Hello,
I recently bought a scale on amazon to help me find out if it is worth it to break stuff down. I recommend everyone to have a scale because it helps you to know how much you will be making and if it is worth it to break stuff down. Here is the link where I bought my scale 600lb limit scale for $80:
Amazon.com: 600 LB Pounds Platform Bench Shipping Weight Computing Counting Scales: Office Products
This scale helped me to find out if it is worth it or not to break stuff down. When you break stuff down you have to make sure that you are subtracting what you would get if you didnt break down from what you will get for breaking down. Then you will be able to know how much more profit you will be making (or loosing) by breaking down. For example:
A T.V
without breakdown: @.05/lb. (e-waste) 65lbs = $3.25
with breakdown: (copper, alu, brown board, wire)= $7.25
What you made from breaking down (7.25-3.25)= $4.00 ( took 15-20min)
I found that smaller tv's are worth it but, a lot of the bigger T.V's have aluminum wire instead of copper wire and you can actually loose money if you break it down. Here is what I found:
no break down: @.05 (e-waste) 110lbs= $5.50
with break down: (copper yoke, alu wire, e-waste,etc)= $3.30
What you make from breaking down $3.30-$5.50= -$2.20
So with this bigger tv. I actually lost $2.20 because I broke it down opposed to just recycling as e-waste.
A general rule is if there is lots of weight from discard (trash) after breaking stuff down you might want to think about recycling the item as is (without break down) because you will get the extra weight. Keep in mind that you can actually loose money when breaking down opposed to recycling as is. So, I recommend buying a scale.
Another very important thing for scappers if you are just starting out is that you have to:
1. Know ALL of the different classifications of all of the metals (contaminated, painted, thickness, everthing)
2. Know what the prices are to every classification.
If you dont know these two things you will have a hard time determining whether it is worth it to break something down or not. You will not know what is "up for grab" when you are breaking down. This goes for picking up too, if you dont know what something is worth then you wont know if it is worth it to pick it up.
I apologize if there is already a post on this matter but, I felt it was important to share this, especially the usefulness of a scale and knowing the classifications and prices. This stuff is probably more for beginners in the forum. I am also a beginner (about 6 month full time) and always learning new stuff all the time. So I hope that this helps some of you out there
thanks
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