Cashed in yesterday/think I upset the yard a bit

**Gnraxlrose88** · 07-31-2012, 12:03 PM

So, I'm runnin outta room...time to clean up. Loaded up the truck yesterday with all my buckets and drums and containers and head to the yard. So my yard has 3 scales: a small one for loads under 100 lbs and alum cans, a loading dock scale (for semi trailers and such) and the yard scale, for shred, large loads of iron, etc.

Here was my dilemma: most of my buckets were WELL under 100 pounds, except my insulated copper and low grade boards. Plus, the small scale doesn't take low grade boards, they have to be weigh at the loading dock. I pull up by the dock and patiently wait for the forklift driver to finish with the truck next to me. He then asks me what I have, and I tell him...he says "ok, I'll get some barrels and pallets" So 3 55 gal drums of boards later, 1 drum of ins wire, and 2 pallets later my load is making its way up the dock. Next thing I know theres 5 guys standing around my pallets, picking through buckets, and looking a bit confused. One by one they weigh my little buckets and piles (by now I feel real stupid as their taking turns between my small buckets and forklifts weighing pallets of baled copper) and eventually I get my ticket and load up my buckets into my truck. They seemed annoyed about my small amounts, and I had even told the fork lift driver who helped me that I was ok using the small scale for most of my stuff but he had told me not to worry. Maybe it was just me.

What I made:

16 lbs painted 6063 extrusion: 10.40 @ .65
14lbs old sheet alum: 7.63 @ .53
28 lbs old cast alum: 13.72 @ .49
16 lbs alum breakage: 3.20 @ .20
23 lbs alum/copper rads: 34.04 @ 1.48
2 lbs alum rads: 1.22@ .51
17 lbs yellow brass: 34.34@ 2.02
35 lbs #2 copper: 102.20 @ 2.92
174 lbs #2 ins: 231.42@ 1.33
17 lbs figure 8 wire: 7.31 @ .43
73 lbs auto batteries: 22.63@ .31
6 lbs zinc die cast: 1.02@ .16
12 lb 18/8 ss: 6.48@ .54
66 lbs elec motors: 13.20@ .20
174 lbs low grade board: 26.10@ .15

Total: $514.91

Now, what I found interesting, was the motors, die cast, and a few other things got mixed together in one large container. I asked him why weigh it different if it gets mixed the same and he told me it goes through the shredder, then gets separated. Ok...anyone clarify this?

**freonjoe** · 07-31-2012, 12:44 PM

After it's shredded it goes through some magnetic belts, zapped with electricity, eddy current seperation, that kind of voodoo stuff. What's left over my yard calls ZORBA.

**Filthy** · 07-31-2012, 12:45 PM

good load. congrats.

even if the material is shredded together, because its different grades, they want to pay you separately for each grade. they arent going to estimate a mixed price for items with several different values like zinc, steel, and copper like they might get from motors and die cast in the end. does it make sense?

even if the machine does the raw material sorting for them in the end, they need to price it separately before they pay for it.

**dapper scrapper** · 07-31-2012, 03:00 PM

GnR- If you have more than a few bucketloads of nonferrous you're at the right scale. Save yourself some time and grab the pallets and barrels yourself, just try to find ones with a tare weight written on em. That yard is very efficient and despite the nonstop action at the scale I've never had a problem with my ticket ever. Good haul. Glad to see prices are holding somewhat though I haven't had the heart to check on shred prices. Hope to run into you while we're both unloading someday!

**Copper Head** · 07-31-2012, 03:13 PM

they pay good on CU by you

**Gnraxlrose88** · 07-31-2012, 03:57 PM

Dapper, im thinkin we use the same yard, lol. And the whole separation makes sense, it kinda actually makes me feel good getting paid separate even if its.mixed together...like they aporeciate it or somethin.

And I made the mistake of hauling in some steel today. 3.5 cents a pound...70-75 a ton. Yikes. Gave me enough to cover my gas and buy me a soda

**1956** · 07-31-2012, 05:22 PM

when you see a container being loaded in that manner, they are selling every thing for the same price. manny different Iteams are graded as electric motors as long as they contain a percentage of copper,thats where a yard makes there percentages,the best is a dirty electric motor exsample, a fan motor with a bird cage from a a/c unit they are loaded in to the same containr with the motors that do not have the tin/shreed cover they pay you less for the dirty motors but they get the same price per pound when they sell.The price on your copper was good, the price for #2 ins was great are you sure #2 but the other prices were a little week to say the least.

**hobo finds** · 07-31-2012, 05:32 PM

Prices you got seem good! Yellow brass over $2! And the best thing is that you can sell low grade boards for more than shreed steel!

**Gnraxlrose88** · 07-31-2012, 05:48 PM

I know, I was pleasantly surprised with prices, especially low grade. And yes I am sure it was number 2 ins, and all the prices you see were copied directly from my check slip.