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wavecrazed
Penny Sorter Member


USA
69 Posts

Posted - 10/28/2007 :  18:26:15  Show Profile Send wavecrazed a Private Message
This weekend a friend bought some property with a barn made out of pallets and galvanized sheet metel here in Orlando area. They are tearing the barn down and I got some 12 feet long sheets of metal on the first trailer load. 800 lbs is what it came too. 2 hours later 2nd load got a cast iron bathtub (275 lbs) more sheet metal, mowers, a weed eater and assorted steel tables and stuff. It came to 1200 lbs. A couple of days earlier my friend called me who works at a grocery and they were palletizing some shelving never used. Heavy iron painted steel. It came to 2000 lbs also. Current prices here are .0625 to .0675 a lb. I also scored about 100 feet of triple aluminum wire. It is almost 1/2 inch thing some I have to strip and some I don't .
Today got a brass fireplace log holder for a dollar at a garage sale. It weighed 4.5 lbs. I can get 1.50 a lb now for brass.
Share your scrapping stories.

scrappin" all over

Edited by - wavecrazed on 10/28/2007 18:50:54

fiatboy
Administrator



912 Posts

Posted - 10/28/2007 :  19:56:35  Show Profile Send fiatboy a Private Message
Sweet finds, wavecrazed!

Yesterday I found some old golf clubs and metal baseball bats in the dumpster---aluminum and some titanium alloy bats. I might sell them on ebay after I research them. If not, they're going in the scrap pile.

Last week while at my parents' house, I found some very old copper piping that had been left over from when the pipes were installed years ago. Very dusty, but in great shape, overall.

But my most interesting find recently was actually spotted by my girlfriend. We were walking through a parking lot, and she spotted a little shiny something. She likes buttons and costume jewelry, so she thought she was in luck. Turned out to be a little glass jewel in a metal frame. Very small, but the underside was stamped 925. Sterling! She was kind enough to let me have it.

I can usually find at least 4 or 5 flattened cans per day in the parking garage nearby. Sometimes more after an OSU game. If I go out for a walk with my grungy, old army bag, twenty minutes yields about 20 to 30 cans.

I always make a point to check construction sites after the construction is finished. Even though they're supposed to clean up afterwards, I've found plenty of steel, copper, and aluminum they "forgot" to clean up. A word of warning, though: make sure you know for certain that construction is completely finished before you take anything!

I'm still waiting to borrow a friend's truck, so I can haul off some old abandoned playground equipment. (I really, really want a cheap, old EMP-proof truck!)


"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson
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wavecrazed
Penny Sorter Member



USA
69 Posts

Posted - 11/09/2007 :  20:26:45  Show Profile Send wavecrazed a Private Message
This past sunday and monday were very good. The old neiborhood 2 miles up from me was having thier spring cleaning dump what you have at the curb week. I hooked up my bronco and trailer and scored some refrigerators, washers, stoves, treadmills, window's ect. On monday I weighed out about 2000 lbs of scrap steel by 2 pm. The next day the city to the north was having the same kind of clean up. Put out what you have at the curb and the city will pick it up. Scored 10 lbs of copper pipes, aluminum bbq grill's, Sheet aluminum or cast (6), Golf clubs, Aluminum cookware. My garage is overflowing with crap. Had to slow down as I am renovating my family room. Cheers.

scrappin" all over
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cakesea
Penny Sorter Member



51 Posts

Posted - 11/09/2007 :  23:03:53  Show Profile Send cakesea a Private Message
i go to the scrap yard once or twice a week depending on how good of a week im having.i tend to go for long walks into the closest town normally to hang out with friends and i pick up everything i see thats metal. from bottle caps to soda tabs. i got 40 extra dollars this week. i live in Pennsylvania and the yardsale season is just about done around here so i didnt get my usual totals.
peace and prayers
s.cake
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fiatboy
Administrator



912 Posts

Posted - 11/10/2007 :  09:36:04  Show Profile Send fiatboy a Private Message
I found about 200 cans last week. Football season is still going strong, so that's a big help. The bums are very territorial, so I don't bother picking them up where they do.

