A Tumbleweeds View of Scrapping - Page 2

Better than scrap. Instead of selling this aluminum boat, this will be the new walleye fishing boat next spring. Until then it will be ice fishing time.

This is another load ready for the trailer.

Pictures of last load in October before the price drop. Calls are made to the scrap yard twice a week to see if the price changes. Until it changes, loads will be prepared and laid out as seen in pictures. When the price increases the loads can be put in or on the trailer in less than an hour. Already have a deal with the scrap yard if I call, I have two hours to get a load in regardless in drops in prices.

Is the last pix an old thresher?? I had my only coon double next to one or something similar looking last fall. I've seen a number of them used as out front pieces at businesses or residences (mostly rural).

Originally Posted by DakotaRog

Is the last pix an old thresher?? I had my only coon double next to one or something similar looking last fall. I've seen a number of them used as out front pieces at businesses or residences (mostly rural).

Yes it is an old thresher. Talking about shooting raccoons, the scrap yard used most often has to deal with them on a regular basis. The animals climb into old machinery and take a ride into the scrap yard. The joke is the varmints think their home is my scrap. That is why guns are as important as torches in this part of the scrap world.

Originally Posted by sawmilleng

Tumblew....er, Patriot:

You have an interesting game. I'm not familiar with the countryside you work in but I would be crappin' bricks when torching in the grass shown in the last photo in post #20. Maybe its wet and not an issue but it would take a bit of getting used to. It looks like a grass fire could go a hundred miles!! I guess when things are dry a water can is a necessity.

Another point about electronic scales: When you are doing your walkabout on the scale deck, watch, if you can, how quickly the scale settles out to the weight. I found this out on a yard scale that had mud in with the load cells and around the deck entry and exit points. It was taking a lot of time to settle because the mud was slowing the deck down. This can slow down the settling when zeroing the deck, too.

Jon.

Another trick of the trade. A rake for the skid steer was bought that removes the grass and loosens the dirt. I haul machinery to a local site that has been prepared for torching. After everything is ready, it is set to the side in the grass for the next machine. Pictures of this procedure will be provided in the near future. As can be seen in pictures, the bon fires are never lit until there is significant snow fall. With the snow on the ground now, it is easy to cut any where the machinery is located. Snow is an asset, not a liability.

It's hard to believe it, but the small farm is becoming extinct. That's a shame- I'm one of a dying breed, apparently.

You should consider yourself lucky that you didn't post any pictures of gravity wagons earlier this year- we still use them!

Originally Posted by matador

It's hard to believe it, but the small farm is becoming extinct. That's a shame- I'm one of a dying breed, apparently.

You should consider yourself lucky that you didn't post any pictures of gravity wagons earlier this year- we still use them!

We do to as long as they are not rusted out. The one in the picture was totally destroyed. On this same farm three additional wagons were salvaged and traded for hunting rights, other machines to scrap, or a favor such as pulling me out of a snow drift this winter. Part of the business plan is finding parts off machinery that others need or entire machines. These are usually traded instead of sold. The great thing about scraping in this part of the country is the old farmers bought from the same local dealerships, so many have the same equipment. Parts are easy to come by and I am constantly asked to keep my eyes out for different pieces.

A little known secret is my background is ranching, not farming. Therefore three years ago I did know the difference between a swather, combine, cutter, drill, plow, etc. Still learning and growing.

Hey Patriot, let me put this out there since while we aren't neighbors we are a day's drive apart. IF you come across Farmall or Allis Chalmers parts, implements or whole tractors that may or may not be totally locked up (At least try the hand crank to see if it'd turn over at all). please let me know I am in a few statewide clubs here and this time of year is when the old hats restore yet another tractor, harvester or implement of some kind. I own a A/C WD45 gasser with the torque amplifier. We still use it up north for brush cutting and I still plow under the garden with it.

Large farms exist while fuel is cheap. When small farms emerge more scrappers will be on bikes or horse-drawn wagons. Hills, wind, snow, etc., some scrapper will have a hard day at work with farm machinery on a bike trailer.

Originally Posted by armygreywolf

Hey Patriot, let me put this out there since while we aren't neighbors we are a day's drive apart. IF you come across Farmall or Allis Chalmers parts, implements or whole tractors that may or may not be totally locked up (At least try the hand crank to see if it'd turn over at all). please let me know I am in a few statewide clubs here and this time of year is when the old hats restore yet another tractor, harvester or implement of some kind. I own a A/C WD45 gasser with the torque amplifier. We still use it up north for brush cutting and I still plow under the garden with it.

I don't know too much about the older AC stuff, but I'm on the hunt for a 180 or similar to pull our baler. I'm not sure if I can post the name here, but I ran across an Allis-Chalmers forum that has a lot of knowledge and a classifieds section.

Do a Google search, and I bet you'll find it in 15 seconds.

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Reuse is always best. We picked up a gravity wagon this year for $200 because the person didn't know what it was. You'll never know everything, but if you can know more than the other person, it can really be a huge help!

armygreywolf, here is one for your consideration. When the price rebounds, it will be part of a load unless another home could be found.

A picture of my motorized tree. This was a swather that was cut out of the tree. Debating if the motor should be removed.

Invited to a farm to scrap all metal. Found a bunch of horse drawn farm machinery in the trees. Instead of scraping it, I created a museum for the locals. Bad picture, but it is very impressive. Neighbors were so impressed with it, they contacted me to clean out their property. Better than scrap value is something many talk about on the forum, but free advertising is even better.

Enjoying this thread, Patriot. It's actually identical to what I do except I haven't burned any of the trash on customer's sites and I don't prepare down the iron as much as you do. Last year I was not able to knock all the machinery out of the frozen ground and had to go back this spring to pick up the pieces. I always ask to clean out buildings and rid houses of the usual cookstove or frig. My next job is to clean out a shop (a scoop shovel is in order) of what was left after the family took their prizes and I have to remove stalls and the entire pipeline milking system from the barn. I'll take the copper wiring also and a note of wisdom is to make sure the power is OFF before cutting into it with the bolt cutters. I had my wife do that.....Not funny !!

I like to haul and sell the same day if possible as my commute back home may be 50 miles or more / one way. I do have a lot near my regular scrap yard where I can leave a loaded trailer overnight and come back in the morning to unload.

Here's pictures of my next venture. I've already taken the big stuff and even got beat out on more of his heavier machinery by the owner letting someone else in after talking to me. I still don't want to go the contract route as it may scare some prospects away.