In our last blog we told you how to salvage scrap metal from your cluttered garage, so now that you have a freshly cleaned garage, it’s time to explore how you can turn it into an extension of your existing living space. Read on for four fun garage conversion ideas.
Games or entertainment room
If you’re big on entertaining or simply don’t have enough space inside your home for a dedicated play area, your now scrap metal free garage is the perfect location for an added games room. If you’re going for a kid friendly space, fit out your garage with comfy bean bags, board games, fun toys and brightly coloured fixtures and décor. For a more grown-up entertaining area, a bar, good sound system, comfy seating and maybe even a pool table are great inclusions.
Home office
If you regularly work from home and want to minimise your distractions, a dedicated home office is a fantastic solution. By converting your empty garage into a home office (complete with a bookshelf, a spacious desk, ergonomic furnishings and bright lighting), you will be able to better concentrate on your work out without interference.
Guest house
Whether you frequently have guests come to stay, or are interested in making some extra money from boarders or holiday makers, your unused garage is a great space to convert into a guest house. Assuming you want your guest house to be self-contained, you’ll have to invest a bit more money in things like plumbing, insulation and other heating and cooling, soundproofing, proper ventilation and more. If you end up installing kitchen or bathroom facilities, be sure to keep any scrap metal leftover from the installation and trade it in for cash with your local scrap metal buyer.
We hope these ideas have inspired you to transform your unused garage into an exciting new living space. If at any time throughout the garage conversion process you come across unwanted scrap metal, or are left with excess steel, corrugated iron, or other metal from renovations, be sure to get cash for scrap from your local scrap metal dealer. Metal Men Recycling accept a huge range of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, so contact us today on 03 5941 6677 and get cash for scrap metal.
It’s very easy for the home garage to become a place of clutter, especially if it’s not where you usually park your car. While the garage seems like the perfect place to store electronics and appliances in need of repairs, handy items like wiring, an onslaught of tools, and old batteries, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever get round to fixing/using all these things, which is why it’s a great idea to clear out your garage and trade in any scrap metal for cash. Read on to find out how to sell scrap metal harvested from your garage.
Old tools
While having a tool kit is always handy, there’s not much point in keeping tools with very specific purposes if you haven’t had to use them in years, or worse still, don’t know what they’re for. Consolidate your tool kit, keeping only things that you have a use for and set aside any doubles, unknowns or tools that are looking a bit worse for wear. These unwanted tools are often a great source of scrap metal, so add them to the pile to be taken to your local scrap metal dealer.
Chicken wire
When cleaning out your garage you’ll have to make some serious decisions about what to throw out and what to keep. Although having things like chicken wire and copper wiring on hand may seem like a good idea, these unnecessary items are probably just taking up space and would be better off being recycled. Plus, by selling them as scrap metal you’ll be able to use the money for something you actually need.
Broken electronics and appliances
Old electronics are often another great source of scrap metal, so scour your garage for things like old AC units, computer monitors, televisions and kitchen appliances like fridges and freezers. Instead of repairing these items (which you’re probably never going to get around to) you can de-clutter your garage, trade them in for cash, and replace them with more energy efficient appliances.
Once you’ve cleared out your garage, it’s time to take your scrap metal harvest to your local scrap metal dealer, or if it’s a particularly large pile, have them come to you. Metal Men Recycling offer a 24-hour scrap metal pick up service in Melbourne and will give you cash for scrap. To arrange pick up, call us today on 03 5941 6677.
If you’re a regular scrap metal collecting enthusiast, you’ll know the thrill of finding something of value which someone else has cast away as trash. Whilst scrap metal collecting is a quick and easy way to make a little extra cash, there are plenty of other ways to treasure hunt and one of the most thrilling and potentially lucrative is metal detection. Whilst the likelihood of turning up bottle caps and paperclips is high with metal detecting, occasionally, hunters come across something really extraordinary. Here are eight instances of metal detectors turning up incredible finds.
