New to Scrap metal recycling: want to start my own business with catalytic converters

Hi my name is Sam

I am new to the recycle industry. I am a dental assistant and work for a private practice.
I've been dental assisting for 12 years now. I want to start my own business that That can be a home based business. I have a son and daughter at home who are home schooled. I want to have more time with my wife and children. I am investigating the possibilities of having a scrap metal recycling business that we can do as a family..
look forward to learning a lot from this Scrap metal Forum, which I hope will help me in my decision process of which scrap metal recycling would fit my needs the best..

doubleeagle signing out and hope everyone has a great week!

Welcome! You'll learn a lot here. Use the search button to research the topics you are interested in and you will be inundated in information. Good luck!

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the intro. You are right in thinking that recycling is a great opportunity to teach your family how have a run a family business.

Word to the wise what sounds like a good idea can turn up sour grapes. Scrap metal is the reason me and my dad don't really talk and haven't gotten along in years. Difference of opinions when it came to jobs and money tore us apart. So just make sure everyone is on the same page. Good Luck though.

Piston-Call him today. Wish him happy Easter. Apologize even if you were 100% in the right. It may be the hardest thing you ever do but swallow your pride and call him.

I wish I could call my dad.

If you take my advice let us know how it turns out.

Best wishes buddy and Happy Easter!

I still talk to him once a month we just don't see eye to eye when it comes to recycling. I guess I should have stated that. Hence the reason I don't work for him anymore and he is retired. I am probably flying him out here next month so he can see his grandson though. We get along great but throw in a few hundred tons of scrap and we both start butting heads. I run my job site this way he runs his jobsite another way it just never worked.

Welcome aboard, doubleeagle! For the record I just wanna let you know that my experience with family and my scrap metal business is on the other end of the spectrum from PistoneScrapProcessing. (No disrespect at all meant towards you or your family PSP.) And please take note the he is on a whole different level of scrapping than I am. A much larger level I do believe.

Now that said, my whole family gets involved. 2 sons (ages 20 and 12), 1 dau. (age19), and my wife (age---(what? yall think I'm stupid or something? lol). Heck I've even got a new grandson (2 months old) that I've brought on a couple pick-ups to meet some of my customers. They all get involved whether it's pick-ups, tear-downs/processing, loading or unloading, scrap yard runs, and even advertising. It has served only to bring our family closer together on many levels. If your experience is anything like mine with the "family business" it will be great! Heck I even named my business 'FAMILY METAL RECYCLERS". Good luck, my friend.

Running a family biz too, couldn't do it without help from all the grandparents and my wife. As for family disputes, got a simple solution, which is mutually understood, my dads jobsite, his way and on my jobsite my way. Works for us

Thank you skylinejack for the warm welcome to the scrap metal forum. That's great to hear of someone who has their family involved with their scrap business.
Do you scrap catalytic converters? I want to make 2 - 3 thousand dollars a month, Do you think this would be possible scrapping. Do you focus on one area of metal scraping
like vehicles or computers etc.. I have lots to learn... I am totally new to this business, but want to make a go of it so I can support my family and spend quality time with my two kids ages 10,12 and my precious wife..... any advise for me would be much appreciated.... thanks doubleeagle

You will make more money getting started scrapping anything metal than trying to narrow in on one thing. Ask biggerhammer how much more money they started making once they got away from just copper and brass.

Diversity is the key to profitability in my operation, usually have to take the iron and copper and aluminum all together. My customers want someone to clean up all the stuff not just the gravy, so have to the good with the not as profitable. Ill scrap anything I can make money on, don't be afraid to take on something new, but do your homework first. And good luck

Couldn't agree more then what's said above...Having options is a good thing. Last week it was appliances, this week escrap and carpentry, next week who knows-might bust out the popcorn machine and it's all filler for the main gig...virtual General Store.

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Originally Posted by doubleeagle

Thank you skylinejack for the warm welcome to the scrap metal forum. That's great to hear of someone who has their family involved with their scrap business.
Do you scrap catalytic converters? I want to make 2 - 3 thousand dollars a month, Do you think this would be possible scrapping. Do you focus on one area of metal scraping
like vehicles or computers etc.. I have lots to learn... I am totally new to this business, but want to make a go of it so I can support my family and spend quality time with my two kids ages 10,12 and my precious wife..... any advise for me would be much appreciated.... thanks doubleeagle

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Depending on overhead, if you want to bring home 2 to 3 k extra a month for this type of business, prepared to have cash on hand if you are going to buy Cats. To get that 2 or 3 k post tax you will probably need to generate in the neighborhood of 10-15k

Not sure what the value of your time is, but there is no account in the above for time.... simple numbers to help give you a barometer for where you want to be...

Well I would recommend you to analyze some of market recycling companies like igassetmanagement(dot)com and find out how they work. It will be certainly handy for you.