Question about cutting scrap steal.

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Hello all, I'm a long time lurker seldom a poster.  My friend collects scrape metal for a living and hauls to the metal yard for cash, sometimes I ride along on the heavy stuff.   His concern for public safety is lower than mine.  I was wondering if there is a cost/benefit analysis of the various cutting methods?  We run across stuff the time that is simply to big to fit in a chevy S-10.  The other day a farmer gave us an old brush hog. We managed to flip it into the back of the truck and tie it down.  The trouble was it hung over the starboard side of the truck by like 2 feet.  I didn't feel comfortable riding down the rode like that.  I think using an O/A rig would work but the gas is expensive(I have a torch already).  We got about $40 for the brush hog.  We run into this kinda stuff all the time.  Mobile home frames, semi trailers etc..  I guess cause the stuff is just laying there someone else must have decide that the cost of the gas and time and the low value paid for scrap makes this stuff not profitable.  Any Ideas? Battery powered saws-all, Carbide tip circular saw.  I have a 8.5hp gas  pressure washer that I thought about trying to make a DIY plasma cutter out of it with a car alternator.    Sorry for the long winded post, any input would appreciated.PS - A power source is not always available.Last edited by Slimunit; 04-19-2009 at 11:04 AM.Reason: One more thingLincoln  225 AC/DCMiller Maxstar 150C&H gasless MIGVictor Supper range IIMiller Elite Big Window7 X 10 mini lathe
Reply:Since there is no power available at times, i would say that the oxy/acet cutting torch would be your best choice.Lincoln 225 ACLincoln Mig Pak 15Lincoln Mig Pak 10Purox Oxy-Acet Outfit20 Ton PressHonda Generator
Reply:Originally Posted by bensweldSince there is no power available at times, i would say that the oxy/acet cutting torch would be your best choice.
Reply:First let me say that I, for one, appreciate the collateral beneifit provided from the guys dealing with scrap and junk. I see load a of scrap metal going down the road that just an hour previously was little more than a pile of trash around someones' house or barn, mine included. Having said that, almost all of the more timely and practically feasable methods of cutting the irregularly shaped, oily, painted, dirty, weed covered objects to be scrapped involved flame and/or sparks. That's the last thing I'd want on some one elses property. Use your own imagination, but I've cut up enough stuff on my own place to know just how high the fire hazard can be. My vote is in for the "cut as little as possible" policy.
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyFirst let me say that I, for one, appreciate the collateral beneifit provided from the guys dealing with scrap and junk. I see load a of scrap metal going down the road that just an hour previously was little more than a pile of trash around someones' house or barn, mine included. Having said that, almost all of the more timely and practically feasable methods of cutting the irregularly shaped, oily, painted, dirty, weed covered objects to be scrapped involved flame and/or sparks. That's the last thing I'd want on some one elses property. Use your own imagination, but I've cut up enough stuff on my own place to know just how high the fire hazard can be. My vote is in for the "cut as little as possible" policy.
Reply:Go to youo local welding supplier and have him change out the torch tip so it will handle oxy&Propane. It will save you a bundle of money in the longrun. Go to most farms and many small shops and you'll see they use a oxy & propane setup to do most of their cutting.Co-Own CNC shop:Miller :1251 plasma cutter, MaxStar 700 TIG/Stick, & XMT 456 Multiprocess Welder.&  2 Hypertherm HPR260's Plasma CutterSorry I had a bad stroke but now I am back.
Reply:Originally Posted by specterGo to youo local welding supplier and have him change out the torch tip so it will handle oxy&Propane. It will save you a bundle of money in the longrun. Go to most farms and many small shops and you'll see they use a oxy & propane setup to do most of their cutting.
Reply:You can easily go through too much gas, especially oxygen, if your cutting tip is much larger than you need. If you're cutting .035" sheet metal for one job and 3/8-1/2" channel the next, you need to have the right tips with you and change them, assuming the cuts  are more than a few seconds worth.
Reply:Originally Posted by SlimunitThanks for the input.  If memery serves me correctly O2 was the biggest cost of O/A torch for cutting.
