My Introduction, and of course... questions.

Hi Mark and welcome to SMF from the Deep South (Louisiana)

I will answer some of questions and the let the vets take over..
I do this full time NOW yes..(At first out necessity, now out of love)..
Yes I make something everyday (almost and some days are great and some days are gas plus.)
Wife and 2 little girls so if don't make enough well you know the rest (not an option).
As for hours per day I am new so every normal work hour plus several before and several after.
I am not a wait till it comes to me guy, I'm going after it..
My 2 Pennies....

BTW...READ READ and READ then Do, Do, and Do

Originally Posted by Mabrito88

Hello,

My name is Mark. New to scrapping. It is a hobby for now. I have read through a lot of the forums, but not all of it. I learned of scrapping when i was working as a plumber (laid-off now) and was given some scrap copper. Had to go to the yard to turn that in and saw all these guys with wife beaters and beat up old trucks with tons of scrap metal. It didnt look glamerous but i envyed that they were only working for themselves. Anyhow. I am interested in pursuing this venture and hope it can turn out to be more than a hobby. I also want to thank you all for not just shutting down the new guys because they are competition and most people who make money with something dont want to share their secrets. So thank you.

My questions are:

-Do any of you guys do this full-time? If so, how many hours a week? How many weeks per year? And is it enough to pay the bills? Rasie a family?
-Should someone consider expanding this hobby to make a living or is the market just to unsteady that it would be better to have a "regular" job?
-Is a truck and/or trailer necessary? I know this will sound stupid but what if you had a car? I know you wouldnt be able to hold as much and you couldnt take very large appliances, but what if you could make multiple trips to the yard? Say 3-5. Could you make it worth your while? I have heard that it is all about how hard you want to work, and I would be willing to work 50+ hours a week. But is this feesable?

Feel free to criticize. I know. I am the new guy. Thanks again

Several here do this as a fulltime job but I'd recommend a PT job to start, till you get built up.
Like any self-employment you'll have good and bad days. I've brought home over $1,000 a trip and $50.
Not necessary. I ALWAYS say - Use what you got and build up.
Like the old saying - "Work Smarter, Not Harder."

In your situation (not uncommon), I'd recommend trying for copper wiring. Strip it and haul in by the bucketful. At the same time, go for electronics and read up on them on here.

Welcome aboard from NE Indiana! I started in e-waste 4 years ago out of necessity (wife and 4 kids, mortgage, etc.) but we will recycle anything that is legal, doesn't breathe, bleed or eat, and provides some reasonable return. Wife now works with me full time as well as each of the kids as time allows. We also have several other part-time people as needed.

I see a lot people using their cars to get started, but there is a reason you see a lot of "beater" trucks. Scrap yards can turn a nice truck into junk heap quicker than a New York chop shop. We buy used trucks that are safe to drive but not necessarily easy on eyes because they are cheaper and will get beat-up quick enough. We keep one nice one for making sales calls but I always mention that our people are clean and the trucks don't leave oil slicks but dents and faded paint are a fact of life in this business. As for multiple trips to the yard, at gas prices these days, try to keep them as efficient as possible.

As for time, the harder you work the more you make. However, down time is necessary to recharge the batteries. We try to avoid working Sunday for not only religious reasons but also because R&R is essential to overall success. You know the old saying about all work and no play, however, don't get caught doing the opposite because the end of the month will be here before you know it. Too much month at the end of the money is difficult to recover from.

Paperwork is a fact of life in any business so figure on working by day and doing the paperwork by night. Business insurance is a must and isn't to expensive; health insurance is another matter. Fortunately, in Indiana, we have a state sponsored program called "Healthy Indiana Plan" which is designed to help self employed people to get coverage at affordable rates. (Finally a Govt. plan that works) You might see if something like that is available in your area.

Hope this helps.