Many of us these days are often looking for new and novel ways to make some extra cash but there is a tried and trusted way to bring home the bacon with a little bit of know-how, a few sturdy containers, and a magnet.
Use a magnet to separate the metals into ferrous, which will stick to the magnet, and nonferrous. Ignore the ferrous metals as they have less value. Sort the metals into types, the most common being copper, aluminum, and brass. Remove any paints or plastics and ensure the metals are clean. Contact your nearest scrap metal dealer to get a valuation.
What you will need to find, sort, and move your scrap metal
Finding your scrap metals.
The first thing you need to do is find a source of scrap metals. This can be done by checking out your local area to see if your neighbors are getting rid of anything such as old white goods, furniture, or large pieces of scrap metal.
Secondly, you can check out local businesses to see if they are looking to shift some old equipment or items, they often have to pay to do this so they may be happy to let you remove it free of charge for them.
Lastly, there’s the good old internet. Sites like craigslist may have people trying to offload old scrap metal in the form of busted, old, or tatty stuff. You can help them too by relieving them of their unwanted items.
Before you start attacking your haul you may want to check to see if you can get more for salvaging your haul before breaking it down as it may be worth more as is. For example, someone may be tossing out some old wrought iron garden chairs because they are all rusty and neglected with a decent sandblast or sanding and a fresh coat of paint you may be sitting on bigger dollars than its scrap weight value. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure as they say.
Keeping a supply of scrap
You may want to find the owners or managers of building complexes to offer a free scrap collection service and could even supply free collection bins to encourage participation. You could also try second-hand shops or pawn shops that have excess or scrap inventory they may wish to get rid of.
Sorting your scrap metals
It’s quite easy to sort your metals, depending on the sizes involved. For smaller sizes, a set of sturdy plastic boxes would be ideal to keep your metals in until you have enough to sell. It will also help you gauge how much you have and when it’s a good time to cash in.
As you will be encountering a variety of both ferrous and nonferrous metals a magnet will be your best friend here. It does not have to be overly large but big enough to react through a few layers of paint or plastic coating. If you are unfamiliar with the various metals we have a selection of the more valuable nonferrous metals below to help you choose wisely to make the biggest return.
Moving your scrap metals
You may need to invest in a moving dolly and maybe a trailer too if you only have a small vehicle or one you are not happy to fill with often dirty scrap metal.
Some larger items like white goods (fridges, washing machines, etc) may need a truck or van to move if you are looking at a few of these at a time so plan what you are and are not willing to get involved with.
Copper – How to identify and prepare it for sale
Copper is usually a reddish color but can have darker brown hues and may even have a slight green patina if it has been exposed to the air. You will find copper in older pipes and plumbing fittings, and refrigerator units, but most commonly in cabling and electronics. If you are lucky enough to find an old office block that is getting rid of its old computer network infrastructure then you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank as there could be hundreds of miles of cables to be removed. For larger pipes and fittings you will need to remove and paint or coatings to make them ready for sale.
Depending on the type of cables you have they can possibly be repurposed into new cables and sold at a larger profit. CAT 5 and CAT6 computer cables are worth very little for their copper but much more than computer cables.
Brass – How to identify and prepare it for sale
Brass is a yellowy red color and is usually found in older buildings on fittings like light fittings, pipe fittings, and door furniture like doorknobs and hinges.
It’s a very dense metal made of an alloy of copper and zinc so if you are fortunate to find brass in your haul then you’ll get some good cash per pound.
Scrubbing it with a stiff brush to remove any tarnishing or paint will usually be sufficient to bring it up to scratch, remember it doesn’t have to be pristine, just so it’s easily identifiable.
Aluminum – How to identify and prepare it for sale
When we think of aluminum we often think of the humble drinks can and you are right, but we can also find it in window frames, gutters and doors so keep your eyes peeled. It’s a very lightweight metal so you may not get as much bang for your buck here but because it takes 80% less energy to recycle aluminum than it does to make it from scratch it makes it a more sought-after material.
Stainless Steel – How to identify and prepare it for sale
You will expect stainless steel to attract a magnet as it is 70% steel but because it also contains a minimum of 8% nickel it stops the magnet from sticking but also makes the item more valuable as nickel is not a cheap metal.
You will need to give stainless steel a good scrub to get it up to scratch but you will often find that older stainless steel, despite the name, actually blackens and stains. given that you are looking to recycle it to obtain that valuable nickel as long as it’s not too crusted with detritus and other unsavory materials you will be ok.
How much could I get for my scrap metal?
These are approximate values as the price for materials is constantly changing due to scarcity and demand.
- Ferrous metals: $.08-$.12 per lb. These metals are common so will command a smaller price but they can weigh a lot
- Copper: $2.80 -$3.00 per lb. Rarer than it used to be but still prevalent in many older buildings.
- Insulated copper wire: $1 per lb. But can often be remade into alternative cabling to sell at a higher price.
- Brass: $2 per lb. Rarer, like copper, if you can find older renovations then you may be able to snag the door furniture.
- Stainless steel: $.50 cents per lb. Bigger items like double sinks and restaurant kitchen equipment can net a good haul
- Aluminum: $.50 cents per lb. Collecting cans can be depressing but can be easily found and the cash can grow fast.
Is it worth finding and selling scrap metal?
Yes, of course, it is. If you are looking for a few extra dollars as a side hustle or if you are after making a decent living out of it then selling scrap metal can be for you. You could easily find yourself earning a few hundred dollars and month right up to over a hundred dollars a day if you are more determined. Good luck and happy hunting!
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