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  1. #1
    copperhound44 started this thread.
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    Is it possible to negotiate copper price with the scrapyard?

    Hey all, I've been saving up all my No. 1 clean copper for the past year or so and its time to get it out of the garage. I called the yard today and they said it was going for $1.85 a pound, kinda depressing but he said "it will go up a dime tomorrow". I would say I roughly have around 125lbs of copper tubing. Is this enough to negotiate a better price with? I would like to get at least 2 or so a pound, but I realize the copper market isn't too hot right now. Thanks!



  2. #2
    sjones99's Avatar
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    If you had a few thousand lbs then yes....the weight you have...nope
    I was offered 2.46 for bare bright today and 2.30 #2

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  4. #3
    HipoGear's Avatar
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    If you've been holding for a year, I would try to hold it just a little longer. I read this article earlier today and it makes me wish I had held some of mine. But then again, when you need cash, somethings got to go.
    Copper - A Better Inflation Hedge than Gold - Commodity Trade Mantra
    Copper, brass, and Leather. 3 of my favorite things.

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  6. #4
    copperhound44 started this thread.
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    Ok thanks, I figured with having so little I didn't have much wiggle room. Can someone explain the difference between bare bright and #1 please? I thought bare bright only applied to electrical wire? I'm definitely a noob here and I don't want the yard to take me for a ride. I know that #2 is copper with solder joints and I keep that separate from my #1. Thanks!

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    Bare Bright is electrical wire. Tubing can't be bare bright bc of its lead content. But if some yard gives you bare bright for tubing, it's a win for the person who is selling it.

    125 lbs won't do much. I sold 1,200 lbs of aluminum and asked if I could get more money that day. After a discussion and view of my account by the owner, I received $.01 more.

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  9. #6
    msmoorad's Avatar
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    just try
    u never know until u try

    if the yard knows u- u are a regular customer- then they will be more likely to accommodate you.

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  11. #7
    copperhound44 started this thread.
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    Learning more everyday here! Thanks for all the replies guys. Sure hope copper goes up sometime in the near future, can't go much lower lol.

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    Ask about bulk pricing.

    One of the yards around here has bulk pricing. "Call ahead if you have a load over 200lbs." Not counting steel ofcorse

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  14. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by greytruck View Post
    Ask about bulk pricing.

    One of the yards around here has bulk pricing. "Call ahead if you have a load over 200lbs." Not counting steel ofcorse
    We also have a yard here that does bulk pricing. 100 lbs and 250 lbs are their "tiers."

    As I tend to hoard my better value scrap, it works for me. Example: clean al extrusion is .12/lb more over 250.

    Since al is holding good now, time for extrusions to go.

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    If you have more than one yard nearby you can always try the other one and ask them if they'll beat the price. Many will and though it won't be by much, will still be an improvement.

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    If you are hording Copper for a better price.
    When you sell your other metals to the scrapbuyer, mention that you have X Kgs amount of Copper aside at the moment and are adding about X Kgs per week to it.
    It should probably be at least 200kgs +.
    That way the buyer knows that theres, say 250kgs sitting out there, practically 'in stock' that's not costing him a cent at the moment.

    But, if he needs, say a extra 250+ KGS of Copper RIGHT NOW, to fill a container load or a contract bid....
    He knows that with a single phone call it could be on his scales in 30 minutes - that day - or 24 hours, and it may cost him a tiny bit more, but he gets his money back in a few days or so.
    He will pay extra for it.
    He didn't have to store it, its legit, he only had to fork out the $$ for the shortest amount of time possible and he fillfulls a contract/ fills the shipping container to a higher % for a happyer buyer..

    Win Win Win... $$$ in the bank

    (But NEVER FORGET to tell the buyers who you told before, that you have sold the metal when you do sell it...)
    Last edited by eesakiwi; 07-01-2017 at 05:18 AM.

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  18. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by copperhound44 View Post
    Hey all, I've been saving up all my No. 1 clean copper for the past year or so and its time to get it out of the garage. I called the yard today and they said it was going for $1.85 a pound, kinda depressing but he said "it will go up a dime tomorrow". I would say I roughly have around 125lbs of copper tubing. Is this enough to negotiate a better price with? I would like to get at least 2 or so a pound, but I realize the copper market isn't too hot right now. Thanks!
    I don't know what area your from but today bare bright is $2.20 where i work. The local area is similar if not the same in their pricing, and a few more miles away rockaway has advertised that bare bright is $2.45 a lbs. While #2 is $.05 less than my yard. Maybe call around a bit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ScrapmanIndustries View Post
    I don't know what area your from but today bare bright is $2.20 where i work. The local area is similar if not the same in their pricing, and a few more miles away rockaway has advertised that bare bright is $2.45 a lbs. While #2 is $.05 less than my yard. Maybe call around a bit.
    I've used a trip to a distant yard for a better price as a second reason to travel to that area. In my case the wife occasionally wants to do some specialty food shopping in another city about 2 hours away. I would go with a truck full of a variety of materials and get much better pricing. 73, Mike
    "Profit begins when you buy NOT when you sell." {quote passed down to me from a wise man}

    Now go beat the copper out of something, Miked

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  21. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by ScrapmanIndustries View Post
    I don't know what area your from but today bare bright is $2.20 where i work. The local area is similar if not the same in their pricing, and a few more miles away rockaway has advertised that bare bright is $2.45 a lbs. While #2 is $.05 less than my yard. Maybe call around a bit.
    One of these days, I'm going to make that trip to Rockaway. They offer better pricing for certain items for plumbers an electricians. Being that I'm not either, I'll have to call to see how much weight I nee to get similiar prices. I've noticed that Bare Bright, Romex and THHN go up about 5 cents.

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