Anyone out there scrapping?

[GSPTOPDOG]

Anyone out there scrapping? I have done some scrapping mainly to help a couple of friends with their cleanup efforts on their respective properties (several acres all together) over the past couple of years. For the time expended and effort laid out including blood, (see pictures for better explanation on that aspect) sweat, (today was 103 and 60% humidity ) and tears (when you cash in at the office after offloading a trailer load of scrap steel/iron/tin and you get $7.00 .... but you spent about $6.00 round trip in gas to get to the scrap yard and back home ). The main thing for me in scrapping is keeping more junk OUT of the landfill and reusing the materials that can be put back to use in the economy..... it sure ain't no way to get rich .... and sometimes you don't break even.... .....

[Modern Slip Joints]

I am accumulating scrap iron, steel and aluminum that I'll eventually haul to a recycle business. Never mind compensation for your time and gas. The point is it's better to be paid by the recycle business than to pay the county transfer station or garbage dump. Plus in my case the recycle business is half way to the dump so less gas.

I'm sorry you cut yourself stripping the wire. Copper seems to be the highest price scrap metal so hopefully it was worth it.

[Waukonda]

Anyone out there scrapping? I have done some scrapping mainly to help a couple of friends with their cleanup efforts on their respective properties (several acres all together) over the past couple of years. For the time expended and effort laid out including blood, (see pictures for better explanation on that aspect) sweat, (today was 103 and 60% humidity ) and tears (when you cash in at the office after offloading a trailer load of scrap steel/iron/tin and you get $7.00 .... but you spent about $6.00 round trip in gas to get to the scrap yard and back home ). The main thing for me in scrapping is keeping more junk OUT of the landfill and reusing the materials that can be put back to use in the economy..... it sure ain't no way to get rich .... and sometimes you don't break even.... .....

If you insist on cutting yourself, you may as well start selling your plasma, much more lucrative and less work than scrapping!

[GSPTOPDOG]

I am accumulating scrap iron, steel and aluminum that I'll eventually haul to a recycle business. Never mind compensation for your time and gas. The point is it's better to be paid by the recycle business than to pay the county transfer station or garbage dump. Plus in my case the recycle business is half way to the dump so less gas.

I'm sorry you cut yourself stripping the wire. Copper seems to be the highest price scrap metal so hopefully it was worth it.

Thanks for the kind words ... Well, let's see now, $3.75 for the copper wire .... A $50 co-pay for the stiches at the doctor's office

I did save a $20 dump fee at the local landfill. ... so.... I'm only down $26.25 .... not counting gas that is....

[GSPTOPDOG]

If you insist on cutting yourself, you may as well start selling your plasma, much more lucrative and less work than scrapping!

Thanks for the advice, Ike. ... In doing some research for local companies soliciting plasma donners, it appears from their websites that apparently most plasma sellers look like the participants in the attached pictures....

... if this holds true .... I don't really care if I get paid .... I just want to stay as long as I can in the blood-drawing area....

[Modern Slip Joints]

As it happens, my blood was just drawn by a young vampire who looked at least as good as either of those two ladies. No, I'm not going to ask my doctor if he needs to do more blood testing. She was nice, but at best I could hope she'd invite me home for an evening of snuggling ... with her mother.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Yesterday I took a plastic bucket nearly full of cartridge case brass to the scrap metal dealer and got $2.15 per pound.

[bestgear]

If you insist on cutting yourself, you may as well start selling your plasma

as soon as I saw plasma and cutting I stated think plasma cutter - from there the rabbit hole only got deeper I need to stay in my own lane on matters such as this happy scrapping!

[treefarmer]

Being raised in a family that lived through the great depression, I learned not to discard any reusable items on the premise hard times may come again. I suppose this led to my scrapper experience. I worked for the school board for 35 years, over 25 as maintenance foreman. I was around all kinds of work, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. There were always scraps from our crews or contractors projects being dumped. This led to a quite large pile of copper scrap at retirement. Copper tubing from HVAC and plumbing but mostly wire from electrical work. We found out how to separate and prepare the copper for sale at the scrap yard and were very pleased with the results. After weighing in the different grades of copper we were in line for payment, the money was paid out through a window, bills and coins. When I got to the window, the lady said, "You'll be getting a check not cash." That was my only scraping experience about 15 years ago.
Treefarmer

[Colonel26]

I don’t go out and purposefully look for scrap, but I manage to produce enough of it to make a couple of trips a year to the scrap yard. I like to keep some scrap metal around for repair jobs and such. And I was raised on my grandfather’s farm. He lived through the depression and never threw anything away! I remember him pulling the nails out of old wood and reusing them instead of buying new. I’m not quite that bad, but if I had a nickel for every time I’ve looked at a piece of junk and thought, “I might need that some day…” I’d be rich!

But after a while the junk has to go! I try to let it accumulate until the prices get decent if possible. I’ve never gotten a huge pay day like some have, but it’s a few dollars.

