2 cents per pound for scrap metal????????????

so i was thinking of going out and collecting scrap metal with a buddy of mine. we are both currently out of work but looking for work! my buddy has a 10 year old ford ranger with a v6 so i am gonna assume around 12 MPG with the truck bed loaded with scrap metal? i called a local scrap yard and was told they will pay me a whole 2 cents per pound!!!!! we had planed to split the profit 50-50 after gas,but not sure now if it would even be worth the time and effort? does 2cents per pound sound right for scrap metal in southern california? i am a total newbie to this so any ideas or advice would be helpful! was possibly thinking of maybe doing cardboard pick ups or wood pallets, or?
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thanks in advance for any and all ideas!

I don't know what scrap yard you called, but try calling SIMS in Rancho Cucamonga. I'm guessing you talked to a smaller yard. You need to go up the food chain to get better pricing, but really, it's not much better here in California.

Closest small yard near me paying 0.015/lb. I think SIMS downtown is paying 0.04/lb.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Tincankeith

You seem to think you will get rich by simple picking up items then taking them in. You need to break all items down to maximize your profit. For me steel is a by product that I have to move in order to get copper, brass, aluminum and other more sought after metals. Start reading the forum and learn what works best for you. Good luck

i don't expect to get rich by any means,but making even $100 ($50 per person) after gas would be nice.

.045 here but like others its not our main item

MPR411 - I'm quoting part of what you said, when starting this thread, "we are both currently out of work but looking for work! my buddy has a 10 year old ford ranger with a v6 so i am gonna assume around 12 MPG with the truck bed loaded with scrap metal?"

1. Truck bed loaded with scrap metal? My question to you, What kind of metal? If it is all just light steel (less than 1/4" thick), I doubt that it is, but if it is $.02 to $.04 is what the market in our area pays. That is for small low loads (under a ton) and for a scrapper without a established account.

2. You are in San Dimas only a 20 minutes away from my area (Chino). This mean you have options on who to sell to! I don't know who you called for a quote or how you determined on who you would sell to. You have many (more than 12) scrap yards within 20 minutes southeast of San Dimas.

3. You are out of work, so go to school and that doesn't need to be in a formal class room! SMF is as good as advice and a scrap metal education that will cost you only your time! Read the old threads, but better yet, study how to scrap in a profitable way!

4. I would say that almost everyone here myself included did not make a lot of money the first time we went to a scrap yard. It just doesn't work that way, so hang in there and learn from the one's that put in the effort to do it! You found SMF, so you are heading in the right direction.

(Man on the beach Avatar, really?)

Originally Posted by bigburtchino

MPR411 - I'm quoting part of what you said, when starting this thread, "we are both currently out of work but looking for work! my buddy has a 10 year old ford ranger with a v6 so i am gonna assume around 12 MPG with the truck bed loaded with scrap metal?"

1. Truck bed loaded with scrap metal? My question to you, What kind of metal? If it is all just light steel (less than 1/4" thick), I doubt that it is, but if it is $.02 to $.04 is what the market in our area pays. That is for small low loads (under a ton) and for a scrapper without a established account.

2. You are in San Dimas only a 20 minutes away from my area (Chino). This mean you have options on who to sell to! I don't know who you called for a quote or how you determined on who you would sell to. You have many (more than 12) scrap yards within 20 minutes southeast of San Dimas.

3. You are out of work, so go to school and that doesn't need to be in a formal class room! SMF is as good as advice and a scrap metal education that will cost you only your time! Read the old threads, but better yet, study how to scrap in a profitable way!

4. I would say that almost everyone here myself included did not make a lot of money the first time we went to a scrap yard. It just doesn't work that way, so hang in there and learn from the one's that put in the effort to do it! You found SMF, so you are heading in the right direction.

(Man on the beach Avatar, really?)

First off thanks so much for the info and advice!

the place i called that quoted me .02 per pound was in chino on east end road. i called mission recycling in pomona,but the girl said they are not allowed to give prices over the phone? i called several others in the area but got recordings.

was thinking of maybe going the cardboard or pallet pick up route?

Not allowed to give prices over the phone?????
Stay away from that yard!!

MPR411 - A couple of questions that might help me, help you. 1. Did you or have you actually sold any scrap metal and if so, what did you actually sell? 2. Do you have a place that you can process your scrap metal, sort and break down into sorted type of metal (brass, steel, copper, wire etc.)?

One of the most important lessons anyone needs to learn in the scrap metal business is, "What works for them or you". That takes time and each individual has to answer that to their satisfaction, continually and refining their operations as they progress.

The two companies you mentioned are both very large and successful scrap metal companies, with over 40 years in the business. The first one has more than 50 yards in Ca, Tx, Az, and Nv. They are the only one that I know of that has a harbor facilities in Los Angeles. Many other yards are feeding them their light steel, so they are a price setter in this area. The second company is owned by a man that has invented and holds several patents on recycling processes and equipment. A very wealthy, smart and successful businessman, the "recycling" can that your local trash company picks up every week, is probably processed by one of his companies.

