Vegas Scrapping Diary

Hello Scrappers,

Sense a couple others have started a diary on here I figured why not. I believe I'll have information beneficial to the community so here goes. First don't know how many others will be in this situation but if you are then this will be the thread to follow.

First off some small ground work. At the moment the wife is the only income source (times are tough) and she works for an answering service where she has to answer phones for companies and write messages. Because of her diabetes her eye sight is starting to worsen which is effecting her job performance and has already been given a warning about errors in her message tickets. Soooo, it has become obvious that we need an alternative income source that isn't dependent on getting fired, layed off, etc. For that I chose scrapping. Now we live in an apartment complex and have no vehicle, truck, etc.

What I do have for this adventure is a bike and trailer. What I need to be able to do with this rig is at least make enough to pay the rent to begin with and work up from there. The plan is just to ride around dumpster diving, hunting, etc for scrap (aluminum cans, cast aluminum, copper, brass, what ever can fit is trailer). I'll not using the local scrapyards because there are buyers that you can meet, in various places, around town that will buy. Most of them only buy aluminum cans and plastic bottles but I did find one guy that purchases all metals. The going rate in Vegas right now is $1/lb for aluminum cans and .30/lb for plastic bottles. The scrap yards are worst at .38/lb for cans and I don't know what they pay for plastic bottles but I'll assume it isn't good.

That's all for now. Tomorrow I'll be starting and I'll keep this post as my diary to track progress and fill people in on my thoughts, tips, things I've learned etc. For those interested I'll post a picture below of my rig.

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or...69ddc0b4b6.jpg

i'm going to start mailing my cans to you if you can get 1.00 a pound.

Yea all the remote buyers are paying $1/lb for cans. One is paying $1.10/lb to try and steal business. They take them to California where they get $1.80/lb

The scrapyards only pay .38/lb but people still go to them. Not sure why.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DopenScrapple

i'm going to start mailing my cans to you if you can get 1.00 a pound.

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Deposit states have good prices, California pays more than$1.50 per pound.

LOL posted at the same time...

Wow, no wonder it costs so much to live in Cali. We're at 60 cents a pound here and that's pretty good. The highest I've seen it here is 70 cents. Can't believe that the yards in Vegas aren't at least in the 50 cent range. Something smells rotten...

Good luck to you and your wife CS. Hopefully you can work up to a mini van or scrapping car.

Thanks pjost,

Well I'll also be collecting items that I believe I'll be able to sell on eBay too. Right now the wife is selling old purses and stuff she doesn't need anymore on my account. But soon, I'll be throwing my finds up for sale.

That is a nice rig. Good luck.

As far as a bike + trailer goes I think yours is pretty snazzy! Looks brand new!

$1/pound is incredible!! I was just in vegas a few weeks back and couldnt help but notice all of the folks rummaging through trash to fill up their cart o cans.
Are you in downtown vegas or are you nowhere near the craziness of the strip. On the strip the few folks that really got me thinking were the ones with a large cooler selling bottles of water for $1/per. I myself bought water from them only (cheapest around!) and couldnt help but wonder how much they are making in a day. I would bet on a GOOD day they might make $100+ just peddling bottles of water and that doesnt even involve moving around. A bit unrelated... but thats my .02

Yea armstrt8, there is a licensing fee and a couple other fees the peddlers have to pay to the city to get a license to either sell products on strip or be one of those people that dress up as celebs, actors, cartoon characters, etc and charge to take photos with you.

Personally I like the freedom is scrapping and having my own hours.

i just came back from las vegas for my moms wedding. it was an experience thats for sure. walked along fremont street seen all sorts of things i normally don't see in my state lol. we stayed at the golden nugget. was walking with sister and my 6 year old niece said look mommy those 2 girls and that guy don't have no clothes on! should seen the look on my sisters face lol. why she brought the kid i don't know! las vegas is not a place for a kid.

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Originally Posted by CyberScrapper

Yea armstrt8, there is a licensing fee and a couple other fees the peddlers have to pay to the city to get a license to either sell products on strip or be one of those people that dress up as celebs, actors, cartoon characters, etc and charge to take photos with you.

Personally I like the freedom is scrapping and having my own hours.

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have you even started yet? to enjoy the freedom...

haha lol jk!

That trailer might be sturdier than mine. How are the corners fastened? Does it have a tailgate? I broke mine today and spent scrapping time repairing it.

Cans and bottles are the same here in AZ. Normal scrap yards pay $.55 for cans. Others $.95 for cans CRV, $.35 #1 CRV, $.15 #2 CRV and $.04 glass CRV. If you can find someone who will come and buy your other scrap that is a good deal as you have no truck! As for making money on the strip I would dress up as a big di ck and pose for photos! LOL

Isn't interstate transfer of non-deposit cans and bottle for receipt of deposit a felony? I mean that IS textbook fraud by misrepresentation.

It may or may not be enforced at any or only some levels right this moment...but the second they figure out they're losing more money than they thought with the program...the cracking down will start.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armygreywolf

Isn't interstate transfer of non-deposit cans and bottle for receipt of deposit a felony? I mean that IS textbook fraud by misrepresentation.

It may or may not be enforced at any or only some levels right this moment...but the second they figure out they're losing more money than they thought with the program...the cracking down will start.

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They want to set up checkpoints at California inspection stations. And they have over 100% redemption on deposit cans in California.

