Today is yard trip day!

**thebopper** · 10-28-2011, 11:00 AM

Morning All.

I am heading into my local yard today for my first "real" visit since I wandered into the metal recycling world. I only have about 100lbs of #1 copper that I've been stripping in the evenings, so it's more of an adventure than anything else.

Here's my question: How should I treat this visit? I have a list of basic questions to ask about what materials they'll take (specifically e-scrap) and if they post current prices but other than that I'm open to suggestions. This is North Dakota so people are pretty friendly and conversation is made easily.

PS: Over the phone I was quoted $2.10/lb. How are prices in your neck of the woods?

Thanks!
Steve

**Mick** · 10-28-2011, 11:42 AM

#1 Copper yesterday was $2.30/lb.

Not sure what you mean by how you should treat this visit. Just tell them that you haven't been to a scrap yard before and need to know how it works. Ask any questions you have. Usually, you'll find that people want to talk about what they do. Pay attention, ask followup questions and ask for a price list. If they have one, ask for a "metal preparation" guide.

**injunjoe** · 10-28-2011, 12:38 PM

I have to disagree with you on this Mick. I see people getting taken advantage of at the yards a lot! That guy on the scale is not there to make me "Joe Schmo" an money! His job is to make his boss money! It may be different in your neck of the woods but around here this is what I see. They don't coach you as you unload your stuff. One hunk of steel in the brass bucket wham, huge loss!

Asking for what they take would be good but asking beginner type questions I would do myself. Find out what they take from them and learn from The Scrap Metal Forum.

Oh welcome to the board.

**Mick** · 10-28-2011, 12:53 PM

I know what you're saying, but, yes it's different around here.

**thebopper** · 10-28-2011, 01:20 PM

Thanks for the replies fellas. It was actually a pretty good trip all and all. Price was $2.12 when I cashed in my 88lbs.

There was a couple guys in front of me cashing in a car full of cast aluminum engine parts that I helped unload and had a good chat with. I followed up with a 30 or so minute chat with the "boss" in the office. Unfortunately they don't take any E-scrap so I'll have to check else where. I have a couple pallets of computer towers in my garage I was going to tear into.

**easyrecycle** · 10-28-2011, 01:27 PM

scrap yards will never pay good on e-waste...you need someone who only does e-waste for the most part as they pay the best.

Most yards will sell to e-waste buyers like me and some of the other people on here because that's the only item we do..so we KNOW everything...yards know alot about steel but when it comes to computers there are about 8grades of motherboards trying to each someone each grade is...very hard but if you want TOP dollar..you need to know each grade.

Then when it comes to low grade boards there are 3 to 4grades as well. So yards buy it at a "safe" number that they can turn a profit on for sure and sell to the pros. Us pros we know what we are looking at when we see a photo...thats why WE ALL WAYS ASK FOR A PHOTO. But when it comes down to it we have our safe number...that safe number is for the LOWEST grade of each board grade (high and low) and after we see a photo the price can be higher or lower.

This is very hard to explain but I hope you understand what I mean on that.

**thebopper** · 10-28-2011, 01:35 PM

Thank you Easy. I have checked out your page and price list and after a bit more reading on the boards will probably be in touch with you. I picked up the computers for no cost from my local school district when they replaced their machines so my only cost is in storage and my time to pick up and dismantle.
I'm new to this whole world so I'm bound to find some pitfalls but this site had been a gold mine. I have an extra garage and lots of free time so I'm busy grabbing things like microwaves, monitors and computer towers and trying to figure out my place in all this.