Author: Andrew

How to Melt Your Own Scrap

Warning: We do not recommend doing this as part of your scrapping technique, but if you want to know how to melt your own scrap.

First things first, separate all of your scrap appropriately. This is important for many reasons, the main reason is that metals all have different melting points, and for consistency purposes.

Secondly, put all of your scrap into a receptacle that is large enough to accommodate the scrap. You may want to clean your scrap with baking soda first to remove loose corrosion.

Next, take a torch and adjust the heat according to the type of metal that you are melting. Copper, brass and gold, for example, will melt between about 926 degrees Celsius and 1,100 degrees Celsius. You should always verify the melting points of your scrap.

For safety, use a pair of welding work gloves and direct the torch’s flame towards the receptacle. Once the scrap metal has melted into a liquid form, it is ready to pour into a mold (ingot). You can expedite the process by having a second person hold a second torch to the receptacle , basically doubling the heat output.

Lastly, once the metal has been liquefied into molten, you can pour it into an ingot or other type of mold in order to create whatever shape you want. For safety and to avoid burning yourself, use high heat tongs to move and pour out the receptacle.

You can repeat the same procedure for each of the different scrap metals that you have to sell. If you are taking the melted scrap to a scrap dealer, it is recommended that you place the liquefied material into a cooled form (as this are easier to weigh and transport). This makes the material easier to handle and to be sorted and weighed for best results.

Scrap metal is everywhere you look, either in a residential home and even on farm land. Usually someone who scraps will spend most days scouring areas and driving to pick up different scrap components from individuals who need it to be removed. Ever wonder what scrap metal machines are used to facilitate the process?
Scrap is usually brought to a facility like Amceps, where it is processed for resale. Other yards, like a junkyard or auto yard usually resale their scrap as a whole for lower amounts. Most scrap metal sellers have sorted their scrap themselves for a better pricing model.
The largest custom piece of equipment is a scrap metal shredder. A scrap metal shredder assist in the separation of different metals, and is used usually at yards like Amceps, who take Ferrous and Non Ferrous materials. Some examples are cars and household items such as refrigerators, ovens, washers and dryers and so on. These items take a ton of time to separate, a shredder can easily separated out these pieces magnetically. A non-ferrous grouping requires hand techniques to sort.

Shredders allow large sums of scrap to be sorted, therefore allowing companies to save on man power and time. Scrap metal shredders can be equipped with different types of cutting systems such as horizontal shaft, vertical shaft, single-shaft, two-shaft, three-shaft and four-shaft cutting systems. Though these technical aspects vary, the main point of the modern shredder is to add value of the scrap being sold. Ultimately, increasing the overall amount scrap metal dealers can payout and of course increasing profitability. As technology advances we’ll find other products in a scrap yard which will increase productivity and profitability such as metal bailing systems, scrap shears (for cutting large pieces into smaller ones), drum crushers (for crushing large drums) and most importantly metal analyzers that speed up the separation process for each new load brought in.

Without going into a long drawn out list of what our yard takes and doesn’t take, we thought we would explain why we don’t take one specific product, beer kegs. Why? Well, at some point, common sense has to take over. Cars without titles, explosives or machinery with serial numbers and no owner documentation are these type of common sense items we’re talking about. Anything that smells stolen or dangerous has to be omitted for practical, safety and CYA reasons.

So we’ll go straight to the point, on our website it list three items we don’t accept…beer kegs, plastic or paper and cardboard. Odd list, they really don’t go together at all, but paper, plastic and cardboard do get recycled and some folks often mistake all recycling vendors as the same, as if the process across the board is no different. That’s fine, we live and learn.

Beer kegs on the other hand is a recyclable product we could accept, but do not. Why? The answers not totally simple as I’ll explain, but after a bit of reading and research it should make sense. The number one reason is that most people, and I mean almost all people, don’t own, or would never need to own a beer keg. Fine, that’s acceptable, but that doesn’t explain why it can’t be sold for scrap. It actually does. Those beer kegs are generally sold by individuals who have forgotten or just plain refused to return the keg to the retailer that they rented it from. The beer is purchased, but the keg is merely the distribution method used to distribute the beer out to the masses. Those kegs cost about $150 to create and the retailer or the beer distributor actually owns the keg. Even if you paid a deposit, lost it due to negligence, the ownership still stands with someone other than yourself. Just like a car, you couldn’t sell or scrap a rental car after you were finished renting it.

