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Scrapping Metal

Scrapping Metal

The following is a guest post from Cody. Cody runs a blog over at codygrimes.com where he helps people hustle to afford a life of travel and living on the road. He has been homeless before, and is about to pack up his things and run away on the road. He is documenting his full adventure. Please let me know if you would like to guest post on MMYW!
Scrapping Metal For $100 Bucks a Day
Scrapping metal is something that many people might think is not worth their time, I was one of them. When you look at metal prices, especially steel which is at 3 cents per pound, it can be discouraging. However, there are certain types of metals found in basic, every day items that can add up to a pretty decent side income.

 

When I was homeless in Arizona, I used to hustle my money by scrapping aluminum cans. I used to make about $13 bucks an hour (4-5 hours per day) doing this, however it wasn’t always that steady. Some days were really slow, and I didn’t have a garage, or a big spot to store bulky metal. The way I did it was pretty dangerous and dirty, (actually jumping inside dumpsters and throwing out cans into a bucket at 2 a.m. while I had cops circling the block with spotlights), but there are cleaner and easier (less dangerous) ways to make some decent money scrapping metal.

 

This is a couple making about $100 per day by scrapping metal.

What you’ll need to get started
beginners:
  • Some type of transportation that can hold a decent amount of scraps.
  • When I was homeless, I used:
  • $20 dollar pickup truck rental from u-haul (plus 9 cents per mile. keep it short)
  • Friend’s vehicles
In a bind, you could borrow stray shopping carts, use buckets, or trash bags to get the job done. One time somebody actually cut through one of my bicycle locks that I had wrapped around a cart to a metal fence. That takes some dedication!
advanced:
If you are really serious about turning this hustle into a side income generator, and you have the room in a house or garage, clear it out and
  • organize with totes
  • setup ads in the paper
  • soldering irons to de-solder components
Types of metals
You can choose to scrap any types of metal, but personally I go for the more expensive stuff. I once scrapped a whole car, going for steel weight, I got $200 bucks for it.
Here are some common types of metals you can scrap for a quick buck.
  1.      Aluminum
  2.      Copper
  3.      Radiators
  4.      Insulated Wire
  5.      Car batteries
  6.      Aluminum rims
  7.      Electric Motors
  8.      Alternators/Starters
  9.      Lead wheel weights
     computer equipment:
  1.      motherboards
  2.      memory chips
  3.      cell phones
  4.      computer towers
  5.      cpu processor chips
  6.      heat sinks
  7.      Power Control Units (PCUs)
  8.      Harddrives
You can get an idea of metal prices by talking to your local scrap yards. For example, here is a basic list of computer scrap prices.

Some things are worth separating (components inside a computer), and others aren’t really worth the extra time to separate. As you play around with this, you will learn which items are more worth your time, and which items to just throw in a bucket.
 
Do you drink a lot of beer?
 
Where do you find metal to scrap?
This you have to be a little creative with. You can start with metal around your house, start collecting it and sorting it by type. Cut the wires off of electronics that you don’t use anymore, and cut the little transformers out of plugs.

-Do you drink a lot of beer? Beer, soda, anything in a can, start saving these. Take it a step further by going to both commercial and residential areas and asking for cans (and any other metal devices in general) that they want to scrap. Look for those people who’s yards could be considered a mini junk yard, although they could be hoarders and not let you touch their stuff.

 

I worked for a motorcycle dealership where we would get these huge metal crates and would have to assemble brand new motorcycles contained within. Every weekend, this old hobo looking guy with a few missing teeth would roll up in his beaten down pickup truck, and haul away these huge and heavy steel (and aluminum) crates. I bet he made about $100 bucks from these hauls alone.

 

I then started working for Dish satellite, and the warehouse where we restocked was a couple blocks down from that dealership. We throw away old scrap metal dishes, and when 20-30 techs come along and drop all their scrap, along with scrap wires, it gets to be a huge pile. Sure enough, I see the same guy coming bright and early to load up all these scrap dishes and metal.

 

In both of these scenarios, the guy had asked my boss beforehand. My boss(s) were more than happy to get that junk out of there.
Don’t be afraid to ask! Everybody always has junk they need to get rid of, and won’t always necessarily be willing to scrap it themselves.
 
