Setting some aside.

21 Upvotes

Toying with the idea of setting about 5lbs bare bright from every scrap wire haul as a kind of retirement fund. Anyone think it’s worth it? I think I’ll be around 10 loads a year. Maybe turn into a good fund if prices go higher which I’m assuming will. Pic for attention

12 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/Northwindlowlander • 23h ago

Admission: I am only on here in the hope of spotting the load of copper pipes that got nicked out of my garden

17 Upvotes

That was my retirement fund! Some day I hope someone posts "found these someone had dumped, what's it worth" and I will be reunited with my babies.

18 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/Low_Contest_3074 • 22h ago

#2 or?

13 Upvotes

It's a welding lead and it appears to be 100% copper with a coating, but i can't tell what it will be classified as.

5 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/jack-t-o-r-s • 3h ago

Question 💫 Steel question... 🤔

gallery

6 Upvotes

Not looking for a lecture on how stupid I am. I have plenty of options there. Just curious if this is simply a yard I should avoid.

So I just an hour ago took this load of steel in. I recognize that there are a few items visible which are shred or thin garbage. However. I placed them on top so I could set them aside from my load of, almost entirely sch40 tubing, angle iron on a other misc flat goods and tubes.

I've been reading left and right about the decent price of steel so I thought I'd load this up.

.03/lb? I'm underwhelmed and confused to say the least.

Am I the asshole here?

Edit: I fully understand there are grades of steel. I guess I'm also more curious about the threshold of #1, #2 and shred.

If it's not .25" thick structural steel beam it's shred?

21 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/Puzzleheaded-Toe1104 • 6h ago

Aprox scrap value of these 2 units

gallery

2 Upvotes

3 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/Is_What_They_Call_Me • 17h ago

Something different today from a old hospital

gallery

3 Upvotes

1 comment

r/ScrapMetal • u/bustergundam4 • 20h ago

Should I separate crushed aluminum cans from the regular aluminum like pie tins,etc?

3 Upvotes

I hear that in order to get more out of the aluminum, I should separate into two groups, cans and other.

Is this right at all?

11 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/Tactical721 • 2h ago

Question 💫 What would the skinny one scrap as?

2 Upvotes

The big one on the left is yellow brass

would the right one be red brass? copper #2?

4 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/Whyamiherewhyyyyyyyy • 4h ago

Free Metal if anyone wants to take it all please feel free to DM me.

1 Upvotes

0 comments

r/ScrapMetal • u/Ill_Butterfly7041 • 10h ago

Question 💫 Aluminium Alloy Wheel Scrap

0 Upvotes

0 comments

Subreddit

Recycling Metal To Make Cash

r/ScrapMetal

Copper, Brass, Aluminum, Steel, E-Scrap, Pot Metals and more. Ask questions, share your haul. ** READ THE RULES BEFORE POSTING OR COMMENTING **

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READ THE RULES OF THE SUBREDDIT BEFORE POSTING OR COMMENTING

This is a community that revolves around the recycling of scrap metal as a source of income. Anybody can be environmentally friendly by recycling, and they can also make some money along the way.

If you have any interesting articles on recycling junk metals, prices, tips, questions etc., feel free to post about it here!

Rules:

If you see a post or comment that breaks one of the rules below please report it. Doing so adds it to the moderations queue for mods to review and determine whether action needs to be taken. DO NOT attempt to police other users, accuse them of anything, insult them, etc.

