“Scrappers”

Our neighborhood is having it’s annual “curbside cleanup” day today, so as you can imagine, stuff really started piling up out there. I really get a kick out of the “professional” treasure hunters that come through loading up trucks and trailers with the junk of others.

One fine example: I had an old (1980s) vacuum that saw limited use in the basement, so the wife suggested that I toss it out. Not 10 minutes after I put it out, a guy pulled over, got out, and cut the electrical cord off of it! To top that off, about 5 minutes later, another guy stopped and grabbed the now cordless vacuum! People watching at it’s finest!

Now, me? I scored a really nice 18.5″ Weber kettle grill to compliment the bigger one that I have. One man’s trash…

A neighbor bought a gas weber about 15 years ago and gave me his 21″ charcoal weber. It was about ten years old at that time. He’s since burned out his gas weber and replaced it while I am still trying to burn out the charcoal one he gave me. About 5 years ago I bought a 181/2″ weber charcoal unit in the box at a garage sale for 10 bucks. Its still in the box in the garage loft. I’ll be dead before I wear these things out.

A friend of mine in Bloomington has a big party weekend every year that he calls the BIG JUNK PARTY. His friends from all over bring trucks and trailer loaded with old JUNK to put out at his house. Each day they go out several times looking for new JUNK. They then sit around drinking and making trades of their new JUNK. Most end up going home with as much or more Junk than they came with. It is really kind of funny to watch how excited they all get about it. Last year he had a record # of people stay at his house for the weekend. I think the total count was near 30.

Did the guy cut the cord hoping to find copper in it???

We have the same service in our city. The street I live on typically has about 1-2 cars an hour going by, but on scrap day it’s like a parade. The traffic is unbelievable as car after car slow rolls past the scrap piles. Last year I put out 5 items and 2 were left when the collection service showed up. Hey, if they are going to put it to good use more power to them.

Surprised he didnt take the entire thing for scrap. Must be some more copper in the motor.

I used to throw out the old garbage disposals we would change out. Nasty stinking things. Now you get about $5 a piece for them. Usually take two trips a year to the scrap yard. Typically get anywhere from $300 to $700 each time from old faucets, pipe repairs and so on that we work on during the year. Kinda nice. Spring trip is right before heading up to the rainy river. Fall is right before deer hunting season.

Did anyone catch the show on HBO about scrappers and all the scrap metal going to china to support their building boom? Made it sound like we are basically tearing down our buildings , shipping it over so they can build theirs.

I have not seen it enforced, but it is either a local or state law here against these guys coming around and pulling items from the trash. Sure there is a reason for it, but another dumb law. I think it is great when someone puts things to use, or is willing to break them down and keep it out of a landfill.

When we want to get rid of a large item at the cabin all we have to do is put it at the end of the driveway with a ‘Free’ sign on it. Poof, gone.

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I have not seen it enforced, but it is either a local or state law here against these guys coming around and pulling items from the trash.

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Must be a city ordinance because the flyer I received from the city went so far as to suggest putting things out a day early for “swapping”.

Why won’t anyone take my 36″ tube tv??

Man is that thing a beast to move.

It is illegal to collect scrap in Minneapolis – Star Trombone had a big article a few months ago; the city wants the revenue generated from scrap left in alleys for pickup by city workers; a “free” service to Mpls residents.

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Man is that thing a beast to move.

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It’d be easier if you had friends…other than Pug.

I totally agree, fascinating people watching situation.

I’ve often been amazed at the things I’ve kicked to the curb with a free sign on them and someone actually takes them. I set out a full bedroom set a few years back. 2 dressers, night stand, bed head/foot and mattress.

Mrs. Grouse made me set everything up like a bedroom so people could see what the pile with the free sign on it actually was. So not 10 minutes later, I look out and here’s a guy and a woman, and the guy is laying on the bed trying out the mattress like he’s in freaking Slumberland or something. The woman is opening and closing the drawers and generally trying to decide if this setup represents quality construction that she demands.

I almost walked out and asked them if I could interest them in our 24 month no interest financing, but only if they bought today. They finally carefully took apart and loaded the whole setup into a minivan. No idea how they got it all in there.

I put out an old set of oil change ramps one time and I didn’t even get back to the house before I heard a car stop behind me. This guy gets out and says, “Awesome, thanks!” and they’re gone. Then he stops and backs up and says, “Are you putting out anymore stuff?”

Grouse

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I have not seen it enforced, but it is either a local or state law here against these guys coming around and pulling items from the trash. Sure there is a reason for it, but another dumb law. I think it is great when someone puts things to use, or is willing to break them down and keep it out of a landfill.

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Wonder if the value of those materials is figured in with the trash and if its picked through in advance only the non valuable trash is left. Scrappers can be pretty messy people to. Busting open items for the metal and discarding whats left where ever is convenient. Burning items to to retrieve the metals used to be popular but not very safe. Nice clouds of toxins going into the air.

On the other hand it is good work for many. Felt bad years ago for one scrapper I had seen working around the south metro. His old pickup truck had flipped on cedar ave near the airport. Looked like the entire full back end had landed on top of the cab with this older scrapper in it.

