Our 1st Load (we'll probably get ripped off...right?) - Page 3

I started my kids out when they were little helping me scrap. Now I have a 17 year old that makes his own money scraping instead of working the mickey D's grind or some such.

CCP- Welcome to the world of scrapping!!

If you can get into a niche where you can get one or two non-ferrous metals on a regular basis and not have to deal with steel, go for it. But, if you're to scrap e-waste or just general household items, steel will be a by product. Get a big plastic trash can with wheels and put your "tin" in there. It really doesn't take up much room in a garage. Either avoid bulkier items or pile them behind your trash can neatly (something I struggle with). I scrap out of a car and don't like to put a lot of metal in the passenger compratment with me so my steel loads are never over 300 lbs. But I try not to make a run to that side of town unless I have other business (my bro lives in the country further out so that scrap yard is on the way). We have a new outfit opening a big yard less than 5 minutes from my house, so little loads of steel won't be a big deal at all, except a little bit of time. Have your kid playing in the garage while you scrap and consider it bonding time. Just be careful if he's around and you have to have mr. sledge in action and learn not to cuss when you hit you thumb

Originally Posted by ChesterCopperpot

Thanks for explaining the bulk/tare thing.
I saw a bunch of printers in the pile...I thought you couldn't scrap printers b/c they're mostly plastic. I can get my hands on all kinds of printers to scrap!

I think from now on, steel's out for me. Too much work, for too little return. I spent weeks removing all the non-metallic materials from that stuff. The $33 dollars I got, didn't even cover gas for the truck I borrowed from my neighbor.

I'm gonna stick to copper & brass.
Where can I find brass? I heard thrift stores are a great source.

If your scrapping your going to accumulate steel . If feel its not worth your time and effort, put it aside and post it on cl for another scrapper. This way you can control the amount you
Pile up, and you your helping a fellow scrapper out as well as the environment.
Just a suggestion.

I recently scrapped stainless steel and found out that if a magnet sticks to it there is an alloy added to the stainless to give it the magnetic property. It's a rip-off because it is mostly stainless anyway but the yards that I've been to only want to give the scrap steel price some a little more. Pure stainless steel a magnet won't stick to it and is a lot more valuable at the yards.