We are getting 85 dollars a ton. And there is still a lot of competition. You need to be pulling in at least 400 pounds per hour to make it worth it? How are the full time scrapers making ends meet? Thanks
Printable View
We are getting 85 dollars a ton. And there is still a lot of competition. You need to be pulling in at least 400 pounds per hour to make it worth it? How are the full time scrapers making ends meet? Thanks
Everything you need to maximize profits is on this forum.........Scrap should only be a by-product of a more valuable comodity
If they tell you then you will start doing it and take their business! My guess is they read a lot on SMF and learned how to earn enough to get by. $.02 thrown in the noob pot. Can I have a receipt please?
I look on craigslist and scrap grills my only last an hour. I talking about the competition racing around for a light weight items . Usually by the time I see it and can call its gone. It doesn't make scents to me to have an unplan route? Not maxizing profits? IMo. Maybe I am ranting a bit to.. Sorry
Most of the guys here who are a success do not shop the curb (I pick up items only if I find them on my way)........I suggest to read first ask questions second
If I can't get to an item within 30 minutes of its posting I consider it gone already
I have read many posts most of them are back in 2010-2012 when prices were great. I understand that people have business that they deal with and generates more scrap then curb shopping. Let me ask a simple question are you pulling in 2 tons a day fulltime scraping and or 1 ton or less part-time?
personally I don't want two tons of scrap.........I sell and refurbish computers as a by product of my ewaste biz........I can make 1oo's of times scrap value on some of these items and I owe alot of my knowledge to this forumQuote:
Originally Posted by roger2010
Not trying to be rude or upset anyone. I know there is successful businesses here. But I read a lot that people are holding on to more and more due to the low prices. I always scrap as a hobby. Never has a pt job.
I am breaking down more and more items, even steel. Hold onto the prepared steel and hope price rises. Don't get me wrong I still have lots of shred, some things not worth it to break down. I took 260 pounds of sheet iron and only got $.0225 lb today. But in breaking down this I got #2 ins wire, brass, aluminum, #2 copper, electric motors and several things for our next yard sale! I only made $5.85 for a gutted microwave oven full of shred, Christmas tree with lights still on, 3 rolling desk chair bases, and various other items with plastic or wood attached. Same load last year would have made almost $30...
I wasn't trying to be rude either, just point out that this topic and many others on how to maximize your return are posted all over the site.
This forum has great info. Keeps me up all night reading. . escrap mades my head hurt which means I am learning . Kinda like hobo post the price isn't there.
No but I have 400 lbs of printers, 200-300 lbs of power boards, cpus to sort and sell, wire to strip, and half a storage locker that is full of rainy day breakdown items. With prices down its rainy day time.Quote:
Originally Posted by roger2010
If scrap is the total of your business plan, you will not be making ends meet in this downturn in the commodities. Many on this forum see scrap as a by product of their business. For me art, reselling structural steel, and farm restoration is the by product of my scrapping. Right now I depend on the by product. The scrap is being stored for better prices.
Thanks guys for you responds. Glad you all found a way to make ends meet
I have calls and drop offs ,once people know who you are and what you do it will become easier, remember it is hard work and you must adjust to the times for instance I never use to strip any wire now I do.
Patriot do you have any pic of your work? And do must of you strip wire by hand or made a machine to do it?
I can't see how anyone who just hauls steel to the yard can make ends meet, either.
I refurbish computers. What goes to the yard are shells, worthless printers, and copiers. The good stuff on the inside gets taken out, and is either sold to a specialty buyer, or is reused in another system.
The scrap trailer is the last place I want to put something.
During times like this I rely on my other 4 businesses including auto repair and firewood to get by. Its close to impossible with prices like they are for anyone just delivering metal to yard to get by right now. I take any metal I can get as it comes in but I stock pile as much as I can into prices go up but with the snow on the ground I dont get much scrap into around early May. But im finding myself breaking down more stuff in the light iron pile and preparing more #1 iron then usual the longer prices are low like this. Usually in the summer I just deliver my light iron as I fill my trailer to the scrap yard for quick cash but if prices dont up soon Ill just keep adding to the pile and call the tractor trailer when I can no longer fit anymore in the yard.
I strip most my copper wire by hand as I get it. Its harder and takes longer but if its thick enough it makes up for your time depending on what copper prices are and how thick the wire is.
i agree with mike, the scrap yard should be your last resort for your items. There is no way I could survive on the 70-120 per ton alone
Here you go three threads to start looking at. Use the search box on top right put in what you want with/smf. 2 minutes to do.
I was asking a poll question. To the people on this thread. There a million ways to skin a cat or strip some wire lol. Just wondering how the people talking to me are doing it. Having a discussing. Sorry
You haven't done anything wrong.
To tally up the votes so far, though, the consensus seems to be that you should sell items for more than scrap value when you can, and that scrapping should tie into something else that you do.
Seems like sound advice to me!
So matador how or what do you do get scrap and what you do with it?
For my job, I resell computers and repair ones for local customers. A lot of my customers will bring in their old computers for recycling (We offer free recycling at our repair shop). They'll purchase a refurbished computer, and theirs, depending on age/condition/specs is either dismantled for scrap, is rebuilt, or a combination of the options. We also hold free collection events in the area, and I serve some of the local schools.
The higher value (But still not usable) scrap goes to buyers on here. I purchase working more than scrap parts that I reuse, but some of these fail testing. They get lumped in with group 1. I end up with nice desktops and laptops that I sell.
The byproduct is mostly cases, inkjet printers, scanners, and other non-usable stuff. That's what I scrap.
[QUOTE=roger2010;241564]I was asking a poll question. To the people on this thread. There a million ways to skin a cat or strip some wire lol. Just wondering how the people talking to me are doing it. Having a discussing. Sorry[/Q
You asked a question and I gave you three threads that will show you :
How to decide if its worth it to strip wire
And
Some ingenious ways people use to strip wire.