Reply:In order to make money selling scrap metal like you described, mobile home frames, etc., the trick is quantity. Ya'll need a tandem axle trailer to fill. If your going to attempt to justify each and every cut, I'd charge a set amount from whoever's yard I'm cleaning up, and use the scap to pay for the OA, gasoline and wear and tear on the vehicle. Simply hauling someone elses trash to the dump, for the prices paid for scap is a losing proposition. Charge them for the cleanup for profit.Last edited by gizzardgutz; 04-19-2009 at 02:36 PM.Reason: spOnly when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.                                         -Cree Indian ProverbSA 200 LincolnVictor Torches
Reply:Is your truck not available when you get steel.  What about a inverter contected to your battery? Depending on what your are cutting o/f will probably be most practical. Seems like the stuff you cut varies widely.  Wouldn't want to cut a large I-beam with a cut off wheel.
Reply:Originally Posted by gizzardgutzIn order to make money selling scrap metal like you described, mobile home frames, etc., the trick is quantity. Ya'll need a tandem axle trailer to fill. If your going to attempt to justify each and every cut, I'd charge a set amount from whoever's yard I'm cleaning up, and use the scap to pay for the OA, gasoline and wear and tear on the vehicle. Simply hauling someone elses trash to the dump, for the prices paid for scap is a losing proposition. Charge them for the cleanup for profit.
Reply:Don't know what scrap is paying in Nastyville, but about 40 miles west of you in Dickson, where i'm at, we're only getting 2.5 cents a pound here. It's hardly worth hauling for that. Charge to haul it off, but consider stockpiling it until prices go back up. That is if you have a place to store it.Hillbilly Fabworks
Reply:What you need is a trailer and an oxy/propane cutting rig.  I made a lot of money last spring hauling scrap.  It's kinda funny cuz I worked maintenance at the scrapyard and quit to do other things.  Then I got a taste of the scrap money and started hauling.  This is how I made money.  #1 Don't pay for scrap.  I only hauled what was free.  #2 avoid tin and wire unless it is densely rolled or stacked and easy to load.  #3 Don't cut anything unless you absolutely have to to get it loaded or safe for hauling.  #4 Don't make any effort to sort stuff.  If you can, pick your items as you load, but don't spend time cutting alum brackets off a riding mower or something stupid like that.  Time is money, cutting costs money.  #5 No small loads.I made over $6k in three weeks with less than $500 in expenses and I had to drive 30 miles one way to get to the scrap yard.  This is what I used.  I averaged 4000lbs per load and took my time to strap everything down and drive safely.  The wood sides are disposable.  They were installed to keep stuff in and protect the trailer against magnet/grapple hits. Attached Images
Reply:I don't run a lot of scrap.  But when I do it happen to have a nice 9' dump truck to make my life easier.  (I used it for some snow management contracts I have)  But even with it full to the max capacity of the dump truck, it still only brings in $250-300 depending on what I have in it.  You need to be able to haul at least 3 tons to make any trip profitable unless the scrap yard is 5 mins away.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:another thing to mention, is the legal side of things. around here we've had tdot troopers check for proper tags and registration concerning weight requirements aswell as health cards, seeing how you become a "vehicle/service for hire"Hillbilly Fabworks
Reply:scrap here is only $40 a ton rite now (canadian) so not much moving rite now. But I had a hydralic shear (like jaws of life) I used when doing scrap a few years ago ran off of a 5hp gas briggs with a pump on it worked well and would cut alot.. but u need a trailer to do it rite for sure and a hand crank winch or come along to pull stuff on u can't lift..
Reply:Originally Posted by BNFanother thing to mention, is the legal side of things. around here we've had tdot troopers check for proper tags and registration concerning weight requirements aswell as health cards, seeing how you become a "vehicle/service for hire"
Reply:Originally Posted by JC'sWeldingWhat are "Health Cards"?To original poster - how many tons can you carry in the bed of an S-10?
Reply:Them S10's are pretty tough little trucks, but i would use a gas powered metal saw, looks like a chain saw but has the 14" cut-off wheel on the end, cut anything, there not cheap, but cheaper than all that O/A gas.....that stuff is getting terrible around here...
Reply:Originally Posted by gizzardgutzIn order to make money selling scrap metal like you described, mobile home frames, etc., the trick is quantity. Ya'll need a tandem axle trailer to fill. If your going to attempt to justify each and every cut, I'd charge a set amount from whoever's yard I'm cleaning up, and use the scap to pay for the OA, gasoline and wear and tear on the vehicle. Simply hauling someone elses trash to the dump, for the prices paid for scap is a losing proposition. Charge them for the cleanup for profit.