Always scrapping!

I haul about 1000 lbs per load of tin/light steel once or twice a month and a load of copper, Aluminum, brass about once a month, sometimes every other month, depends on my schedule and the time I have. But when I haul copper, aluminum etc it is 55 gallon barrels full, except for brass that tends to be a 30 gallon trash can full.. I don't get a whole lot of #1 copper

A "normal" money run for me is 1 55 gallon barrel of #2 copper, 1 barrel of sheet alum. (includes some dirty extruded etc) 1 barrel of cast alum., 1 barrel of insulated copper wire, 1 30 gallon trash can of brass and any extras that are to large to fit in the barrels such as alum grilles or a barrel of #1 or #2 circuit boards.

Every couple of months I will haul a load of 5 or 6 barrels of crushed alum. cans.. But that only averages about 40 lbs per barrel..

We've had to provide an ID / Drivers license here in PA for a while now.. So it isn't anything new for us here..

NO the scrapyard ask for drivers license take their own picture and make you take off you hat for the picture and finger print every time .
”People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both. Ben Franklin

It has been real slow here for several months. The thieves hurt the business, stealing copper and brass they have even stolen brass flower vase' from graves. You must show photo ID and sign ticket stating legal right to sell scrap.
I was hauling and separating metals 50/50 but people got greedy and wanted more. I would dig it out of weeds and dirt and haul about 50 miles but the fuel is to high to make any money.
I used to get scrap out of the ditches where the city folks dumped it. Had a woman follow the truck then stopped and accused us of dumping. Son told her to follow us to recycling center she said sorry she thought we where dumping in ditches.

Ok, now I understand.

I'd find a different yard or sell to someone else who is willing to do all of the above..

Had that happen years ago. I was helping a person who was down and out and gave them the scrap I had at the time and then we went to a location like you describe above. Well while loading old washers and water heaters the cops pull up. Needless to say they accused us of dumping, but we did eventually get them to understand we were picking the junk up..
Kind of ironic really, they never seem to catch them dumping, but the moment you start to clean up they question you..

I'm firmly in your camp for sentiment, Michael, but I'm smarter than the STATE, and have alternative means of converting metal into needful resources.


Don't quit accumulating the good stuff.
Opportunities can come in disguised packages.

The local yard takes the driver's license of the person selling scrap, and makes a color copy of it.

They have strategically placed cameras, and when you sign the police/scrap form, your face is dead center of that camera.

The local police caught two thieves who were breaking into homes and stealing the place of all the scrap they had, and the local yard had them on camera selling the scrap! Those two guys now have a free place to stay, compliments of the state, LOL.

Yer a very interesting fella.

This thread has over 40,000 views.

Who would have thunk it?

If you lived in or around Youngstown or Warren Ohio, or a thousand other places you would be happy about the laws. Ever dream of coming home and finding a huge section of your aluminum siding gone, or your basement broken into and your copper gone. All for our Rights, but sometimes there is a sense of responsibility to go with them

Sorry, No..

This isn't a political thread, but I will just say there is never a Good reason to give up your Rights.

Simply because some one will always have a "good" reason/excuse for you to give them up..

I have been accumulating for a couple of years now,,darn right stingy when it comes to taking it in,I get a good supply of brake rotors and bent steel wheels from work,the boss hold onto to all the aluminum stuff.
the only thing I have a hard time getting rid of his heavy steel,mainly because if I need something for a welding project it's there.
I have dumpster dived for grills,asked people if they would like their metal cleaned up,<,my favorite because you can cherry pick stuff for yourself,buy cars cheap etc etc,,,:)

Beawolf, I wished I could agree with you. Truth is, until they start dropping or convicting the folks that choose to steal in court, which they have avoided for years, then they have to stop it at the other end, those buying it. This isn't a issue that I am worried about, it is an issue that I worry about others. Unless you can tell me How an aged couple or person that can barely get around, a mother trying to buy her first house, a young couple trying to get by, can leave their home without worries, or sometimes while they are home, then it is a concern.

I'm not sure I'm following you..
I think we agree on that this issue isn't top of the priority list.
PA requires that the scrap yard has a copy of my drivers license on file. I don't really have a big problem with that. They know me and I don't have to prove it each and every time I haul scrap. But I won't tolerate being finger printed each and every time I take scrap in.

