Results 1 to 15 of 15

Laziness means big profits!

| A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
  1. #1
    holedigger started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Swampscott, MA
    Posts
    60
    Thanks
    47
    Thanked 66 Times in 21 Posts

    Exclamation Laziness means big profits!

    Wow! Either the yard I go to doesn't care about making money, or I am missing something big.

    This morning I got a call asking if I would take 2 pick up loads worth of mixed electronics. Of course I said yes, and then immediately panicked because I don't have the space for that much stuff. I rounded up everything that I knew my yard would take and hit the road so I could make some room. While I was at the yard I mentioned to the guy at the scale that I had a ton (figuratively) of wire at home that I needed gone and didn't have time to strip. He said to just bring it in as is, they pay $1.20/lb. That seemed pretty high but I was still hesitant. Then he told me they don't care about cord ends or wire type! $1.20/lb includes aluminum wire, phone cords, romex, coax and whatever else you can think of. All he asked was no xmas lights.

    Am I nuts thinking I should never strip anything 10ga and under from here on out? I will still clip brass and gold connectors of course.



  2. #2
    MattInTheHat's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Sep 2012
    Location
    rock hill, sc
    Posts
    1,464
    Thanks
    1,142
    Thanked 1,396 Times in 703 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by holedigger View Post
    Wow! Either the yard I go to doesn't care about making money, or I am missing something big.

    This morning I got a call asking if I would take 2 pick up loads worth of mixed electronics. Of course I said yes, and then immediately panicked because I don't have the space for that much stuff. I rounded up everything that I knew my yard would take and hit the road so I could make some room. While I was at the yard I mentioned to the guy at the scale that I had a ton (figuratively) of wire at home that I needed gone and didn't have time to strip. He said to just bring it in as is, they pay $1.20/lb. That seemed pretty high but I was still hesitant. Then he told me they don't care about cord ends or wire type! $1.20/lb includes aluminum wire, phone cords, romex, coax and whatever else you can think of. All he asked was no xmas lights.

    Am I nuts thinking I should never strip anything 10ga and under from here on out? I will still clip brass and gold connectors of course.
    what are the current prices for bare bright, #1, and #2 copper? that is a needed variable to answer the question.

  3. #3
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Minneapolis
    Posts
    593
    Thanks
    324
    Thanked 324 Times in 171 Posts
    They just figure it will even out...difference between romex n drop cord here is over a buck..

  4. #4
    holedigger started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Swampscott, MA
    Posts
    60
    Thanks
    47
    Thanked 66 Times in 21 Posts
    $2.80 for #1 and $2.60 for #2. They don't pay any higher than #1. I think there is another grade below #2 for real dirty stuff but I haven't had any so I'm not sure what it pays.

  5. #5
    SMF Badges of Honor




    Member since
    Mar 2012
    Location
    ks
    Posts
    2,187
    Thanks
    2,513
    Thanked 2,140 Times in 898 Posts
    I'd drop the hammer on that less you paid more than that for the wire. If its all free wire it's a no brainier, I never bother stripping any wire smaller than 12 gauge Romex unless I'm really bored. I know stripped wire is worth more but for the time/profit factor it just isn't high enough for me.
    Alvord iron and salvage
    3rd generation scrapper and dam proud of it

  6. #6
    MattInTheHat's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Sep 2012
    Location
    rock hill, sc
    Posts
    1,464
    Thanks
    1,142
    Thanked 1,396 Times in 703 Posts
    at those prices it is prbably not worth your time, but if you were to strip some stuff make sure you check the yield on it. probably just the romex and thick cables like jumper cable and battery cables
    Last edited by MattInTheHat; 01-24-2013 at 12:58 PM.