That is the way people strip wire, is that not what you asked?
You know what? I am sorry. I am sorry I wasted my time giving you posts to find your answer. I deleted them so go chase yourself!!!
I like to talk to other scrapper and get there option on things. Thank you for posting that link I read it. Just trying to bring up some conversation..
pacific routes on pacific nights atlanticly maximize gas same goes for routes to stores work and fun fills the truck.
word of mouth clist freecycle and so forth brings stuff to me and allows me to pick up and schedule pick ups all week long.
auctions bring in a lot of ewaste in bulk and people do the rest either free or I buy in any amounts.
breaking things down fully to maximize profits and resale items . always look stuff up it takes seconds and will makes u thousands .
hire people to do things for you I myself have trouble finding long term employees as people don't have patience but for quick overflow breakdowns theres always people with signs asking for something so offer them a way to get what they need lol.
ALWAYS RESEARCH EVERYTHING YOU CAN AND WAYS YOU CAN MAKE HIGHER RETURNS FOR YOUR TIME.
on that note use your time to the fullest cause its not always about the money. making 50cents for a hour sometimes is good for you but whats better is realizing how much 50cents can actually buy you. REASEARCH...
work with others scrappers. my light tin goes local which is at a whopping 1to2 cents right now but a well built load taken in is still money even if its not much it adds fast. medium to heavy steel I work with a group to load rail gondola cars so we can ship to a large yard so after expenses I am getting 6-8cents lb.
same goes for other metals if I find a yard that pays better after shipping then away it goes.
I live in an apt right now and work from a garage at home and 4 storages so maximizing space is a key thing I even use outside storage so I can fit 3 pallets without neighbors complaining.
do everything to reduce your overhead costs. don't live from your wallets build a plan save your money and reinvest in your business your self and your future.
spend money on stuff you want. don't go crazy but save for long term items but have fun and live life. hard work comes with a lot of future woes so live it up now so you can gently sit down later.
DRINK SMOKE AND HAVE LOTS OF S+X AND OTHER VICES you get one chance at life so don't be afraid of cancer or ebola if your gonna get it you will if not your going to DIE IN A PLANE CRASH.
........most important.......DONT WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK LET THEM WORRY ABOUT WHAT YOUR THINKING......
AND MUCH MORE
I am a full time scrapper/curb shopper. The bulk of my business is curb shopping but that is slowly changing do to starting to get regular calls from being established a few years. I think your looking at scrap as just dealing with steel. if i go out and find 2,000 lbs of steel, generally that means i have found a 100-200 lbs of additional better metals. I turn in typically 6,000-8,000 lbs of steel a week from the curb which covers fuel, smokes, coffee, and puts a few bucks in my pocket... if i don't find resale items that week, i will still make between $300-400 additional on the better metals. I was averaging about $800-1,000 a week or more last year after fuel cost and even after market fell out i still hover around 600-800 which is okay for now, im surviving, calls are coming in, i make my own schedule, beats going in to a job i don't like.
That is awesome gottoscrap. What is the price of scrap where you are at. And thanks everyone for gaving idea how else you are making it by.
$80/ ton shred
Here I will give two hint and after that, you have a brain, use it. 1200 lbs of tin...roughly 70 in scrap. Barely broke even after payin helper and gas expense to fetch. BUT now have a couple hundred in parts waiting for online sales. HINT 2...keep ya eyes peeled and follow ya gut. I don't know why, but my gut told me to take the alley behind the local quickey mart after smokes and coffee. At a garage there was a yard sale. I paid like 200 and got over a grand in resellable subaru parts. I got a complete 2005 sti subaru 2.5 dohc TURBO engine with good heads, bad bearings. Dude drove all the way from Queens 3 hours and paid 5 bills for it within 48 hours. Now I used to be a mechanic and was able to do a leak down test, your mileage and experience will vary. And if that dude fell through, I had 700 waiting for me next day in Cleveland for same motor if I drove it there. All I paid was 50 bucks for motor...he he. USE YA HEAD.....scrap is garbage. Before ya know it we will have to pay people to haul it at the rate its spiraling. But in parts you will thrive....instinct, knowledge, and luck will see you through. I did 1500 in one day this week...matter of luck, knowledge, and instinct.
Everytime I log on there are posts asking the same thing you asked and it just shows how lazy people are these days. (rant over) If you want to learn listen up. Think of your scrap business as a mine, mines are lucky if they can give away their overburden, you can sell all of yours($85 per ton tin) the price doesn't matter anything is better than paying to get rid of it. Where you make your money is in the gold at the bottom of the pit. There is no way to make anything in this business just hauling from the curb to the shred pile. If that's all you are doing you aren't much more than a garbage man and at least they have sense enough to charge for their service. You are looking at this business backwards, the lowest end of scrap is not where the money is.
How lazy people are??? I have a fulltime job. Work 50 plus hours a week. I scrap as a hobby. I ask a question how are FULL TIME scrappers/curb hunters making it? I got some replies from full time scrappers (of 85 dollar a ton tin Scrapper) in how they are doing it. which I appreciate. Then I get a bunch of rants from people. I ask a simple question if you don't like then don't read it/ or comment . We all had to start somewhere . Sorry I don't know anything about escrap.... but I wasting asking .... Thank you who respond in a positive way.
I am new member. Like many new members will like to talk to other scrappers. Kinda hard to talk to them by not starting a new thread. Has anyone ever thought about a chat room. I think it would be nice. Thanks for reading.
Too say you cant make anything curb to yard is absolutely false...
Wow, that's a change of tuneQuote:
Originally Posted by travistemple202020