Steel everywhere,but not worth it

[Orlando76]

Fridges,dryers,stoves,all metal everywhere. I have stopped picking up steel,not worth it right now,steel is down to $40 a ton @ .02 lb. Smh,doing reselling and other metals until then.

[hobo finds]

Only good thing is that stove, or washer should still be there when you are filling up a load of steel so pick it up on the way to the yard...

[Otto]

Fridges,dryers,stoves,all metal everywhere. I have stopped picking up steel,not worth it right now,steel is down to $40 a ton @ .02 lb. Smh,doing reselling and other metals until then.

Appliances are still a good source of non-ferrous. I just broke down a gas stove. $5.00 of the $7.00 value was copper, brass and aluminium.

[SteelMill]

depending on the age, and the price of parts, theyre a great thing to fix and flip. Especially appliances.

[diesel1]

Sheet, as the yards around here call it, is down to $60/ton. I still would not pass up appliances. As others have said; non-ferrous parts, fix and flip, or use as dumpsters for small stuff. A dryer will hold a couple of bushels of nuts, bolts, brackets, etc.. I can make a dryer or fridge weight 500#!

[auminer]

From the replies on this and countless other ""not worth it"" threads... whether or not it's worth it largely comes down to how much you value your time.

If you value your time at zero, anything's worth it. If you would rather *insert whatever activity here* than slug steel around for $3 bucks an hour, it isn't.

[NatureRecycleFlorida]

if you get something for free then can produce value from it that is worth your time every time

[hobo finds]

Also Dryers are like an Easter Egg Hunt last two had $2.30 and $.55 in change!

[bigburtchino]

There is nothing for free, There's a old saying "there is no free lunch", a true statement. If you analyse even the simplest requirements of the task's need to accomplish any job, there are cost and most of the time "hidden cost".

The only free steel I can think of: As I'm going into the scrap yard, someone was to toss a one pound bar of steel onto my trailer load of steel, that yard was so nice to unload my steel for me and let's say they paid me $0.03 a pound for all of my steel. Then and only then would that one pound bar of steel that was tossed onto my trailer be free steel. My experience very little "free" anything comes my way!

I have said: I didn't pay for that, but when I rethink it, I did but just wasn't thinking it through.

[hobo finds]

There is nothing for free, There's a old saying "there is no free lunch", a true statement. If you analyse even the simplest requirements of the task's need to accomplish any job, there are cost and most of the time "hidden cost".

The only free steel I can think of: As I'm going into the scrap yard, someone was to toss a one pound bar of steel onto my trailer load of steel, that yard was so nice to unload my steel for me and let's say they paid me $0.03 a pound for all of my steel. Then and only then would that one pound bar of steel that was tossed onto my trailer be free steel. My experience very little "free" anything comes my way!

I have said: I didn't pay for that, but when I rethink it, I did but just wasn't thinking it through.

You are correct, when you go to the store to buy items on sale you need to take in to account gas to get there, driving time etc. Only thing I can think of that's "free" is air... But then again... we need to work to get it!

[nutpie]

You are correct, when you go to the store to buy items on sale you need to take in to account gas to get there, driving time etc. Only thing I can think of that's "free" is air... But then again... we need to work to get it!

It takes energy to breath in and out. Energy comes from calories. Calories come from food. You buy food from the food store. So unless all the food you have ever eaten has been foraged from nature, then yes, you indirectly pay for air. I can keep going, but time is money. (Is that a pun?)

[KillYrTV]

I pick up steel, and CRTs, even though it takes up space in my apartment. I process these as quickly as possible while saving up the non-ferrous. Even though it eats gas and doesnt get a good price right now, I know it will help me in the long run to build the habit of scoping junk piles, learning how much my car can handle, organizing my space to efficiently deal with volume, teaching my kids how to break down items, etc. They had a great time experiencing a motorized bed yesterday, and tomorrow they will learn the importance of being able to let go of something they love. Also It helps me build rapport with my scrap yard when I take in frequent loads. When you pick up some some random steel or a TV, there will often be other stuff that comes along with it. Today I drove through a random apartment complex and found a dehumidifier. The lady was standing out there, saw I was interested, and told me she would set out a few more dehumidifiers later. I've gotten alot of aluminum because I empty people's curbs of their awkward items so they have room to put out their good stuff. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

