Father & Son Newbie Scrappers in Virginia

Greetings all ye excellent Scrappers!
I'm basically getting into scrapping to develop a close bond with my son. He's 5 years old.
My dad spent a lot of time at work when I grew up, so I wasn't very close to him. I didn't do many of the "Father/Son" things with him. I never learned how to use tools, and when I left home, I didn't even own any tools.
My son loves it when I say "I've got a job for you" and I have him come out and pick up all the screws with his magnet tool, and put them all in a bucket.

I try to include him in everything I do for 3 reasons:
1-I want to create memories with him that he'll remember when he's grown up, and has a son of his own.
2-I want him to become confident in his skills with tools, so he can fix things himself when he grows up, instead of needing to pay people to do everything for him.
3-Most importantly, I want to be close to my son all his life, and it starts right now at home.

Anyway, I just wanted to give you an idea of who I am and what my son & I are doing.
We don't have a truck yet, so we use the family car (Honda Pilot). I imagine as soon as we find a truck, we'll be able to go out & collect more metal.
At least for now, we're spending a lot of time together...and that's what's most important to me.

I've got a lot of questions, so I hope you all will be patient with me as I ask all the newbie questions like "what's the difference between stainless steel and steel?" or "Is a computer printer worth my time to scrap?"

Thanks for reading & I'm looking forward to meeting you all!
God Bless you all!
-Brian & Logan
"Father & Son Scrappers"

Welcome ditto what metalbestos said.

When it comes to picking up electronics, it's best to tear down one of each item to see if it's worth your time. What I find worth it may not be in your time frame. Like Metalbestos said, just about all the info, tips, secrets, etc. are already here, you just have to pick a subject your interested in and go back thru and read, read.

** Most yards will pay S.S. price if it's non-magnetic, if a magnet sticks to it they'll only pay shred/steel price. Pick up a nice little magnet and let it be your friend.

Welcome from south of Chicago

Welcome from the Dakota's. Great place with lots of information. The only other tip I would add is get your son his own magnet. This is the most valuable tool for a scraper because it distinguishes between ferrous and non ferrous metals. If dad has the tool, son should to. He will learn responsibility for keeping track of it, prize it as his valuable tool and will have a blast identifying metal. At least they have not outlawed magnets in school so he will love teaching his friends this trick. Nothing will build a strong bond between father, son, and metal than his own magnet in my opinion. The family that scraps together stays together. Good luck.

Originally Posted by Mechanic688

When it comes to picking up electronics, it's best to tear down one of each item to see if it's worth your time. What I find worth it may not be in your time frame. Like Metalbestos said, just about all the info, tips, secrets, etc. are already here, you just have to pick a subject your interested in and go back thru and read, read.

** Most yards will pay S.S. price if it's non-magnetic, if a magnet sticks to it they'll only pay shred/steel price. Pick up a nice little magnet and let it be your friend.

Make sure you get your lil partner a magnet of his own. He'll love it. Heck I still think magnets are just as cool as they were when I was a kid.lol

welcome, I like the father-son time perspective!

I include my kids in my hobby too, they are 5 and 7.. im looking forward to my boy growing up big and strong to help me with the heavier stuff

Originally Posted by Metalbestos

So I have to ask Is your name from a popular 80's flick ?

Copperpot is The Penguin from Batman. Oswald Chester Copperpot.

Watch Gotham. It's awesome. Young Penguin, Joker, Riddler, Scarecrow, an many other Batman Villains. It's a fun show to watch on Monday evenings with the wife an face munchers.

Oh..an uh..to the OP..welcome to the forums from a sandbar off the coast of NC.

Sirscrapalot - Keeper of the traveling cooler, Founder of the Cooler Pullers, an someone who has watched way to much Gotham.

They stole his name!

I will now cause a distraction...



An my answer could be correct, we won't know till the OP returns. Penguin is much older then the goonies to!

Sirscrapalot - Bu-ttah-finerrrr! - Sloth, the Goonies.

Originally Posted by junkfreak

Make sure you get your lil partner a magnet of his own. He'll love it. Heck I still think magnets are just as cool as they were when I was a kid.lol

Yep, it was one of the first tools I bought him! =)

"My son loves it when I say "I've got a job for you" and I have him come out and pick up all the screws with his magnet tool, and put them all in a bucket."

Originally Posted by sirscrapalot

they stole his name!

I will now cause a distraction...

what the heck??
Lololllllllllllllllll =)