Last week, I went  looking through my scrap pile and came up empty. So, I decided to scrap all the "unusable" pieces since  I was going into town anyway to my steel supplier. I had 500# of steel and a little brass and bronze and copper scraps that I set aside.  When I'm done, that little bit of brass/copper brought more than than all the steel. I figure that it paid for my gas and bought me lunch.  Oh well, now I have room to start saving scrap again !

Happy New Year,

Huge drop in price last year. Almost doesn't pay to do clean-up!!

Neil

This is what happens when China backs off on their buying frenzy. Steel is 1/2¢ a pound in Southern Utah and you have to have a minimum of 1,000# to get paid at all,  which is fine by me. It means that less classic cars will be crushed, and other good iron scrapped for a quick buck. Too many wrecking yards cleared their yards already. One was full of cars from the 50's and 60's, the video was sickening....

I'm with you, Doc. Anyone here who had a trailer was hauling vintage ag equipment to the scrap yard, much not even cut to the higher paying "prepared" dimensions. I can't save it all but rejoice in finding what's escaped so far...

Its the same this side of the pond. But the upside is that there are fewer scrappies nosing around.

Yup, same here for sure. My local scrappy has been hit hard by the Chinese. As a matter of fact I'm going to visit the scrappy today. 

I tend not to bother weighing in my scrap. I don't have space to store much so I clear it out regularly, theres an van that drives round from time to time picking up scrap metal and they often leave my place with a few bits. It's just not worth weighing it in for me. 

 

All the best 

Andy

Steel is not worth a cracker here. We have got rid of hundreds of tons (literally) of scrap for no return. The only things worth much are copper and brass which is bringing about $2.50 a kilo, last time I took some in.

Low scrap prices have not yet had an effect on the cost of "new" steel, ... but maybe someday .....

 

If there's an "upside" to the situation, ... it might be, that you won't need to "guard" your junk, quite so vigilantly. 

 

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Checked today and the local junk yard is paying $1.75 per 100 pounds. Sorted structural steel, or engine blocks are a bit higher at $3.75 per hundred.

 

On the other hand, if you work with scrap much, great time to add to the pile.

Local scrap yard raises an eye brow when you pay them to haul off their scrap.

It is a great time to look for that chunk of metal that will be useful as an anvil, round, square, rectangular flat bar, angle iron, etc. Check and see if they will let you replenish YOUR scrap pile and take the big truck.

I have the scrapper we deal with at work on the lookout for forklift tines, and other heavy scrap for me.

My local scrapyard is quite happy that I am willing to trade cash for metal.  They have a long haul to get it to where they sell it---about 200 miles; so getting money without paying for shipping is a big plus.  They hadn't lowered my price yet still 20 cents US a pound.

I took in 2 - 5'x 10' trailer loads of scrap junk from the farm thought I'd get something for it $18 total and only that because of a small amount of alum.  I told them I'd pay a lot more than $02c a lb but their zoning will not let them sell retail.  The manager told me they may close for the winter as nobody is bringing in stuff.  I had to get rid of mine.  Didn't pay gas to haul to yard or diesel to haul it out of the woods and load it.  Last few items I had I threw in the recycle bin for weekly  PU. 

Wondered why my neighbor hadn't been around looking for steel this fall.  I've found none in CT that will let me in or sell me stuff, all saying zoning and/or liability.

notownkid, I ran into that yesterday. went to the scrapyard that a few years ago had said i could buy stuff. When i went yesterday I was told he dosnt sell to the public and that he isnt licensed to sell. Did something change in the past few years on scrap dealers selling to individuals ?! Ugh... maybe he was in a bad mood with scrap being down? I dunno. It's one of the smaller yards and I thought i'd be able to scrounge a bit.

Tho, on my way out he mentioned he had a LG power hammer he might be selling and to get back to him later. he didnt give details but pricewise he said around $3000.

I'll probably have to explore my other avenues for some scrap.

 

Instead of big interest scrap businesses, visit fabrication/manufacturing shops for scrap.

If they have work their scrap is piling up and as stated above, it's not worth kicking into the corner. 

Don't bug the big guys. Look for owner operators, bring a widget/gift/6pack. 

This should actually be a stellar time for getting your scrap on. 

Your metal suppliers will be offering good deals on remnant and scrap, mine are.

Be prepared to make a decent offer on a large pile to turn heads. 

Paying $100 for a pile of scrap might make some of you faint but if you have enough stock to get you

through a couple of years of forging it will be worth it. 

 

 

 

Flip side of the problem, as others noted, is if you buy scrap the cost drop is nice.  I was at my local scrap yard yesterday, hauled away more than I could load without help for just a few bucks.  I haven't bought "retail" steel in forever, not when a good scrap yard is so close by.  

If you have a grinding metal recycle yard make friends with the manager. They have lots of good grade stuff they can't grind. I got great deals on huge piece of steel for an anvil. They will usually sell anything they can't sfread. Usually really high grade steel cheap

Times change eh? Scrap yards I'm aware of in south central Alaska all operate under single buyer contracts so they're liable if they sell anything to anybody but the contract buyer. It's all been getting loaded on bulk cargo ships bound for China.

Well, it seems the Chinese are learning about building a supply faster than the market will bear. They built so many foundries and mills they can't afford to sell to cover fuel combined with how over extended their entire economy is right now they're not buying much of anything.

Who knows someone might open a couple American mills eh? I'm waiting for the time when China is found in breach and local scrap yards start selling to anybody again.

Frosty The Lucky.

On 1/3/2016 at 1:34 PM, territorialmillworks said:

Last week, I went  looking through my scrap pile and came up empty. So, I decided to scrap all the "unusable" pieces since  I was going into town anyway to my steel supplier. I had 500# of steel and a little brass and bronze and copper scraps that I set aside.  When I'm done, that little bit of brass/copper brought more than than all the steel. I figure that it paid for my gas and bought me lunch.  Oh well, now I have room to start saving scrap again !

For some reason scrap yards here in central Mississippi they won't sell to individuals 

I had given up on finding one in this area and quite literally stumbled upon a Metal Recycling/Scrap yard while out driving around some back roads.  Called them and they were only too happy to sell, I visit regularly now.  Just dumb luck finding it. 

Insurance liability is a big factor here in the USA  Most scrapyards are pretty much disneylands of danger.  As for mills the Arcelor Mittal plant in Vinton is where you exit I10 to get to my place down here.

I went to a scrap yard near here that sells to the public yesterday. I just found out about it. When I got there they gave me a few rules and pointed me in the right direction and turned me loose. I did my very best to not break their rules. I carried each piece I wanted to one area and they let me drive in and load it. They weighed me going in and out. I had a pretty full truck load and the guy asked if $20.00 was ok? I gave him 30 and said they could have lunch on me. They were very nice guys but strict on the rules. I hope to build a good relationship with these guys. I'm just thrilled to find this place. As we were leaving one of the guys said to me, some people haul in this scrap to pay their electric bill and I buy the scrap to make something so I can pay my electric bill. It was a good day.

That's great hillbilly. My guys are really nice too. I just have to get in early before they get going and they take me to the stuff and load it.  You buy those guys lunch 1 time and they'll be calling you.

HIllbilly: take in some pictures of blacksmithing tools and offer a reward if they set any aside for you. Don't forget to forge up something nice for the secretary and maybe bring in a box of doughnuts when you go shopping.

Frosty The Lucky.