How To Not Suck At Scrapping

how to not suck at scrappingSo you want to recycle some metal. Awesome, you’re officially part of the largest recycling movement in the world! But if you want to be good at it so you can make some extra money, you have to make sure you don’t suck at it and you do it the right and efficient way. We like to compare scrapping to a domesticated dog and a wild dog; the domesticated dog will run all over the woods smelling things and checking EVERYTHING out, whereas the wild dog will know exactly what places to find food with little energy used.

The iScrap App Team wants to help you be the wild dog and use your scrapping knowledge and instinct to find the best scores and places to find scrap metal. Profits from scrapping is an important part of making your efforts worthwhile. We have some tips that can help you get the best profits and the biggest bang for your buck when you are recycling metals and heading to your scrap yard.

Time vs. Efficiency

best-time-to-go-to-a-scrap-yardWhen you are trying to make some extra money scrapping, it is easy to get carried away taking some items apart for the metals inside. However there is a balance that has to be found when it comes to being efficient on items that will make you extra money and wasting time on things that will not bring you any increase in profits. Learning this instinct when scrapping is a skill and comes with time and experience.

When you are collecting items that can be taken apart for other items inside does not mean you HAVE to take them apart. Spending your time wisely one things that will have a quick turn around and you can take them apart efficiently are things you want to focus on. For example your time is more well spent taking apart a computer tower for the e-scrap items inside, rather than dissecting a printer that is built of mostly plastic. So be sure to know what things are going to be efficient to take apart and will make you more money at the scale.

Quick Buck vs. Smart Buck

smart_bannerThis is related back to using your knowledge and experience in the scrap metal industry. If you are collecting scrap metal on a regular basis (daily, weekly) is can be very tempting to quickly bring it to the scrap yard for a quick payout. This is valid if you don’t have anywhere to store your scrap, however if you have the space to sort through your materials it can make a world of a difference.

We are constantly telling scrappers to sort their materials at least in ferrous and non-ferrous piles, but it is even more important to separate the different metals. This can be difference between a smart scrap haul and a quick one. For example, if you just emptied out an old business, there is probably some electronics mix in with steel desks. By taking 30 minutes to sort through your material before heading to the yard can make you upwards of 75% more by separating the electronics and ferrous metals.

Injury vs. Safety

scrapping safetySo what’s more important to you, getting something done right now at all costs or being able to scrap tomorrow. You’d be surprised at some of the people who are more concerned with just finishing something and in turn get hurt or injured while scrapping. We have heard of too many accidents that could have been avoided when scrapping that restrict a scrapper from working for days, weeks, or even months. If you are looking to make a living from scrap metal or a secondary paycheck to help pay for bills, it’s important for you to remain safe while scrapping and not get hurt.

By consciously working in a safe environment and using the correct protective gear while working, you allow yourself to continue to work day in and day out. For example, if you are scrapping in boots you can prevent your toes from breaking if you drop a heavy object on it while unloading your truck, as opposed to wearing flip flops because they were “convenient”.

Best Yard vs. Best Prices

How to check scrap pricesWe get it, you’ve been scrapping since you could walk and you’ve visited the same yard over and over again every time you need to scrap. But have you ever considered looking around at other yards and see what kind of scrap prices they are offering? There may be some local scrap yards in your area that pay higher prices than your regular scrap yard and it could be worth it for you to check them out. Or it could be the case that they only pay more money for certain metals like copper or brass, but your regular yard pays for higher for steel and other ferrous metals.

Finding the best scrap prices in your area and the best scrap yard to go to, could be two completely different things. It is really dependent on how far you are willing to drive for better prices. For example, you could drive 5 miles extra round trip to get better prices for your aluminum, but by the time you gas up your truck or car, you are spending that extra money just to make the trip. Map out the best best options and check prices with the iScrap App directory and reported prices feature.

Do Things The Right Way & You Won’t Suck

When you are beginner scrapper or was born with a wire stripper in your hand, it’s important to know what options you have for spending your time and effort on when scrapping. When you are looking to make the most profit when scrapping, you want to ensure that you can get the most money for your time.

Whether that equates to spending more time taking things apart, separating your metals, or using the best safety techniques to ensure you can stay on the road, you have to make those decisions. Remember some situations call for different measures but a key on how to not suck at scrapping is to know when to make the RIGHT call.

Comment Below With Your Best Tips On Not Sucking At Scrapping

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