Basic PC scrapping question

**hills** · 03-25-2018, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by sledge

I pay my "CurbCo" guys $2 per on desktops and laptops and always make profit.. even at scrap. I'd take him up on his offer.

Figure a non-cracked Laptop screen brings you $1.50 at scrap. Not too hard to pull out another .50 cents to break even.

I could give you all the answers.. but where is the fun in that? $2 is fine.. take the time to do some reading here and after a while you'll know how to maximize a computer for its full profit potential.

It's situational though. Let's assume worst case and shipping is .80 / lb

Average screen weight at 1.25 lbs

1.50 ( scrap value ) minus 1.00 ( shipping ) gives you a net profit of .50 a screen. Maybe scratch out another .50 with a motherboard for a total of one dollar.

Buy price was 2.00 $ Return on scrap was 1.00$ Net loss on every unit is -1.00$

That doesn't figure in the time to carefully break down the laptop and wrap the screen in packing material for shipping.

It's hard when you're doing straight e-waste because the margins can be so thin. If you make any profit at all .... it's generally in nickels,dimes, and quarters. Once in awhile you make a buck or two with a good find.

**mikeinreco** · 03-25-2018, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by hills

It's situational though. Let's assume worst case and shipping is .80 / lb

Average screen weight at 1.25 lbs

1.50 ( scrap value ) minus 1.00 ( shipping ) gives you a net profit of .50 a screen. Maybe scratch out another .50 with a motherboard for a total of one dollar.

Buy price was 2.00 $ Return on scrap was 1.00$ Net loss on every unit is -1.00$

That doesn't figure in the time to carefully break down the laptop and wrap the screen in packing material for shipping.

It's hard when you're doing straight e-waste because the margins can be so thin. If you make any profit at all .... it's generally in nickels,dimes, and quarters. Once in awhile you make a buck or two with a good find.

The only way to deal with laptops in my opinion is by the pallet..........I break down tons of low grade ewaste but laptops are either parted out/refurbished/or sold whole........Mileage may vary based on situation and distance

**CapitalRecovery** · 03-25-2018, 05:53 PM

Listen to this one. I did and made my life a whole lot easier.
I now use them for filler if my box to Ewasted is short.
I normally pull the battery and the RAM and chuck the rest as filler ewaste scrap.

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

The only way to deal with laptops in my opinion is by the pallet..........I break down tons of low grade ewaste but laptops are either parted out/refurbished/or sold whole........Mileage may vary based on situation and distance

**sledge** · 03-25-2018, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by hills

It's situational though. Let's assume worst case and shipping is .80 / lb

Average screen weight at 1.25 lbs

1.50 ( scrap value ) minus 1.00 ( shipping ) gives you a net profit of .50 a screen. Maybe scratch out another .50 with a motherboard for a total of one dollar.

Buy price was 2.00 $ Return on scrap was 1.00$ Net loss on every unit is -1.00$

That doesn't figure in the time to carefully break down the laptop and wrap the screen in packing material for shipping.

It's hard when you're doing straight e-waste because the margins can be so thin. If you make any profit at all .... it's generally in nickels,dimes, and quarters. Once in awhile you make a buck or two with a good find.

I'll preface this post by saying this: You are asking for advice, I am offering it. You can take all of it, some of it or none of it.

I also have a full time gig- I have since the day I started scrapping and I've been doing it for nearly 30 years. I got into e-waste about 4 years ago. I busted my chops, asked hundreds of questions, made a few slight mistakes, but after that year I can make FAR more than $2 on a laptop.

Imagine this: You take out 1 screw on the back of a laptop and find (2) 2GB DDR 2 RAM. At selling to a buyer on here- you are at $4. If you Ebay, you can make $10 depending on brand for the pair.

I won't argue your logic and math.. but after 4+ years, I can assure you can make more than $2 per. If you are thinking you are going to pay $2 and make $100 on a laptop- then you are in the wrong game. Volume and smart repetitiveness is the key to scrap- e-waste, cars or aluminum cans.

As far as .80/lb for shipping- you need to look harder because that rate is outrageous!