"Are those rocks in there?" and the dishwasher door was screwed shut

My IT consulting side gig has picked up so I haven't been hunting much for scrap the past month now, just picking up from my regulars when they email or text me.

Today since it's so nice out, I finally loaded up most of the stuff I had in my backyard from picking up from regulars the past few weeks and took it to the yard close by.

I don't pick dishwashers up unless they are on the way somewhere or are part of picking up other things etc... but this load I have one that I had loaded up with small metal junk from things I had disassembled - screws and what not. I do that all the time but by chance there's never anyone in the yard when I am unloading one - except this time. Both yard people turn and look as I slide it off the truck, and one of them that I know pretty well there asks me "you got rocks in there?" - ha ha... but it really did sound like too LOL.

This is where I looked especially guilty cause' I had the dishwasher screwed shut (2 screws into the top of the door from the metal frame where it attaches to the bottom of the counter) because in my experience, door flies open and there's screws and other tire popping materials everywhere if you don't - IF you utilize the space to hold things. So I tell them, "let me unscrew it really quick... " "No it's OK no need to" but I do it anyway (really long screws and I left my drill at home). I didn't even leave the plastic utensil tray inside, just the metal racks and small metal junk including a transformer (with no copper). \

They know me but I understand and I wasn't offended or anything, cause they really don't know me "in the real world" other than some guy named "Mike" with a truck that unloads scrap there.

Makes me wonder how many people actually load up appliances with rocks or wood etc.. It was just funny as heck to me cause it looked so bad having it screwed shut lol.



Scrap (or "shred") was back up to 100/ton from 90/ton. I guess it's the same profit margin because the cost of fuel went back up.

A guy named Mike that was so concerned about other customers that he did not want to be responsible for a flat tire. You just made "brownie points" with the yard and I would say they know you now in the real world. There are plenty that try to "screw the yard." I have seen semi's with dump trailers filled with water and the magnet cannot see the bottom of the trailer. They dump the water on the way to the scale. Big benefits will come to those that are honest and respectable while the rest will have to find another yard.

I had to go a different yard as truck full and yard closed due to a water line break. Had to open up file cabinets as I had small items in there, they thought it was rocks as well. As for car batteries for some reason the ones I find are always full of fluid!

In my case adding screws, nails, etc. to an appliance does not make sense. Appliances are only paying $ 25 per ton and prepared steel is $ 140.