  7. #7
    hobo finds's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Nov 2010
    Location
    tucson, az
    Posts
    4,758
    Thanks
    6,037
    Thanked 5,910 Times in 2,556 Posts
    Only $1.00 a pound here for #2 insulated wire

  8. #8
    travistemple202020's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jul 2012
    Location
    ames iowa
    Posts
    1,326
    Thanks
    267
    Thanked 883 Times in 495 Posts
    now I don't donate in the sense to my local yard for dirty wire I go 40miles a short trip but huge dii save difference I get paid for sorting it but low low 40cents and larger 1.15 but here in town its only 45cents for all dirty so that's why I save it up and if I need a quick trip I can use that for gas money otherwise I just burn it oopps strip it lol

  9. #9
    BurlyGuys's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Waterford Michigan
    Posts
    1,591
    Thanks
    1,109
    Thanked 1,620 Times in 635 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by travistemple202020 View Post
    now I don't donate in the sense to my local yard for dirty wire I go 40miles a short trip but huge dii save difference I get paid for sorting it but low low 40cents and larger 1.15 but here in town its only 45cents for all dirty so that's why I save it up and if I need a quick trip I can use that for gas money otherwise I just burn it oopps strip it lol
    I can't understand a word of that.
    Burly Smash![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
    John Terrell (248) 224-2188
    Burly Guys Junk Removal LLC
    5499 Perry Drive Unit P Waterford, MI 48329
    http://www.burlyguys.com

  10. The Following 7 Users say Thank You for This Post by BurlyGuys:


  11. #10
    Libertytow's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Silverton NJ
    Posts
    562
    Thanks
    64
    Thanked 340 Times in 180 Posts
    depends how much you have
    Liberty Towing & Recycling
    (732)279-8599
    Cleaning up NJ 1 LB at a time!
    Certified Mobile Scales
    Fully Insured Carrier usdot # 1802487
    WWW.LibertyTowing.Webs.Com
    WWW.TRRecycles.Webs.com

  12. #11
    happyscraper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    spring hill,fl
    Posts
    2,864
    Thanks
    350
    Thanked 1,371 Times in 847 Posts
    1.20 for mixed wire is a good price. I get 1.05-1.15 no chrismas lights or coax. I only strip 12 gauge or better.

  13. #12
    tedanderson's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Prince George's County Maryland
    Posts
    114
    Thanks
    74
    Thanked 89 Times in 41 Posts
    I get $1.20/lb. at my yard also.. and when I bring it, they don't event spend a lot of time inspecting it. They just look through it or dump it on the scale to make sure that I am not hiding a brick or a sand bag inside of the box.

  14. #13
    holedigger started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Swampscott, MA
    Posts
    60
    Thanks
    47
    Thanked 66 Times in 21 Posts
    Do people actually put bricks in with their loads? I have heard it joked about but can't imagine anyone trying it.
    Satisfaction is the death of desire.

  15. #14
    hobo finds's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Nov 2010
    Location
    tucson, az
    Posts
    4,758
    Thanks
    6,037
    Thanked 5,910 Times in 2,556 Posts
    I love that one! I bring in dog food or bird seed bags so they are big, and they don't take any tare weight for them like a box. They rarely dump them out as that means scooping it all back up! People that try to rip off a yard make it harder for everyone in the end...

  16. The Following User Says Thank You to hobo finds for This Post:


  17. #15
    MattInTheHat's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Sep 2012
    Location
    rock hill, sc
    Posts
    1,464
    Thanks
    1,142
    Thanked 1,396 Times in 703 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by holedigger View Post
    Do people actually put bricks in with their loads? I have heard it joked about but can't imagine anyone trying it.
    yes people try to cheat the yards many ways. on day someone had a washer and dryer filled with dirt at the yard i use. there were a few angry looking employees around that truck, and they were taking down all of his info.


  18. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. After Superbowl Profits?
      By Backwell in forum Scrap Metal Spots
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 02-06-2018, 05:22 PM
    2. What it means to take apart a desktop
      By ilyaz in forum General Electronics Recycling
      Replies: 40
      Last Post: 01-11-2013, 11:26 AM
    3. Great find the other night. Big big score.
      By dunson3963 in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 11-23-2012, 11:28 PM
    4. Maximizing Profits on #2 Insulated Wire
      By bunkydaze in forum Scrap Metal Tips and Advice
      Replies: 9
      Last Post: 06-22-2012, 01:13 AM
    5. Days Profits Gone
      By eppdso in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 9
      Last Post: 02-09-2012, 07:22 PM

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 2 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 2 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook