How to Find, Price and Sell Scrap Metal

Every individual has something made out of metal that they would wish to get rid of, and if possible make money from the metal. Scrap metal can be found in very many different places. The three most important things are, How to Find,Price and Sell Scrap Metal.

Finding Scrap Metal

Common places to look for scrap metal include steel and machine shops. The shops deal with metals such as steel and copper each and every day. Your approach, therefore, needs to be professional, and depending on the time of the year when you visit; you could leave there with truckloads of scrap metal.

So as to ensure that you never miss out, you can enter into an agreement with the shop owners, or even request for their permission to collect the scrap metal. Metal shops are different as there are those that reuse the scrap metal while others choose to sell it to scrap dealers for a small fee. It is, therefore, vital to make your inquiries in advance.

Price of Scrap Metal

For you to determine the value of your scrap, you will need first to separate it into clusters. Group the metal based on its type. The scrap metal buyers will pay you a tidy sum if you keep the metal well organized and separated. When separated, it means that the yard will have less work as opposed to when the metal is brought in one truck without first being sorted.

If you are not in a position to completely separate the metal, then you should at least consider separating the valuable metal from the less valuable metal. When you separate it this way, it means that your precious copper will not end up in the same pile as the aluminum.

Before taking it to the yard, make sure that you strip it off all the excess materials. Failure to remove it will lead to the yard operators paying less, as the non-essential material will have increased the weight.

Selling the Scrap Metal

Many scrap metal yards require the sellers to be at least sixteen years and to have a valid form of identification. There are scrap metal yards that may insist on making a record of each buyer by photographing and fingerprinting the buyer.

The scrap metal seller information is stored in a database so as to make it easier to identify individuals that may have been suspected of stealing scrap metal, specifically copper.

Though the yard operators are not allowed to provide cash for the metal, many do provide a payment slip that can easily be redeemed at the on-site ATM. There are also those that will write you a check that you can then deposit at your banking facility.