$ vs Time: Would I be Better off Selling my Drops or Scrapping Them?

morsetaper2 · Mar 6, 2011

I have a bunch of clean bar stock & plate drops I'm trying to figure out if I want to scrap or try to sell them in pcs here on PM, ebay, and some of the flea markets that come up. I want to move in the future and am starting to take steps to lighten the load.

Taking it all to the scrap yard is the easiest route. Selling it here or on ebay certainly takes much more effort. A lot of it still has the markings from the mill so I definetly know what it is.

But the trade-off is more $$ for lots of effort to sell by the piece. Would you scrap it or try and sell by the piece? I want to hear from folks who have done this. I'm not in a super hurry at this time. So I could do a little at a time I suppose.

This is not a for sale ad. If it comes to that, I'll place an ad in the "For Sale" section. At this time I want to find out from those who have done it how they feel about the $ Pay-Off vs time effort.

Here is what I have:

6061 Alum: Rounds & discs from 3/8 on up to 8 inch diam, 3/8 & 1/2 thick plate, and some blocks of tool & jig plate

12L14 Steel: 1-3/16 Hex & 2.5 diam rounds

303 SS: 1-3/8 diam bar

Brass: Various sz bars, discs, plates, & sheets

Titanium: 1.2 inch diam x 6 ft, grade unknown

Also, wondering what the scrap rate is on the following materials:

Alum, steel, brass, SS, & Ti

Mark

fciron · Mar 6, 2011

Scrap rates change almost daily. Your best solution there would be to call some local scrap yards.

As to the other question, that's almost a matter of personal preference. As you said, time vs. money.

Muffler Bearing · Mar 6, 2011

Should be fairly easy to calcuate your return on investment here. Selling on PM - you may be able to get 1.5x the scrap price easily, but will have time invested in it. I would say , unless you just have massive amounts of drops that people need and are willing to buy in large quantities, you'll find out that it probably isn't worth it.

Dan from Oakland · Mar 6, 2011

USPS Flat Rate Boxes make it pretty easy and inexpensive to ship drops. You can do all the paperwork on line, and the PO will come and pick up the boxes if you don't want to drop them in the bin at the PO. The boxes are free and you can order them online and the mailman will drop them off.

For scrap rate, call a local scrapper.

I think you will do better on PM with the aluminum and steel than a scrap yard, if you don't mind cutting it to fit in boxes.

Dan

surplusjohn · Mar 6, 2011

figure out the cost per lb that MSC charges and offer yours for 75% of that . keep it simple, give your self some turn around time so you can use it as a filler job. I used to sell allot of odds and ends on ebay that were left over from a liquidation or what ever. When business was other wise slow, I would work away at that pile. I did not make as much as I wanted per hour but it was better than staring out the window [sometimes]. If your truely busy, and you can't make it pay what your otherwise getting then scrap it. Alternately, have a family member who otherwise has nothing to do, take care of it and split the dough.

gr8life · Mar 6, 2011

Sell it here, ship it in flat rate boxes. You will make more money + help other members.
thanks
ed

stuball48 · Mar 6, 2011

Is your shop in Gaithersburg? There might be a few locals who would come by and pick it up---no shipping and no seller fees. I am always looking for extra disc of aluminum and brass. I travel to the DC area 6-7 times a year---here right now for 5 more days---and can work out the time to get by. I would give scrap price and come get it.

S_W_Bausch · Mar 6, 2011

I will be watching to see when/if you sell the 6061, since I am looking for large rounds / thick wall tubes / plate, etc.

What's the % spread between scrap and retail? If retail is 300% of scrap, then 200% of scrap should look good to you, and the buyer. To make it worth your while, most likely 100 lb minimum, and buyer picks up.

The local pickup takes me out of contention, but a local buyer is the best way to go. I say craigslist at 200% of scrap, 100 lb minimum. If the buyer balks, tell the buyer THEY can parcel it out on craigslist.

Weirsdale George · Mar 6, 2011

Another option -- Sell at auction. Near me there is a monthly equipment auction which also includes all sorts of miscellaneous stuff (motors, parts, tools, office equipment, etc.) -- every so often a pallet of drops shows up.

morsetaper2 · Mar 6, 2011

stuball48 said:
Is your shop in Gaithersburg? There might be a few locals who would come by and pick it up---no shipping and no seller fees. I am always looking for extra disc of aluminum and brass. I travel to the DC area 6-7 times a year---here right now for 5 more days---and can work out the time to get by. I would give scrap price and come get it.

I live in Gaithersburg. This is stuff out of my home shop that I've accumulated over 20+ years.

gbent · Mar 6, 2011

For reference, a local surplus place that moves a lot of product charges the following: Steel, usually marked, but all types from 1018 to tool steel to 9310, $.20/lb. Stainless, $1.50/lb. Aluminum plate and large bar ends and drops (usually 7075) $1.75/lb. Brass/bronze, not often but last was $4.00/lb, and titanium $7.50/lb.

I buy drops sometimes to have scraps of different specific materials, but the cost needs to be less than 1/2 of new material from speedy metals, delivered. The yield of scrap material is usually pretty low due to turning/sawing down larger pieces so the low price must make up for it.

If its for a specific job, its almost always cheaper to plan ahead and buy the proper material.

smdubovsky · Mar 6, 2011

Mark, Im local and would be interested in some of the 6061 rounds.

jackal · Mar 6, 2011

Sell some on here. There will be enough local members like "smdubovsky" that will want some of it with short range or no shipping at all.

The aluminum & brass will be worth shipping. A lot of people need small pieces and some suppliers want to onlysell you a full sheet or stick.

If anything put an expiration date on it ( Good for 6 weeks. Sale ends May 1st 2011).

After May 1st take it to the scrapper.

JAckal

gmatov · Mar 7, 2011

I don't need any of your "drops", but I feel the same as Jackal says, termination date..

I offered Silver Solder at 25 per ounce, when Silver was about 27. 5 ounces sold, and it is now over 35 per ounce, and I have to retract that offer.As others say, calculate the time and the postage, and decide if you would be better off selling it to a scrapper. They take it all at once, and you get paid the rate posted upon their receipt.. Less, of course, assay and their percentage.

Lack of checks from those who could maybe use a bit, versus a check in my hand, tilts the favor to shipping it all to a recovery company. Ounce a day would take me years to distribute, and I don't have all that many years left.

Take what you can get and don't look back.

Cheers,

George

henrya · Mar 7, 2011

I'll buy some if you decide to sell.
Maybe stuball48 will share when he comes back to TN.

Joe T. · Mar 8, 2011

I live about 10 miles from P&T Surplus. They buy and sell all types of goodies. Old computers, nuts & bolts, and all types of "scrap" metal. I believe they pay what ever the going rate for scrap is, but they put it on a shelf and guys like me buy it and make things.

I would look for someone like that. This way you get money and some satisfaction knowing somebody may make something cool out of your junk.

stuball48 · Mar 9, 2011

Morsetaper2 sent pictures and the drops looked great and price was fair--just decided not to fight traffic and toll roads.

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$ vs Time: Would I be Better off Selling my Drops or Scrapping Them?

morsetaper2

Diamond

fciron

Stainless

Muffler Bearing

Aluminum

Dan from Oakland

Titanium

surplusjohn

Diamond

gr8life

Cast Iron

stuball48

Stainless

S_W_Bausch

Diamond

Weirsdale George

Stainless

morsetaper2

Diamond

gbent

Diamond

smdubovsky

Hot Rolled

jackal

Titanium

gmatov

Diamond

henrya

Titanium

Joe T.

Cast Iron

stuball48

Stainless

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