Scrapping metal

[Norcal]

I enjoy metal fab as a hobby. I also have a tendency to drag home hopeless projects. In the last 6 months I dragged home 700 lbs of steel that was left over from projects. I also had $20 worth of assorted copper, aluminum, brass. The pile was a big ugly eye sore in the back yard that filled the bed of my Nissan Frontier. Was it worth looking at the pile? Not sure. Am I working on another pile? Yeah....

As a side note, I kept all of my aluminum cans for 6 months. It only netted me $10 for that six months of annoyance of collection, crushing, and storage.

Locally AL cans are $2 plus a pound. EZ money.

 

[Brad54]

I'm always working on vintage cars, which accumulates a lot of scrap--either junk parts, or cut-offs from fabrications projects.
The bigger stuff goes outside the shop next to the wall. The small stuff goes in a vintage Texaco 30 gallon barrel in my shop... busted vise pieces, broken junk tools, old fasteners, useless drops of tubing, etc. etc.
I also crush all the household food cans and throw them in it. I figure they either get washed and thrown into the curbside recyc bin, or washed and thrown in my bin. Either way, I have to deal with them, so I might as well get paid.
When the barrel gets full, I haul it all in.

The last two times, I got $20... peanuts, but the place I take it to is also my favorite junk yard that frequently gets vintage cars, so I'm up there anyway... I never make a special trip to scrap.
If I don't spend it on parts, it's a free lunch for me and my boy.

Once a year I'll also recycle the aluminum and copper wire/tubing I've accumulated, and then the trip is usually in the $60-$140 range.

-Brad

 

[Brad54]

Does anyone pay for old batteries anymore? I remember a couple of years ago seeing an ad that offered $7 for old car batteries.

Our local scrap yard pays $5 each for car batteries.

-Brad

 

[LT4]

I friend recently scrapped a sail boat. Told him I could help get rid of the keel, he had no way to pick it up or move it. 900# brought me $90 but it did take some work.

 

[bobemmerich]

What I usually do is put it out front with a sign that says "Free Scrap Metal". If you don't have a lot to take, then it's usually not worth the effort of loading it and taking it down. More wasted in gas than what you get. Guys that scrap all the time usually drive around looking for it. Or put an ad in CL for free scrap metal. It won't last any time at all.

^^This is what I do. It's usually gone by the morning.

 

[Jarhead0408]

I don't put metal out on the curb for people to get for free. My concern would be they get an excuse to glance at the property while loading it up. Maybe come back and get more than what you wanted to have taken in the first place. Maybe I'm just paranoid.....Think I'll stay paranoid.

 

[Stuart in MN]

^^This is what I do. It's usually gone by the morning.

When I do this, it's usually gone in an hour or two. I live in the inner city and there are guys cruising the alleys looking for scrap every day, I've never had any issues with them.

 

[localscrapper713]

I personally have a scrapping habit, and have to scrap, in order to get my
legal high. I'm sitting on all my scrap till these prices get rite back up where they need to be. I'm in no hurry to sell and will not let these current pay out prices, get to me. I'd rather be taking something apart, and avoid the couch
potato syndrome. Extra money is always good....