6 of the Best Places to Find Scrap Metal
There are a lot of good reasons in becoming a scrap metal collector. To begin with, it is very exciting. If you keep collecting scrap metal and you find something valuable, it will keep pushing you to look for more.
You can also keep on collecting items and sell them later on. Therefore, this is not a fruitless endeavor. You know that the items you are collecting may be sold and you can still get money out of it.
You just need to understand that it is a long and tedious process. There must no stone left unturned. You need to head to the best places to find scrap metal and do everything within your means to locate something valuable.
There are common materials that can be easily sold while some others are rare items that you may keep for a while until its value increases.
Shooting Ranges
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Brass shells are among the most valuable scrap metals. They can be gathered and sold to various recycling plants. Both public and private shooting ranges allow people to get inside the area to collect for the item.
However, you need to ask for permission in advance. You cannot head there while there is an activity going on or else you put yourself at risk.
Go from House to House
There are old appliances in every house for sure. You can visit your neighbors’ houses to ask if they have old appliances that are no longer used. You can collect all of them as they are rich sources of scrap metals.
This might be a bit embarrassing though since your neighbors will think that you don’t have any other source of money so you resort to this.
On the other hand, this is a good way for you to build relationship with them. They hate old appliances and scrap metals in their houses. Therefore, if someone is coming over to pick them up, it would be great.
Construction Sites
This might be a very rich source of scrap metal, but you need to understand that the people managing the sites are also interested in what you are looking for. This is why they don’t allow intruders to go inside the area because they know these items are valuable and they could ask someone to pick those up later.
If you insist, you can contact someone to ask for permission. You also need to make sure that when you arrive there, no activity is going on. Otherwise, you put yourself in such a great risk.
Hospitals
They have the tendency to just throw away old items. From beds to wheelchairs and even furniture, these are items that can be easily found on their garbage area.
Therefore, you need to ask for permission to collect all of them. However, you need to be wear protective gear before putting your hand on those items. You might contact diseases if you are not careful enough.
Automobile Shops
This is a place where there are tons of scrap metals for sure. However, owners also need those items. They have links with junk shops where they can sell scrap metals. The chances that they allow you to get their scrap metals are really low. You can give it a try though.
Dumpsters
There is gold in trash. In a way, it is true. When you are careful in searching for items on a dumpster, you might be lucky to find scrap metals or even more.
The only problem is that you have to go through a lot first before you find what you are searching for. It is also difficult to secure permits to look for items on a landfill. It is close to impossible.
It is also a waste of time at times since there is really nothing much there. Before the waste items are dumped there, they have gone through a lot and valuable parts might have already been taken away.
These are just some of the best places to find scrap metal. You need to be very patient if you want to get valuable items.
You also need to keep searching.
You must be brave enough to ask permission to look for items considered waste by many. Rest assured, it will pay off later once you have collected a lot of important items.
Sources:
http://www.earth911.com/eco-tech/basics-recycling-scrap-metal-money/
http://recycling.about.com/od/Recycling/fl/Best-Places-to-Find-Scrap-Metal.htm
https://iscrapapp.com/metals/brass-shells/
http://www.recyclingforcharities.com/blog/?p=751