My goal is to eventually scrap aluminum cans for gold---even if I just get a gram or two of the yellow stuff, it's the principle of it---and just to see if I can do it. I'm not keeping close track, but I think I have about 50 to 60 pounds so far.

"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson
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NotABigDeal
1000+ Penny Miser Member



USA
3890 Posts

Posted - 11/10/2007 :  10:55:10  Show Profile Send NotABigDeal a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by fiatboy
My goal is to eventually scrap aluminum cans for gold---even if I just get a gram or two of the yellow stuff, it's the principle of it---and just to see if I can do it.



It may not be cans for gold, but I scrap copper and have turned Cu into Au. Sometimes for Ag. I must admit that I come into quite a bit of scrap Cu. I am in the HVAC/R industry. Condensing coils and a-coils pay pretty good, (nice and heavy). But big money in #1 Cu. Paying something like $2.30-$2.70, depending on where you take it.
What are they paying for Au in your neck of the woods? $.35-$.40 per pound here. I have to ask, territorial bums? Do they harass you, or do you just let them have some cans for karma's sake?

"i pick up everything i see thats metal. from bottle caps to soda tabs. i got 40 extra dollars this week."
That's a lot of bottle caps and soda tabs....hehe. Must have heavy duty pockets.

Deal

I'm so sick over pennies....I frequently trade a dime or two for the whole "take-a-penny" container if sufficient coppers exist. That will get you some odd looks.
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wavecrazed
Penny Sorter Member



USA
69 Posts

Posted - 11/10/2007 :  17:21:06  Show Profile Send wavecrazed a Private Message
I'm getting 50 cents a lb on sheet aluminum. That includes lawn chairs, road signs, aluminum poles etc. They are offering 67 to 73 on extrustion aluminum clean with no calking or screws. One place is really picky on being extremely clean. They pay the most but I hate going there and will take less. Watch out for them they try to rip you off sometimes. They will write it down and have 3 guys unload the scale and stash it in thier bins. Then when you get to the pay window they classify it as something else.

scrappin" all over
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cakesea
Penny Sorter Member



51 Posts

Posted - 11/10/2007 :  19:11:21  Show Profile Send cakesea a Private Message
nah my pocket had holes in them thats when i stopped doing that. now i just carry around a backpack
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fiatboy
Administrator



912 Posts

Posted - 11/10/2007 :  23:15:15  Show Profile Send fiatboy a Private Message
I haven't cashed in any cans in years, so I don't know what the going rate is.

For some good metals info, check out You must be logged in to see this link. and in particular, You must be logged in to see this link.

The bums are not aggressive. They think I'm a curiosity---someone who isn't a bum who collects cans. I just let them alone and have what they can get. I'm not obsessive about cans, but I do keep my eyes out for 'em. I think it's funny that most bums do not collect cans, whereas I do, even though I don't actually need the extra cash. haha.

I don't know if it means anything or not, but I've noticed something about aluminum cans from China (not tin cans). I do a lot of shopping at Asian supermarkets, and I buy a lot of canned drinks from them. I've found that the aluminum cans from China, Taiwan, and most other Asian countries are heavier than domestic cans. They're heavier, more sturdy, and have more metal. More metal there, less metal here. hmm....

Similarly, I was rotating my preps the other day, and noticed that some generic brands of bottled water are now bottled with bottles that are noticeably thinner than from 3 or 4 years ago. In other words, less plastic per bottle than before. Interesting.

Today I found a two foot piece of copper pipe right next to my car---I didn't even have to search for it; the copper came looking for me! haha.

Now if I could only find some larger quantities of this stuff!

"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson
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Frugi
Administrator



USA
627 Posts

Posted - 11/13/2007 :  19:06:33  Show Profile Send Frugi a Private Message
My uncle gave me a trunk full of refrigeration tubing which is good because it was long tubes and very little solder. I spent about 2 hours this morning stripping off foam insulation from around them. I would have guessed there was about 25 lbs. It turned out to be 45 lbs. & I got $2.26 a pound which came out to $101 and some change.

