repost of sorts: have you tried scrap exchange?

My apologies if I am violating some forum rule, but I want to repost more or less verbatim my question I posted in another thread. I did not see any responses to it and maybe this was because it wasn't noticed in the main discussion. Or maybe there was another reason, so I guess we're about to find out...

So... here we go. I was thinking of placing an ad on CL in the barter section. Basically, I would offer exchanging steel/shred scrap for computers. My volumes are low and I only collect computers and computer periphery so most of the steel/shred I get is from desktop chassis and the like. So I can't expect much in exchange. But then again, I don't have space or time to process a lot, so even getting half a dozen computers at once would be great. Plus it's not worth it for me to take the steel to a scrap yard myself so getting my backyard cleaned is another benefit.



Anyway, has anyone tried advertising such an arrangement? Did it work? How did you figure out a good "exchange rate"?

might work, you will only find out by trying it.

never tried metal for computers. I have a guy I trade working hard drives for broken motherboards and broken lcd monitors. works out VERY well for me since he gives me lots of broken parts for one hard drive... when he has them. give it a shot, who knows?

I have a couple of computer repair guys that I do a lot of swapping with. I will trade almost even with them sometimes, and they always come back to me with their computer scrap.

I have been working a couple of the steel guys, but no luck yet.

Originally Posted by thortek

In my situations, it'd be 2 cases for one PC. Not too bad if you're getting in a stream of Free pc's to have cases on hand to trade.

I think I'm going to try this idea and see how it goes.

Let me know how it goes. Maybe it'll help me adjust my barters.

Originally Posted by parrothead

I have a couple of computer repair guys that I do a lot of swapping with. I will trade almost even with them sometimes, and they always come back to me with their computer scrap.

I have been working a couple of the steel guys, but no luck yet.

So are you exchanging certain types of hardware for certain other types? Or broken/fried MBs/cards/whatever for working MBs/cards/whatever? And what do you mean by "almost even"? In weight? In quantities? Thx

Originally Posted by ilyaz

So are you exchanging certain types of hardware for certain other types? Or broken/fried MBs/cards/whatever for working MBs/cards/whatever? And what do you mean by "almost even"? In weight? In quantities? Thx

Yep, basically a trade in weight. This one guy has been with me from me starting this and I have upgraded his RAM immenselly. It costs me nothing and he tests it all for me. He is a struggling kid trying to get through college, so it helps him for sure. Of course I am starting to sell a lot of that RAM now, but I upgraded his stash of RAM to all 256 or better, that he can now put out in working computers that he sells.

Originally Posted by wayne

What about offering double the weight of a tower, but in printers? Would that work out financially? I would rather tear down a tower than a printer, every day of the week...

I am sort of doing it already: I don't take apart printers anymore, I just take out cartridges, cut off cables and toss the rest into the "barter" pile.

Originally Posted by Mechanic688

Don't forget the printers with memory card slots, mid or hi grade boards in there.

Yeah, I sometimes takes them out and sometimes don't: they are small and I often feel they are not worth my time

Today I traded (2) 40 gig hard drives, (1) 80 gig hard drive, and (4) 512 ram for 8 towers, 5 broken lcd monitors, a crt monitor, 115 lbs of lead batteries, 3 broken hard drives, 4 floppy drives, a battery back-up, and a box of mother boards(9#). I'd say I got the better end of the deal.

Computer repair guy who normally buys my larger hard drives and ram gave me all of his "broken" today in trade. Find something they want and trade for everything they don't need.