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How to Tell the Difference Between Aluminum and Stainless Steel
Stainless steel and aluminum are both worth collecting, but we all know that their values are different—and, of course, you're going to get more money for each scrap haul if you sort different types of scrap out from one another. However, telling the difference between aluminum and stainless steel can be very challenging, especially when you're out in the field without a ton of tools to help you in identifying different metals. Here's a short, helpful article on how to tell the difference.
How to Pick a Scrap Metal Yard
Stainless steel and aluminum are both worth collecting, but we all know that their values are different—and, of course, you're going to get more money for each scrap haul if you sort different types of scrap out from one another. However, telling the difference between aluminum and stainless steel can be very challenging, especially when you're out in the field without a ton of tools to help you in identifying different metals. Here's a short, helpful article on how to tell the difference.
Where to Find Copper Wire
Scrap copper is one of our customers' favorite metals to hunt for, because it's always in high demand. Even non-scrappers know that copper is a consistently valuable material. One of the most common ways to find copper is in the form of copper wire.
Where to Find E-Waste
E-waste is a growing market, and plenty of scrappers want to get in. However, beyond your own old electronics, e-waste can be hard to find. Also, many scrappers don't yet know how to make the most money from each piece of e-waste. Here are some helpful tips to help you take your e-waste scrapping game to the next level!
Minimizing Transportation Costs While Scrapping
We scrap because it's fun and it's great for the environment and economy, sure, but we also scrap because it makes us money. However, transportation costs can really eat into a scrapper's income. While it's impossible to mitigate scrapping transportation costs entirely, there are plenty of ways to reduce these costs. Reducing cost can be divided neatly into two key areas. Learning and thinking critically a bit about each area can save you a ton of money—meaning that you keep more of what you earn right in your pocket. These two areas are saving money while picking up scrap and saving money while selling scrap. Each is important, and each can be approached in its own way.
How to Find Free Scrap Metal on Craigslist
Hunting for scrap in your neighborhood can be fun, but it certainly isn't easy. Between the difficulty of finding the scrap and the occasional awkwardness of asking if it's okay to take the scrap, scrap hunters spend a lot more time searching for metal than they often do preparing and selling it. While looking for the next great piece of scrap is part of the thrilling adventure of scrapping, sometimes you want an easier way. Maybe you're looking to boost your scrap income to the next level, or maybe you're new to scrap metal recycling and want an easier way to get some experience.
How to Identify Brass (And Where to Find It)
While there are a variety of recyclable scrap metals out there, they are not all equal in value—and brass, as one of the higher-paying scrap metals, is in high demand at both the industry level and for individual scrappers. That being said, brass isn't always easy to find or to identify. With the right knowledge, though, finding brass and separating it from other metals can be a lot easier.
The Future of Scrap Metal Recycling
It's amazing how much the scrap metal recycling industry—and the world at large—has changed in the past 20 or 30 years. Knowing how much things have changed already, it's impossible not to think about what the industry and our planet will be like 20 or 30 years into the future. Predicting the future is a tough business, but there are plenty of people—from scrap collectors to environmental activists to corporate executives—who are interested in knowing where scrap metal recycling is going.