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To take this hustle a step further, and into potential full time income.
You need to become the go-to guy/girl for getting rid of scraps.
Put an ad in the newspaper, on craigslist, or the penny saver.
Tell your friends and family to spread the word about how you want their scraps (computer parts, metal, etc).

 

Making a business card can help organizations remember you and will help you come across as more professional. Go to places you think would have good scrap;
     – computer repair stores
     – automotive dealerships – they throw out bad alternators/chipped rims all the time

 

Side Notes
Always remember that every little bit adds to your total. A metal broom handle might not be worth much, but with scrapping, every little bit will add up fast.

 

Don’t always go straight to the junkyard to scrap your findings, especially with computer parts. If you put in a little extra effort, you could sell a perfectly good CPU chip, alternator, or computer tower for 10x + the amount you would get for scraps.

 

There is no minimum amount of metal a scrapyard will take, but always do research before hand to find out if they take the things you want to scrap, and what the price is going for. For example, some yards don’t take insulated wires, others will consider it steel and pay you the steel price per pound.
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Lovely comments

  1. Correy Smith says

    That’s really interesting that you can make money by just scrapping metal. It seems like scrap metal sure is valuable to some people when it comes to recycling them. Well, what type of metal do people usually target or would like to find?

    • Cody Grimes says

      You would be surprised at all the people who make their main income from scrapping metal. The most precious metals that make the best target are copper and aluminum. You can collect tiny amounts of gold from computer chip boards too (a stick of RAM for example has gold plated teeth).

      The main key is that every little bit counts. Don’t just focus on the big stuff and your scrap will add up FAST.
      Cody Grimes recently posted…November 2015 Income ReportMy Profile

  2. Lilly Sedrick says

    It really is amazing how many different things can be used for scrap metal. It seems like you can take just about anything apart and recycle it. This is a really great way to be able to help take even better care of our planet. It is amazing how much of a difference even just one piece of scrap metal can make.

  3. Veronica Marks says

    I had no idea you could make $100 a day just by scrapping metal! I have thought about doing stuff like this, and am hoping that over the holidays there will be lots to scrap as people get new appliances and stuff. My only problem is that I don’t have a truck. Hopefully my minivan will work well enough!

  4. Jenn says

    Wow, kudos to that homeless guy that would haul away those heavy crates. I wonder how much he’s made from hauling those away! I think it takes a lot of dedication to do this for a living.

  5. Jason Strong says

    It’s unreal what scrapping metal can do for our societies. It allows us to fix old metal, use for new stuff, and turn into things that can be used all over again. I’m grateful for services like this and all that they do for us.

  6. Anson says

    This is a really great post. I had no idea about the computer components and im a computer guy:/ ill be bookmarking this for reference. Thanks .

  8. Robin Nixon says

    When considering metal scrap recycling, it is important that people understand why to do so. Of course, most people do realize that recycling of used metal commodities allows preserving natural resources and energy, but few people know precisely, how beneficent it is to recycle metals. In your article you give an accurately elaborated list of reasons for scrap metal recycling, which must motivate people to treat their waste more responsibly. It is also very important for people to understand, that scrap recycling, as you’ve remarked, is a driving force for economy, as the industry creates thousands of green jobs worldwide.

  9. Aimsaim says

    Wow! Fantastic stuff !

    I’ve been scrapping for going on 10 years now. Originally it paid for my college text books and now it is part-time work to help pay off the loans for my useless degree. Like any type of hustle/side job, the best thing to do is treat it like a business- make professional relationships with people to create long-term sources income.
    I’ve found that the most unscrupulious scrappers are people trying to take advantage of short-term high prices. All they are after is a quick buck and they’ll get that from where ever they can (scrapping today, theft tomorrow, drugs the day after that- whatever pays best that day). They aren’t in it for the long run and just give everyone else a bad image to try work against.
    The yards around here are mostly honest, but you’ll find out quickly if they aren’t. Find an honest scrap yard and take the time to talk the staff so they can get to know and trust you.
    Don’t take ANYTHING without clearing it with the owner first. Around here you will get arrested for taking scrap from the sidewalk or alley, even if it is next to or in a garbage can. If it is not worth doing honestly, it is not worth doing.
    I enjoy the physical labor. I’ve increased my mechanical knowledge. But more importantly, it is a skill and life lesson I am already passing on to my kids- that here is ALWAYS something you can do to earn a buck if you are willing to work hard and get a little dirty.