Magnet Sweeper Idea

Originally Posted by cobre collector

I know that it's not going to make a person rich or even make a noticeable amount but if one were to make $2-4 on a one mile walk then why not do it?

When you say $2 - $4 each time you have to realize ferrous prices are roughly .10 a lb, so you would be talking about 20 - 40 lbs of weight. In addition to your magnet sweeper (I have one of the bigger ones from Harbor Freight), you have to figure out how you are going to carry that much extra weight. When I go walking I usually wear trousers with cargo pockets, and put my scrap in those pockets, but even they will not carry that much weight. And even if they did, I would really need an industrial strength belt to keep them from going down to my ankles!!

Originally Posted by wayne1956

When you say $2 - $4 each time you have to realize ferrous prices are roughly .10 a lb, so you would be talking about 20 - 40 lbs of weight. In addition to your magnet sweeper (I have one of the bigger ones from Harbor Freight), you have to figure out how you are going to carry that much extra weight. When I go walking I usually wear trousers with cargo pockets, and put my scrap in those pockets, but even they will not carry that much weight. And even if they did, I would really need an industrial strength belt to keep them from going down to my ankles!!

Yeah I realize now that $2-4 in ferrous was a bit of an over estimation. I did buy a 22" sweeper from Harbor Freight and tried it out this afternoon in my apartment parking lot and the neighborhood a little bit. It was the non-ferrous stuff that I made my money on as the magnet only picked up about 6lbs of steel being only .60 or so and I felt 6lbs was a good night. Between the strips of copper wire that I picked up, cans, brass key, lead wheel weights, random aluminum, pennies, and the steel I mentioned I made about $1.84 in 90 minutes. Yes it was fun and I got some exercise but I'm sure I could have made more hitting the dumpsters.