Flashback To "Sanford And Son": How To Do Scrap Metal Pickup Old School

Industrial & Manufacturing Blog

In the mid to late 1970's, there was a TV show that circled around a father/son duo that collected and sold scrap metal. The father was played by the famous comedian Redd Foxx, and the hilarity ensued when various difficult situations came up that the scrap metal recyclers were not quite sure how to handle. However, the show does illustrate some very important things about the business in which Sanford and Son were involved--scrap metal recycling. The pair did it "old school" and lived on the profits they made. Here is how you can do scrap metal pickup and recycling old school and earn a living too.

Step One: Operate the Collection Business from Your Own Home

As the 1970s show clearly illustrated, the business is operated out of your own home. This cuts operation costs dramatically. You may have to clear it with the city in which you reside unless you live on the outskirts of town where it is relatively acceptable to collect your scrap metal and deposit it on the lawn.

Step Two: Use Your Own Truck to Pick up the Scrap

You will need a truck, and the more it can hold, the better. While you could advertise that you pick up scrap metal, you can also drive around town on garbage collection days and look for any metal scrap that has been set curbside. Since it is clearly being tossed to the curb and no longer wanted, it is free to take, although it is generally considered polite to ask first. If no one is available to ask, then you can take it and toss it in your truck. You can do this just about any day of the week that you do not have a scheduled scrap metal pickup appointment.

Step 3: Store the Scrap on Your Property and Try to Keep It Organized

Even though you are attempting to collect, sort, recycle and sell scrap metal, you still want it to be reasonably organized. When you bring a truckload back home to your property, try to place similar objects in their own piles (e.g., old bike frames together on one pile, old car parts together on another pile, etc.). That way, any customer looking to buy a specific piece of scrap metal knows exactly which pile to search and you can easily point that pile out to the customer. As for everything you intend to sell to a scrap metal recycling foundry, place that far off to the side, maybe in a dumpster, until you can have it transported to the foundry.

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14 September 2016

A Journey Through A Junkyard Wonderland

Hey there, I'm Finny Moreau. I like to explore the world of junk cars. If you're anything like me, you regularly pick through junkyards to find rare parts or even whole vehicles. Although I'd love to bring home all of the rare items I find on my searches, I have to be selective due to a lack of storage space. I would also never be able to use many of the items that I find. Instead, I bring home the best of the bunch for use on my own cars. I will use this site to discuss my findings in the junkyard. I will also explore the various uses of junkyard cars and parts. I hope to bring the discussion to dinner tables around the world to inspire others to use the wrecking yard on a regular basis. Welcome and thanks for visiting.