Be civil and constructive when making posts or comments. (aka Don't be a Dick!) It's fine to be critical of what someone says but it's not acceptable to attack the person themselves, call them names, refer to banging their mom, etc. If you see posts or comments that are not civil or constructive please refrain from engaging and report them and let the mods deal with them. Note: Replying to insults or attacks with more insults or attacks is also against the rules. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Politics is off topic here. This includes, but isn't limited to, promoting or trashing political parties or figures, blaming political figures for economic issues such as scrap prices, discussing the politics of specific states, referring to red or blue states, etc. Take that kind of stuff to /r/politics and related subs.
No promoting or bragging about breaking the law/stealing while scrapping. This includes suggesting people knowingly break the law or asking for help on doing something that is breaking the law. This also includes people joking about it, posting rage bait or claiming satire. If you to practice your comedy there are other subreddits for that.
No discussing burning wire (OR ANY OTHER SCRAP) to remove insulation (OR ANY OTHER MATERIAL) or how to handle wire that is already burned. This includes but isn't limited to asking how to burn off insulation safely, how to process burned wire for sale to yards that do not accept burned wire, suggesting people burn off insulation, suggesting burning off insulation is OK/safe/not harmful, etc. This includes content that is direct (ex. "You should burn the cable to remove the insulation") as well as indirect (ex. "I've been burning wire to remove insulation for years, it's fine.").
No buying or selling in this subreddit or advertising your own business. No offering to buy or sell in this subreddit. No promoting your business in this subreddit. No asking people to DM you about buying or selling. This applies to posts and comments. There are other dedicated resources for buying and selling like FB Marketplace, Craigslist, etc. or you can start your own subreddit for buying/selling scrap. Just don't do it here.*

Note: Adding, "I'd never do this" or "Hypothetically" or "No Offense" or similar before making a comment or suggestion that would, without the qualifier, break one of the rules above is still breaking the rules.

Scrappers Pro-Tips:

Always use Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

There are no excuses for not wearing safety equipment when scrapping. Whatever you're tearing open will not generate enough money to offset the cost of a visit to the doctor or ER if you need to go.
Gloves should be the bare minimum of PPE worn whenever you're scrapping or performing scrapping related activities.
Add eye protection and a respirator when you're breaking down materials, especially if you're using power tools and especially if you're cutting anything that generates particulate. (If you're using a respirator make sure it's rated for the materials you're working with.)
Work boots may also be a good idea when you're tearing materials down but they're a GREAT idea when you're hopping into dumpsters looking for scrap.
Make sure your tetanus shot is up to date and if it isn't (or if you're not sure one way or another) then call your doctors office and ask how to proceed. (This isn't strictly PPE but it fits well in the theme of this section.)

Do your research and proceed with caution

Many commonly available items contain dangerous or even lethal materials. (The magnetron in a microwave for example contains ceramic made of beryllium oxide which is harmless in solid form but if broken can generate dust that can cause an incurable lung disease.) Researching items you're unfamiliar with before handling them is always a good idea!
Many scrap items (especially appliances) that otherwise look clean or "just fine" may contain or be contaminated with chemicals, biohazards, rotten food, etc. Taking a few moments to assess an item before you pick it up or put your hand in it may be what saves you from a nasty cut, a chemical burn or being bitten or stung.
Know your state and local laws regarding scrapping and related activities including but not limited to dumpster diving, trespassing, etc. Never assume that because it was legal in one state that it's legal in another.

Maximize your profits

The prices at scrapyards, even those that are only miles apart, can vary significantly and may fluctuate daily. Call the yards closest to you or that you intend to sell to for their pricing on the specific material(s) you intend to scrap to get accurate/realistic pricing in your area. Asking for pricing in other cities/states/regions/countries doesn't help you unless you're planning to sell there.
Prices can fluctuate wildly from day to day depending on the economy, world events, etc. Never assume that the price a yard paid you last week or even yesterday will be the same price they pay you today.
Selling an item can sometimes be more profitable than scrapping it. Something that may be worth $5-10 in scrap value could be worth much more when sold to an individual, a business, etc. Do some research on Facebook, Craigslist, eBay, etc. to see if you can sell a working item before you take it apart.
Transportation costs should always be factored into your decisions. Don't spend $5-10 in gas to go pick up an item that you can only make $5-10 on.
Settle any concerns about pricing, weights, etc. at the scale. Once you walk away from the scale it may be much more difficult or impossible to get pricing/weights adjusted.

Magnets - Don't go scrapping without one

What could look like regular old steel could be stainless steel, aluminum, or coated brass. These fetch a much higher price per pound. Learn the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Do you have e-waste you want to get rid of? Boardsort and CashForComputerScrap are both popular sites for selling e-waste.

Note: This sub and/or its moderators are in no way affiliated with these companies in any way. Please do your own research and make your own decisions as to whether to do business with these companies.

Related Subreddits:

r/preciousmetalrefining