[Colonel26]

Being raised in a family that lived through the great depression, I learned not to discard any reusable items on the premise hard times may come again. I suppose this led to my scrapper experience. I worked for the school board for 35 years, over 25 as maintenance foreman. I was around all kinds of work, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. There were always scraps from our crews or contractors projects being dumped. This led to a quite large pile of copper scrap at retirement. Copper tubing from HVAC and plumbing but mostly wire from electrical work. We found out how to separate and prepare the copper for sale at the scrap yard and were very pleased with the results. After weighing in the different grades of copper we were in line for payment, the money was paid out through a window, bills and coins. When I got to the window, the lady said, "You'll be getting a check not cash." That was my only scraping experience about 15 years ago.
Treefarmer

Look like we were posting about the same thing at the same time! Great minds you know….lol

[treefarmer]

Being raised in a family that lived through the great depression, I learned not to discard any reusable items on the premise hard times may come again. I suppose this led to my scrapper experience. I worked for the school board for 35 years, over 25 as maintenance foreman. I was around all kinds of work, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. There were always scraps from our crews or contractors projects being dumped. This led to a quite large pile of copper scrap at retirement. Copper tubing from HVAC and plumbing but mostly wire from electrical work. We found out how to separate and prepare the copper for sale at the scrap yard and were very pleased with the results. After weighing in the different grades of copper we were in line for payment, the money was paid out through a window, bills and coins. When I got to the window, the lady said, "You'll be getting a check not cash." That was my only scraping experience about 15 years ago.
Treefarmer

Look like we were posting about the same thing at the same time! Great minds you know….lol

Wade, I'll agree about the great minds.
Straightening nails was something I remember. My uncle had a block/cube of steel maybe 4"X4" with several different sized holes to drive used nails into and straighten them. It was a good job for 4 or 5 year old nephew, kept me out of some mischief. A little later, I learned to use a crowbar. Salvaged lumber has always been in my vocabulary. Now "barn wòod" is a big deal.
Things we remember!
Treefarmer

[Unk]

If you insist on cutting yourself, you may as well start selling your plasma, much more lucrative and less work than scrapping!

Thanks for the advice, Ike. ... In doing some research for local companies soliciting plasma donners, it appears from their websites that apparently most plasma sellers look like the participants in the attached pictures....

... if this holds true .... I don't really care if I get paid .... I just want to stay as long as I can in the blood-drawing area....

Reminds me of my friend who said the dental hygienist who cleans his teeth was so good-looking, that he was going to eat a bag of Oreo cookies in the the waiting room before his next visit.

[eveled]

I used to save my scrap and tip money and keep it separate. When my wife and I had our 20th aniversary I used the money to get her a diamond tennis bracelet. Then started saving again. Originally I wanted a Rolex for myself but, when I hit enough for an M1A, I bought it with scrap money. I had promised myself one for my 50th birthday but bills got in the way.

Now I just put my scrap money in my wallet and spend it. Usually on stuff that is not budgeted for.

I only scrap copper and brass, the other stuff I let a local guy take.

[Modern Slip Joints]

The draw back to high scrap metal prices is thieves scrounging scrap. The lower bare metal wire stretchet between power poles is the ground. It's supposed to be grounded at every pole but in my county theives have stolen the copper ground wire off nearly every pole. While it was still in use there was even a problem with the spikes being stolen out of the railroad track to sell for scrap.

[GSPTOPDOG]

Reminds me of my friend who said the dental hygienist who cleans his teeth was so good-looking, that he was going to eat a bag of Oreo cookies in the waiting room before his next visit.

.... I had a similar experience... ... the dental hygienist who cleaned my teeth was so good-looking, I pretty much stopped brushing them altogether ... ... you know... sort of looking for an excuse to go back more often.... turned out not to be the best move .....

[Reverand]

I am enjoying reading this thread!
I also remember straightening nails. My Dad could not remember the Great Depression, but his Grandfather did, and Dad took those lessons to heart.
Plus, straightening nails did keep my brother and I from getting out and into trouble!
I drill a lot of Safe Deposit locks and combination locks at work. I saved them up one year, separated the brass from aluminum, and wound up with about $300 from scrapping it.
But my brother is on disability from a work injury, so I give him all of my scrap now. He has time to sort it, and it gives him a little extra cash. Plus, any honest work that a man can do is good for him, mentally and spiritually. It is difficult for him to not be able to work.

[GSPTOPDOG]

I am enjoying reading this thread!
But my brother is on disability from a work injury, so I give him all of my scrap now. He has time to sort it, and it gives him a little extra cash. Plus, any honest work that a man can do is good for him, mentally and spiritually. It is difficult for him to not be able to work.

Work is good reason to keep on going in life, when sometimes you just feel like quitting on everything.... or so they say.... ... I think scrapping is a good way to keep down the mountain of trash filling our landfills and gives a scrapper a 'lill pocket change to buy a yard-sale-flea-market-HOK... or two in the process.....

