With today's economy, you see it more and more...a pick-up truck coming down the alley loaded with old bikes, swingsets, lawn mowers, and every other thing made of steel. Does anybody here do this? Is there money to be made? Years ago, I scrapped a washing machine, and got 40 bucks for it. I thought that was pretty good. It seems to me that if you pushed yourself, you could get at least a hundred bucks a day. I don't know
You can recycle just about anything and make money if you have a way to process the items or a contract to sell salvage to a processor. The garbage companies make millions on stuff we recycle. When I was a kid (I'm not that old) there were lots of stores that would buy cans and newspaper. Now we just give it away or pay the trash company to take it.
I've got a couple of guys I call that do this. They pick up old appliances and stuff. It's like anykind of business, some days it's feast other days famine. They make a few bucks to pay for their time and gas. They also have the stories of the great finds, like one guy that cleaned up someone's garage and wound up with an old beaten up Indian motorcycle that the guy just wanted to get rid of. He took it straight to auction and a week later wound up with $3,500 bucks for his trouble.
I have a client that owns a junk yard. They will buy any metal. Just like a coin dealer they pay a little under spot for it and make their money on the spreads. People will come threw all the time and get a few bucks. I never quite understood driving somewhere to get 3.25, but people do it. One thing to make sure of is that you don't try and scrap anything that has oil on it. Like hydrolik parts or shoks ect. They wont take it and you'll end up wasting your time.
I usually save the higher grade scrap metal. But sheet metal will always bring down the value of the load you bring in. It does seem like a lot of work for the return most times.
I do this alot. Vaccuums are the best stress relief. Long copper cord and you get to smash it open to get the motor. Usually get 5 for the motor and a couple bucks for the cord. Many times I bring stuff in and leave the scrapyard with other stuff I need, like t-posts. The posts can be sold for double scrap price. Cha ching.
metal recycling I live in Illinois where there are several steel plants and the price of steel fluctuates so much here. Last year at one point it was .20 a ton. If you are going to recycle metals I would go with brass or copper. I used to buy 1.00 dollar pieces of brass(candle stick, inscence holders) from the Goodwill and Salvation Army and usually double what I spent. A good hint is if you ever see an old refer out just take the metal screen off the back. they are painted copper and get 10-15 buck a piece.
