Should you go out of your way (no too much) to grab steel and store it?
Printable View
Should you go out of your way (no too much) to grab steel and store it?
Only you can answer that question. Too many variables for anyone else to give advice on.Quote:
Originally Posted by MierasMetals
1. how much can you get for it?
2. do you pay for storage?
3. how far are you going?
4. how far is the yard?
5. what do you have for transportation of the steel?
6. ETC., ETC.
If you are going to be breaking down things you will have steel as a by product of the items you clean up in order to get a better price, so if you have some space and the prices for steel are ok by you then as my later father in law would have said "if its free take it!"
For my business plan it is worth it, but I have an unusual situation than most on the forum. I do not have to pay for storage, have unlimited storage areas, can afford to sit on metal as long as I have to, can haul up to 10 tons per load, etc. My specialty is large machinery, # 2 prepared, and # 1 prepared. I haul tin immediately because I do not want it blowing into Minnesota or Iowa. As pointed out by the previous posts, it depends on your situation. You might want to provide more details and you might receive more specific answers.
I think it is but I never just haul steel or shred I take in copper or brass also
I have unlimited space. I can wait to drop it off. I can carry a truckfull. With a atttatchable trailer.
You still have to figure your transportation costs (pickup and drop off). You also need to figure out what you can get at the yard and if it makes sense to process anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by MierasMetals
This is correct some things may be better sold as is and be done...Quote:
Originally Posted by mthomasdev
aQuote:
Originally Posted by MierasMetals
After figuring cost and time, find a price that will show a profit you can live with. Then turn and burn.
I say it sounds like its worth it for you. I always take non ferrous in when I take shred, I don't have unlimited storage, so my shred pile determines when I go to the yard most of the time. ;)
I have a 16ft flatbed trailer that I use to store shred (after I process it, removing the wiring harness, etc) until it is full, then I haul it 4 miles to my yard. I do not go more than a couple of miles out of my way from work to home to pick stuff up, so for me it is worth it.
The owner of the yard told me a week ago that he and 4 other yard owners talked, and they all agree that there should be a pretty good rise in commodities by the summer, so I am hoarding all my non-ferrous until this summer. And like the OP, I have plenty of storage space on my property.
I still collect steel. I often use it as material for projects. Also one of the yards I go to will cut me a check on the spot for anything over $25 if I bring steel with non ferrous instead of waiting for 10 days to get a check for any amount over $25.
As has been stated, depends on your situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by MierasMetals
For me, no. I got a small yard in a suburb with a small truck. Shred steel is easy pickings when doing other tasks, so is basically free. I used to bring in a Ranger load at 9 cents a pound and get $36 easily just about every week, more if I spent some time packing or had some heavier items. Then the price dipped as low as 1 cent a pound. Truckload now brought in $4, covering the gas barely. With limited places to store shred/tin, I started including it with our local recycling (it is allowed here) as I wasn't making money from it anyways. Prices have now settled in the middle making the decision of what to do with it a little more tricky for me each time. Still not going out of my way to pick it up though.
In my area the price for shred is $0.03 /lb at the moment.
As long as I don't have to drive longer than 40 miles - it's better than nothing !
Steel makes up about 36% of the cash for me and 78% of the weight I bring in. And in order to get better prices at a yard I go to I take in 10 trips of steel (separated into, sheet iron, clean sheet iron, torch and prepared) and then take the good stuff for the bonus pricing of $.10 a pound for everything the next trip.
in my opinion no i would not if you have the means to transport and store such things you could. in my case im more of a manual kind of person where as i want to make profit and not waste it on using gas but it also limits on what and how much stuff i can get on a dolly lol but i save money that way=) i can cut down anything else but steel and ali cans they to take up loads of room. cast ali can break down nice.
For myself it is worth it. I specialize in steel 99% of the time. There are several businesses in town that would have to pay for disposal if I did not clean it up. The owners of these businesses visit the coffee shop every day. My name comes up and I get more business. One trip into town once a month will provide a trailer load of steel and at todays market, $ 400. From this I get to haul combines, tractors, and other farm machinery.Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1
You need to create your niche based on your location and the market. I haul over 60 mi. and can make a profit. My recommendation, think like the big dog on the porch, not the puppy.
take my word for it dude< if you have anything less than one ton< its not worth it< I promise you>
At this point steel is by product of harvesting more valuable materials....i think some of the new guys here have a long way to go
So it would be worth it to get $85 a ton for sheet iron but not worth taking in a truck load of 400 pounds @ $.0425 a pound? All metal is money...Quote:
Originally Posted by KINGOFSCRAPPING
I take my shred in when I fill my pick up truck. It usually ends up being between 800 to 1000 lbs. The only time I bring in less weight is if get a lot of bulky steel. I just want to get rid of it then. Last price was $100/ GT for Lt Iron (shred). It's worth it for me to keep my customers happy.