[Colonel26]

I am enjoying reading this thread!
I also remember straightening nails. My Dad could not remember the Great Depression, but his Grandfather did, and Dad took those lessons to heart.
Plus, straightening nails did keep my brother and I from getting out and into trouble!
I drill a lot of Safe Deposit locks and combination locks at work. I saved them up one year, separated the brass from aluminum, and wound up with about $300 from scrapping it.
But my brother is on disability from a work injury, so I give him all of my scrap now. He has time to sort it, and it gives him a little extra cash. Plus, any honest work that a man can do is good for him, mentally and spiritually. It is difficult for him to not be able to work.

Amen, and what a great attitude your brother has! A person who can and won’t work makes me mad. Work is good for body and soul.

[Colonel26]

Being raised in a family that lived through the great depression, I learned not to discard any reusable items on the premise hard times may come again. I suppose this led to my scrapper experience. I worked for the school board for 35 years, over 25 as maintenance foreman. I was around all kinds of work, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, etc. There were always scraps from our crews or contractors projects being dumped. This led to a quite large pile of copper scrap at retirement. Copper tubing from HVAC and plumbing but mostly wire from electrical work. We found out how to separate and prepare the copper for sale at the scrap yard and were very pleased with the results. After weighing in the different grades of copper we were in line for payment, the money was paid out through a window, bills and coins. When I got to the window, the lady said, "You'll be getting a check not cash." That was my only scraping experience about 15 years ago.
Treefarmer

Look like we were posting about the same thing at the same time! Great minds you know….lol

Wade, I'll agree about the great minds.
Straightening nails was something I remember. My uncle had a block/cube of steel maybe 4"X4" with several different sized holes to drive used nails into and straighten them. It was a good job for 4 or 5 year old nephew, kept me out of some mischief. A little later, I learned to use a crowbar. Salvaged lumber has always been in my vocabulary. Now "barn wòod" is a big deal.
Things we remember!
Treefarmer

When I was running cows on pa’s place, I wound up buying several gates to replace his “gates”. When one of those pipe gates would rust off at the bottom, he just laid it aside. When another one rusted off at the bottom he wove them together with a 2x4 and old rusty electric fence wire (because you didn’t throw that out either).

Those things were HEAVY, and you couldn’t swing one at a cow at all (usually because they were tied to the barn post with grass string from the hay bales (because you never threw away a grass string either).

Now my boys get on to me for saving every little scrap piece of wood and all the little bits of electric fence wire. Lol

[philco]

When I bought my farm forty years ago, one of the first tasks I undertook was to clear the junk from in and around my barn. A lot of the metal items required two men to load. I hired a friend to help me.
We worked hard for two long day’s lifting, dragging, and loading all manner of metal scrap. We hauled multiple loads to the nearby scrap yard. When I settled up with my helper I came out well into the red. That was without factoring in gas burned or anything for my own labor.

[Mumbleypeg]

I probably average a trip to the scrap yard annually. I don’t keep track of the expenses well enough to say whether or not I break even on the endeavor, but I doubt it even pays for the gas nowadays. My dad, like several of ya’lls was raised during the Great Depression on a farm, and never threw anything away, so I can relate. I inherited some of his frugality but after it sits unused and un-needed for several years I can finally rationalize parting with it! I don’t keep track of the associated expenses well enough to say whether or not I break even on the endeavor, but I doubt it pays considering the cost of fuel nowadays.

Thought some of y’all might appreciate the name of the place where I take it.

Ken

[GSPTOPDOG]

We worked hard for two long day’s lifting, dragging, and loading all manner of metal scrap. We hauled multiple loads to the nearby scrap yard. When I settled up with my helper I came out well into the red. That was without factoring in gas burned or anything for my own labor.

I helped a buddy clear out two lots he bought near his own property. The scrap yard was about 3 miles away and the county dump about 25 miles away. So, it was cheaper and faster than taking the metal to the dump, not to mention the $20 dump fee But for the huge amount of work it took to cut the metal apart so it could be loaded and the low price for iron/tin at the time it was not very much to brag about at all....

To really get any money for your trip it seems you have to put a huge effort in breaking everything down... and then down again...etc...etc...

As I said earlier ... Blood, Sweat and Tears.... and here is another of example of Blood and Tears (they came about the same time... the blood just a little bit in the lead... )

[Ripster]

We do some scrapping on the side. Although our “ side business “ has grown a lot it’s very enjoyable to shred a semi or bus after 40 years building upper end homes and hotels . No levels ,no hammers , no customers to deal with . We buy buses and semi trucks that don’t meet EPA or school districts need to upgrade. Depends on the district but many of the bigger ones have to run buses less than 10 years old . We then strip or shred the lighter materials separate from the heavy metal . Prices are down now around 160 a ton . Was 220 .00 in April. So to make good money recycling you want to check the numbers and haul when high . Many of the Engines and trannys go to Mexico where they don’t have issues with EPA .
G dog, you seem to be leaving a blood trail during your scraping! They don’t pay any extra for that down there do they?

[GSPTOPDOG]

I probably average a trip to the scrap yard annually....Thought some of y’all might appreciate the name of the place where I take it.

I went to take some metal to scrap at that same yard once Ken.... but something didn't "smell right" about it, so, I took my 'biddness elsewhere