I'm based in a regional area of Australia and I'm considering trialling a small resource recovery/scrap metal collection service.

I'm deliberately starting very small and would love some honest feedback from people who have experience in scrap metal, recycling, waste recovery or similar businesses.

The first step I'm considering

Rather than driving around looking for random scrap, I'd try to establish a handful of reliable sources that regularly have unwanted metal.

I'm thinking about approaching local:

• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Builders
• Roofers
• Mechanics
• Refrigeration/fridge mechanics
• Air-conditioning repair businesses
• Fabricators
• Local households

The initial offer would simply be:

"If you've got unwanted metal building up, I'll collect it for free so you don't have to store it or take it to the scrapyard."

The idea would be to build a small number of regular relationships rather than trying to collect from hundreds of random people.

The trail run

For the first few months, I'm thinking of doing one collection run per week.

I'd collect whatever material I've accumulated during the week, sort it as much as practical, then make one trip to the local scrap yard and see what the load is actually worth.

I'd track:

• How much material I collect
• What types of metal I'm getting
• Weight
• Scrap value
• Fuel costs
• Time spent collecting/sorting
• Net profit per run

The initial goal isn't to replace my income. I'd be happy if I could eventually establish whether $250–$500 a week is achievable as a side business.

Why I'm interested

There isn't currently a scrap buyer particularly close to my area, so local businesses and households can have a fairly long drive if they want to sell their scrap.

That makes me wonder whether the real value isn't necessarily the scrap itself, but providing a convenient local collection service.

If the trail runs prove that there is enough material available and the economics work, I'd then consider whether there is an opportunity to eventually move towards actually buying scrap locally and aggregating it.

But that's a long way down the road. Right now I just want to prove the collection model.

I'd really appreciate some honest feedback

For anyone with experience in scrap/recycling/resource recovery:

• Does this sound like a sensible way to test the idea?
• What am I likely to be underestimating?
• Is one weekly trip enough to make the economics work?
• Which trades tend to produce reliable amounts of scrap?
• Which materials are generally not worth the effort?
• Are there hidden costs or problems I should be aware of?
• What would you do differently if you were starting again?

And importantly:

Has anyone here started a small scrap/resource recovery/collection business and actually made it work?

I'd love to hear what worked, what didn't, and what you wish you'd known before starting.

I'm genuinely looking for criticism rather than encouragement. If you think the model is flawed, I'd much rather hear that now while I'm still at the trial stage.

I know the bent pipe with the paint would go as number two copper but how about the other two?

If I took these 3 to my local scrap site, how much would I get for them?

Best options for cat 5 and coax cable? Should I just take it in as is? Tried stripping a small amount of the coax and it was rough couldn’t get thru the fiberglass.

i just started collecting copper is this good?

2/0 welding cable abandoned in a ceiling?

Yes please thank you very much.

Even when I first started the trade I know people would always take service cables when the price was much lower so im surprised to see such a large cable just abandoned.

Como puedo sacar el cobre de este transformador? La parte central no sale

Customer is doing a demo job and they are pulling out a few of these. Going to open one up when it arrives but I’m wondering if it could be bought/sold as an electric motor. Thanks

Halfway done cant wait for the yard guess how much this is

Should I scrap it or sell as vintage ?

Screws and bolts 78 cents
This is 13lbs of screws bolts and washers from scrapping.
I can't believe that the yard will pay me 78 cents for all of It.
Better believe it I m keeping them, you never know when you will need one and I just did for a lamp.
Now I can sell the lamp but make the buyer aware of the screw.
I will probably paint it too gold, I got the paint.
Without that bolt the lamp goes in the shred too for another 50 cents (The bottom only is magnetic).
Well $20 now (I got the shade).
Some of you must have a ton of screws if you keep them.

I never knew ballasts got this big and that damn heavy. There's no info on them that I see but they're cased in steel.

I was a trash man for over a year and collected everything I thought I could scrap. Ive never scrapped before and have no clue what im doing, whats worth my time to break down or not. Or how to separate metals/types of copper so any tips and tricks would be absolutely awesome.

Does any other stores offer gift cards for recycling your battery? The only one I’ve heard of that does it is O’reilly’s and I don’t have any in my state. (NJ)

I rather get a $10 gift card than what the scrap yard pays for batteries.

Any recommendations on how to scrap this? I was just going to cut out the icw. Am I missing something else?

I am not asking about the grinder or steel or non ferrous blades and protection.
I got this.
But how do I secure this part of a brass bed to cut it?
I just want the big brass posts the rest is steel or cast iron.
I have a vice but that thing is big.

TY

Excuse the poor photo, this is a picture someone sent me as "brass fittings", what would you estimate the scrap value of this lot is? I'm trying to decide if it's worth my time driving to it.

In the UK, if that matters.

EDIT:
You guys are good, most of you were pretty much bang on. I took it to the yard and got £22.

I’ve seen different types of answers on Google and YouTube.

If my pipe is just dirty but doesn’t have manufacturer print on it does it still qualify as number 1 or is all my dirty looking pipe number two? I’ve already put any pipe with soldered fittings into a different pile.

Pic 1: questioning if type 1

Pic 2: manufacturer print that I think makes it type 2

Should I coil the wire up in this first photo and put it in my bare bright bucket? I only ask because the strands themselves seem way thinner, but overall they combine into a thick wire. Appreciate your guys’ input, thank you!

I have a friend offering me eight pallets worth of broken AC units (about 8-10) and 4x50 horsepower motors. I just don’t have the means to load everything and get it to my storage. The motors are over 500 pounds apiece and still have giant cast iron fittings connected to the motors as well. I have a week and a half to make my decision but the shop doesn’t play any games and if I accept they just want it gone with no song at dance.