New here, Hi all, many questions NEWB

**darklife** · 07-08-2011, 06:30 PM

I am new to this but it seems fun. I am used to taking in beer and soda cans for money but it isn't much money.

Last time I went to the recycling place I took in a bucket of old power supply transformers (iron) along with a trash bag of cans. I didn't know iron could be worth much. I made around 6$ which yeah not much but it was worth more than the cans.

Today I went in with a car full, old pots and pans, nails and hooks, pipes and so on and I made around 30$.

That made me wake up. I could actually make money in my town collecting this ****.

So here's the questions..

Do I have to take off the non metalic stuff first before taking it to the place?
Can I take in ordinary cans that are rinsed and cleaned that contained food like the kind you use a can opener on?

Are motors worth the same as power supply transformers?
Can you take in stuff that is not all metal? Like TV parts (the picture tube yoke) that is copper wire but surrounded by plastic?

That's only the beginning.

Is there any good documents or tutorials that you can recommend me that will teach me how to do this and make the most bang for the buck?

After this second time scrapping I found this is fun, it's like treasure collecting.
BTW I am not new to destroying electronics for metal.

I don't know anyone IRL that can teach me this stuff. Luckily my town has only a few people scrapping metal. So I have a good chance to make some dough and have fun doing it.

Thanks a ton. Thanks.

**rca987** · 07-08-2011, 07:09 PM

Do I have to take off the non metalic stuff first before taking it to the place?

Mostly no. From my experience, yards will take just about anything, as long as the metal has a majority of the weight.

Can I take in ordinary cans that are rinsed and cleaned that contained food like the kind you use a can opener on?

Yes. I have a bucket under my sink for when my wife cooks, she puts the tin cans there. (as well as tin foil, batteries, house hold metals, etc...)

Can you take in stuff that is not all metal? Like TV parts (the picture tube yoke) that is copper wire but surrounded by plastic?

Yes. It will be worth less, but still possible. (the yoke is easy, just a few light whacks with a hammer)

Is there any good documents or tutorials that you can recommend me that will teach me how to do this and make the most bang for the buck?

Do a lot of back-reading on this website. Pretty much everything you need to know is here, and then some.

**rca987** · 07-08-2011, 07:10 PM

Oh and welcome to the forums, hehe.

**Dixiedeadhead** · 07-08-2011, 08:43 PM

Welcome darklife...... for sure you will find everything you need in this forum to maximize your gains and your fun....Just use the search field at the top right of the page..; )

**EcoSafe** · 07-08-2011, 08:50 PM

I was thinking of you today, not you specifically but many like you. study the archives learn the trade and you can make a pretty good living. yes it is a trade. I cring every time I hear some one say some of the things you posted, I actually see doller bills with wings just flying off the back of your truck or car or what ever, you are throwing money away dude. dont mean to sound critical, just that we are gaining hundreds like you into our world every day, welcome bot please do the study and learn how to do it right. oh and by the way please dont ever wack a tv or monitor tube with a hammer to get the saddles off., or just go ahead and you will understand why not to very quickly, but dont be shirtless or wear shorts, and use eye protection.good luck. dont know where you are but if your near Bay county Fl Ill gladly buy your mixed scrap. as will many other local independent scrappers.

**KzScrapper** · 07-08-2011, 10:17 PM

Welcome to the forum darklife...like said above tons of info here if you snoop around, that a some common sense will make you some cash. If you have more time then money, break ur stuff down to maximize profit.

**newattitude** · 07-09-2011, 10:13 AM

Hi! I have 3 yards I go to and only one of them take empty food cans so I would ask first. I don't know why the big one I go to doesn't take them but I found out the hard way - I had a whole truckload full from cleaning up my gramma's yard after she passed and she had hoarded everything! but I got there and they wouldn't take them. Are ya freaking kidding me???!!!! So that was a big ARGH!!!!!!!!!! So lesson learned - ask first just to make sure!

**Mechanic688** · 07-09-2011, 11:58 AM

Shoulda been light steel or tin price.

**rca987** · 07-09-2011, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by newattitude

Hi! I have 3 yards I go to and only one of them take empty food cans so I would ask first. I don't know why the big one I go to doesn't take them but I found out the hard way - I had a whole truckload full from cleaning up my gramma's yard after she passed and she had hoarded everything! but I got there and they wouldn't take them. Are ya freaking kidding me???!!!! So that was a big ARGH!!!!!!!!!! So lesson learned - ask first just to make sure!

Stuff them in a washer or dryer

**Mechanic688** · 07-09-2011, 01:51 PM

Works real good,, or even in a microwave carcass if you flatten the cans.

**vamped400** · 07-09-2011, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by newattitude

Hi! I have 3 yards I go to and only one of them take empty food cans so I would ask first. I don't know why the big one I go to doesn't take them but I found out the hard way - I had a whole truckload full from cleaning up my gramma's yard after she passed and she had hoarded everything! but I got there and they wouldn't take them. Are ya freaking kidding me???!!!! So that was a big ARGH!!!!!!!!!! So lesson learned - ask first just to make sure!

mine will take them... if you have 500 pounds worth, and you get a whopping $0 for them. i agree, stuff them in stuff!

**fiat128** · 07-12-2011, 02:57 PM

I flatten out tin food cans and just load them in something and sell them with the tin. I know some yards collect them to get the tin off them and pay more for them but I don't collect too many of them and it's probably not worth trying to. Tin is actually a pretty valuable metal but I have never seen a yard that salvages it where I live.