Scrap Iron Pays the Bills

Although not quite as exciting as some of the more exotic scrap metals, used iron, tin and sheet metal are the meat and potatoes of the scrap metal industry.

By preparing heavy metals, such as number one and number two iron (HMS 1 and 2), you can earn much more for your metal.  Many metal processing centers are following our lead by paying more for prepared metals.

Prepared number one, number two and cast iron in the recycling industry is usually termed as iron with no contaminates, such as rubber or other kinds of metal attachments.

Prepared HMS 1, 2 and Cast Iron is:

• at least one quarter of an inch thick, and
• cut into chunks not more than three feet by eighteen inches.

Large prepared loads earn metal vendors more money because they save the buyer the cost and need to cut it into foundry-size pieces.  Some metal processing centers may accept slightly larger sizes, depending on their specific market needs.

Scrap tin and sheet metal are an abundant source of recyclable light iron and provide a steady income for metal collectors --especially for those who can economically get their materials to a scrap processing center that has a baler.  Balers are large hydraulic machines that compress tin and sheet iron into dense metal blocks.

Tin is worth less than number 1 and number 2 iron. However, it is more plentiful and lighter to haul to your regional scrap processing center.Mixed Iron: Iron and Tin

Finding tin is easy. It is all around us. It is found in kitchens and in garages. Used and abandoned vehicle bodies have traditionally been manufactured of tin.  Farm equipment also contains large amounts of tin and sheet metal. Tin cans are everywhere.

As with all metals in the scrap collecting and scrap processing industry, it is important to separate and prepare tin before taking it to your regional buyer.  Tin should be free of plastic, glass and other materials. Tin and sheet metal are usually only one material found in manufactured items. Some of the other metals attached to tin, such as copper wire, number two iron and cast iron will sell at a higher price when separated and properly cleaned.

Some scrap collectors view tin and sheet metal as a by-product of their metal collecting efforts. By first stripping other metals and materials from tin, scrap collectors are able to increases profits and then sell the clean tin and sheet metal at a higher price. Other scrap collectors actually perform a service for auto body shops by hauling left over tin and sheet metal for a small fee.  They then sell the material to a regional scrap processing center with a baler; thus doubling their profits.