E Waste VS. Scrap Metals...Which is better and why?

[Tcgs]

Hello everyone,

I was curious if you preferred E waste over Scrap metals or the other way around.

I'm sure almost everyone does a little of each.

You should have residual scrap metals from e waste and some e waste in your scrap.

Bu which one is....Better???




I am prefer scrap metals over e waste, but that's cause I don't know a lot about E waste.

I figure I could make an argument that scrap metal are better because the the available quantities of bulk.

Counting in Tons not Lbs.

[scrappy888]

I take cu over ewaste all day..

I get more motors than I do computers so I am biased...

I break everything apart n right now am gaining more from non ferrous than I do ewaste

[Gravitar]

I like both. They both make me money.

[NobleMetalWorks]

Regardless if your knowledge lies in e-scrap or heavy metal, ferrous or non ferrous, why would you ever want to limit yourself to just one money making opportunity when there are so many out there to be had?

If you are already spending the money on gas, and you can pick up some other types of scrap, why would you leave one in favor for another?

When I was in international trade, I used to purchase cars, used compacts with small engines to ship to Jordan because we had a small trade agreement, and so long as the engines were small enough there was no luxury tax. People in Jordan would buy them before I ever shipped them and drive them into Iraq to sell after the Iraq war. Here I was shipping cars in c-containers and not using all the room, so I started sending laptops and filling in the containers with boxes of laptops, and later desktop computers. It made a lot more sense, since I was shipping the containers and paying for the containers, to add more to it and make extra profit than it did not to.

I don't haul scrap, but when I have gone to pick up scrap, and had a chance to purchase some other heavy metal for a good price, specially copper, I have done so. And I'm just a refiner.

If I was giving you advice, I would say never ever EVER as a business owner, or just a part time scrapper picking up stuff from the curb, limit yourself to just one type of scrap, specially when free. Keep yourself as dynamic as possible, and make money in as many different ways you are able, diversify, adapt and overcome whatever limits in knowledge you might have and you will be the one who survives the hard times.

Scott

[Sirscrapalot]

I do as Scott said..I take both. I prefer Ewaste as it's easier for me to stock up an pile away in my shop. I could break down electronics all day, but I'll still pick up that fridge, tv, rusty ol'grill, lawn mower, etc.

It all adds to my profit at the end of the day.

So again I prefer the ewaste, but I still dig me some regular ol'metal scrap.

Sirscrapalot - Breaking it down to funky town.

[BRASSCATCHER]

I prefer ewaste since its easy to store and you get the residual metals that can be turned in, especially when prices are down like they are now. I DO NOT EVER turn down anything that is free. When I started I was mainly doing scrap metal until I was educated on ewaste here on the forum. Now ewaste is leading me down another road which is refining. So eventually I will have three avenues of income from scrap metal, ewaste and refining.
I agree with SirS and Scott in that you shouldn't limit yourself and never pass anything up.

[jghilino]

both but i prefer ewaste, a small box full can payout $1000, put it on the front porch for the mailman and set back and get a check in the mail, yes i admit to being lazy

i collect all metals from cast iron to platinum, im not against buying / collecting anything that makes me money

[taterjuice]

I love em all. It all adds up !

[porkchop01]

With our junk removal business, we take everything. Depending on what it is, i sell some stuff instead of taking it to the scrap yd because i can get more than scrap value. For example, i have a guy that comes by about once a month to look through my scrap metal. He buys a lot of rusted metal from me. He takes it and makes furniture and art with it. Another guy buys all our mowers and other yd equipment from me working or not. Don't really get much ewaste right now other than TVs, but they are broken down and sorted just like the computers we get. You do enough reading on here and you'll see ewaste can be as profitable if not more than scrap metal. My advice is take both, break it down to get the most out of it, if it can't be resold, and talk to people. Sometimes you'll find people like us who will pay more than scrap value for what you get.

[Ecycle Atlanta]

A simple answer to a simple question: I PREFER ewaste, more specifically circuit boards.

This sounds silly, but my favorite thing is the round copper pieces that I take from certain heat sinks. Just something about them that gets to me.

I also like taking a load of steel over the scales for some quick cash that doesn't require boxing/shipping.

But overall I would prefer to only handle ewaste if I had to choose

[webuyselltradestuff]

Ewaste is always more $$$ per lb and the storage requirement for the same $$$ amount of material cannot even be compared. But gold and silver is worth more than steel....you dont turn down things...you decide how much time and effort you want for $ x....it also matters how much space you have for storage and what equipment you have to get get said scrap or escrap. You can escrap with a car or suv and make great money...try to do the same with picking up steel and not so much.

Again I always look at my $$$ per hour as my time is valuable vs slaving away to load up 1000 lbs of steel to get $100. I put $50/hr as my time value...so ewaste is the way I go.

[auminer]

I take it all, anything & everything. When I started this lil hobby I was pretty sure I was only gonna focus on ewaste & maaaaaaybe copper. LOL

Turns out, "tin" (shred/steel/water heaters/etc) & ewaste are always neck & neck dollar-wise. Weight to dollar ratio is another story entirely, though. By that metric, ink & toner cartridge recycling is my best line item.

[taterjuice]

I take it all, anything & everything. When I started this lil hobby I was pretty sure I was only gonna focus on ewaste & maaaaaaybe copper. LOL

Turns out, "tin" (shred/steel/water heaters/etc) & ewaste are always neck & neck dollar-wise. Weight to dollar ratio is another story entirely, though. By that metric, ink & toner cartridge recycling is my best line item.

That's a sick spread sheet! Looks like you really do have it down to the gnats behind

[Sirscrapalot]

He should..we've seen his ankle..the man never goes out in the sun!



Sirscrapalot - Gnats behind..is going to use that one someday.

[taterjuice]

That's the family friendly radio edit of the original term !

[greytruck]

scrap metal for me. E-waste 2nd.

[auminer]

That's a sick spread sheet! Looks like you really do have it down to the gnats behind

There's way more than that on my version. Some things aren't for public sharing.

Back when I traded stocks for a living I had a spreadsheet with every publicly traded equity on the Dow, Amex, and Nasdaq. It had a built in macro to update prices whenever I clicked it, but the beauty was the 40something columns of data & formula results on each stock... all sortable. If I wanted to know which mid-cap growth stock in the Electronic Equipment Manufacturers industry had the lowest PEG ratio... I could sort them down until I found that (at the time of the spreadsheet's last update loooooong ago) that would be AU Optronics. I loves me some excel... LOL

[webuyselltradestuff]

Gotta love some visual basic macros. If anyone wants something that complicated and doesnt do visual basic macro programming yiu can get it done on elance pretty cheap. I have gotten it done for clients before...I also have a graphic design business.