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cptindy
Penny Hoarding Member
572 Posts |
 Posted - 04/09/2010 : 20:27:54
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Ok,
We all love the metal!
Some folk's scrap.
If you are of the understanding that metal is money, which if you are here that should be true, one needs only to consolidate.
A 55 gallon barrel
A cutting device
Minutes a day
Make time every day to "hoard"
Find one location or prospect that you can get a consistent volume of copper. (5 is best one per workday)Each time you find copper separate into a simple pile for later attention.
One day a week (Say Saturday) Use your preferred cutting device to chop into smaller pieces said copper. Make sure to cut along any soldered joints and remove any other metal. (this is called cleaning)
Save barrel until full.
Call selected scrap yards and ask about copper prices. Mention that you have 500 + lbs of #1 clean copper. This will entice and usually get a supervisor's "opinion". As well as your obtaining knowledge of various yards and pricing and flexibility.
You have now begun a bidding war.
Ask, if necessary for a bump in price! Trust me it is available!
Never accept par PRICES!
When you arrive find the supervisor you spoke with. Continue with a conversation including that this is a once a month trip. (could be weekly)They at this point should shuttle some employees to handle your metal.
Never let your metal leave your sight.
Always follow until weighed.
Never smile!
Always act impatient!
Get Paid!
Good Luck!
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"It is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting"
" The average man doesn't want to be free. He wants to be safe."
H.L. Mencken
http://silver-news-today.com/ |
Edited by - cptindy on 04/09/2010 20:30:15 |
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El Dee
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
547 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 14:27:12
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Are you saying to cut off the fittings at the solder joint?
How do you handle those?
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Trust the government? Ask an Indian. |
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cptindy
Penny Hoarding Member
572 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2010 : 22:15:42
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I'm not sure I understand your question about "how do you handle those" but I will attempt to elaborate.
The goal is to remove the soldered connections as they automatically reduce the level to #2 copper.
Cutting through the joint and placing all copper in your barrel. This removes the solder the remaining copper is #1.
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"It is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting"
" The average man doesn't want to be free. He wants to be safe."
H.L. Mencken
http://silver-news-today.com/ |
Edited by - cptindy on 04/19/2010 13:15:31 |
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El Dee
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
547 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2010 : 15:23:51
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I understand now...#1 -vs- whatever is not #1.
Say you were careless and a ring of solder remains. Does that make it #2?
Thanks.
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Trust the government? Ask an Indian. |
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Kurr
1000+ Penny Miser Member
2906 Posts |
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scrapman1077
Penny Sorter Member
USA
79 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2010 : 15:47:41
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| Looking at the prices paid today at the yard I use, cleaning #2 is a waste of time, you can't get all the solder off and the price difference is only .10 cent (#1-$2.65, #2-$2.55) |
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cptindy
Penny Hoarding Member
572 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2010 : 16:07:55
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Now we are getting specific.
The biggest obstacle is the individual that is directly weighing your material. If this is someone you see daily and for the most part your metal is clean, it is just like your talking to a friend and he says "no biggy". If you are a once in a blue moon seller and have no recognition they will probably attempt to rip you off. (my regular language) They do it all day long to unsuspecting folks and could care less what you say.
Can you Hypothetically sweat the solder clean "yes". (Seems time intensive) Would the guy looking at the metal if it was not separated suspect otherwise and choose to short you, "yes".
Quantity and recognition are important! Quality as it is relevant and should be the only staple, becomes second to relationship.
For the most part yards are full of regular working guys who deal with for lack of better terminology "shady characters" all day. They need to be tough to enforce rules otherwise the inmates are running the asylum.
Generally in my experience you are able to witness as you frequent a yard who has their wits about them and who is not worth talking too. In the yard itself will be a boss, he is in charge of others and you should notice him directing movement. The guy that weighs the non ferrous metals is usually a little smarter as his job needs more knowledge to differentiate. The man on the small scale is someone you need to make nice with. I would learn his schedule and which hours of the day gave me more time to talk. When they are busy they are focused on watching. There are a lot of ways to "smuggle" metal as something else. They make sure that don't happen.
As originally posted the best beginning method is to hoard, then call, make contact and go from there.
If by chance you clean your metal and you realize that one piece or so is not clean you have a couple options, you could simply pull that piece, break out the bolt cutters and cut it, Bury it and hope it goes unnoticed.
Make sure to clarify upfront that you have #1. Otherwise they will attempt to not pay you. They are not responsible for your lack of knowledge and trust me don't care. I used to be able to sit in the yard and collect all the crap others dumped for shred and fill my truck will "goodies" from developing relationships.
R-E-L-A-T-I-O-N-S-H-I-P-S
Everyone likes a cold bottle of water!
My favorite metal cutting tool is a Matabo...Which later I subsequently built an electric motor chop saw with a pulley system which uses the same cutting discs specifically to cut copper and aluminum.
Hope this helps... |
"It is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting"
" The average man doesn't want to be free. He wants to be safe."
H.L. Mencken
http://silver-news-today.com/ |
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silversaddle1
Penny Pincher Member
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2010 : 16:17:38
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| Well I wish I had a little more time to type up a follow up as I just hauled in 1300 pounds of mixed copper today. And prices were $3.15-#1 $3.05-#2. Insulated #2 at $1.40 |
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cptindy
Penny Hoarding Member
572 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2010 : 16:23:59
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Scrapman
That is prerogative...
If lets say instead of taking your metal in daily and you devote a few minutes to cleaning and accumulate the 500 lbs I have suggested. Then arrange better than the prices on the board which you are quoting, your talking at least $50 more for the same metal at your board price minus the gas expense of the haul. $50 a month X 12 months is $600 bucks left on the table. Generally you get a .05 bump to start as a preferred customer. It goes up based on quantity and relationship. I always viewed scapping as making money one nickle at a time. So if I am spending my time picking up nickles I surely did not want to just give them away.
It all depends on the individual and what is the priority. The original post was intended as a way to accumulate some extra cash dealing in copper, by getting the most for your metal. |
"It is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting"
" The average man doesn't want to be free. He wants to be safe."
H.L. Mencken
http://silver-news-today.com/ |
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cptindy
Penny Hoarding Member
572 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2010 : 16:30:51
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| Nice Haul Silver Saddle! |
"It is the nature of the human species to reject what is true but unpleasant and to embrace what is obviously false but comforting"
" The average man doesn't want to be free. He wants to be safe."
H.L. Mencken
http://silver-news-today.com/ |
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battlecat
Penny Pincher Member
152 Posts |
Posted - 05/05/2010 : 09:04:20
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| Great post cptindy |
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Copper For Dummies...
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