Will a "Waste Metal Recycler" (Scrappie) sell me odd bits of steel?

[skotl]

Hi all
When I was a lad, my Dad used to take me round a couple of local scrappies (that's what he called them, anyway) and we would go rummage around the wreckage, bring back bits we were interested in, and haggle with the owner over a price.

Now that they all appear to be Waste Metal Recyclers, with SEPA licences, ISO certifications and all sorts, do they still entertain walk-in buyers?

Cheers
Scott

 

[the snooper]

some do I suppose it depends on the people running it

 

[skotl]

Ah - that's kind of what I thought. The impression I get from their websites is that they wouldn't get out of bed for less than a few tons.

I'll drop in on the one that's on the way to work, tomorrow, and see what's what. Can't hurt to ask!

 

[brightspark]

a couple do most dont cos there not insured for punters wandering around not wearing a high viz jacket safety helmet and steely boots

 

[brightspark]

Ah - that's kind of what I thought. The impression I get from their websites is that they wouldn't get out of bed for less than a few tons.

I'll drop in on the one that's on the way to work, tomorrow, and see what's what. Can't hurt to ask!

theres only 2 answers yes or no

 

[the snooper]

no doesn't hurt to ask and they get more for it then sending it for recycling

 

[premmington]

no doesn't hurt to ask and they get more for it then sending it for recycling

Please remmember light iron scrap has a value of about 7p to 12p a KG.

The fabicators three units down from our car repair workshop, let us have anything we want from the metal skip they fill up.

I have never been to a scrap yard after metal. But I have had plenty of stuff from small fabricators workshops over the years.

The big bonus with having a fabricator for a friend is, they will sell you a few specialist welding rods, saving you buying a 3 kg box you will never use.

I have no problem paying a local fabricator a little bit over the odds for some metal cut to length on a band saw, or some sheared and bent plate (saving me buying a whole sheet).

I have about one job a week done at the local fabricators. This week was a little turning job! He has the lathe and the tooling. I have only about six turning jobs a year done. It is not worth us getting geared up for the job. Plus for the money I pay them, I get a man doing the job who does it all day.

Next week I need some hand rails bent up. Only about 3.5mtrs in total. They will supply the steel bent it up! We will weld it together when we fit it.

I always try and pay them is cash if I can.

I even get them to sharpen an odd box of big drill bits sometimes for money.

 

[brewdexta]

if you do approach your local scrappy and he's anything like mine, don't tell him where you live or you won't be buying, just renting

 

[DanielW]

Just tell him you're a sculptor in metal and its finding/looking at bits and pieces that ignites your imagination.

 

[DanielW]

no doesn't hurt to ask and they get more for it then sending it for recycling

Oh its cash in hand,doesn't go through the books and its the kids pocket money without delving into the bank.

 

[DAPPH]

I too have taken the Small engineering fabrication company's waste route for materials after first asking them to cut some metal up for me and paying for the service there & then . Once I got my feet by the bench so to speak I started asking intelligent questions of interest about the company & it's machinery whilst the metal was being cut . Told them of my metal craft hobby that I've come back to after a long medically enforced break .

My parting shot to the owner was is there any chance that you'd sell me some of your waste/off cuts that are not worth your while holding got quite a lot of off cuts and bar ends for very little . They replied, "Yes see the guy cutting your metal and fill your boxes for a £5 'er (Three strong cardboard boxes , in the back of the estate car ready to go to the recycling tip ) .

It now looks that I will be able to pop in every now & then and pick up a couple of buckets of new bits & bobs for a few pounds , which beats the hell out of any damaged, welded up , hair cracked or rusty stuff normally found at a scrappies.

I would go to a steel suppliers for any decent lengths or longer off cuts as the above rider applies too . , sometimes they only charge £1 or less per cut and it's often a precise cut to size which is handy when you want 20 x 1.2 mtrs of 50 x 50 x 5 mm and 20 x 50 x 50 x 5 mm of M/s angle cut to 90 degrees every time .

Another thing I have done is buy myself a pair of , " Goss cut " type hand shears.
They can cut 2.5mm copper tube down the length to give you a strip , 2 mm thick of M/S and 1.2 & 1.2 mm in stainless. I've done this so I can cut up the carcasses & side sheets of washing machines , fridge's , ovens & microwaves etc. to get a few flat sheets of M/S or stainless by stripping down a few Freecycle obtained non workers..

