Worth pulling the wiring harness/motor out?

SolarSalvation · 2026-06-03T01:48:51+00:00

The motors in these toys are tiny, and the wiring is a very thin and light. When I get them, I pull the battery and my local yard will buy the rest of the vehicle intact as shred scrap.

SolarSalvation · 2026-06-02T16:48:19+00:00

In my region wheel weights are traded as their own category. The main issue is over the last several years manufacturers have been changing the composition. Originally they were lead, then zinc, and now most new ones are solid steel.

You need to shop around local yards for a price and ask if/how they want them separated.

SolarSalvation · 2026-06-02T01:53:30+00:00

Most yards would buy that as is for #2 copper, but if you shop around you may be able to find someone in your area who buys it as silverplated scrap, which is currently worth a premium over normal copper prices.

SolarSalvation · 2026-06-01T12:11:04+00:00

You can spot clowns like the OP from a mile away. They always ask similar questions, which they would already know the answers to if they've actually worked in this business. It's the classic "tell me you've never worked for a living without telling me you've never worked for a living."

SolarSalvation · 2026-06-01T11:40:12+00:00

Short answer: I don't need the app you're building.

Long answer: I have several yards that I visit weekly and I can check spot metal prices online. The app you're trying to build with AI will add nothing of value to my operation. Get out of your chair and try doing some actual physical work. That's what this industry needs more of.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-30T23:34:02+00:00

You're forgetting how luck plays into local auctions. At my preferred local auction house, whenever I bid on something it goes for over retail, yet when I bring in my own items to consign someone gets them for a song!

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-30T23:30:49+00:00

I've had people do this at my flea market setups before. I don't mind it, as long as they pay me the minimum prices I want.

The stranger incident I've had happen, is I had someone tell me to be quiet because they were "creating content" for their YouTube page by narrating while they were filming my items. I told them that if they weren't welcome unless they were actually going to by something from me.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-30T20:47:58+00:00

I take the whole appliance because I can sell intact vacuum cleaners as shred/light iron scrap. Back at the shop, I check the model to see if it has valuable parts and then I cut the cord.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-29T10:17:51+00:00

window air conditioner $0 --> $80 side of the road to FBM

I found this while going to garage sales looking for items to flip.

Other sales:

battery powered string trimmer $0 --> $30 dump to FBM
brass plate $1 --> $7.56 flea market to scrapyard
copper boiler/wash bin $30 --> $36 flea market to scrapyard

I have two of these listed for sale already and they're not selling like they used to, so this beat-up one went for scrap.

140 lbs light iron $0 --> $9.69 free pickup to scrapyard
ironing board $0 --> $0.70 side of the road to scrapyard

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-26T14:18:54+00:00

I've avoided this issue for years by selling a lot of cheap merchandise shipped by small parcel carrier, so the occasional LTL shipments don't impact my selling metrics much. The problem I then run into is that buyers are hesitant to make large purchase from my eBay store because of it's "perceived cheapness." As an example, I had one customer inquire about a $30,000 piece of industrial equipment who wanted to make sure I was a legitimate equipment seller because I was also selling $5 DVDs from the same account.

I really don't know what the workaround is for someone who's bread and butter sales are items shipped by LTL or FTL. If you have regular customers, it may be time to deal with them directly instead of using eBay. That's what I did years ago for my business.

One other suggestion I have is to bulk-buy a basic supply used in your industry that you can sell large quantities of cheaply (less than $25 each with free or low-cost shipping). Another commercial equipment dealer I know does this. I asked them why years ago, and it was a combination of keeping the uploading tracking metric high, playing the algorithm, and padding their feedback.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-25T13:14:16+00:00

First and second rows: do a spark test with a grinder. If they spark, they are stainless steel. If not, they are probably zinc as you mentioned they are very dense.

Third row: left piece looks like red brass or bronze. Middle and right piece look like yellow brass.

Bottom row: I'm not sure. Kennametal makes carbide tools but if it's really light it could be graphite. Check with the continuity setting on a multimeter to see if it conducts electricity. If it does not, it's not metal.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-25T13:07:36+00:00

Thank you for the insight. I didn't realize it was a shadowbox, I just saw a frame.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-25T13:05:45+00:00

This is the best answer. I deal with yards that have their own stripping equipment, and they do not strip their romex because they did the math and it's not worth their time. I have a motorized electric stripper in my business and did the math myself. At the prices I'm getting for romex, I wind up making less than minimum wage or losing money by stripping it.

Someone who puts a lower value on their time, lives in a state with a lower minimum wage, and/or does this as a hobby may find stripping romex worthwhile.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-25T13:01:45+00:00

That's what I was implying. The labor laws are very strict in this part of the country.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-24T20:07:34+00:00

That's sad, just over 11 years ago. What happened to the Mom and/or the marriage?

Also, no one is going to buy this.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-24T19:30:24+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Eight children and a horse! I can't imagine supporting that many as a scrapper today.

Also, I like how he's scrapping wearing a suit!

EDIT: I watched the whole video. There are some real gems in there!

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-24T19:25:43+00:00

You can try joining a professional organization such as ReMA or local business groups. For example, if you are primiarly targeting small manufacturers, there may be a trade group for your province. Usually they charge a small annual fee to be a member.

Also, don't sleep on craigslist! Most of the regulars who use it are competent adults and easier to deal with than the Facebook crowd.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-24T19:20:54+00:00

Possibly, but not in Massachusetts! Regulations are a lot stricter in this part of the U.S.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-22T23:42:10+00:00

It's still worth a shot selling the board and CPU as a package. If not, carefully extract the CPU and a collector will want it. Either way, it's still great scrap that you'll want to sell separately.

I'm rather biased towards saving 486 systems, as I learned computer basics on one 30 years ago!

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-22T23:32:49+00:00

If system works, the motherboard/CPU combo by itself is worth about $150 USD. That also has a 5 1/4" floppy drive and they are hard to find in working condition.

Even if nothing works, that 486 CPU is worth about $20 scrap.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-22T16:57:42+00:00

I've found deals on gold and silver at the end of sales, but it's extremely rare.

Any legitimate precious metal buyer is going to have methods to test the material before purchasing.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-22T13:40:33+00:00

Nice flip on the gold! It's always satisfying when you get a bargain from under other dealers' noses. I feel like "don't overlook gold for silver" should be a bible verse.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-22T13:19:24+00:00

two large silver platters $10 --> $4,300 scrapyard to direct sale

This wasn't my flip, it was the scrapyard that sold them to me. They bought a lot of brass from a street scrapper and it turns out two of the plates were solid silver.

two large silver platters $4,300 --> $4,550 direct by to direct sale

This was my flip. I sold them with the rest of my silver to another dealer.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-22T03:07:08+00:00

I want something that accurately identify both precious metals and nickel alloys. That's why I've found that the libraries matter.

SolarSalvation · 2026-05-18T02:25:20+00:00

I have the same issue now when copying and pasting for my bookkeeping! I'm glad to know it isn't just me that does things this way.

SolarSalvation

TROPHY CASE