/r/ScrapMetal
Copper, Brass, Aluminum, Steel, E-Scrap, Pot Metals and more. Ask questions, share your haul.
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:
- Be civil and constructive when making posts or comments. It's fine to be critical of what someone says but it's not acceptable to attack the person themselves. 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.
- 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, etc. Take that kind of stuff to /r/politics and related subs.
- No promoting the burning of cable to remove insulation from wire. 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 cable for years, it's fine.").
- No self promotion, or asking for business. This is not Facebook or Craigslist; people here are from all over the world, likely not your area. Use those platforms for those kinds of things, please.
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 for their pricing on the specific material(s) you intend to scrap.
- 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.
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.
Related Subreddits:
/r/ScrapMetal
57,729 Subscribers
Cleaning up a giant pile of old telephone poles, are the copper clad grounding/staples going to be worth the effort to salvage?
When approached by my grandparents to cleanup the old poles left all over their property by the local co-op I didn't realize the amount of poles we had all over the ranch. Getting them all rounded up and in one pile I started to go about removing all the metal bolts, beams, staples, grounds, and wire wrap from them and sizing them up for barn poles, corner posts etc. I got a little excited when I thought of all the copper grounds, but once I started removing them I noticed they didn't seem right. A couple of them had old breaks showing rust corrosion from their core which is not normal. Sure enough they were magnetic so its got to be copper clad I assume. The staples I already knew were clad so it figures... I've never salvaged this respective metal before, so what am I looking at before I roll down to the salvage yard like a tool?
04:45 UTC
100 gallon commercial water heater
I do junk removal and take stuff to the landfill but I do scrap stuff when I can. I got this huge water heater tonight from a hotel that is several hundred pounds. I am curious if I can get anything out of it from scrapping it and if so what is the best way for me to go about it.
03:05 UTC
Anyone have an issues with their local scrapyard regarding danger to tyres?
My local yard says they sweep the yard every hour but every time I've been there, there's bolts and sharp stuff littered everywhere. Have had to literally eyeball where I drive and pulled a few bolts out of my van's tyre tread. Anyone else had issues, or found ways to mitigate this? I don't want to start sweeping as they'd probably take offence!
02:58 UTC
Appliance vs Computer Boards
Greetings! I’m new to scrapping and am looking for a little guidance/advice. I’ve seen a lot on here about recycling computer boards. What about boards from general home appliances? The boards in my pic are from a dehumidifier, a fan, and old wine cooler. Can these be recycled the same way as computer boards at a yard? What’s the best way to handle stuff like this?
01:20 UTC
Been outside my building for too long. Looking to scrap.
This has been leaning against the building I live in for too long. I don’t have any cables for it and would like to get rid of it in an environmentally friendly way. Any suggestions for what might be valuable in here?
17:40 UTC
Guess the weigh in
JP mk2 for scale
08:49 UTC
found this for sale for 15 bucks is it worth checking out
06:03 UTC
Truck cat?
We found this cleaning my friends garage. The previous homeowner left it over five years ago. Is this a truck catalytic converter? Is it worth scrapping? It’s huge about 3 1/2 feet long.
02:10 UTC
Copper ingots
If I melt my copper ingots back down and make sheets of copper will scrap yards take them?
01:43 UTC
Selling scrap as is or melting it down into ingots better?
I currently melt aluminum, brass & copper in my foundry as a hobby. I was wondering whether which one seems more lucrative? Do people pay more just because it’s in shape of an ingot rather than wire?
00:37 UTC
Looking to buy license plates
Sorry if this isn't allowed. We have an art product and need lots of license plates. Will buy in bulk, repeat business, please PM. Thanks
23:58 UTC
First time selling metals to my local yard. Feels like a small step into a much larger universe!
I usually recycle cans and bottles at my local yard. Today I had some leftover copper clad aluminum and decided to take it in. I’m always nervous regarding classifying metals since every post on here or online - everyone seems like an expert who can immediately tell the difference between metals or what tests to run. Even though it’s small - I feel like today was a big win. I have more wires in my storage so hoping I can clear space and continue down this path of scrapping metal.
23:45 UTC
Hypothetical: Time and effort become 0 when stripping wires. Which wires are still not worth stripping? (I.e: is there anything you'd actually lose money on by stripping)
Just curious cuz I strip a lot of stuff (on the clock of course). I assume the copper content of things like coaxial is so small it's just better to toss the entire thing into shred.
Assuming you can snap your fingers and a wire is instantly stripped, what do you still leave as is?
22:26 UTC
Pleasant surprise
I was just going to toss these thinking there's no way there's anything useful inside these cheap plastic clippers. Popped them open out of curiosity. Got more copper out of this thing than a damn extension cord!
20:37 UTC
Any idea how much this copper is worth?
I don’t know exactly how much it weighs but I’ve been told I’ll get paid more selling it private party rather than taking to metal recycling..
19:45 UTC
Quick Thanksgiving run!
Nothing huge but not complaining about the results, was expecting less than 10 so that was a good day.
17:20 UTC
How to scrap a full server rack?
Have a rack like this from a defunct business full of storage, battery backups etc. take to a computer recycling place?
16:16 UTC
Suggestions Scrapping Copper Roofing & Gutters
We have a large load of copper roofing, downspouts, and flashing. It’s been sitting for a couple years where the contractor left it. There is tar paper still adhered to some sections that we are going to attempt to remove.
Can any of you offer some pointers on scrapping all of this? Also, What grade would this material sell as and what do you think yards would pay out on it?
Thank you...
08:04 UTC
I was told it’s a transformer but I’m new to all of this. What is this?
05:13 UTC
Who pays this much for bare bright?
Screenshot from a flipper video on YouTube, cropped cause I'm not sure it would break any rules otherwise.
That's basically $135 for 20 pounds of wire, $5 ish a pound before shipping.
If this is the norm, i guess I don't need a scrap yard anymore, sheesh
04:10 UTC