Beer keg theft is rampant, the average keg will get $15-$30 when recycled. Many restaurants, bars and taverns and started demanding that local scrap yards check ID when accepting kegs for cash. With that, Amcep has decided to not accept kegs overall as part of our policy in discouraging keg theft in the first place.

Ultimately it’s up you in your decision making process, either way you’ll pay more in the long run by not returning the keg back, and trying to recoup $15 of your deposit back. It’s far better goodwill, to return it back to the retailer you rented it from.

There are different types of ferrous metals, iron and steel scrap, also referred to as ferrous scrap, comes from end of life products (old or obsolete scrap) as well as scrap generated from the manufacturing process (new, prime or prompt scrap). Obsolete ferrous scrap is recovered from automobiles, steel structures, household appliances, railroad tracks, ships, farm equipment and other sources. The largest single source of obsolete ferrous scrap in the United States is used vehicles, and R.L. Polk & Co. estimates that nearly 11.8 million vehicles were scrapped in the U.S. in 2012.

Today, ferrous scrap is the most recycled material in the United States and worldwide. In the U.S. alone, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that 72 million metric tons of iron and steel scrap were purchased in 2012. While domestic ferrous scrap market participants have been facing heightened competition for available feedstock in recent years, expanding economic output in general and the recently improving conditions in the automotive and construction sectors in particular should bode well for future ferrous scrap supply and demand.

View historical data on U.S. iron and steel scrap consumption, producer stocks, and production.

How Is Ferrous Scrap Prepared?

While a small proportion of unprepared obsolete ferrous scrap can be directly used by consumers, the vast majority of purchased iron and steel scrap is sorted and processed by the scrap recycling industry. Scrapyards use a variety of processes including sorting, shearing, shredding, torching and baling to sort and prepare ferrous scrap to commodity-grade specifications.

The process of shredding, which was developed in the late 1950s, allows for whole cars, appliances and other end-of-life products to be quickly shredded into fist-size pieces of metal, greatly increasing scrap processors´ ability to handle large items and to separate nonferrous material. In 2013, more than 350 shredders were in operation in North America, up from just 120 shredders in the early 1970s.

In addition to shredded, ferrous scrap can be grouped by prime scrap (including busheling, bundles and clips), cut grades such and heavy melting steel, and foundry and miscellaneous grades such as machinery cast. To assist members with the buying and selling of their materials, ISRI has developed standard specifications for scrap commodities including more than 100 ferrous scrap specifications. ISRI´s “specs” are regularly updated and published in the ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular. For more information, visit www.isri.org/specs.

Rumor has it (if you believe those sort of things), the US ferrous scrap market price is gearing up for robust trade, with sellers inspired by the prospect of increases in the cards while buyers are trying to talk some steam out of the market.

Sellers and buyers do agree that the market is moving higher, but whether all grades will rise in tandem in each region remains to be seen, as well as whether prime continues to outpace secondary grades like shredded or if the reverse will occur in some areas.

buyers in the Midwest and South said that sellers are unwilling to attach a price to their scrap, leaving buyers unclear on how much dealers want for August-shipment material.

Throughout the country, the numbers being thrown around are that the market will increase in a range of $10 per gross ton to excess of $20 per ton, depending on the grade and region.

A combination of an unplanned outage at a direct-reduced iron (DRI) plant in Louisiana owned by Nucor Corp. will add pressure to an already tight prime scrap market, while secondary grades are facing their own set of dynamics as the export market flexes muscle at attractive prices. The latest export deal reflects shredded scrap is up at least $30 per tonne compared with early July deals, making the export market an attractive option for sellers who generally sell to the domestic market.
Mills remain busy, with operating rates currently at 75.9 percent.

Export activity from both coasts is strong, the national broker said.

“After export, (the) Chicago market is the next-cheapest market to go and pull scrap,” this source said of Chicago prices being lower than many other areas, which could make it ripe for offers from the larger national mills.

Lets hope this is good news for the rest of us, there’s always hope.