A Roman coin hoard in a field
In 2014, a metal detector enthusiast who had been hunting for seven years and found no more than metal drinking pulls and shotgun cartridges stumbled across a hoard of 22,000 Roman coins dating from between AD260 and AD348. Searching in a field near a previously excavated Roman villa site in East Devon, a builder called Laurence Egerton’s detector indicated there was iron in the ground, he found two small coins no bigger than and thumbnail sitting on top of the ground but was soon digging up shovelfuls of coins. Although the coins would not have represented more than a few months’ of soldier’s wages in Roman times, their antiquity means that today they are worth tends of thousands of pounds.
Pirate treasure
In In 1952, an American treasure hunter named Edward Rowe Snow somehow obtained a map supposedly made by 18th century New England pirate Captain Ned Low which pointed to treasure being buried on a small island off the coast of Nova Scotia. Armed with the map and a metal detector, Snow scoured the island and quickly found a skeleton as well as a cash of gold and silver coins dating from 1710 which are thought to be from a Spanish galleon captured by Low’s crew of pirates in 1725. Snow was allowed to keep the coins but the real wealth came from the subsequent books he wrote on his discovery.
The Mojave Nugget
In 1977, prospector Ty Paulsen was using his metal detector In California’s Stringer district when he uncovered a 4.9 kilogram nugget. Named the Mojave Nugget, it is the largest piece of gold ever found in California.
Aquatic gold
In 2008, Mike DeMar was diving off Key West in Florida when his metal detector picked up what he thought was a beer can. As the sediment cleared away, the vessel he had uncovered turned out to be a gold chalice from the Santa Margarita, a ship which had sunk in 1622. The find has been valued at $1million US dollars.
Postal thief
In 1946, postal inspectors decided to act on their long held suspicions about a deceased post office employee’s sticky fingers. Borrowing a U.S. Army metal detector, they searched the man’s backyard and came across a length of stovepipe buried 9 feet underground with jars and cans filled with cash totalling an impressive $153, 150.
Dark past
In 1984, an archaeology volunteer working a metal detector at Little Bighorn uncovered a finger bone wearing a wedding ring. Little Bighorn is of course the site where Lt. Col. George Custer and his troops were defeated by the Sioux in 1876.
Viking hoard
In 2007, a father and son team who had been treasure hunting with metal detectors for about five years were searching in North Yorkshire when they came across a stunning hoard of over 600 precious metal objects believed to have been buried by a wealthy Viking some time after AD928. The hoard included 617 silver coins from as far away as Afghanistan, a rare gold arm band and a gilt silver cup made in France or Germany in about AD900 and probably used for Christian ceremonies. Archaeologists believe the hoard was probably buried as the pagan Vikings were being pushed out of the Northern UK by the Christian English.
Australian history
Mark Williams is an Adelaide based metal detector enthusiast who claimed to have found coins and artefacts worth over $18,000in 2013 alone. Favourite finds include $1800 in coins after a major music festival was held in a park, 19th century traders’ tokens used as legal tender and to promote a business, a cross belt plate from a Napoleonic-era uniform and numerous pennies dating from the early 19th century.
Metal Men Recycling specialise in metal recycling within the Melbourne area. Whilst we’re not equipped to manage Roman coin hoards or Viking swords, we do accept all types of metals as well as car batteries and vehicles which we can easily manage with our 90 tonne capacity public weigh bridge. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 5941 6677.
If you’re looking to make some extra cash over the summer, why not scour your house for some unwanted scrap metal. Trading in your scrap for cash is a quick and easy way to earn some extra money and is also a great way to start decluttering your house. If you have an old rusty car that’s been sitting in your yard or driveway, here’s how to go about harvesting its parts to trade in as scrap metal.
Strip and clean your car
If you’re going to scrap an unused old car, the first thing you will need to do is strip the interior and give it a thorough clean. Depending on which scrapper you take your car to, you may be required to completely strip the car of all materials that aren’t metal, including seats and upholstery, accessories like the stereo and speakers, and even the steering column. It’s also a good idea to drain the car’s fluids, however your scrap dealer may offer to do this for you. Once your car’s interior has been stripped you will need to give it a thorough clean and vacuum.