[mthomasdev]

I pick up steel, and CRTs, even though it takes up space in my apartment. I process these as quickly as possible while saving up the non-ferrous. Even though it eats gas and doesnt get a good price right now, I know it will help me in the long run to build the habit of scoping junk piles, learning how much my car can handle, organizing my space to efficiently deal with volume, teaching my kids how to break down items, etc. They had a great time experiencing a motorized bed yesterday, and tomorrow they will learn the importance of being able to let go of something they love. Also It helps me build rapport with my scrap yard when I take in frequent loads. When you pick up some some random steel or a TV, there will often be other stuff that comes along with it. Today I drove through a random apartment complex and found a dehumidifier. The lady was standing out there, saw I was interested, and told me she would set out a few more dehumidifiers later. I've gotten alot of aluminum because I empty people's curbs of their awkward items so they have room to put out their good stuff. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Improperly handled, that dehumidifier could cost you tens of thousands of dollars in fines. Probably not worth it unless you are certified to recover the refrigerant.

[Mechanic688]

Today I drove through a random apartment complex and found a dehumidifier. The lady was standing out there, saw I was interested, and told me she would set out a few more dehumidifiers later.

There is the good example of "networking". Did you hand her a business card?? Everyone you meet daily should have some of your cards. If you don't have "business" cards then this might help. http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...ess-cards.html

It's a great way of getting your name out in the marketplace.

[junksable]

I pick up steel, and CRTs, even though it takes up space in my apartment. I process these as quickly as possible while saving up the non-ferrous. Even though it eats gas and doesnt get a good price right now, I know it will help me in the long run to build the habit of scoping junk piles, learning how much my car can handle, organizing my space to efficiently deal with volume, teaching my kids how to break down items, etc. They had a great time experiencing a motorized bed yesterday, and tomorrow they will learn the importance of being able to let go of something they love. Also It helps me build rapport with my scrap yard when I take in frequent loads. When you pick up some some random steel or a TV, there will often be other stuff that comes along with it. Today I drove through a random apartment complex and found a dehumidifier. The lady was standing out there, saw I was interested, and told me she would set out a few more dehumidifiers later. I've gotten alot of aluminum because I empty people's curbs of their awkward items so they have room to put out their good stuff. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I pass on a lot of bulky/odd shape metals now adays just to help with storage...one thing i never pass on is metal bed frames. fairly heavy and easy to store. I 2nd the business card, and I put a flyer together that i hand out as well listing what i can take, but also what i do not which is just as important. That has worked really well.

[newattitude]

Also Dryers are like an Easter Egg Hunt last two had $2.30 and $.55 in change!

Once in a while I find a dime or two in a dryer but oddly enough, the most change I have found was in computer towers and toolboxes! I found over $3.00 worth of change in a toolbox once and most times I take towers apart chance is often inside. lol, I figure some little kids put it there.

[NatureRecycleFlorida]

cost vs free argument is done by people that do not want to bother with a scrap item ,but do not want to fess up.

[logansryche]

Once in a while I find a dime or two in a dryer but oddly enough, the most change I have found was in computer towers and toolboxes! I found over $3.00 worth of change in a toolbox once and most times I take towers apart chance is often inside. lol, I figure some little kids put it there.

Knew of a local once that used a tower as a bank - said he didn't want to get stiffed with bank fees and always had change. Still has it the best of my knowledge.

[justdon]

Being new to this if the price is down its down.Thats life but a yard near me as of today they said they will take steel but won't pay for it.I don't understand everything about this business yet but don't they get paid for the steel.If so that seems a little one sided you lose they win.

[mthomasdev]

Being new to this if the price is down its down.Thats life but a yard near me as of today they said they will take steel but won't pay for it.I don't understand everything about this business yet but don't they get paid for the steel.If so that seems a little one sided you lose they win.

They have costs that have to be covered. i.e. salaries, insurance, equipment, fuel, building costs, etc. These costs, added to what they pay you has to exceed what they sell it for.