Metal Tips 

The following is a few tips on metal recycling.  Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Scrap metal is broken down into two main categories. These categories are ferrous and nonferrous metals.  Ferrous metals are composed of steel, iron, tin etc.  Nonferrous metals are composed of aluminum, brass, copper etc.  The easiest and quickest way to determine ferrous from nonferrous metals is by simply using a magnet.  If the magnet sticks it is a ferrous metal if it does not stick it is considered a nonferrous metal.

Ferrous scrap metals can have a value of .01 to .10+/pound.  Nonferrous metals can have a value of .08 to .50+/pound.  The value is based on market conditions and can fluctuate daily, weekly, monthly.

Separating and cleaning of scrap is key in receiving the most money for your items.  By separating steel from aluminum or copper from steel or aluminum etc. increases the value of your scrap metal.  Also by removing all rubber, plastic, wood, steel screws off of an aluminum door etc. are another way to increase the value of your scrap.

We cannot accept flammable or hazardous materials such as gas, oil, propane, munitions etc.  Please see our tab for acceptable and unacceptable materials for a full listing of items that we do no accept.

Scrap metal can be found in many places including: work place, businesses, neighbors, garage and friends.  Most of our regular customers produce scrap metal as a by product from something they are manufacturing.  We also receive scrap metal on a regular basis from construction and demolition companies.

Key Definitions

#1 copper- 16 gauge or thicker (about a pencil lead) this type of copper must be free of paint, solder, fittings, plating etc.

#2 copper- thinner than 16 gauges can also have some nonmetallic or other metals.

P&S steel- composed of steel that was used for plate and structural applications.  Must be at least a quarter inch in thickness.

#1 steel- steel that is at least quarter inch in thickness and was used for an application other than structural.  Example would be parts from a tractor.

Shredder scrap- steel items that have nonmetallic attached to them.  Example would be refrigerators, stove, dryers, and automobiles. Etc.