So as I say they are both good companies and both companies I used when I first started selling scrap metal more than ten years ago. I don't use them anymore for only one reason, "they don't work for me". Because a scrap yard is the biggest or has the most yards, does not make them the best for you or me!

I would recommend that you learn how to break your scrap down into the many different grades of material. Accumulate your scrap until you have about $40 to $50 worth. Then try several different yards in this area, find one that is helpful to you, demonstrating to you that they want you to be as successful as they are (it has to be good for both of you!).

There are many good old post here that I think you should read. One of the best ones, I think is titled "How many scrap buckets do you have" (something like that). That is a good one, because it will give you a idea on how many different grades of scrap metal there is. Keep us posted on how you do and keep working it!

Phone pricing is a trap for both the buyer and seller.

if a seller gets a quote over the phone and misrepresents their material, "I got old appliances" and they show with 10 TV's the yard may feel obligated to honor the quote. (extreme example but it happens) you get the idea,



most yards under-quote on the phone and only quote from the bottom... "insulated wire is $.35 up to $2.10 depending on recovery"

some yards refuse to give a phone quote, because in some locals that is a binding verbal contract, so if they dont know you expect to get little useful information over the phone. or a low-ball quote that helps protect the yard.

V/r HT1

Originally Posted by bigburtchino

4. I would say that almost everyone here myself included did not make a lot of money the first time we went to a scrap yard. It just doesn't work that way, so hang in there and learn from the one's that put in the effort to do it! You found SMF, so you are heading in the right direction.

I had the chuckle at that. I made money the first time I sold scrap, and the last time, and every time inbetween.

And it does help to know as much as you can about scrap metal.

Its sorta like climbing mountains. The closer you get, the more you find out, the more you find out, the bigger the mountain, the bigger the mountain, the more you can climb, the more you climb the more you learn, the more you learn, the more you know.

And one day you can look back and see what you did with this mountain, who came with you, what it means and what it supports.
Then you will realise that this mountain of metal was actually a mountain of money.

Steel sucks but it is a byproduct of breaking down stuff to get the good items (that pay more), and once you start a steel pile you often grab items that are steel in order to get a full truck load when you do go to the scrap yard. Depending on your yard you can make a few more cents by separating out the steel you have (some pays a little more than others). I say get some metal and you and your buddy grab a few beers and break down some stuff on a hot summer day. It will be fun... that's why we are all here.

Originally Posted by bigburtchino

MPR411 - A couple of questions that might help me, help you. 1. Did you or have you actually sold any scrap metal and if so, what did you actually sell? 2. Do you have a place that you can process your scrap metal, sort and break down into sorted type of metal (brass, steel, copper, wire etc.)?

One of the most important lessons anyone needs to learn in the scrap metal business is, "What works for them or you". That takes time and each individual has to answer that to their satisfaction, continually and refining their operations as they progress.



The two companies you mentioned are both very large and successful scrap metal companies, with over 40 years in the business. The first one has more than 50 yards in Ca, Tx, Az, and Nv. They are the only one that I know of that has a harbor facilities in Los Angeles. Many other yards are feeding them their light steel, so they are a price setter in this area. The second company is owned by a man that has invented and holds several patents on recycling processes and equipment. A very wealthy, smart and successful businessman, the "recycling" can that your local trash company picks up every week, is probably processed by one of his companies.

So as I say they are both good companies and both companies I used when I first started selling scrap metal more than ten years ago. I don't use them anymore for only one reason, "they don't work for me". Because a scrap yard is the biggest or has the most yards, does not make them the best for you or me!

I would recommend that you learn how to break your scrap down into the many different grades of material. Accumulate your scrap until you have about $40 to $50 worth. Then try several different yards in this area, find one that is helpful to you, demonstrating to you that they want you to be as successful as they are (it has to be good for both of you!).

There are many good old post here that I think you should read. One of the best ones, I think is titled "How many scrap buckets do you have" (something like that). That is a good one, because it will give you a idea on how many different grades of scrap metal there is. Keep us posted on how you do and keep working it!

*First off thanks for all the advice,knowledge,info, and help from BigBurtChino and all the others here! you are all a big help so far!

So,i lost my house in san dimas,where i had a full 2 1/2 car garage on an alley with large cement pads on each side of the garage which gave me a great area for scrapping and storage.
i had to get rid of most all of my stuff and move in to my parents little studio guest house behind the garage in claremont. so i am very limited on storage and scrapping/teardown space.
i did get a bed full of old heater and sheet metal parts. i was able to strip out all the copper wires,a small computer board,a little aluminum,and brass,etc. while it was in the bed of the truck!
i took it to mission recycling it was the closest to me.

i am willing to drive a few more miles if anyone can give me the name of a good yard that pays more than $.02 per pound! the other yards in the area are paying $.02 as well,i checked!