Time to visit your local scrap yard

[Cedge]

I'm always dropping in on the locals scrap yards, so I'm usually up on the current trend for scrap prices, at least for aluminum and brass. I stopped buying back in August when my favorite haunt raised prices to above $1.50 per pound. My other source, who is always higher, raised theirs to nearly $2.50 per pound. At those levels a nice piece of round stock can eat your cash pretty fast.

I dropped in on the higher priced outfit this week and spotted a nice long stalk of 2.25 inch yellow brass. When I asked them for a price per pound I was shocked to hear him say $1.25. That is what I was paying them...... 3 years ago. I haven't had the chance to stop in at the other yard, yet, but if the trend is what it appears to be, I just might have to load up when I get there.

It might pay to take a trip to your own scrap supplier and see if things might have eased off in your area as well. I was lucky enough to buy a fair stock when prices were low and didn't have to buy any when things got crazy. It just might be a good time for you to add to your own stock library.... then you'll feel like a genius when the price shoots up next time. It pays to have a look around.... eh?

Steve
Lucky enough to find $.50 - $.85/pound scrap bar stock brass in the very recent past.

 

[Philjoe5]

You are a lucky man indeed. Not having a local source of brass such as yours I'm frequently trolling on eBay. Prices have eased a bit but I consider myself lucky to get brass delivered to my door for less than $3/lb and $2.50/lb without shipping charges.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[Kermit]

I went to two scrap metal yards here last year, when I first embarked on this hobby.

To make a long story short...They said to "get lost." They don't sell to individuals. A rather disappointing interaction with my fellow man type of situation.

I haven't tried it since then. Maybe its a local regulation or law or something like that.
???

 

[Cedge]

Kermit
The major scrap company in our area has the same policy, even though I have contacts high in the company. Insurance is the reason and I understand their stance. The two yards I frequent are much smaller and are basically feeding the big company. Being smaller, they are also a bit more approachable. I've posted before about befriending the yard man and still advise showing up with a box of donuts to grease the hinges on closed doors. It won't always work, but I've had more than one sugar starved secretary point out the guy on the yard with the keys to the treasures.

It also never hurts to have a small defenseless little engine tucked under your arm to show them your both for real and relatively harmless, as you explain the Projectitus affliction with which you are so severely burdened.

A small engine has gotten me into places I'd never have managed on my own. Plating operations, wood working, scrap yards, industrial and parts suppliers, and even a few restricted machine shops, all of whom were almost immediately interested enough to give me assistance, once I let them fondle my small engine.

Steve

 

[rake60]

We have a few major league scrap yards here that are too important
to sell to any individuals. With the value of scrap today I wish them
the best at that attitude.

We also have one Mom & Pop operated scrap yard where I am very
well known. I go there on Saturday mornings about 10:00AM.
A short visit with the owners wife gets the approval to go and ask
the scale master for permission to walk around the yard.
I ALWAYS walk into the scale house with a case of beer in hand.
The usual response is: "Hey, Rick's here and be brought breakfast."
The more time I spend there, the lower the carry out prices become.
There were a couple visits there when I got tied up visiting in the
scale house after my shopping spree. The drive home was a little
fuzzy but it is all back roads so no harm, no foul.
*beer*

Rick

 

[dmartine1]

Hey Rick, which one of the two is most succesful in getting yourself in
1) your visit to the owner's wife :big:
2) the beer?

Reading your lines makes us wander what kind of visit you are having ;D

Just kidding you!

Cheers
Denis

 

[ChooChooMike]

all of whom were almost immediately interested enough to give me assistance, once I let them fondle my small engine.

There's some serious jokes in there, but I'll let everyone make up there own .... :big:

:hDe:

Rof}

 

[Artie]

There was this kinky small brass engine that walked into a bar........... awww.. you guys deal with it..... im far too into my bottle of red..... :-X

 

[lathe nut]

I frequent one in the area, bring them gloves, plastic safety glasses they put things aside for me now, when I pull up they say your things are over here, those little things mean a lot to those fellows, went this week and they must have had 100 pounds, round stock, flat stock, some 2 1/2 square, 3 inch brass and some 2 1/2 bronze, I though I don't have that much cash on me when the owner came up and was telling me his machine that lifts the cans was broken, could not locate two one inch pillow block bearing was going to take him a week to get some, I told him that I had two new one and would be back in an hour (got them off eBay $ 20.00) gave him the bearing and he said load this fellow up with what ever he needs, got all that plus more and he said he will do that several more times, I was glad to help him and we both come out good, happy hunting, Lathe Nut

 

[shred]

There was this kinky small brass engine that walked into a bar........... awww.. you guys deal with it..... im far too into my bottle of red..... :-X

I had a big band-aid on my forehead for a few days a few months ago. Guys at work (white-collar desk job) asked about it. I said "I walked into a bar".
...
I was rearranging the shop and left the end of a length of 1x2" brass bar protruding from a shelf at head level... ;D

 

[lathe nut]

shred, bet you are the only one in the group that something happened to like that, Right, I like even better when I get up from the floor and one catches me in the back, like the long slender scratch the leaves, the fun that one can have by one's self, Lathe Nut

 

[d-m]

Hi all
The scrap yard is not were I look for my brass as most of the stuff we (or I ) make is under .500, I have the wife on the lookout in the thrift stores for brass candle holders never sold by the weight just what the traffic can bare.
LOL
Dave