 

[chevy2]

As similar to above i have decent size fabrication steel fab shop and a sheet metal shop that i often visit as part of my day job,
decent guys in both of them that'll sell/give my a variety of stuff for my own jobs,
i wouldn't bother with scrapyards as most of what your getting has been out in the weather and often needs a good clean up before use.

 

[skotl]

Went to the one "recycler" that is on my route to work this morning and, no, they don't sell to walk-in trade. He mentioned Daltons (big in Central Scotland) but said that he doubted they would sell to me, either.

He did say "you could try the p*kies down in Granton, they'll sell anything to anyone". Having said all of that, I'm going back to the metal wholesaler later on this week and I'll ask them, while I'm paying for legitimate metal, whether there's any chance of some offcuts.

 

[sardine]

I've found all the fabricators and engineers round my way now have locked bins, cameras on the bins, and cameras on the cameras, there was a gold rush on scrap metal here last year, and even school kids were roaming around nicking every little bit they could, a mate of mine had a mountain bike stolen, it was left out side unused for years, and rusted solid !

Good luck finding a freindly scrappy though, they are gold mines of interesting goodies, you should get your entire house and garden filled in no time ! dont forget to look in the brass bin, thats like the ark of the covenant !

 

[julianf]

Mostly off topic...

Its my girlfriends birthday, so was off to the scrap yard yesterday with all the copper ive been putting aside.
£119 for some metal that i had no use for wasn't bad : )

Ill be converting it into women's shoes later today.

(yes, i know there are way more interesting things to buy, but those other interesting things are certainly easier to enjoy when the OH is smiling ; )


As per the comments above, ive dealt with both scrap yards and engineers - id imagine that engineers would, in virtually every case, be more happy to help another engineer.

 

[Jan]

I am given to understand that it's a 'licensing issue'. Most recyclers (scrap yards) are only licensed to 'collect and recycle' waste metals with no option for retailing it once purchased. Council Dumpit sites are even worse as they will allege that once it's come through the gates, it's theirs and will not allow you to transfer anything from one vehicle to another. One such local place even tries to say that you can't even drive out again and do the deal outside! As said; both my local yards demand that people weighing in scrap materials wear a high-vis vest and hard hat whilst on the premises. They even keep a few at the weigh bridge office to ensure you do. However one of them can sell new sheet or other preformed materials - including cutting to size - but their prices are far from competative.

 

[sardine]

They're worried you will find something you recognise ?

 

[Jan]

Doubtless! I recently had 2 half sets of Rover alloys disappear from my back garden. This leaves me with a mismatched set of alloys on my car and the need for different size tyres on each axle. The alloys - as car wheels - were worth at least £40 each, but couldn't have made that much for the lot as scrap. I'm pretty certain that they were lifted by a guy who regularly touts the area for scrap in a clapped out transit pickup, but without evidence it's my word against his

 

[MattF]

You have to consider, with the scrapyards, that a lot of the time they may be uncooperative due to the numpties they've had in the past too, especially in this day and age where people will try and sue someone else because they haven't got the gumption to look after themselves. Plus there's the thieving gits who sneak stuff out. That's why I only ever walk into a vehicle scrappers with tools in my hand, (no box), and always empty my pockets out on leaving too, and put everything on the counter, although they never ask me to do so. It's a courtesy, IMHO. They let me delve and I let them know know exactly everything I'm going out their gate with.

 

[Jan]

There's a big difference between general scrap recycling yards and car breakers yards. Although the environmental safeguards that have to put in place due to later national and local laws are much the same for either, there's the nature of what you'll find in them. Despite most of the 'real' scrapyards taking in scrap cars, the older car breakers yards are more aimed at 'recycling' car components to use to keep already roadworthy cars on the road or to make others roadworthy again. As some of these parts may be small enough to secrete in a pocket or tool box, true scrap dealers concentrate on larger items of scrap or shavings/offcuts from manufacturers that can't recycle them in-house. For practice or to use as filler pieces I doubt that a damaged car door or other body panel wouldn't cost much, although I've not tried to buy one yet as I prefer to buy new steel.