24, Dec, 2019

Whether you need some extra money for holiday/birthday shopping or you are looking for some extra pocket change, scrapping metal can be an effective way to make quick cash. Not only is it an effective economic resource, but it is also environmentally beneficial, so it is truly a win-win. In the past, we covered the basics of scrap metal recycling including finding the right yard, metals you cannot scrap, and basic factors that influence the price of metal. Today we are covering a few strategies that can improve how much money you make when you scrap.

Organize Your Scrap Metal

We have said this a few times in the past. But if you want to be a seasoned scrapper, you need to consider organizing your scrap metal. Bringing a mixd container of random metals is fine for a novice who just wants to quickly clean out their garage and get some quick cash, but if you want the most bang for your buck you need to organize. If you bring a bin of mixed metals you are most likely going to get paid for the average metal (although that doesn’t stop some scrap metal yards from paying you for the cheapest metal in the bin). No matter what strategy of payment your yard is using, organizing your metal makes you the most money. It is as simple as that. If you are planning on scrapping metal consistently, get used to organizing your metal from the get-go. If you are confused about a metal component you have, consider using the online scrapping community to help identify your metals. Seasoned scrappers have pre-labeled bins with the most common metals already labeled to ensure they can quickly and efficiently make the mot on their scrap.

Separate (Clean) Your Scrap Metal

Slightly different from organizing your metal, you need to separate metal pieces that are conjoined. Break your metal down into single pieces of like metals. This is the difference between clean and unclean metal. Unfortunately, some novices to scrapping assume that “unclean” metal refers to rust or damage and they actually think they need to clean the metal. When scrap yards delineate between clean or unclean fins or other metal components they are talking about how much work they will need to do to separate the metal you brought into different metal pieces. Strip insulated wires*, break down machines like air conditioners, and generally separate pieces of metal into their base components. *Be mindful of stripping insulated wires. This is best done when you have a large number of insulated wires to deal with. Fifty pounds of insulated wires will become lighter when all the insulation is removed, so you need to be mindful of how much metal you actually have relative to insulation.

Be Strategic When You Scrap

The larger your load of metal, the better the payday. There are many benefits to hoarding your metal before bringing it to the yard. You can track prices and wait for your metals to increase in value. You can save on gas and time by combining multiple trips into one large trip. And generally, it is just more valuable to scrap large amounts of metal a few times a year instead of small amounts every few days.

Come To Taunton Scrap Metal

More questions about when/what to scrap? Come to Taunton Scrap Metal. Our team can help you effectively and efficiently scrap your metal. The above strategies are beneficial for scrappers that want to ensure that they get the most money for their scrap, however, they are a bit labor-intensive and they require that scrappers have some experience, tools, and time on their hands. Many newer scrappers choose to save time by just bringing scrap metal whenever it builds up. We are happy to recycle your metal regardless of what method you prefer. Give us a call to learn more about our yard or follow this link for directions.