A new way to get free scrap.

[cyberdan]

Every saturday I hit the yardsale circuit, always 50-60 miles. My main hunt is for gold, silver and ebay sellables. Over the last few months I have added computers, cell phones, brass, copper and copper wires.

Well last saturday I asked about my usual things and a lady gave me (free) a box that had the guts to two computers. (great just what I want and I didn't have to work to get it out) She also had a VCR/DVD player. I usually turn them down but she had just given me the e-scrap so I accepted planning on dumping it in the trash when I got home. Later on my route was a small yardsale with nothing but old junk and tools. He also had a 50' orange extension cord tangled up with another heavyduty black cord. I offered a dollar (at yardsales I am dollardan) he wouldn't take it so I left. I got back to my car and remembered the VCR/DVD and brought it back to the sale. I offered to trade and he liked the idea.

So I think from now on I will accept nicer electronic things that have no value to me just so I can offer to trade for something I want.

[SEANO]

Sound like a great strategy too me. Crazy how I cut the cord off of everything I can find now, who would have guessed. Found a surge protector in the trash at work yesterday, yet another wire for the pile.

[CHAINCHOMP]

Sound like a great strategy too me. Crazy how I cut the cord off of everything I can find now, who would have guessed. Found a surge protector in the trash at work yesterday, yet another wire for the pile.

just yesterday i took one of those apart...lots of cord, and there was a pretty decent amount of brass in it too!

CD, thats a great idea on getting scrap! i never thot of it actually! keep it up and hh!

[hellfirebluefish]

Spring clean-up is the best time to get scrap. I cut all cords i find and pick up alot of storm doors and windows. Also, grab all fans and vacums and anything with a motor, motors pay good money.

[wesanderson76]

I am new to the reselling game. I tore my rotator cuff and was forced to find another way to make money. I have just now gotten to metals. I have so many cords and computer parts its NOT funny. I know silver is the big thing right now but i see from the previous posts here copper wire is mentioned. Whats the best wat to get to all of that copper and smelt it or whatever you do with it?


TY Wesley O Anderson

[clovis97]

i see from the previous posts here copper wire is mentioned. Whats the best wat to get to all of that copper and smelt it or whatever you do with it?

I separate my copper into cheap insulated, good insulated, #1 copper, and #2 copper.

FWIW, my local yard pays differently for the cheap insulated versus the good stuff. The good stuff is heavy jumper cables, house wiring, heavy extension cords, etc. The cheap insulated is TV cords, electronic cables, light duty extension cords, etc.

[DemonWolfe]

Do you strip all the wire or just the heavy wire. What are they paying for non stripped wire these days I have a bunch of old house wire and power cords

[theirratonalist]

Do you strip all the wire or just the heavy wire. What are they paying for non stripped wire these days I have a bunch of old house wire and power cords

My yard pays 2 dollars per pound for the high grade wire, and about 1 dollar per pound for low grade wire...

[snake35]

Good idea!

[diggingnewengland]

I worked a a company for five years as a logistics and distribution manager. And all that we did was buy computers from IBM and Dell and Colleges Schools and the State auctions. We would bring them in and dismantle the junk ones filling careboys with the different types of metals. And the old monitors we would send them out have them crushed and the cores sent back to us. And taking all of the good parts and selling them for market value. But I was always amazed at the amount of money that was being made for the scrape. Just in monitor cores for the copper we were making close to 10k a week for the copper and for the cpu's and the gold in them we would have at that time 3k a week at thee prices today that would be well over 10k. There is a ton of money to be made in scrape http://gold.diggingnewengland.com

[theirratonalist]

I worked a a company for five years as a logistics and distribution manager. And all that we did was buy computers from IBM and Dell and Colleges Schools and the State auctions. We would bring them in and dismantle the junk ones filling careboys with the different types of metals. And the old monitors we would send them out have them crushed and the cores sent back to us. And taking all of the good parts and selling them for market value. But I was always amazed at the amount of money that was being made for the scrape. Just in monitor cores for the copper we were making close to 10k a week for the copper and for the cpu's and the gold in them we would have at that time 3k a week at thee prices today that would be well over 10k. There is a ton of money to be made in scrape

We appreciate your two-cents, but you can't sell your BS to us buddy. Everybody here knows that computer monitors are considered hazardous materials when being recycled, and that you didn't make any money by sending them away. Especially over 5 years ago. Plus, there is no "crushing" involved in any type of monitor or computer recycling I know of. Units are disassembled by hand whenever possible. There is definitly money to be made from Computer Recycling and Monitor Recycling, but there is not a single place on this planet where you can send computer monitors off and have them send back "copper cores" which you sell for profit.

[hypoman]

More specifically you steal them from your moms "house" when she is having grown up time with another new daddy. *Please let this one love me, please let this one love me!*

[allen]

great job on that trade !!

[jerseyben]

How much is a cord on a TV worth in scrap approximately? I have access to about 10 small TVs for 25 cents each. I just want to know if it is worth my time to buy them all for $2.50 JUST to cut the cords and then have to dispose of the rest later.

[markmopar]

I've been opening up every TV and old monitor I find and grabbing the degaussing loop and coils off the back of the tubes for the copper. Some also have good sized aluminum heatsinks on the circuit boards.
Then I dump the rest at the local hazmat dropoff near my house.

[boogeyman]

I've been opening up every TV and old monitor I find and grabbing the degaussing loop and coils off the back of the tubes for the copper. Some also have good sized aluminum heatsinks on the circuit boards.
Then I dump the rest at the local hazmat dropoff near my house.

Same here, except I screw the cases back together and set em on the curb until the Mexicans come steal them. Saves the $10 hazmat fee.

[jerseyben]

I've been opening up every TV and old monitor I find and grabbing the degaussing loop and coils off the back of the tubes for the copper. Some also have good sized aluminum heatsinks on the circuit boards.
Then I dump the rest at the local hazmat dropoff near my house.

Same here, except I screw the cases back together and set em on the curb until the Mexicans come steal them. Saves the $10 hazmat fee.

If they are on the curb, is that really stealing?

[boogeyman]

I've been opening up every TV and old monitor I find and grabbing the degaussing loop and coils off the back of the tubes for the copper. Some also have good sized aluminum heatsinks on the circuit boards.
Then I dump the rest at the local hazmat dropoff near my house.

Same here, except I screw the cases back together and set em on the curb until the Mexicans come steal them. Saves the $10 hazmat fee.

If they are on the curb, is that really stealing?

Don't know, but when you watch em on the camera they skulk up grab em & keep looking over their shoulders. Kinda funny. Just wish I had video of them when they find out they've been gutted. As long as they don't bring em back I'm happy

[manorman]

I love you guys that go around and cut the cords of good working electroincs that someone is trying to give away on craigslist,
you get 13 cents for the cord and ruin a good 25.00 to 50.00 TV or stereo.

[boogeyman]

I love you guys that go around and cut the cords of good working electroincs that someone is trying to give away on craigslist,
you get 13 cents for the cord and ruin a good 25.00 to 50.00 TV or stereo.

Far from it my friend, The TVs I chuck are at a point where it's not worth the parts or time to repair.
That's where having a good contact list comes in handy. If a seller or repair shop won't buy it, it goes on the scrap pile. What would cost me $10 per at the haz mat dump goes to the curb.

NOTE: a good contact list = better profits less cash outlay.