I Don't want to be flamed. I have a honest general question for everyone here ....

OK so I've only been a member here for a few days. I can tell that most of not all the members here are genuine people. Mostly kind hearted and always willing to give advice or help their fellow scrapper (or man -woman). I also see very intelligent people. More so than many business people. At what point in yall peoples lives did you decide to become a scraper. Or am I way off base and a large % of people here work a norm. 9-5 and scrap as a way of generating extra income. Like I wrote in my introduce yourself post I hated having a boss. So I'm choosing this career path. The most inspirational post I saw lately was the PATRIOT76 one where he is taking on that massive job. You all know and prob. read it and looked at his photos. So I guess my question may come off as rude or smart. I promise you Im not being a jerk. I just want a honest answer. I hope that when people read this they don't think Im immature or a d*ckhead.. Im just curious how we all ended up here. Is the economy a large factor for many? Do many of you do it because you enjoy the hours? Basically the way I view scrapping is a Jack of all trades. I think most scrappers would do well at so many other careers. Ive only been doing it for very little time under a year and I have so many ideas that I think could generate tons of cash. Maybe I'm still at a naive point and also I don't really have pressure of children and maybe Xwives or ever better wive and children. . . . So in closing I just am curious how scrapping because most of you'll life??? I have learned a lot from intro. urself section too.

Thanks for reading and have a good day!

DayVV

I kinda just fell into it. I had been working a ton of overtime at my 9-5 office job and while I do like my job and get satisfaction out of it, 12-13 hours a day grinds on you after a while. I had been considering a second job but couldn't really find anything to fit with my hours.

One day after work, I saw a sink by the curb. I had heard the radio ads for a new scrapyard in the area so I figured what the hell, I'll bring this in on my way home. With $22 in my pocket, I realized I had found my second source of income. I get to be my own boss, meet some interesting people, promote recycling and help to support my family. It's pretty cool.

I don't think this will ever turn into a full time gig, I can't walk away from the health insurance and 401k and other benefits at my 9-5 (plus, the pay is actually kind of decent). But this gives me something to do in my free time, I enjoy it and it keeps me active. Maybe someday I'll get a car trailer and start junking cars. Maybe I'll just keep taking in shred/tin loads. I'll see where it takes me.

Thanks for all the honesty guys-girls (PC)..... I bet a lot of members here are in my predicament too. . When I was younger 19 y.o(33 now) I got arrested for something stupid and while it was many many years ago. Having a blemish on your permanent record is Such a pain in the Ace!!!!! I was able to go to college and work in the medical field MOSTLY due to the hiring managers all being my friends. . I just hate the thought of having a CORI check and some bimbo is looking at my CORI saying... Uhm excuse me what is this receiving stolen property... Then having to explain I bought a radio of the wantAD and it was stolen . I didn't know. Then someone told the local police I stole it.... Just to add to my luck the kid from wantAD was in on it too and told the police I stole it and tried to sell it to him. Perjuring himself( obvi. he had no morals).... And whallla CRIMINAL RECORD?? Again members thanks for the replies

DayVV

Way back in the 8th grade, I was president of the newly formed Ecology Club at my school. That spring, we organized the first County Wide clean-up; this was back in the early 70s. I've been recycling since then. 7 years ago I got into Biodiesel; another form of recycling; making biodiesel from Used Vegetable Oil (UVO) and then I got into old Mercedes diesel cars. I started recycling them and used parts; then it branched out to anything old and diesel. I do this part-time to earn extra money. I've considered opening a "green" scrapyard, but I very much enjoy my 8-5 full-time position. It's not a job if you enjoy going to work!

Well, I don't have a 9 to 5 but scrapping isn't my main business either, it's more of a "small division" of my business. I'm a reseller and get most of my stuff through storage auctions, estate sales, yard sales and wherever else I can find stuff I can make a profit on. In my quest I find ALOT of scrap (especially in the storage auctions obviously). I hate to just throw things away and I need to squeeze every bit of profit I can out of what I get, which means I have to have several different outlets for stuff. Plus I've always liked to take things apart and see their inner workings, and I'm one of those types that pick up every penny I find on the ground, regardless if its heads up or down! Although I've already forgotten which way is the lucky way (and no one tell me, I don't want to know! lol).

