First trip to the yard

Taking my first trip to the yard. Going to asked lots of questions and ask him everything I did wrong with what I brought. I'm sure this will be a learning experience. And I would add a picture but I don't think I can yet. I will update with how awful I did.



Edit: The update.
I realize I might have a bit of a luxury with 2 yards within about 10 min of me (about 1 mile from each other!). I went to the first yard and sold everything but my low grade boards since they only treat those as tin/light iron. I sold what #2 copper I had and was surprised to find out the stainless steel dishwasher I took apart was not considered stainless steel, neither were the handful of items that literally said "stainless steel" on them. They just said if it's magnetic then it's not stainless. Thought I read it could be both but whatever. I got rid of some insulated wire. Some aluminum that I was explained could be extruded or cast. Overall it felt rushed and I picked up what I could but I got like 28 bucks. I went to the other yard with my low grade boards to see what all they had to say and the experience there left me wanting to return to them. They took the time to talk to me about different questions, showed me examples of everything. It was just overall very informative and easy.
So that was my first trip and I really enjoyed it. I am looking to find a somewhat consistent source of scrapping items now.

Toonces has some great advice for you. There was one yard I was going to consistently because I went to school with the owner. She and the other ladies in the office were also very pleasant. But the guys in the non-ferrous building, not so much. This yard is also a mess, sometimes a muddy mess and you always risk earning a flat tire dropping off shred.

There is another yard 5 miles further down the road. Once I began to realize they had more categories for grading and buy things that the other yard doesn't, well that was that for me. I was just there again today. The last two times I have been there, the friendly fella in the non-ferrous building has commented on how nicely I separate my stuff. Making the switch to this other yard is both more enjoyable and more profitable for me.

And I have never been one to ask a lot of questions at the yard. I'd rather just let them think I know what I'm doing and being a woman is already a strike against me (to some men) in that arena.

It sounds like you found your yard. The second one sounds more like they want your business and appreciate it. There are some grades of SS that a magnet will stick to, I have come across a few in my day, and I just throw that in shred, it's the SS that a magnet does not attract to is what you want to keep separate, it can be more.

I feel there is a fine line between too many questions and just the right amount of questioning that can be asked. Just remember that if your nice and cool with the guys at the yard, they will be cool with you, plus they control your payout.

Would like to see a picture or two of your load. If you want to post some pictures, I believe you need 10 posts under your belt. You could go into the "intro" section and welcome a few new members.

Happy scrapping

Sorting will get easier the more trips you make and the more you read here. If either of those yards have a price list it will give you a good baseline of what each yard buys. One may separate ferrous more while the other may focus on cars and steel if there's two that close together they must have their niche and pay better on certain metals to draw customers. I go to a yard I'm not to fond of because they pay way better on copper/wire...it's rarley a pleasurable experience but it pays to deal with it for 15 minutes.

I still have my first scrap receipt. Wow, what I didn't know then!!!

You've done one thing right if you're here on this forum. There's a PhD in scrapping on this forum. Do your homework here & you can possibly make more than a PhD!

There are many grade's of stainless steel which I deal with daily. The most common are 304 and 400. 304 is not magnetic unless it it has been welded or heated then you will have a slite pull, 400 is very magnetic, my yard is only paying 03. a pound for 400 stainless so if you got 400 sell it as sheet or shred. The next most common is 316 witch will have a slite pull used mostly in commercial app's. There are several other grade's 301, 309, 310, 324, 410, just to many to list. I also deal in a lot of alloy's, inco, haynes188 amoung other's. Alum. Is just as bad 5 to 10 grade's, the plus side is the yard I work for buy's your material for what it is not what it might be. Email if you have question's I'm very good at what I do. Located in Indianapolis, In.