What is everyone getting for Copper?

Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

If I could get a large pile of insulated copper, I'd be happy to strip that all winter. Seems a person could advertise (craigslist, paper, word of mouth) that they buy insulated copper, and pay them going rate or even a bit more. Does any one do this?

I guess the sticky part I'd wonder about is weighing it. Seems the powers that be are pretty strict on anything bought/sold by weight. So I'd need an accurate scale.

I advertise on CL or use to, anyway. Spent most of last winter stripping construction (220) wiring. I buy by the pound and this is how I get around the Weights and Measures guys ("just in case" as most people don't care). I carry a bathroom scale in the truck and have a hospital scale in the garage. I tell people that I'm weighing the stuff strictly for my benefit, but they're welcome to watch. "Technically, I'll be offering you a set amount for the pile." Then I weigh stuff and have set amounts for some things, like batteries, radiators, alternators, stoves etc. Then add everything up (out loud, but "to myself") and tell the person "I'll give you $xxx for this stuff".

Remember to discount for the insulation on wiring.

Originally Posted by Mick

I advertise on CL or use to, anyway. Spent most of last winter stripping construction (220) wiring. I buy by the pound and this is how I get around the Weights and Measures guys ("just in case" as most people don't care). I carry a bathroom scale in the truck and have a hospital scale in the garage. I tell people that I'm weighing the stuff strictly for my benefit, but they're welcome to watch. "Technically, I'll be offering you a set amount for the pile." Then I weigh stuff and have set amounts for some things, like batteries, radiators, alternators, stoves etc. Then add everything up (out loud, but "to myself") and tell the person "I'll give you $xxx for this stuff".

Remember to discount for the insulation on wiring.

I doubt many would care how I weigh it, but it takes just one to gum up the works and cause problems and headaches.

Do you not advertise for wire any more?

Definitely discount for the insulation. That's my only reason for wanting to buy it, since it's another 2.20 stripped. Ever bought bare from someone? I would offer to buy that too, but I couldn't compete with the yards, so the seller might as well take it in themselves.

Speaking of wire, saw a small pile of it at the landfill. Thought about grabbing it up, but the dozer guy was waiting for me to leave, and they state no salvaging, though that didn't stop me about 5 years ago from asking and getting permission to get a Coca Cola display cooler from the scrap pile. No surprise, it didn't work. Filled it with ice and bottled drinks to use at BBQ's, then sold it for $100 a few years later.

Man, to be a landfill operator, I bet one sees a ton of scrap every single day. They have a metal pile and it puzzles me. Not sure if it's stuff they pull from the general dumping, or if people really drive all the way out there to dump it..and to do so, one must drive past several scrap yards.

Originally Posted by IdahoScrapper

Do you not advertise for wire any more?

Ever bought bare from someone? I would offer to buy that too, but I couldn't compete with the yards, so the seller might as well take it in themselves.

Man, to be a landfill operator, I bet one sees a ton of scrap every single day. They have a metal pile and it puzzles me. Not sure if it's stuff they pull from the general dumping, or if people really drive all the way out there to dump it..and to do so, one must drive past several scrap yards.

I've stopped advertising as much as I use to. One, I have a route of regular customers - like body shops and repair garages. Going for single pickups aren't as profitable. I also have regulars who drop stuff off at my place on an irregular basis. I'm in a fairly rural area and taking their own stuff in isn't an option. One guy actually lives right by the scrap yard, but just prefers bringing his stuff 25 miles and trading me for stuff I've picked up. Yes, I've bought bare wire. I don't need to compete with the yards (in fact, a lot of the stuff is given to me free). re: Landfill operators - both. They then haul the stuff to the scrap yard. I once bought some golf cart batteries from a guy who'd brought them to the landfill but for legal reasons, we had to drive off landfill property to make the transaction.