_________________________
MY EBAY STORE
You must be logged in to see this link.
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NotABigDeal
1000+ Penny Miser Member



USA
3890 Posts

Posted - 11/13/2007 :  20:18:12  Show Profile Send NotABigDeal a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Frugi
....It turned out to be 45 lbs. & I got $2.26 a pound which came out to $101 and some change.



That #1 Cu is the best. Ask your uncle if he has any coils he can give you. Don't pay as much, but they are sorta heavy. Pays more if you cut off the ends with the first inch or so of coil.

Deal

I'm so sick over pennies....I frequently trade a dime or two for the whole "take-a-penny" container if sufficient coppers exist. That will get you some odd looks.
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NotABigDeal
1000+ Penny Miser Member



USA
3890 Posts

Posted - 11/20/2007 :  18:12:38  Show Profile Send NotABigDeal a Private Message
Scrapped a little today.

#1 Cu 68lbs @ $2.10per lb
#2 Ins Cu 50% 32lbs @ $0.90per lb
Yellow Brass 5lbs @ $1.30per lb
Mixed Scrap 10lbs @ $0.03per lb
ACR's (Alum Cu Rad) 72lbs @ $1.10per lb
ACR's (contaminated) 90lbs @ $0.40per lb

All for a total of $294.16
This is how Cu is magically turned into Au....The only working form of alchemy I know of....

Deal

I'm so sick over pennies....I frequently trade a dime or two for the whole "take-a-penny" container if sufficient coppers exist. That will get you some odd looks.
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fiatboy
Administrator



912 Posts

Posted - 11/20/2007 :  19:04:01  Show Profile Send fiatboy a Private Message
Still picking up cans....nice haul after the OSU/Michigan game. Haven't cashed any in yet.
Found a 2nd set of golf clubs, which is strange.
Trying to get in as much scrounging for scrap as possible while the weather is still nice.
Slim pickins overall, though.

"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson
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davycoppit
Penny Pincher Member



USA
126 Posts

Posted - 11/21/2007 :  13:16:12  Show Profile Send davycoppit a Private Message
Since I am home for Thanksgiving I was going to sell my stash of copper and stainless steel today. I really wish I would have sold it last time I was home. Since copper has fallen so much it looks like I will have to hold on to it for a little while longer. Im going to be converting the money I get from the scrap into nickels and silver.
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cakesea
Penny Sorter Member



51 Posts

Posted - 11/21/2007 :  22:59:09  Show Profile Send cakesea a Private Message
i have accumulated a lot of lead recently. i have been walking a lot more again and along the roadside ai see a lot of lead wheel weights and stuff which i pick up. i live near deka which just recently i found out will buy lead from me so i was happy about that. still looking for cans and stuff though. havent reall gotten to many but thasts the way it goes.
peace
cake
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NotABigDeal
1000+ Penny Miser Member



USA
3890 Posts

Posted - 11/22/2007 :  09:56:31  Show Profile Send NotABigDeal a Private Message
I too like the lead. Holding onto mine though. Scrappers saying $0.20-$0.30 per lb depending on how much you have. How much do you have?

Deal

I'm so sick over pennies....I frequently trade a dime or two for the whole "take-a-penny" container if sufficient coppers exist. That will get you some odd looks.
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cakesea
Penny Sorter Member



51 Posts

Posted - 11/22/2007 :  17:57:45  Show Profile Send cakesea a Private Message
i have around 50- 60 pounds of lead but im not going to cash in till i get one hundred or more who knows. but i like lead because its so easy to melt i have been melting it and making lead ingots with it
peace
cake
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NotABigDeal
1000+ Penny Miser Member



USA
3890 Posts

Posted - 11/22/2007 :  20:38:39  Show Profile Send NotABigDeal a Private Message
cakesea,
Do you melt any other metals? I'm holding out until I can get $1 per pound for lead.