Why should we recycle metals? Although the art of scrapping metals for their value dates back thousands of years, today, the environmental incentives have become an extremely important part of the industry. Currently, about 45% of the world’s steel production comes from recycled metal, along with about one third of the world’s aluminum and over 40% of the world’s copper. In 2014, approximately 135 million metric tons of scrap metal was recycled in the United States alone.
When it comes to recycling scrap metal, the list of benefits for the environment and the economy is very long. Scrap metal recycling offers benefits in energy conservation, conservation of natural resources, greenhouse gas emission reduction, as well as positively impacting the local economy. ​

Energy Conservation
Recycling scrap metal requires significantly less energy than manufacturing new metals from ore. For example, the estimated energy saved by using recycled metals is:
95% for aluminum
90% for copper
60% for iron and steel

Environmental Impact
Recycling scrap metal contributes to a sustainable future. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced substantially through the practice of metal recycling. ISRI reports that recycling metal may cut greenhouse gas emissions by 300 million to 500 million tons. In addition, using scrap metal in lieu of virgin ore generates 97% less mining waste and uses 40% less water, according to the National Institutes of Health (2012).

Natural Resource Conservation
As metal can be recycled and reused indefinitely, scrap metal recycling allows us to preserve the finite resources we have on earth. According to ISRI, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, recycling one ton of aluminum conserves up to five tons of bauxite, and recycling one ton of steel conserves 2500 lbs. of iron ore, 1400 lbs. of coal and 120 lbs. of limestone (2012).

The scrap metal facts speak for themselves. Recycling and reusing scrap offers an opportunity to create a sustainable future for global, and local, economies and environments.

Most metals are recyclable, some are worth more than others. Where to find scrap is the key. The market is as volatile as any stock market at times so your degree of profitability may depend on timing. Scrap metals are virtually everywhere. Collecting and separating these materials can be and is profitable if done right and in a consistent fashion. Appliances, dead motors, discarded autos, and other equipment contain more than one reusable metal and scrapyards around the country are willing to pay for these. The scrapyards separate the metals by type into transportable bundles to be sold domestically or overseas for recycling into new metals. If you have access to a sufficient volume of used metal materials and can separate it and sort it efficiently, you may be able to earn a profit.

More valuable waste and scrap materials are abundant at construction and demolition sites among other places. Creating a relationship with construction contractors, electricians, plumbers, and demolition companies can provide access to a considerable amount of metal waste. These companies do not always have time to recover the full value of the waste metals and will let someone remove these materials at little or no cost. A demolished building, for example, can contain miles of wiring, aluminum paneling, and steel beams that are recyclable.

Sometimes used metals are difficult to identify before cleaning and separating. In a pile of mixed scrap metals, it is necessary to identify the metals you have. The first distinction is to determine which metals are ferrous or non-ferrous. Ferrous metals like iron and steel, which usually have lesser value per ton at the scrapyard, are magnetic by nature. Non-ferrous metals such as copper, aluminum, stainless steel, bronze, or brass are not magnetic and do not respond to the attraction of a magnet. Besides ferrous characteristics, you should learn to identify metals in any condition. Some recycled metals demand higher prices per ton than others. As with any commodity, the market value fluctuates based on the current demand and availability. However, sufficient volumes of recyclable metals in pure form, stripped of coating materials, and removed from the housings of their previous uses can yield significant value on the scrap metal market.

The most effective way to address the problem of scrap metal theft is through a comprehensive strategy focusing first on efforts to prevent metal theft to the maximum extent practicable and second on assisting law enforcement and prosecutors in their efforts to catch, prosecute, and penalize those who perpetrate these thefts to the extent necessary to dissuade their colleagues from a similar path.

Materials theft continues to be a problem not just for scrap dealers but also for law enforcement agencies around the country. As part of the solution to materials theft, ISRI offers law enforcement specific tools and resources to help officers catch the thieves and bad actors. In this section, learn about some of these tools and the real success stories on how they have resulted in arrests, understand the industry’s recommended best practices for combating the crime, and connect with law enforcement from around the country who are working with the industry in active partnerships aimed at curbing metals theft.

Metals Theft State Resources

Access comparisons of state requirements pertaining to materials theft as well generalized summaries of state materials theft laws and information about particular matters of interest in the various states.

The scrap recycling industry takes its role as part of the solution to materials theft seriously and is committed to making sure ISRI members have the information and tools they need to be in compliance with applicable materials theft laws. In this section, download signage that can be printed and posted around the scale operations notifying potential criminals that the yard is serious about compliance with the law, get answers to frequently asked questions, and other resources to assist scrap recyclers with the materials theft issue.