Where are you getting 100 for light iron. local yards are 75 to 90. Can go to Albany for 146, but need a lot to make it worthwhile.Quote:
Originally Posted by ragstoriches
You have a lot to learn! You think you can turn down steel and everyone is just going to give you their copper and aluminum? Do you realize (provided you have the time to break stuff down) how much copper and aluminum can be found in appliances? I'll stop here before I get to rude and we need to find a safe space for you.Quote:
Originally Posted by KINGOFSCRAPPING
I was walking through the yard today to see how my crop of scrap was growing. When I got to the barn, I noticed there was a $20 bill and a $100 bill there. I immediately took the $100 and put it into my pocket, happy with my scrap proceeds. However, I tossed the $20 bill into the trash can because it was not worth my time to bother with...
;)
In the same vein--I get most of what I scrap from my workplaces, which are construction sites. Sometimes I dig stuff up, and sometimes I'll go dumpster diving. At one time I'd go after pretty much anything I saw in the dumpster, the ductwork scraps that the heating guys would throw away, for example. These days, with ferrous prices being what they are, if it's not something heavy, like a piece of I beam, or something that I might be able to use otherwise, or something that falls out of the sky and lands in my truck, it's most likely to stay where it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by harsas
I'll dumpster dive one time for a dollar, but not ten times to accumulate 100 pennies.
Hey KINGOFSCRAPPING Jr. when you grow up you can play with the big boys and haul scrap cars, trucks and bus's. Use your truck mounted crane to yank out the radiator and wiring then grab the cats.Quote:
Originally Posted by KINGOFSCRAPPING
Some of our members sell parts and cores ie: engines and transmissions along with some other goodies.
I had a nice thread on the forum under another Nic when I was bored one summer, built a car trailer from the remains of an old RV trailer and made enough money to purchase an International diesel 3 ton with a nice Atlas truck mounted crane with a hydraulic winch mounted on it by the end of the year.
Sold some cats to a scrap yard then cut a bunch open then ball milled the comb into powder which filled a 45 gallon plastic drum that I shipped to a refinery in the US.
I retired from doing scrap and now grow garlic which is something not included in my diet but at $66,000.00 an acre when harvested I can put up with almost anything but a smart ass.
""IS IT WORTH IT"" ... is a totally situational question no matter the topic.
Just last Saturday, I took in 760 pounds of computer cases, microwave husks, and the shell of a rare curbco pool heater. It's 30 miles and one hour round trip to my preferred yard. For $30.40, that isn't worth (TO ME!!!!!!!) the time & gas & chance of a scrapyard flat... HOWEVER, since it was on the way to a catfish place me & the missus have been wanting to try, it WAS totally worth it (TO ME!!!!!!) in this SITUATION. Basically, we got free catfish. :))
Normally, I'd text another scrapper I know who usually comes & gets any shred, water heaters, etc, that I have and brings me any computers he finds since (TO HIM!!!!!) it's not worth his time to mess with ewaste, especially since he & I have this arrangement.
""IS IT WORTH IT"" ... is a totally situational question no matter the topic." This is the best answer to so many questions that have popped up over the years here on the forum.
I've also used other scrapers to remove the shred from my little operation. The last time I paid the guy $30 to pick up about a ton of computer cases and other shred. For me its physically challenging to move that much weight at one time and the price about 3 cents a pound. Its all up to your situation. 73, Mike
you are correct. There is a fridge in an alley by my house do I want it? Not really but if it is still there Sat AM I will get it and fill it up with shred for a trip t0 the yard. If someone gets it not a big loss
Todays prices
Sheet Iron $75 net ton so $.0375 lb.
Unprepared $105 net ton so $.0525 lb.
Clean Sheet Iron $110 net ton so $.055 lb.
Prepared $115 net ton so $.0575 lb.
Check with your yards to see if they pay different types of steel. Before a new place came to town all peddlers were paid sheet iron price for whatever they took in. Now most places pay you a little more to separate the steel!
Tuesday morning my auto body shop called saying there is a truck load of scrap for me. Ran it in wed to the yard. Had 720 lbs of car doors, hoods, bumpers, fenders, and some radiators. Didnt sell the radiators because i figure i would wait till i had a nice pile of them....Quote:
Originally Posted by KINGOFSCRAPPING
Anyways. 720 lbs of shred at 140/Ton I got $50.40 for like 30 minutes of "work". I would take $100.80 an hour any day
G&S in South Windsor CT. $160.00 for #1 Steel tooQuote:
Originally Posted by mthomasdev