when to break down and how far.

Thai question comes up often on the forum, and many different opinions and thoughts have been offered. Im my humble opinion, the question depends on several factors.

1. who you are and where you are in your scrap business. do you have a seemingly unending supply of scrap or are you constantly scrounging.

2 do you have the knowledge and the tools?

3 do you have the space?

4 do you like to keep busy or do you want fishin and hunting time or more time with the family?

These questions can go on and on . You can get the knowledge here. You can get the tools but, the rest of those questions and many other factors can only be answered by you. Are you a survival scrapper? Are you trying to grow into a scrap yard etc. One other thing, every time I break down something to the inth degree, I learn something new. Just some thoughts.

sounds about right, olddude.

I was taking apart a fan yesterday and there was a sticker inside that said "Assembled in Mexico". I kind of chuckled when I thought "Yea but it is being disassembled in the good old USA!

Lol rusty i say the same exact thing. And im glad i have no life, no wife/girlfriend, and no hobbies besides computers. So for me My day consists of hmmmm what needs to be broken down or answering 100 phone calls with scrap related blah blah. Only time i get stressed out are when something besides scrapping needs to get done. And i wouldn't have it any other way.

You are correct, olddude. I have stated before, I think finding the minimum amount you're willing to work for per hr, or day is also essential. To each his own but I will say this; why fuss with something for an hour when its going to net you say 3$? I think people forget or become too stubborn and say, 3$ is 3$. I think being short sighted can be detrimental to ones business. Why not break something down (if you have the time) and become knowledgeable with it. That way, you can say no matter how hard I try or how efficient I am this will only net me xxx$ per hr.

Sometimes chasing 1$ will cost you 10$...

again it depends on your situation. there were days when I scrapped bits of wire from smashin the moley donuts for less then $5 or $10 dollars a day because with out doing that there would be no $5 or $10. "if your not moving forward, you are falling backwards" "The world never stands still so neither do we".

Yeah, not everyone falls into the same neat category. I'm not in a position to think about being paid per hour. I get paid by weight. I sometimes only make $10.00 by taking in my loose light iron to the yard just to get rid of it while waiting for my copper or aluminum to build up. I look at this way: That's ten bucks I didn't have when I woke up this morning.

It can also depend on how hungry you are. I once worked 14 hours laying concrete for a sidewalk for $10. But I had no food, no money, no job and a kid and pregnant wife. This was before food stamps etc. This was really the time of "you don't work, you don't eat".

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mick

But I had no food, no money, no job and a kid and pregnant wife. This was before food stamps etc. This was really the time of "you don't work, you don't eat".

---

Now days you get food, smokes, cell phone, computer, internet and some spending money for a tattoo.

Sorry Mick, just an observation. Delete if you think it's going to stir the pot.

Opportunity cost is the cost of any activity measured in terms of the value of the next best alternative forgone (that is not chosen). It is the sacrifice related to the second best choice available to someone, or group, who has picked among several mutually
exclusive choices.

[1] The opportunity cost is also the "cost" (as a lost benefit) of the forgone products after making a choice. Opportunity cost is a key concept in economics, and has been described as expressing"the
basic relationship between scarcity and choice".

[2] The notion of opportunity cost plays a crucial part in
ensuring that scarce resources are used efficiently.

[3]
Thus, opportunity costs are not restricted to monetary or financial costs: the real cost of output forgone, lost time, pleasure or any other benefit that provides utility should also be considered opportunity costs.

I worked a real crappy job for the less money then I am making now and I am my own boss except for my wife. Yesterday I probably made twenty bucks breaking down some old washers for wire and motors all for free but was burnt out afterwards but that was my work day that's ok with me there are busting my behind all day to pay the bills though. Peace

Hello,
I have this problem all the time. Being that I do this as a hobby for beer money. I lose my ass on the bottom line when it comes to wage vs. tear down time. Nevertheless, I also do this as a stress reliever. Take today for instance. I was working on case study paper due for class and things where not going as planned. So I went outside and beat the **** out of stuff for about 3 hours. I did not make money when it comes to time spent, but who care I felt better after.

Buckatabon

depends on the item and pia factor i try toi value my time based on $30 an hour so if 9cents of wire take 5 minutes the yard can have it i gotta make $1 value out of it every 2 minutes or time vs value doesn"T add up plus wear and tear on equipment and me

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Russell

Opportunity cost is the cost of any activity measured in terms of the value of the next best alternative forgone (that is not chosen). It is the sacrifice related to the second best choice available to someone, or group, who has picked among several mutually
exclusive choices.

[1] The opportunity cost is also the "cost" (as a lost benefit) of the forgone products after making a choice. Opportunity cost is a key concept in economics, and has been described as expressing"the
basic relationship between scarcity and choice".

[2] The notion of opportunity cost plays a crucial part in
ensuring that scarce resources are used efficiently.

[3]
Thus, opportunity costs are not restricted to monetary or financial costs: the real cost of output forgone, lost time, pleasure or any other benefit that provides utility should also be considered opportunity costs.

---

First what was your major in college? Second I've spend too much time continplating these very questions. Lastly thanks for stating them so clearly, Mike.

Miked, that is the actual definition of opportunity cost via Wikipedia. I cannot say what my schooling is but, I will quote from the movie Good Will Hunting.

You spent $200,000 on an education you could've gotten for $2 in late fees at the library.

Opportunity Cost Examples - Intro to Microeconomics - YouTube

i hope to one day have enough scrap coming in to be able to not worry about getting a better price because it takes longer to do than other stuff i have but with 16-20 working hrs in a day i have yet to get things done everyday so i do hope to get there someday

I do this to support myself and my 2 teenagers so If I don't make money the bills don't get paid. I went to college early and even went back 15yrs later to get another degree. I was a manger for years & made enough money to cover everything, have extra and to have savings. Only problem is I was on salary, worked 70+hrs a week and hardly ever saw my boys. I don't answer to anyone now and I love what I do, I wouldn't trade this in for anything.

So when I'm breaking down what I have, even when I'm so cramped I have to work in a tiny space, I break down what is going to make the most money first and work my way down to the least money. I've got barrels, crates and buckets everywhere with things that are tedious but make a few bucks when all done, I work on those when I come in for the night if it's not too late. I'm one of those people that hate to see things go to waste and as long as I'm making it why not get the few extra bucks with extra tear down? I can also do them in the winter when I'm freezing and can't feel my toes/fingers any more and need to come in from the garage to get warm.

Basically I scrap out of necessity and try to be smart about it now that I've learned a lot more. I'm still learning and trying to grow what I do. Everyone has there own preference and opinions in scrapping and everyone needs to learn what works for them. I can tell you though if people read, research and have an open mind to keep learning, they will find what works for them and make the most of it. Just my .02