Scrap Theft Alert
To combat the important issue of metals theft, ISRI has developed www.ScrapTheftAlert.com , an online theft alert system that is available to law enforcement, recyclers, and property owners – free of charge.

StopMetalsTheft.org is a website hosted by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) that is intended to serve as a service and resource to recycler’s, law enforcement, prosecutors, and other interested parties on the issue of metals theft.

What kind of scrap to sell or which one pays the most, is a question I’m asked all of the time. Seriously, my answer is always the same.

I tell my friends and I’ll tell you, don’t try and limit yourself by going out there just looking for particular scrap metal, take it all.

That’s my answer to, what kind of scrap metal to sell. If you don’t take it all, then you are leaving money on the curb as well.

Now that you have an idea of what to look for while you’re out collecting scrap metal, you will start to see just how much money people are throwing away. This article covers just a few of the most common scrap metals you will find.

Below you will see a list of scrap metal items that can be sold for money.

It’s not an official list of everything accepted by scrap buyers but it will give you some good ideas if you are wondering what kind of scrap metal to sell.
Scrap metal items: Metal boats, stoves, toasters, workout equipment, lamps, tire rims, shovels, strollers, bed frames, scrap lawn mowers, air conditioners, hot water heaters, all batteries, basketball rims, scrap filing cabinets, pet cages, ironing boards, nails and screws.
Additionally metal bins, metal drums, old propane tanks (empty), metal signs, scrap tools, humidifiers, refrigerators, scrap stainless steel, music instruments, gutters, beer kegs, metal hubcaps, tv’s, scrap vcr’s, computers, nuts, bolts, garage doors and many more things.
Nearly everything, even the screws holding plastic toys together has some form of scrap metal.

If you think that you are going to get your hands dirty, you are right and you will but knowing that already, you will have no problem collecting scrap metal.
Your ticket to easy street is outside waiting for you. You don’t need me to prove it to you, all that you have to do is look outside on trash day.

Now that you know what kind of scrap metal to sell, spend some time reading about some of the opportunities that you can take advantage of as a scrapper.

Types of scrap yards – Your scrap metal salvage value as a whole depends on the market, the scrap metal buyer and most importantly your knowledge of what type of scrap metal you have.

Some things like old washing machines for example, have multiple forms of scrap metal within them. Most have brass fittings, steel, copper, aluminum and stainless steel parts that can be sold separately as scrap metal.

Warnings – Always check with your city or state to determine if you need a license to recycle any particular scrap metal.

Scrap buyers will also have this information available.

Punishment for Scrap Metal Recyclers

As in anything, if you can’t blame someone, blame the innocent. With the economy oscillating like a tilt-a-whirl and unemployment lines not receding, scrap metal theft is still a vibrant business. So how do you stop it, slow it down and/or penalize and curtail. Well frankly, the government has recently decided that tougher regulation on the scrap re sellers and scrap yards across the country might do the trick, it’s the old blame the parent for Billy’s bad behavior game. The bottom line is, punishment for scrap metal recyclers may be on the rise.

Educating dealers about their responsibilities in preventing the sale of stolen scrap metal is the new deterrent. New legislation alone will not suffice to change scrap metal dealers’ management practices on accepting scrap. Owner/Operaters of legitimate scrap facilities must be educated on their legal obligations and the importance of fulfilling them. This is all according to our government, and how they plan of stopping those who break into facility’s and steal metal.

Scrap metal dealers should be required to train employees on how to identify potentially stolen metal and how to report suspected sellers. Police officers and recognized stakeholders should help scrap recyclers in changing their business practices to prevent cash exchanges for stolen metal. Logistical concerns include having adequate technology for scrap recyclers, such as proper computer software, cameras, and fax machines.

The problem with all of this is that there is scrap metal everywhere. From the street to the sky, and without labeling every single piece, there is no wy to track what came from where. To ask the average scrap metal recycle yard, to give every single person who comes through their place of business the once over, the look down or the shakedown on how they look and act is ridiculous.

Thieves are stealing scrap 24/7, and the only way to stop them is to catch them in the act, which is the responsibility of whomever owns the metal in the first place.