Am I Crazy?

[Ryan1979]

Here is what I'm thinking. I live two blocks from a big scrap recycler. They take any and everything.

I drive about 8 miles to work. They are always remodeling, updating, etc. They have a number of huge roll-off type dumpsters that always have some type of metal in them. Sometimes steel, aluminum, copper, etc.

I think I can get permission from the facilities people to take whatever I want.

Do you think it is worth it to buy a cheap pickup to fill up with scrap after work? Then in the morning, I could sell the scrap and repeat the process the 4 days a week that I work. If I get $40 each day for four days, that is about $160 per week. Give or take here and there. The gas cost would be just more than I pay now per week to get to work, because one way or another, I still have to drive to work 4 days per week.

The time factor would be minimal other than loading it up from the roll-off. However, can I justify the expense of a pickup?

Any and all ideas appreciated.

 

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[snake35]

Sounds like a good idea to me. I think $40.00 per day might be a little high though. Good luck.

 

[fiatboy]

Hmmm...depends on how much the pickup costs.

 

[salugrad]

Sounds like a great idea if you can find a cheap truck.

 

[Peg Leg]

If you really want to make a money check the local electric company and buy all their old switches the ones with contacts. Commercial switches are the way to go. Then take a tourch and remove the contacts. You end up with NO. 1 copper and Precious metal contacts.
Copper is getting $2.66 a pound and SILVER is abut $13.00 a troy ounce. Some of the points contail some very expensive precious metals.
The electric companies do not have the time to seperate the contacts.
Peg Leg

 

[hyderconsulting]

You need to look at a two things to justify to yourself whether or not you should do this. One, look at what is actually showing up in the dumpsters at work and what you think the actual value is in copper, steel, aluminum and so on. This is to get some sort of average figure for the metal values. The other thing is to try to estimate time involved in moving the metal, separating it out, prep work on it and so on. All of this will give you an idea of how much you are making per hour and then you can decide if it is worth your while. Now the hard part of this may be that you will not be able to figure this out until you go ahead and try collecting the metal and selling it. This is often the case with scrapping. And what's more you only know what your time is worth to you. This is the case always. You could borrow a pickup truck from a buddy and try to see you how all of this works for you. That's what I would do since you are basing a decision on buying a truck. Generally speaking, buying a pickup truck will help you make money in scrapping anyway you look at it. Hope I helped. Regards, Chris Hyder.

 

[Urban Prospector]

Ever consider a small trailer that your current car can tow? Their cheap to purchase and no additional insurance is necessary, the registration is cheap too. Also it car be detached and left loaded if your after hours at the yard.

 

[snake35]

If you can find a cheap pickup you find uses for it all the time. However,unless your a mechanic a cheap pickup will probably require repairs quite often. You may be better served by purchasing a better truck.

 

[Keppy]

I got myself a 5x10 trailer with 27 inch high sides it is bigger than a pick up and i got a Jeep with a hitch and a SUV with a hitch don't need a pick up. 8) 8) ==Jim==