Check points are up. Beverage Container Importation Monitoring Program and Imported Materials Report (IMR)

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Originally Posted by charn

That trailer might be sturdier than mine. How are the corners fastened? Does it have a tailgate? I broke mine today and spent scrapping time repairing it.

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The corners are fasten by self-locking C-clip type fasteners. The front and back rails come out and the sides fold up. Basically you can slide it right under the bed or anywhere else you like.

CyberSorcerer

Quote:

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Originally Posted by armygreywolf

Isn't interstate transfer of non-deposit cans and bottle for receipt of deposit a felony? I mean that IS textbook fraud by misrepresentation.

It may or may not be enforced at any or only some levels right this moment...but the second they figure out they're losing more money than they thought with the program...the cracking down will start.

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As for that I have no idea. These guys have been doing for sometime now. Nothing new and I don't believe there are any border stops between here and Vegas. For semi-trucks yes, but cars and pickup trucks? Don't think so.

If the demand is there, someone will always ride those chickens across the border.

How many miles do you ride in a day? When I was mapping routes and calculating distance, 15 was a high number with filling the trailer several times.

Classic unintended consequence :) One of Issac Newton's physics laws is something like force applied in one direction gets equal force in the opposite direction. Same thing goes with laws but most of the time the politicians never see the opposite reaction coming or the special interests see it coming and get the politicians to do it anyway.

How crazy does the world get:

"What do you do for a job?"

"I work for the state of California and try to stop people from bringing Alum cans into the state for deposit redemption"

:lol: :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Well I guess you always have to be ready for unexpected changes in plans.

A couple things came up so looks like the start date will be Friday night. A graveyard shift for scrapping. Should be interesting. That normally when all the dumpster divers are out here in Vegas too.

Once again I'll keep you all posted.

CyberScrapper

Quote:

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Originally Posted by charn

How many miles do you ride in a day? When I was mapping routes and calculating distance, 15 was a high number with filling the trailer several times.

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Well I haven't really went out on the bike and trailer. I have canned before with a shopping cart years ago and that was a slow process.

With the bike I'm assuming I'll get able to cover more ground just how fast I don't know yet. But I'm actually going to keep stats on EVERYTHING so I know what is worth my time and what isn't. Such as breaking down a motor or generator for the copper, etc or just turning it in for dirty price. Naturally all depends on the price I'm getting and different times of the year will have different prices. It might be worth it at some times but maybe not others.

CyberScrapper

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Originally Posted by DakotaRog

"What do you do for a job?"

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Job? Long story which will be explained on my YouTube channel but long story short I'm an independent security researcher with a felony from years ago that make it REALLY difficult to get hired.

I've been making money, off and on, as an internet marketer (affiliate marketing) which now I've decided to do full-time right along with my scrapping. I'm even going to put together an ebook covering the whole process from the beginning.

Like I said also, selling items I find while scrapping on eBay and Amazon too.

CyberScrapper

Sorry for the confusion. I didn't mean what you (CyberScrapper) did for a job. I was talking about the hypothethical guy sitting on the CA-NV state line waiting to bust illegal Alum can smugglers into Californication. Was supposed to be a little funny thing but not at your expense...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DakotaRog

Sorry for the confusion. I didn't mean what you (CyberScrapper) did for a job. I was talking about the hypothethical guy sitting on the CA-NV state line waiting to bust illegal Alum can smugglers into Californication. Was supposed to be a little funny thing but not at your expense...

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Sorry, my bad,

Either way I don't mind sharing.

For those interested my specialty in security research is malware and finding vulnerabilities in software to exploit. Understanding malware helps with the knowledge to find vulnerabilities. They both go hand-in-hand.

CyberScrapper

I needed a break this afternoon so checked the trans-border hopping of Al cans and plastic recycles to Cali. People do get caught and prosecuted but I'm sure a lot still gets through undetected. Don't kow if the 100 lbs. of cans a day went through state wide or just in the San Fran area. Might slow down the big guys a bit...

31 arrested in $3.5 million California recycling fraud

http://www.lacountydisposalassn.com/...aud%20Bust.pdf

Black market run by recycling syndicates - SFGate

Well I don't know DakotaRog,

These guys have been doing this for years now. Your first article is from 2010 and the last one 2013 and more targeted toward SF.

I think the guys that are going to CA here are going to the same place the large recycling yards here go. Not sure, don't really need to check into it because doesn't pertain to me. There'll always be someone to buy my metal.

CyberScrapper

New can price by me less than 100 lbs. crushed from the top down $.90 lb., more than 100 lbs. crushed from top down $1.00 lb. Crushed sideways or uncrushed less than 100 lbs., $.85 more than 100 lbs, crushed sideways or uncrushed $.95 lb.

Just seen a neighbor yesterday throwing out a 30 gallon bag of assorted plastic bottles she's been keeping for a few months. I said you throwing that is trash? She said yes! Hell I'll take them.

184 bottles weighted 12/lbs = $3.60 for doing nothing but just taking turning them in. LOL

That's about 15 bottles per lb, remember assorted (2 Liters, Gaterade's, Juice, Large plastic water bottles, etc)

CyberScrapper

#1 & 2 plastics are "mandatory" recycling here but there is not scrap market for them. Maybe I should take them over to Iowa for their nickel return (or maybe that's just their Al can);)...

The other thing here in AZ about the places that pay way above scrap price for cans is that all these items go into a large canvas tote. The normal yards that pay less bale up there aluminum cans. These places put plastic beverage bottles and glass bottles in totes as well...