If I worked at a scrapyard.. I'd go INSANE! - Page 2

You're right, guys. My regular yard used to let their employees sort through and benefit from their finds but for whatever reason, the boss has put the Kabosh to that. I see copper and brass laying around on the ground and in the shred pile. Also restorable bicycles and air compressors ( I got one ). I don't have the time to make the offer, but it appears that if the owner would let someone just walk around and sort out that kind of stuff and split the difference, it would be a money maker for both parties. They do have a parts guy who disassembles big truck parts and they take orders for that kind of thing but there's the little stuff that gets wasted.



What I like is that they let me (and others I suppose) take from the pile if there's something that fits our fancy. I just throw it on my trailer and weigh it back with my empty weight. I don't have the nerve to pick up the various precious metals that are laying around for the same price.

Another thing, they do sort off useable items and display them up front for the public to buy. That might include diamond tread flat iron, livestock panels, a cattle working chute, creep feeder and of course the occasional vehicle. They have an inventory of tires available too. Can't blame 'em.

I buy from a small yard thats right next door to the best yard in the area. I dont complain and am thankful for it because i know how hard it is to find a yard that sells to the public

newattitude - Same here. I really like that setup better than waiting in line for the scale. I have done that only once when I was heading to sims with my non-ferrous and thought why not bring my shred too. 40 minutes later, I'm done dumping and weighing, and still have to go to non-ferrous!

At the normal yard I go to, it takes longer for me to unload than everything else that has to be done. I can be in and out in 5 minutes sometimes!

Today, I saw a bin full of metro racks from a restaurant. Those go for $75 each really easy. Maybe 10 were in there...too bad. A couple days ago, a uhaul pulled up and loaded a bin to overflowing with air conditioners. That pile could have paid my warehouse rent for the month. Some people, I tell ya.

I see it every week at the yard. Wouldn't believe all the aluminum, parts cores,brass,and lots of other goodies. One time watched a guy unload whole bed of semi bud rims. Killed me knowing what i sell em for on CL for fire pits. But less competition for me. Recent example parents neighbors had a 04 Focus and a Toyota mini van. Had another neighbor haul em in for em and all they pulled was alum wheels. They wont ask me for help or anything because they know i know to much and will make more than they will. Sometimes ya just cant fix stupid, clueless, and lazy.

aumineer you should've offered !!!!

You can buy anything you want where I contract at for about 25 cents a lb. we get pickers all time. If something is worth money someone at the yard will usually claim it. Most of the stuff sold to street buyers are used industrial goods (pumps, pallet racking, new steel, fridges, microwaves, weed whackers, etc. I have seen them pull all types of stuff out the pile clean it off blow out a carb or filter put some gas in it and it fires right up. Some customers just don't care or know any better either. One day it was just after lunch and I can't remember why but I walked over to the shred pile and started talking to a young kid who was unloading stuff with his dad. I think I was telling him to stay in school that scrapping ain't easy or something like that. Moral of the story is the dad was unloading stuff and I they are almost done and he told me he was just cleaning out his garage. All of a sudden he grabs the four aluminum rims and throws em on the ground. I almost pooped I asked what he was doing he said emptying his truck. I laughed and told him he needs to put those rims back in the truck and scale back up then go the huge man door and unload those rims. He asked why I said do you want to get paid two dollars for that rim or about 25 bucks a piece. He didn't say anything and starting throwing them back in the truck said thanks and I told the kid that he just had his first lesson in scrapping 101. The dad thanked me and drove off. When stuff comes in and the customer isn't smart enough to figure out what he has the yard calls that an upgrade. Like when someone has big pieces of copper tubing with soldered valves or solder in general on it. They buy it for number two and just chop the solder off and upgrade the pipes to number 1 chopper chops. The scrapyard is in business to make money. Great thread to.

Same here pistone , I can buy anything out of a local yards shred pile for 0.25 a # .