What one generation tolerates the next embraces.


https://www.google.com/search?q=tsa+molestation+complaints&rlz=1C1GGGE_en US455&oq=tsa+molest&aqs=chrome.3.69i57j0l5.16301j0 j8&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8#q=ndaa
http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...ct-mccarthyism

Anyone still scrapping?

My last load was small, but super profitable. Even though copper and brass are far from their recent highs, I am thankful for the prices.

I remember a time when #1 bare bright copper was a whopping 90 cents a pound.

Always!!

The last "money run" was over $500 and was just over a month ago. That was copper both #1 & #2, insulated copper wire, cast alum, extruded alum & sheet alum and brass.

I wish I could do that every month, but as of late its been rough finding / collecting copper brass & alum. I'm getting plenty of tin / light iron, but little else. On average I can make a tin / light iron run every other week averaging about $80 a run.

Now I haven't made a run in about a month due to other obligations on Saturday mornings (when I normally make my runs) and know I won't have time till at least 25th of Oct. So it should be a couple of runs in one morning for a nice little pay day.


My #2 circuit board barrel (most of my barrels are 55 gal. drums with the top cut off) is overflowing and I will need to start another
My sheet & extruded aluminum barrel is full

The rest of the barrels are about half full;
cast alum, #2 copper, insulated copper wire, #1 circuit boards, stainless steel.
My brass barrel is a 30 gal and about 1/4 full..
My #1 copper barrel is a 30 gal and about half full..

Soon I will have time again to get back to it and start making a few dollars again.. Winter is coming and I will need to buy coal to heat the house and thanks to the tsar and his communist EPA thugs coal may be out of my reach now..(last year it went up to over $300 a ton.. Considering I was paying $100 / ton a few years ago, I have no idea what if will be this year..

Unfortunately it is the only way to heat the house at the moment..

Anyway, I'm always scrapping and always looking for more. Just waiting to find that gold bar mixed in with the tin.. :D

Thanks, Beo.

What are you getting for very small loads of mixed steel in your area?

I am thankful that the local yard is now paying for steel. They used to accept it only for free, which actually, was a decent deal for the community...at least we had a place to get rid of steel, instead of driving 30 miles one way. Even some of the places in the city require a 100 minimum.

I get .08 cents a pound or $8/per hundred. But that is mixed tin/light iron. If on the rare occasion I have a decent load of cast iron and or steel they will pay $9/hundred. But that is rare that I get that much cast iron / steel.

I don't know if they have a minimum on the tin / light iron, because I've never taken in a small load. All my loads have been 600 lbs or better and normally are between 900 -1100 lbs.

As far as the other metals I think it has to be at least a pound or $1 worth.

I think the reason for that is they give you a receipt and you go to an ATM on site and get your cash. Of course you have to sign on screen and I'm sure there is a camera there..

Even refrigerators are bringing $9.50 to $10.00 per hundred here. I could not believe that.

They won't take them with the compressors still on them at the yard I deal with. But that isn't a problem for me.

They will take the compressors themselves once the oil is drained. But my dad and I cut them open and remove the copper ourselves. We also get compressors from old HVAC units.

On a standard 5 ton unit we get between 5 and 7 lbs of copper from the compressor, 3 ton, is only 2 - 3 lbs. Larger units depend on the compressor or the number of compressors.. This of course varies with make and models.

Oh and beware that some of the windings are aluminum, the bums...

Thank you for letting me know about steel prices in your areas.

The local yard is now paying 5 cents a pound, but they don't care if you only have 2 pounds. It certainly is a nice change of pace for me. Not that long ago, I was setting steel out by the curb, and now I am at least getting something for it. Since I hit a lot of auctions, most of my steel scrap were little pieces, which is even harder to get rid of around here.

I know that they do pay better for large loads of steel, and heavy iron if you have it.

Just so you know anyone can turn you in for a few thousand i think $5000 max for recycling refrigeration equipment without proper recovery equipment to recover all old refrigerant. Just saying you didn't mention it in your post. Your fines start at either 5,000 or 10,000. I forgot i got my universal refrigeration license in 96.It was a question on the test back then and that was the some what answer . DANG I'M GETTING OLD.

