help me with the math...go to a new yard?

While it's nice to go to the local yard close by, they don't pay well. 5 cents a pound for shred, 10 cent a pound for alum breakage, etc... The local yard is 11 miles from me, but parents live only 3 miles from the local yard and I need to go there about once a week. So, it's only an extra 6 miles or maybe a half gallon of gas extra, call it $2.00 to run to the local yard.

The next closest yards are all in the 20-22 miles from home range, call it 42 miles round trip, or about 3 gallons of gas, $11.00 abouts. They pay 8 cents a pound for shred, and better on everything else and take more stuff, but the 8 cents a pound for shred is the important number for my trips.

Usually I have been hauling in about 500 pounds of shred a week. The extra 3 cents a pound gets me an extra 15 dollars. That is more than the $9.00 extra that it cost me to get to the new yard, so it equals $6 more profit, but at the cost of an extra 36 miles wear and tear on the truck, and an extra hour of my time. I'm not liking those numbers.



If I bring in a ton, 2000 pounds, a big load for my Ranger and trailer, at 3 cents more a pound, equals an extra $60, minus expenses, works out to be $51 more than going to the local yard. Extra worries doing it this way include towing the trailer, and having to pile up a ton of shred in the driveway for a month that the neighbors might not appreciate. Plus the little old Ranger's tranny doesn't like hauling a ton.

For the extra $51 a month, I'm thinking it isn't worth it. The extra hassles from the extra trip, and the sight of a big pile of shred in my driveway, just isn't that appeasing to me.


Is my math correct? Would you do the same?

If it were me, I'd probably take the shred to the closer yard as often as needed, and stockpile the "good stuff" for trips to that other yard.

I would go to the local yard with steel every time I went to my parents house. As stated above save the other good stuff up and then go to the other better yard every so often! And then stop by your parents house on the way home!

Originally Posted by Wolfwerx

If it were me, I'd probably take the shred to the closer yard as often as needed, and stockpile the "good stuff" for trips to that other yard.

Yep, that is what I have been doing.

To clarify, the local yard is 11 miles straight East of me. The parents are 8 miles straight East of me. I would go to the parents every week even if I didn't go to a yard weekly. The other yards are more North or South, and not really on the way to anything that I do.

Here is another thought. Talk to the local manager and have him pull your tickets for 6 months...show how much you bring TOTAL and ask for better pricing. Many yards have different tiers they can put you on based on either amount or how often you come. Press them to pay more for loyalty and the fact you come so often...the fallback is to say "well I could stockpile and go to the other one but I would rather do business with you...what can you do to help me stay a good customer?"....at least ask them to match or see what other tiers they have. You have to sell yourself. Many times all you have to do is ask when you have facts to back it up.

Good luck!

I drive an hour to my yard despite two others being closer. Yes, it's more fuel, but i just prefer to be treated better an get better pricing.

An yes, I value my time, but I also value the way I'm treated. I won't break down every little CBM I get, cause I value my time, but if driving an hour out of my way gets me more money, despite fuel costs, etc, an leaves me feeling better cause I was treated fairly and with respect, I'll keep driving that hour. Nor do I have to deal with two separate yards. My one yard pays good on everything, adjust their prices as the market flows, an treats me right. So they have my loyalty, and business, when it comes to ferrous/non-ferrous. The other two yards..they get my leverite.

My thought process is a little scary sometimes, but hey..we gotta do what works best for each of us. As I like to say...Your Mileage May Vary.


Sirscrapalot - There is always a choice, you may not like the options, but you ALWAYS have a choice. - Not me, but I'll take credit for it till someone informs me who said it.

At 5 cent a pound I wouldn't even scrap. I couldn't even afford to pick up the stuff with gas at 3.50 a gallon, let alone get it to the yard.

How does your local yard treat you besides the low prices? A few others have made comments about customer service being a deciding factor for them.

The local yard does sorta treat me ok. They are prompt to bend me over. First time I went there they gladly paid me nothing for a third of a pound of brass, even sorted it out of my shred for me. Cheap lesson in what brass was. They'll gladly not charge me for my boxes when I bring in breakage, so that when I bring in some barebrite I don't notice until it's too late that they did charge me a full pound for that thin shoe box bottom. Now all my boxes are pre-weighed to a pound or two pounds. Though, bring in a truckload of just shred, and the guys in the yard are good about prompt friendly service and payout is quick and painless. They'll take most everything, and aren't the pickiest if I do try for some prepared steel (extra 2 cents a pound.)

I will have to gather up some pay stubs or ask the local yard to pull up my receipts and see if I can get a better pay rate.

Originally Posted by Phantoms001

At 5 cent a pound I wouldn't even scrap. I couldn't even afford to pick up the stuff with gas at 3.50 a gallon, let alone get it to the yard.

I'm sorta figuring that at too!!! Now I really take into consideration cost vs payout of any scrapping I do. Most of my finds are when I am driving around doing other activities, or

...phone call, gotta run, 20 towers for $80.