a foot surgery of a famous singer from boston. Sang a song called love in a elevator and sweet emotion( hint hint) He had a few foot surgeries...Anyways this site has taught me so much in the past week or so. . Just talking to everyone here has helped so much and everyone here seems so nice and helpful.

@src3collector .... I hear you loud and clean about the cleaning up mouse crap and rat crap Its gross and vile and Now I keep my work boots outside on the deck before I come into the house. The whole smell thing Im totally cool with, After doing surgery for many years The smell of burning flesh is horrible so I'm a huge mouth breather these days and always since that part of my life. About the whole locker sales does it require you to become a registered person from the town or state?? Also what would be a realistic amount of money to bring with you. Like 1000 or 5000.. Or really what ever you have in your pocket. Kind of like a learning curve. You learn as you go to different auctions. Was it you who does the estate clean outs too? Does that require registration from the state too. Does it require a LLC or DBA?? Im sure I could google it but chances are hearing it from a trusted member here and a future friend would be more worth it in my opinion.

***Also thanks to everyone who replied. I was so afraid everyone was going to say Im dumb for asking all these questions and so forth.... I feel a lot better know the Im gotten so much good feedback here.

DayV

easy for me its $$ most other jobs do not make so much. its hard work but really fun and set when I want to work and how much I want to make

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dayvirus

About the whole locker sales does it require you to become a registered person from the town or state?? Also what would be a realistic amount of money to bring with you. Like 1000 or 5000.. Or really what ever you have in your pocket. Kind of like a learning curve. You learn as you go to different auctions. Was it you who does the estate clean outs too? Does that require registration from the state too. Does it require a LLC or DBA??

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Since you're in massachusetts I'll tell you, for anyone else if you're in the north texas area disregard most of what I've said (except the bad stuff haha), storage auctions are horrible, they're the worst thing you could do, save yourself the headache and don't even bother with them! :lol: Anyway, I don't know about other states but I don't think you do. You definitely don't need anything here in texas, anyone can attend and bid. The only difference is if you don't have a sales tax/reseller permit you'll have to pay sales tax on whatever you win. Like alot of stuff the best way to learn is through experience. If you are interested in trying it out probably the best thing to do is just go to an auction to watch at first. See the whole process first hand, there's no charge to attend the auction so it's a free lesson. As far as how much to take that you have to figure out for yourself. Everyone's situation is different, plus the area you're in has alot to do with it. An auction in an older more rundown neighborhood tend to have cheaper units so you don't need as much cash. Go to a wealthier area and the prices start going up. Being in massachusetts I know the cost of living is way higher than here in texas so I would imagine the units go for higher average prices than they do here, I could be wrong though. You have to give yourself a limit too, otherwise things can get out of control.

Don't forget to factor in other things if you decide to do it, like is there a buyers fee? (some auctioneers will charge you 10% of the final bid). Also will you have to rent a truck to move everything? If you do that could be another $100+ for a uhaul. Plus gas and your time obviosly. Also, units can be very deceiving as far as size. I'll never forget my very first auction, just a small 5x10 but filled to the max. I thought a 5x10 is pretty small and figured I could get away with just using my regular cab short bed truck with hard tonneau cover and make it in 2 trips (3 trips being a worst case scenario). Nope, WAAAY off, took me about 7 trips and an entire weekend (I didn't have any help either) and it was almost 30 miles each way. I learned that lesson quick, after that I rented a uhaul every time and eventually when I started doing it full time I bought my own box truck.

As for the estate cleanouts I have only attended the estate sales, I don't actually organize those so I don't know what you would need to do it. I would imagine you need some sort of license or at least an actual business but I honestly don't know. Then again alot of estate sales are no more than a glorified garage sale so you may not need anything at all and just advertise your services. Probably would help to be an actual business though and build a good reputation with referrals. I don't want to drag this post out too long but I have to tell this story. My in-laws recently moved here from California and they built a new house and wanted to basically get all new stuff so they decided to put on an estate sale to get rid of everything before they moved out. They got someone to do it for them whose name was thrown out by their realtor. Turns out the realtor only got the name off some list and the person that did the estate sale was skimming money off the top of everything and my in-laws walked away with almost nothing from the sale. Even worse the person was supposed to take some items that didn't sell to a consignment shop for them, well weeks later my father-in-law finds the shop that this very big and expensive cabinet is at and goes in. Cabinet was in the back and wasn't even up for sale, he talks to the shop owner and turns out the person running the estate sale owed the shop some money and gave them the cabinet in exchange for their debt, never even mentioned where it came from. Anyway, don't do that, lol.

Grew up poor so salvage and re use was always a way of life. Did cans and some steel as a kid for a while then strayed away from recycling, but always salvaged re used items mostly for myself and friends in need. When prices Boomed on metals I saw the opportunity to make serious cash due to the high rate of good material available to me. Did all right at first but had a feeling i was not fully capitalizing. came here and learned a lot and am now doing well for a part timer. 5-1 is my other business, and will sell anything i can gather or work any side job I can get my hands on, which handy when it comes to scrap. Making $$$$ is my favorite game:)

We all enter this profession for different reasons and at different levels. As an educator that retired early, I have a security blanket. It is not a great retirement, but enough that we will not starve. So this was a way to supplement income. When looking at starting a business, franchises did not interest me. So I started hunting, fishing, and raising cattle. A neighbor wanted a farm cleaned up and my new found love hit me in the head. A community water district contacted me about scrapping a water tank. New challenge. This forum provided my latest challenge. The latest challenge has provided more opportunities and more importantly, insight into the metal business.

The learning curve in this profession is excessive. Two on this crew are full time scrappers. They are a jack of all trades and provide contacts into the metal buyers and have sources for all types of equipment. Enough said.

To be successful in this business, you have to have the equivalent of a masters degree in many fields. All of us need the knowledge of a business professional. Some need the insight of a IT technician, electrician, and metal ology. Others need to have skills of a mechanic, iron worker, and equipment operator. We all need people skills.

And thank you Mattinthehat and dayvirus for your compliments. I love the challenges faced right now, but look forward to returning to the simple life where my dogs and I are working together again.

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Thanks newAttitude for your response..... What i copied and pasted from your response is funny to me..... Im 100% not a sexist person at all... I just know in my own experience. The guys at the one scrap yard i frequent. . Sort of take advantage of me. . I have a friend scrapper and he saw what I was bringing told me I should get XYZ for it. . I ended up with significant less amount. I do think everything is a learning curve and a learning experience too. So I'm not mad about anything I just want to go back there with a ton more knowledge so whey they mumble to each other and say oh yeah thats copper#2 and whatever I want to know what is really #1. I also love that men and woman do this job. Coming from the medical field as a RNFA basically nursing was a all woman career for so many years now its very diverse. So when you were at the podiatrist were you a assistant or nurse or clerical?? I know hippa laws are whatever but many years ago. I assisted on a foot surgery of a famous singer from boston. Sang a song called love in a elevator and sweet emotion( hint hint) He had a few foot surgeries...Anyways this site has taught me so much in the past week or so. . Just talking to everyone here has helped so much and everyone here seems so nice and helpful.

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I got lucky that the yard I use the most has the most helpful friendly people and head man in charge working there, they never laughed when I asked a question and they would also offer advice to help me make the most of my scrapping!

When I first started going to the yard it was all men, I never saw any other women there. Now, I see many - young and old and in between!

It is a learning curve, heck, even now 5 years into it I still learn something new every so often from this forum as well as the yard. Once in a while you run across something you never found or took apart before and might not be sure how to turn it in or what its made of exactly. Learn your copper, aluminum and wire values as those have the most diverse categories.

If you can't find what you need to know by searching the forum don't hesitate to ask.

I was an assistant for the nicest podiatrist ever, he taught me how to do everything he did as well as schedule surgeries and we also went to nursing homes once a week. I could have gone into a surgery room with him at the hospital if I wanted to if I signed my life away lol but I never wanted to spend my off days at the hospital! I hope your secret patient was nice! :)

I used to go to storage auctions back in the day when you could get a large unit full of good stuff for under $100.00. Then the storage wars show hit the air waves and the prices sky rocketed out of control. I hated trying to sell the stuff, had a hard time dealing with people trying to jew me down all the time while I was just trying to make a profet. Then About seven years ago I found out how the scrap prices had gone way up so I decieded to start picking through peoples trash on thrash days and taking scrap metal to the yeard. Had a hard time at first because I had nobody to teach me what to do. It seemed like the scrappers that knew what to do would not help out(like I was going to take their business or something.) Then I noticed that alot of people was throwing away alot of electronics but the scrap yards would not take them because of the circuit boards and I wished there was some way I could recycle the circuit boards. One day I came home from my real job that I had at that time and there was a new phone book on my door step. I open the phone book up and the first add I saw was for electronic recycling. From that day on I started picking up all the electronics I could find and they were evry ware because the scrappers would leave them behind because the yards wouldn't take them. The thing was I didn't know about all the diffrant grades and how much they were worth. Then about three years ago I found this forum and did I ever get an ewakening, the guy I was sell my e-waste to was rippin me off big time. It was about three years ago when I lost my full time job and had to move in with my sister but sence then I have learned so much and found such good buyers while reading this forum that I am now moving into my own apartment and getting a work shop. That's my story and I want to thank everybody on this forum for all the help.

DayV, you said you had so many ideas on how to make money. Let me tell you what I would do if I where you. First write down all your ideas then focuss on one at a time and see how it goes. When you find one that works for you then go all out on that one thing. When you get that one down you can then spred out to other things if you want. I focuss e-wast because thats what I love to do but I also get the other stuff like metals, transformers, electric moters and so on. Thank you for this thread, it is very interesting to read and good luck with what ever you deciede to do.

I have done scrapping cars and repoing for the last 7 years.I am 34 i scrap more than i repo and at the end of this year my house will be paid off i cant wait