Scrapyard etiquette

[bomscho]

hey folks, it's been a while since i logged in, but still looking round now and again. no longer in brooklyn, now in Long Island NY, and it seems like scrapyards have tightened up lately.

i'm looking for bronze and brass (small pieces), and machined steel parts, but no one will let me pick over their scrapheaps. this is not a problem i had in los angeles, and it's starting to slow down my work.

apparently it's concern with liability plus the easy prices you get selling stuff by the ton to foundries. there's no incentive for a yard owner to sell a few pounds to individuals. have you seen this? how do you get around it?

[Wyoming]

You probably don't get around it. Liability is a major consideration for every business nowadays. My local scrap yard told me a month or so ago I'm one of only a handful they will let back into the yard because of their liability. I wouldn't be allowed back there if I hadn't been a customer for a number of years with no liability "issues"...and the donuts for the staff didn't hurt either. Best I can tell you is find a yard you like and become a regular customer for new steel and brass. Once they get to know you, maybe you'll stand a chance.

[oldtimer]

Good ol' liability. The local scrap yard has always let customers go in and pick what they wanted. Now there is a big sign in the office stating that due to libality issues, no one will be allowed in the yard.

That may change in the near future. There was an article about them in the local paper last week adressing the collapse of the scrap metals market. It told the price they were receiving for scrap earlier in the year and what it is now. It also noted the fact that the yard has eight train car loads of scrap setting on the rails that they can't sell.

If it were me I would explain to my insurance provider that is they expected any futher premimums they are going to have to relax the rules a little. After all if I am out of business, there will be no more premiums.

[bomscho]

There was an article about them in the local paper last week adressing the collapse of the scrap metals market. It told the price they were receiving for scrap earlier in the year and what it is now. It also noted the fact that the yard has eight train car loads of scrap setting on the rails that they can't sell.

eXACtly, cos just 3-4 months ago i got ripped off to the tune of $3.15 a pound for copper, and $2.80 for brass... i showed up with a fistful of bills expecting a carload of scrap and came away with a six-pack's worth of metal. now i'm hearing that copper should be below $1 a pound next year, and one scrapyard just told me they're already buying it for only that much.

now seems to be the time to get in there, befriend these guys (thx for the donuts suggestion Wyoming) and be ready for the next possible price spike.

[moya034]

My local scrap yard will let you back in their yard, but only if you wear a hard hat, safety glasses, leather gloves, and steel toe work boots, all of which you need to bring yourself.

[bomscho]

My local scrap yard will let you back in their yard, but only if you wear a hard hat, safety glasses, leather gloves, and steel toe work boots, all of which you need to bring yourself.

yeah, i always thought that if i didnt show up with filthy gloves and steel toe redwings on (sometimes a dust mask, if it's the kind of place that burns paint off metal in scrap wood fires), no one would let me in. the glasses and hard hat would probably help..

[Joe H]

I'm super lucky I guess. The yard I frequent lets me drive in with load of useless scrap (cars, cast iron, etc..) to unload. They don't mind at all if, while I'm there, I pick up the nice pieces of tube, angle, plate, bar, or whatever I find and toss it in the truck. Then when I weigh out I get paid for the difference in my in and out weights. They did tell me once not to come out weighing more than when I went in.

[Adultoys]

I'm super lucky I guess. The yard I frequent lets me drive in with load of useless scrap (cars, cast iron, etc..) to unload. They don't mind at all if, while I'm there, I pick up the nice pieces of tube, angle, plate, bar, or whatever I find and toss it in the truck. Then when I weigh out I get paid for the difference in my in and out weights. They did tell me once not to come out weighing more than when I went in.

LoL.. Thats funny as all ****... I have a question on scrap yards, I myself have never scraped anything so in return I have never been to a scrap yard, but from what I hear they are a gold mine for someone of our sorts.. But I've also been told by people who do scrap that they let metal & but not out.. once it’s in its headed to get processed in one way or another.. Right now with the price being so low I find it hard to believe that they wouldn’t allow you in to purchase because they need to make all the money they can I would think.. My question is, Generally, What TYPE of scrap yards is one able to go in & purchase metal from? Which Type aren’t you allowed to? Is there even different types? -- I know there is one about 30 miles away from me (never been there) where you can go in, look around, & purchase metal from.. But I’ve never heard of any more. & being the Flint area, I know there has to be a few close by because EVERYONE & there Brother is a scrapper here.. Go down town flint & every vacant house is stripped, inside & out.. Some even if they aren’t vacant... I've even had people come over, friends & all, & say "Man this would be a scrapers Dream" referring to items in & around a couple of my garages... (Which I really really really did not respect the comment, more of an insult & makes you feel as though you better add a few more locks & security measures)

Is there anyone here from Michigan, Mid MI area by chance.. How could I find where these Scrap Yards are? .. I know where all 30 vehicle salvage yards are lol... Maybe they are hiding within that area... I myself just tend to stray away from that area of flint more so these days... What is there title? are they called recycling yards or poor man’s bank or what?

How have a stayed away from them for so long? Just using what I have, or what I’ve came across.. I've also listed local adds saying that I’ll buy metal from scrapers... But I know in doing so I’ve played quite abit more than I needed to & at the same time having no selection ability available..

- Adultoys

[Hotfoot]

I quit hauling my scrap there over a year ago...I was getting a penny a pound (steel), and if I wanted to haul any out, it was 34 cents a pound...which makes their junk steel too pricey for my creations...but scrounging is getting easier, because no one wants to haul scrap metals any more...or at least when gas got so high they didn't, so me asking for this or that out back was welcomed by the businessman.

[FormerTankSarge]

One of our favorite recycling centers has recently changed policy to not let anyone in the back yard because a couple of yahoos almost bought it will they were loading a train, so now you can only access what they have laid out for sale.

[Wyoming]

One of our favorite recycling centers has recently changed policy to not let anyone in the back yard because a couple of yahoos almost bought it will they were loading a train, so now you can only access what they have laid out for sale.

Pacific Steel?

[slag_ch]

Just wanted to give a shout out about "scrap" that can be easily accessed. I drive for a supermarket chain, and when a store does a remodel or is just cleaning out there backroom, they have an open top container delievered usually in the recieving dock area, and they throw tons of shelving and brackets and other items out that they no longer use. If you ask the store managers, they most of the time won't mind you grabbing a couple pieces of pipe or whatever. Also, the way the economy is going, watch for store closings. Catch them before they shut the doors and get permission tto grab anything there chucking out.

[vicegrip]

Funny how all this co-insides with..........

endless flipp'n endless, kindergarden-level safety-meetings.
AND the all-important, sign sheet.........so if you do get maimed,
they can stand-up in court, and wave the signatures.
And whine, it's got to be his fault, see we indoctrinated him,
week after week.

Know any good lawyer jokes.??

vg

[Wyoming]

Vice,
There are no good lawyer jokes. Sadly, much of modern life has been blighted with the ever present ambulance chasing lawyer mentality. Where once a man could get by on his abilities, we now see that none of us are responsible for out own actions. I don't know if tort reform is the answer. Maybe a jury of our peers that doesn't include a bunch of mindless TV addicted morans he-ll bent on awarding the largest settlement to date. Common sense if none too common in this day and age.

[FormerTankSarge]

That is all pathetic, no? Where I used to work before I retired, way more attention was paid to filling out the paperwork was more important that being safe.

Wyoming,
Here Pacific won't let you anywhere except a very small space to pick up scrap steel and now Golden Recycling is the same way........