I need some thoughts on picking up restaurant grade scrap

**RLS0812** · 08-31-2018, 04:49 PM

Last U-Truck I rented ended up costing over $250 a day after all the charges they tacked on.

Do you do enough scrap business to justify spending $8,000 - $12,000 on a used box truck and another $2,000 - $4,000 on a used lift gate ?

**in2scrap** · 08-31-2018, 05:04 PM

id take my skidsteer with pallet forks and pull it off their dock and load on my dump trailer. Bottom line, rent a skid steer for a day. Also, I took a stainless table to scrap once after pulling it apart, and the guy at scale said next time bring it to him intact and he'd pay better than scrap and he'd send it to Mexico. thats my .02

**Patriot76** · 08-31-2018, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by in2scrap

id take my skidsteer with pallet forks and pull it off their dock and load on my dump trailer. Bottom line, rent a skid steer for a day. Also, I took a stainless table to scrap once after pulling it apart, and the guy at scale said next time bring it to him intact and he'd pay better than scrap and he'd send it to Mexico. thats my .02

All three suggestions provided are good options. In2scrap provided you with the lowest cost option and since you have a forklift, haul it over and unload from their dock. I have to assume their forklift can exit the building so you might be able to use it to unload from the dock. When I scrapped a potatoe plant I used two of their forklifts, one to haul to the dock and the other to load from the dock to my trailer. I would try to set up pickup over a couple of weekends. Start with the stuff you know is scrap and haul to the scrap yard. While collecting the first load gather all the information on the other items including pictures to post for sale in any manner you see fit. In addition to giving yourself a head start on selling, the items will be safe from weather and thieves.

I realize they would prefer to have it cleared in one shot but you can approach it from the fact that you usually charge for this type of service and cannot commit to one haul. If they baulk just take it and resort to plan B. Good luck and I would jump at the chance to take a job like this.

**nutpie** · 09-01-2018, 05:28 AM

My forklift cannot drive on dirt (it sinks and the tires just spin), pavement only, the parking lot where the loading dock is dirt. Their forklift cannot leave the building. There are only stairs and a 4'*loading dock.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

All three suggestions provided are good options. In2scrap provided you with the lowest cost option and since you have a forklift, haul it over and unload from their dock. I have to assume their forklift can exit the building so you might be able to use it to unload from the dock. When I scrapped a potatoe plant I used two of their forklifts, one to haul to the dock and the other to load from the dock to my trailer. I would try to set up pickup over a couple of weekends. Start with the stuff you know is scrap and haul to the scrap yard. While collecting the first load gather all the information on the other items including pictures to post for sale in any manner you see fit. In addition to giving yourself a head start on selling, the items will be safe from weather and thieves.

I realize they would prefer to have it cleared in one shot but you can approach it from the fact that you usually charge for this type of service and cannot commit to one haul. If they baulk just take it and resort to plan B. Good luck and I would jump at the chance to take a job like this.

**HipoGear** · 08-31-2018, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by RLS0812

Last U-Truck I rented ended up costing over $250 a day after all the charges they tacked on.

Do you do enough scrap business to justify spending $8,000 - $12,000 on a used box truck and another $2,000 - $4,000 on a used lift gate ?

But you also pay more than anyone else in the country for shipping

I do think your suggestion of using this opportunity to buy a new truck is a good one. Eight years ago I was moving about 300 miles from one state to another. I looked into all of my options ... moving company, Pod, etc. I decide in the end it was cheapest to buy a 14' step van for the job. Worked great for the move and I then used that truck for the next two years. When I sold it i actually made a few hundred dollars more than what I had paid for it. Win, win, WIN.