I also realize that everything, no matter how small, adds up over time. So all those pennies have now after many years completely filled up one of those large tall plastic pepsi bottle banks (remember those from the 90's?). I feel that mentality really helps with scrapping. A small strip of electrical wire will barely be worth anything by itself in copper, but add up a piece here and a piece there and next thing you know you've got a bucket full and are cashing in! I do what I do because I HATE working for someone else. I'm not good with handling the feeling of being trapped and it makes me miserable. Also being in business for myself means that I CONTROL how much I make, the only limit is based on how smart and how hard I work at it. People don't get rich working for someone else...unless they worked for google in the beginning and got stock options, those people got VERY RICH working for someone else.

@src3collector I really am interested in that whole field. The estate sales and storage auctions. Ive never been to one YET. I do know that its nothing like the TV shows where they find boxes and boxes of Gold and diamonds everyday. Also I'm jet like you . Taking something apart is just how Ive always been. When I was a little kid. I would take apart all my toys or electronic equipment and rewire it or just put it back together. Actually I would love to start a business where estates hired me to come in and clean out a whole house and get it ready for resale. I went to school for 5 years in HS for construction technology and business management ... Granted it was a HS program. The amount of info and tools I learned I have been able to utilize all throughout my adult life. I also can totally relate to the NOT having a boss.... I always hated the passive aggressive way a manager would talk down to me and say "why did you do this or that"" My reply was always rude and not polite. I was a little rough around the edges. I grew up with a big italian upbringing and Have close family friends that are part of that big italian family in Boston . When a pos boss would think I was going to be scared of them threatening me with being fired and Id say something like IDGAF ill slap the taste out of your mouth.!! HAaha they never liked that but they would respect me .... Sorry Im ranting. I just hear ya loud n clear w NO BOSS and NO LIMITS on the money you can make..

Thank you for your response.

DayV

I have been scrapping for a couple of years now. My dad used to scrap and I remember when I was a kid he was always asking me if I saw any goodies laying around on my summer adventures. The city I live in has an annual spring cleanup and for years I would see all the stuff sitting out and know how much money was sitting there so when I finally bought a house with a garage and had the room to do it, I started in with it. I work a regular job and only do this as a hobby and enjoy breaking stuff down to maximize what I can get from it.

Im in the same boat as mikeinreco. Did some stupid stuff a few years ago. To make things worse, im a drop out with a record and a bad back that will only get worse. I worked a few jobs before i started. They were terrible. From working in a country club to laying cement and a couple in between. I started scrapping during my last job to generate a little more money. Then the job turned to s**t and i left. I scrap full time now while still taking a side job every now and then. It can be a hard life if you dont get your priorities straight before you start but we make it by. One of the best jobs ive ever had though. I will do this until i die... or until i cant move

I started as a kid picking up bottles on my bike to turn in at the store to buy a Coke and candy. A neighbor of mine was letting a scrap guy use his barn yard for cutting and sorting steel and non ferrous. I learned that I could drag in metal items and get paid for those too. It was interesting talking to this guy and I learned a lot from him. That's been over 30 years ago and he's still a good friend.

Later, when we started a demolition business, my first job (a bank) provided enough scrap to buy a brand new Honda 4 wheeler. I was hooked for real then. I save all scrap I create by wearing out my farm equipment as well as from demolition jobs. I even find things selling for less than scrap value at farm auctions and buy them to resell. It's a good thing to keep a ledger of all purchases for resale so you can compare the costs to the sales amounts and see if it's worth doing again.

Originally Posted by dayvirus

Then having to explain I bought a radio of the wantAD and it was stolen .

That brings back memory's
I delivered them for 17 years and then one Monday got a call that they had gone out of Business over night
Getting the book on Monday night when the rest of the people never saw them before Tuesday led to some REALLY good deals

Hadn't looked at your location until I read that. I am around the corner in Middleboro
I used to deliver phone books and scrap the occasional car
Then I was scraping cars and delivering the occasional phone book
Now it's all cars all the time

John 4x4 how old are you. Funny thing I used to date a girl from Middleboro... She was on opal Ave. I believe.... Maybe 18 years ago... Sh#t. 18ys... I'm freaking getting old...You were a lucky guy to get to check it out early.. That's like getting a preview of car auctions before th go public... I bet you Def got some good deals.. That's so funny the www.internet@morons.com(this is a joke).. Isn't it funny though. The want AD was the bible for us folks before all this online business.... I bet hardly anyone ever utilizes paper books or anything these days... Oh yeah the chick's name was Andrea. I went to the HS senior prom in 1999.or2000. I forget. I had my first alcohol adventure that night. Some spicy drink? W little ice chips. Maybe called aftershock.. And good old gold schlaggeer(which I wanted to filter out for the gold chips.. Ahah thanks for the flashback ^_^
DayVV