I hear you, Tom. I bought a new 22.5″ kettle when we got married in 2008 to replace a rusting 18.5″ kettle that my neighbor gave me when I went to college. Now I have another 18.5″ for when the 22.5″ is just a little bigger than necessary. My sister inherited my dad’s 22.5″ kettle last year when he bought a new one. Based on the date code, that one is from 1979 and still going strong! I can’t imagine how many brats have graced the grates of old faithful! They’re tough to beat, and I can’t go away from charcoal.

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Man is that thing a beast to move.

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It’d be easier if you had friends…other than Pug.

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Careful. I’ve been doing curls lately.

I had an HD 42″ tube TV. Holy crap, those things are heavy.

Grouse, I put out an old gas powered weed wacker many years ago. Guy grabbed it right away, well he came back later with it complaining that the throttle was stuck wide open. Like we had some sort of a transaction and a warranty was given.

ha thats a good one belletaine.

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Grouse, I put out an old gas powered weed wacker many years ago. Guy grabbed it right away, well he came back later with it complaining that the throttle was stuck wide open. Like we had some sort of a transaction and a warranty was given.

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Whaaaaat? You mean you put that weed eater out there without fixing it first?

Today’s scrapper demands better than that.

Grouse

When my son was in college in La Crosse, move out week was a riot. We would have to have a person “guard” his stuff as we moved him out of a 3rd floor apartment. We had started just piling his things on the curb as I made trips to his new place with my truck. I returned to find people loading up his stuff. They thought, “if its on the curb, its free”. Thats when we decided someone needed to stay with his stuff or it would all be gone!

Occasionally, I end up dragging things home that my sellers don’t take when they move out and the new owners are unhappy about it. I load up whatever item they want removed, just to keep peace with the customer. I’ve never had to take any of it to the dump. I just put it at the end of my driveway and someone comes along who thinks they need it.

The best one was when I put an old TV out. It sat through two rain storms before a couple of young guys stopped and threw it in their truck and tore off like they had stolen it! I was just glad I didn’t have to pay to get rid of it!

I still can’t believe people grab stuff from the curb. I did it when I moved and I couldn’t believe what they took. I’d love to see these hoarders houses.

I just can’t believe all the GOOD stuff people will throw out. I hate driving by some places and seeing better stuff on the curb than, I have at home. By the way, I sell old dressers for $30.00 and up.

I shouldn’t generalize. I am sure you could make good money picking up discarded furniture and what not and refurbishing them. If I were handy, I might even try.

I like how you can put an old couch on the sidewalk with a “free” sign and it sits for weeks. Put the same junk out with $50 or best offer and it is gone that day.

I couldnt find anyone to take a nice, old piano (I even offered delivery). Put a price on it on Craigslist and people bid me down to 70% of my asking price. I agreed, but they had to pick it up and move it out.

If I made a practice of this for personal use I would have one rule. Nothing absorbent, couches, chairs and good God, never ever a mattress.

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If I made a practice of this for personal use I would have one rule. Nothing absorbent, couches, chairs and good God, never ever a mattress.

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I thought that went without saying!

me loves “shopping”.

You guys wouldn’t believe the money they are bringing in doing that. And you know they are not paying taxes on any of it. I’d wager to say the hardcore ones that have retail shops and scrap out electronics are bringing in more disposable income than a lot of hard working people on this forum. I’m not talking about the ones in the pick em up trucks that are falling apart while they are driving down the road full of junk, I’m talking about the ones in $30,000 trucks pulling a $5,000 trailer loaded with stuff.

Ever see those old window AC units on the curbside? $15 a piece scrapped. Old furniture brings great money at flea markets and 2nd hand shops. $30 for a wardrobe, $50 for a bed, $20 for an end table or coffee table, etc. And most of the time all it takes to bring them back is a little sanding and some stain. I saw someone throw out a circa 1940’s full walnut dining table once, with insert!. If I had the space it would have been coming home with me! A day of sanding and finishing that wood and it could have been a nice paycheck!

Copper is another hot one. You won’t see a TV with a cord on any curb around here. Electric motors last 5 minutes. There’s usually a pound or more of copper in each one of the big ones. The older the better.

The stuff people throw out amazes me. I’m not a “picker”, I’m a “looker”. A friend of mine is a picker and lets just say he has a lot nicer fishing equip than I do!

not often but when we are looking to get rid of some things…we set it out up by the cabin up north with a free sign and usually don’t take long its gone. actually talked to one person that said he’s taken that stuff, of course I didn’t tell him we set it out, but that’s what he said he did with it. refurbishes it and resells it. both parties happy!!!!!

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I like how you can put an old couch on the sidewalk with a “free” sign and it sits for weeks. Put the same junk out with $50 or best offer and it is gone that day.

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I had my father do exactly the same thing. He had put out an old garden tiller that had a blown engine and it sat for a week.

So I told him put a sign on it that says, “$50”. It was gone the next morning.

Perception of value = value. I’ve heard several times how people RAISED the price of something on Craigslist that wasn’t selling and instantly it was the hottest thing out there.

Grouse