To hoard or not to hoard

**bcoop** · 08-08-2011, 08:48 PM

Just out of curiosity.
Do any of you hoard your copper (or any other good stuff)?

How low and how high have you seen prices since during the years you have been scrapping?

I'm currently "hording" about 200lbs of copper and while I don't scrap to pay bills the thought of watching my hard earned and slowly accumulate mass of copper drop in value could be a "buzzkill". I thought about putting the money in silver but at its current price I could watch the same thing happen.

I need a solid investment to put my hard earned money in... Seems metals is the only hot investment right now:eek:

**dryvr12** · 08-08-2011, 10:49 PM

Someone else posted this not to long ago, just use the search bar. But I am getting rid of mine once a build it up a bit.

**Dumpster-Dee** · 08-08-2011, 10:52 PM

my sentiments exactly Mrdew !

**zakmattingly** · 08-08-2011, 11:09 PM

I always wondered though if recycling ceased for a certain amount of time wouldn't the metals recycled become more rare as they're not being reprocessed and then go up in price. We should all stop for a moment and then flood the market. Call it a scrapper holiday with a bonus check at the end.

**IdahoScrapper** · 08-08-2011, 11:31 PM

Dunno if I would call it hoarding, or just haven't got busy and taken it in, but I have a bit of copper, SS, aluminum and brass.

I am hoarding cats though.

**bcoop** · 08-09-2011, 12:51 AM

Thread is no joke, sorry it was not up to "par"... Was just curious what other folks were doing. When I started doing this (about 6 months ago) I envisioned saving up several thousand pounds of copper for a nice little "payday". I have not been around long enough to see much volatility in prices so that is kind of why I posed the question. Perhaps I should of phrased it better.

**MilitiaMetals** · 08-09-2011, 01:01 AM

I see where you are coming from, I usually take a load in when I get minimum $600 profit, that is all sorts of scrap

**zakmattingly** · 08-09-2011, 01:15 AM

I just save up $50 worth in whatever gets there first and then take it in. Every now and then I get more than one thing ready to go at at time. Those are good days.

**IdahoScrapper** · 08-09-2011, 02:10 AM

I was busting your chops. Copper is somewhat volatile. In the few years I have been in this, I have seen it bounce around from 1.50 a lb to 3.25 or so (other areas are even higher).

I am sitting on everything but steel. I want a bigger payday when that day comes.

What part of Utah are you in?

**bcoop** · 08-09-2011, 03:34 AM

Roger that, I am in Salt Lake. Only member from Utah I have seen so far.

**wayne1956** · 08-09-2011, 08:05 AM

Actually bcoop, I am doing somewhat the same as you are. I currently have close to 250 lbs of #1 and #2 copper myself. Why am I keeping it? I want to amass 500 lbs of it. Why do I want to do that? Just to do it. I have a good job, so I do not live on my scrap income (I have purchased close to a thousand dollars face value of 90% silver over the past few years with my scrap earnings as I did not need the money immediately). I am a goal oriented person, and when I have a goal (like getting to a 500 lb stash) it makes me more motivated to get out there and search for new avenues and sources. I also hoard my brass and dirty copper for a year, then turn them in come winter time when prices are usually at their highest. Steel, iron, shredder feed and aluminum get turned in fairly often as they accumulate much quicker. Is hoarding like this the smartest way to work it? Absolutely not, but it is the way I choose to do it.

**fnord** · 08-09-2011, 09:34 AM

Well, there are lots of opinions and advice to take, out there so do your research.

My personal opinion right now is that metals, Cu in particular are underpriced. I also expect to see more currency devaluation, perhaps even today, see: here, and here for some of the boring details. I wouldn't sell anything that I didn't need to right now, because of inflation, at least wait a few weeks to see that the dollar doesn't explode.

As a more general rule, if your bills are paid, cupboards are full, and you have a safe place to store some metals, why not try and take advantage of price fluctuations to increase your profit? The trick lies in getting the information you need to help you decide when to sell.

**bcoop** · 08-09-2011, 09:56 AM

That was the kind of input I was looking for. Thanks guys.

**Copper Head** · 08-10-2011, 08:35 PM

I pick up some sliver with scrap $$ , I hold the copper , as some days if i am a bit tired or need a chance to rest i can use a little copper to boost the bill. so i do save copper but mostly the balance out the week , all metal makes money so any extra amt used to pick up silver makes sense to me
-----------------------------
naturally I'd say most of us have copper from found items, & no one wants to see copper go to low but how do you know copper wont hit $10 a pound some day I read on internet it could happen .

**newattitude** · 08-12-2011, 01:33 PM

I used to hoard my copper in bags on the kitchen table. When i took it in the guy told me not to come back that day with anything else. So, now I turn in 20 - 40 lbs at a time so that doesn't happen again. Not sure why it did in the first place but with the prices down now I'm hoarding again.

**Ohio Scrapper** · 08-12-2011, 10:05 PM

Just curious newattitude, how much did you take in when he told you not to come back anymore that day? Maybe they have a certain limit per customer or something? I've never heard of that.

I hoard mine too, mainly because I don't get that much at a time.

**zakmattingly** · 08-12-2011, 10:33 PM

I get more money from copper than anything. Of course I do mostly electronic stuff and I strip every wire that's not too small to get. Rarely get a bailing load. If I held on to my copper it'd break the bank bad. Might have to try to rough through it a while though and hope prices go back up. I'll give it a moment but I couldn't see being able to hold out too long.

**KzScrapper** · 08-12-2011, 10:52 PM

Never really considered myself a hoarder, I just let the different catagories build up to respectable piles. Today at an estate sale though, was a 33 gal trash can of insulated copper of different sizes with a lot of it being 12-16 ga solid wire for $125 and there has to be at least 125 pounds there so I bit and will take my time to strip most of it and turn it in someday.

**newattitude** · 08-12-2011, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by Scrap Junky

Just curious newattitude, how much did you take in when he told you not to come back anymore that day? Maybe they have a certain limit per customer or something? I've never heard of that.

I hoard mine too, mainly because I don't get that much at a time.

I just went and checked that ticket and I had 90lbs of mostly #2 so it wasn't like it was a truckload full lol. I think 3 bags were #1. I've never been told there was any kind of limits and sometimes I'm there 3 times a day so I really have no idea. Wouldn't they tell you if there was a limit? I have no idea.

**Mechanic688** · 08-13-2011, 12:37 AM

If there is restrictions it should be posted around the sales office where you collect your money.

To hoard or not to hoard

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

To hoard or not to hoard

The Following 5 Users say Thank You for This Post by IdahoScrapper:

The Following User Says Thank You to MilitiaMetals for This Post:

The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by wayne1956:

The Following 4 Users say Thank You for This Post by fnord:

Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

Can you trust the hoard in-stink

Ye Olde Teletype, Computer and Shortwave Radio Hoard

The Hoard and Score

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

The Scrap Metal Forum

SMF Recommended Links

SMF on Facebook and Twitter