Well, I always thought it was cool when my mom would take in cans at the Reynolds aluminum trucks.
In middle and high school, I would go through the piles on big trash day to find whatever suited my fancy. My favorites being mowers and weedeaters that needed little to no work to use.
Last summer, we had furloughs at my work, and I decided to take in some metal for scrap. I found this forum and its been on like Donkey Kong since.
I like that I can do this as a productive hobby until I can dedicate more time to it.
I love hunting for scrap and resellables.
I love breaking stuff down, seeing how it works, and fixing stuff for resell.
I especially LOVE taking it in and getting cold, hard, cash in my hand!
I want to integrate this business into and alternative energy business. Solar heating products, retrofits, new energy ideas, permaculture, electric cars etc.
It absolutely kills me to see the stuff folks just throw away. Oh well, it benefits me, others, and the earth, to recycle and repurpose it.
Good thread DayV!
UMR

When gold and silver were high I sold all the broken worn out items around the house caught a little fever. Moved down the value levels of metal and dug around in my basement. Had 25 years of parents grand parents leftovers. I had boxes of stuff I never looked through. Wife's grand father had lots of bits of copper and brass. I went through everything I had stuffed in basement made about 800 bucks . Needless to say I was hooked. I heard bits and pieces of e scrap saved up a small amount of computer scrap found this site and now I am addicted. Extra money in good times, food and utilities in the lean time.

Same here.. When I found out gold was floating around 2k. I had a old bracelet that was about 3oz and it was 24kt... So I got close to 5350-5400. I forget... I was hooked also.. It's totally different scrapping base metals as opposed to precious metals.. It seems like gold and plat and silver you go through. A nice building with small counter top scales with scrap yards. It's basically a lot dirtier and you need a whole lot more to make any money.. Still the theory is that same..

...So in closing I just am curious how scrapping because most of you'll life???...

Been scrapping now for 5 months. Started when a cousin who has rental houses asked to use my pick-up to get rid of a washer and three dryers. Went online and discovered motors, wiring, steel, aluminum, and copper were worth cash! Told him I would haul them off for free (family, right?). Broke them down in my garage with a hammer and screwdriver.

As I'm enjoying the pizza and beer that stuff helped buy, I realized: 'People throw stuff away. I can pick it up and sell it.'

Just a raw newbie's opinion, but here are 4 rules:

1) Be Honest (I sleep good at night)

2) Work Hard (Wake Up and Get Going!)

3) Work Smart (Read these Forums, Let Other People Make the Mistakes/Show You the Way)

4) Get the Tools (Scrapping Forum/Videos Can Show You the Metal That Helps You Break Down Metal)

Best, Steve

Originally Posted by dayvirus

@src3collector I really am interested in that whole field. The estate sales and storage auctions. Ive never been to one YET. I do know that its nothing like the TV shows where they find boxes and boxes of Gold and diamonds everyday.

Haha, nope nothing like the shows, except for maybe the beginning and bidding part, after that though is another story. You rarely find that one magical item, and if you do you can't just walk into any store and just have them appraise it. The worst offense is how easy they make it look. It makes people think they can just buy a locker, find a valuable item, sell it right away and make tons of money. What they don't show is all the hard work and nastiness involved. You have to dig through ALOT of trash, and that trash doesn't just magically disappear, you have to do something with it. I've had many units where probably 90% of it was absolute junk and garbage. Plus all the dirt, dust, mold, mouse/rat turds, hazardous chemicals (that are usually leaking), rotting food, bugs, spiders (one time I brought a Black Widow into my garage unknowingly), used sex toys, stained whitey tightys. The only positive critter I brought into my garage were some gecko's. I didn't mind them at all since they eat bugs. Selling the stuff you find isn't always easy either, you have to put up ads, deal with flakes, etc.

Anyway, I don't mean to rant, it obviously does have its good side too, otherwise I wouldn't be doing it. I will say this though, the auction part and the bidding is alot of fun at times and can give you a bit of a rush. Problem with that though is you can easily get carried away and into a bidding war and overpay.

But back to the topic, this site and scrapping has helped me tremendously with what I do. So far I've been able to avoid having to make trips to the dump which would cost me more money and instead either bring in money or get rid of stuff on craigslist. Probably the best example is a unit that was FULL of old telecom boards and equipment and looked like absolute garbage (nothing was really hidden either). Most of the buyers out there would have just taken most of it to the dump and didn't want to deal with it, which worked out for me as I won the unit for a mere $10! Processed most of the boards, shipped it out to a buyer on this forum and got a check back for almost $700! And I still had some sellable items and larger items that I needed to work on.