Deal

I'm so sick over pennies....I frequently trade a dime or two for the whole "take-a-penny" container if sufficient coppers exist. That will get you some odd looks.
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cakesea
Penny Sorter Member



51 Posts

Posted - 11/23/2007 :  23:45:05  Show Profile Send cakesea a Private Message
i occassionally melt some silver and copper but only if the silver is not marked. and i can get my torches my dad keeps them unders close watch because he doesnt like the idea of me melting metals with such high melting points
[eace
cake
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cakesea
Penny Sorter Member



51 Posts

Posted - 11/24/2007 :  17:54:54  Show Profile Send cakesea a Private Message
i was hanging out with my friend today at his house and his dad used to be an electrician. we stumble upon stacks and stacks of old spools of wire theyre was about 50 in all the lightest one was 12 pounds we asked his dad what he was doing with all the wire and he said nothing and let me have it all. i thought i was dreaming i had just gotten HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF COPPER FREE. anyway i am in the process of making chain mail. it should be fun. and carpal tunnel inducing.
peace
cake
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n/a
deleted

85 Posts

Posted - 11/24/2007 :  17:59:49  Show Profile Send n/a a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by cakesea

i was hanging out with my friend today at his house and his dad used to be an electrician. we stumble upon stacks and stacks of old spools of wire theyre was about 50 in all the lightest one was 12 pounds we asked his dad what he was doing with all the wire and he said nothing and let me have it all. i thought i was dreaming i had just gotten HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF COPPER FREE. anyway i am in the process of making chain mail. it should be fun. and carpal tunnel inducing.
peace
cake





How are you going to strip off the plastic from all the wire?

"The key to building wealth is to not lose money." - Warren Buffet
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cakesea
Penny Sorter Member



51 Posts

Posted - 11/26/2007 :  21:32:55  Show Profile Send cakesea a Private Message
im not sure i was thinking of burning it but that causes many problems such as the production of hydrochloric acids from the pvc but then again hand stripping the wire would be a lot of work and i dont have a mechanical stripper like they use at scrap yard . i have started hand stripping it though. all i can say is my hands hurt.
peace
cake
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Frugi
Administrator



USA
627 Posts

Posted - 11/27/2007 :  20:20:36  Show Profile Send Frugi a Private Message
Dis-assembled a DVD player that we were "throwing away", it seemed to skip every DVD at least once. I removed the sheet metal case and all the plastic exterior and will take to recycler that doesnt pay anything. I kept all the circuit boards intact and kept the switch mechanism. There is only about $0.50 worth of copper wire, but is better than just throwing it out. I also got a magnet perfect for my pocket. The device that spins the DVD has a round magnet under it.
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fiatboy
Administrator



912 Posts

Posted - 11/28/2007 :  01:04:51  Show Profile Send fiatboy a Private Message
Cleaning out my parents' attic, I found a few sets of Thai nickel-brass flatware---the stuff they sell to tourists. Receipts, price tags, and full documentation---all very interesting considering I never knew anyone in my family went to Bangkok in the early '80's! haha.

Anyone know the exact alloy composition of nickel-brass flatware?

"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson
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wavecrazed
Penny Sorter Member



USA
69 Posts

Posted - 11/29/2007 :  22:36:04  Show Profile Send wavecrazed a Private Message
Well stepping up production over here. Scrapped about 30 lbs of insulated wire, a fridge, stove, washer. Found 6 big house windows. They have the extruded aluminum and there is going to be more broken glass around here in the garage. I have about 6 scrap buyers here to choose from and some pay more and less on certain items. One extruded buyer wants every inch of caulking and rubber screen holder off it. They pay 75 vs 67. Guess were I'm not going to sell it. 5 months ago I scored a monster sized ice machine. Cut out the copper a while back and am left with the stainless steel bin. Cut it apart today and had about 50 lbs of stainless. The price is up again. Get in your car and drive.

scrappin" all over
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n/a
deleted



7 Posts

Posted - 12/10/2007 :  22:37:03  Show Profile Send n/a a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by cakesea

im not sure i was thinking of burning it but that causes many problems such as the production of hydrochloric acids from the pvc but then again hand stripping the wire would be a lot of work and i dont have a mechanical stripper like they use at scrap yard . i have started hand stripping it though. all i can say is my hands hurt.
peace
cake



Make a nice fire in the yard. Wait until you get some nice coals going and throw that stuff in! It's not worth destroying your dexterity over a few bucks worth of copper. Ebay has strippers! Wire strippers that is..
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