No I didn't mention it, because I rarely get to see the unit whole.
I work for a HVAC and Plumbing Company.. They pump the units down before I get the compressors They recycle the coils, copper, tin. I get the compressors.

All nice and legal and legit.. Once they pump it down and remove the coil and anything else they want I get what's left. Normally the compressors and electric motors and wiring.

Oh and the oil I get from the compressors ends up in a waste oil heater at either my mechanics shop or at a local Green house for their waste oil heater.

I drain and filter that oil and burn it in my diesels.

Fascinating!

Are you using waste motor oil too in diesels?

What type of equipment/vehicles?

Can you tell that I am fascinated with the use of WMO in diesels??????

The only diesel I have is a 1967 Massey Ferguson backhoe. It has been sitting now for about 2 years on the back hill so it's not burning any diesel. Don't know if it ever will again :Bawling:

I've burned just about everything is a diesel engine.....well, sort of.
Had an old JD 4020 that suffered the brunt of my early experiments.
Rebuilt a couple pumps and took a head off once to wire wheel the carbon off the top of the compression chambers. :)

SINCE that time, I have had pretty much a flawless experience burning up to 50% well-filtered used engine, hydraulic and other petroleum oils in my engines.
My experience is such that every engine is different, and pretty much the older the better for burning heavier fuels.
My JD 3020 burns the stuff with enthusiasm.
JD 4630 does the job admirably in warmer weather.
Case 850G dozer, 6 cylinder, really isn't interested save maybe a 10% burn in warm weather.
Case 590 Turbo, 4 cylinder, doesn't seem to mind a 15-20% burn in warmer weather.
Like veg oil, a preheat system would heal almost all wounds and grudges.
Just never get carried away in cold weather, and, if you can start and cool off, shut down the engine on straight diesel and then switch over to a stronger blend for the days work, you can get away with a lot more oil in the fuel.

Filtering is best accomplished via time and warm weather or storage to facilitate a thorough settling of sediment, and then draw the fuel off the top half or two thirds of the bulk tank.
Another trick I have employed is to permanently mount a primary spin on filter housing that accepts a very common filter that the local semi repair shop throws away regularly in pursuit of their thorough maintenance program.....and use those used filters to greatly extend the life of the factory filters on my equipment.

Be glad to answer more questions. Been doing this for over ten years with good results, my guess being an overall savings of 25-30% in fiat dollars. :grin:

That is absolutely fantastic, Forerunner.

I have read on some forums that the Ford diesel truck guys are running 90% WMO with 10% diesel, and it is working flawlessly.

How did you get started using WMO?

Are you able to get enough WMO to run? Can I ask where, generally speaking? Just word of mouth?

I'd LOVE to own a diesel, just so I could run WMO in it. I wish that my life were a little different, with more time and space...I would definitely buy a diesel vehicle that would run high WMO content. I am literally sick of paying a fortune at the pump, and I am the most conservative person with miles that I know!

Some of the hvac contractors are reselling the used R22 here to the people with slow leakers and no money.They sell it at a discount.

I assume your filtering system is gravity operated. Is that correct?

The primary filtration, upon my receipt of the liquid resource, is gravity.....with heat assist when available...... but then the used spin-on filters are cheap, plentiful and effective.

Forerunner have you ever checked out Stephen D. Chastain's book detailing building a centrifuge?

How did you get started using WMO?

Nope.

But I do have his waste oil fired aluminum melt furnace book..........

A very talented and well- informed mechanic friend set me onto the concept.

Are you running any WMO in diesel trucks?

I did back when I had my IH tandem.....Cat 3208 did ok with 25% in warmer weather.

Just a post to see how prices are holding up in everyone's area.

In my area they are as follows;

Tin/ light steel .07/lbs
Steel .08/lbs
#1 Copper 2.50/lbs
#2 Copper 2.30/lbs
Cast, sheet and extruded Aluminum .45/lbs
Aluminum cans .55/lbs
Brass 1.50/lbs
#1 Circuit board .75/lbs
#2 Circuit boards .10/lbs
Insulated copper wire .80/lbs

That's what I've gotten lately and have taken in..
Prices are down here..