Sort out which parts to sell and which parts to scrap
Now that you’ve stripped your car, you can sort out which parts you want to scrap and which parts can be onsold for reuse. You can onsell accessories like the stereo and speakers for a considerable amount of money, and if parts like the engine, wheels, transmission, and brakes are all in working condition they can also be sold for reuse. If, however, these metal parts are not working, they can be traded in as part of the scrap.
Get a quote from a reputable scrap dealer
Now that you’ve got your car ready to scrap, it’s time to decide which scrap metal buyer in Melbourne to take your scrap metal to. Scrap metal buyers can vary greatly in the rates they offer, so it’s important to shop around for a good deal. Transporting the scrap salvaged from your car can also be an issue, so if you’re unable to do this yourself you should choose a scrap metal dealer with an included pick-up service.
Metal Men Recycling will gladly accept your old car and car parts in exchange for cash. We also offer a 24-hour pickup service, which makes it incredibly easy to sell your scrap metal. Contact us for free a quote today on 03 5941 6677.
This week, we take a look at one of the lesser known and recycled metals that we work with. Once used widely in everything from cosmetics to plumbing, lead has fallen out of fashion due to it’s high toxicity, but it’s still a valuable limited resource which can be used for a wide variety of industrial applications and most importantly in the manufacturing of lead-acid batteries. Here are seven interesting things you didn’t know about lead.
98% of the lead in car batteries is recyclable
This is relatively high considering only 58% of the aluminium in a soft drink can can be recycled.
Lead acid batteries are one of the most highly recycled consumer products
In 2013, recycled lead production made up 54% of total lead production. The recycling rate of lead is also higher than more commonly recycled materials like glass and newspaper.
Lead was once one of the most widely used metals in the world
Due to it’s industry friendly properties including excellent malleability, corrosion resistance and ductility, lead was widely used throughout history up until the 20th century when it’s toxicity became known.
The chemical symbol of lead is Pb
This comes from the Latin word plumbum which means ‘waterworks’ referring to the Roman practice of making water pipes out of lead. Some historians believe that lead poisoning from the water pipes was partially responsible for the fall of the Roman Empire.
Lead is highly toxic
Today, we know lead is highly toxic and can cause enormous damage to the nervous system, internal organs and brain. Lead accumulates in soft tissue and bone and poisoning presents itself in the form of headaches, seizures and disorientation. Before the toxicity of lead was known, it was used in the ancient world as everything from a skin whitening cosmetic to a wine sweetener.
Australia is the world’s largest producer of lead
Australia, China and the USA collectively produce 8 million tons of lead each year which is used in a variety of industrial applications. Over half of all lead produced today is used as electrodes in car batteries.
Lead is sometimes called the first metal
This is because it was widely known and used in the ancient world. Lead played an important role in alchemy, as it was associated with the planet Saturn and alchemists believed there was a way to transform lead into gold.
Metal Men Recycling offer cash for scrap metal of all kinds including lead acid batteries. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 5941 6677.
Aluminium is a non-ferrous metal with a huge number of applications. It is used in everything from construction to transportation to everyday household items. One of the great things about aluminium is how easily it can be recycled: it is able to be recycled endlessly without deteriorating in quality. Here are a few places that you can find aluminium around the home, so that you can earn some cash for scrap metal.
Cans and packaging
A great way to start selling scrap metal is to collect all your soft drink, food and beer cans. If you collect enough, you can get a surprisingly good return on these aluminium cans. Aluminium is also found in aerosol cans, so be sure to hold on to empty deodorant cans and cleaning sprays. Cans and tins aren’t the only source of aluminium packaging; the valuable metal can also be found in foil, takeaway food containers and pie trays.
Car Parts
Aluminium is being increasingly used in car manufacturing, and can be found in car parts such as wheels and cylinders. Once recycled, this mixed alloy aluminium scrap is used to make casting alloys for engines and gearboxes.
Electronics
Electronics such as computers, gaming consoles and even iPods all contain aluminium. If your electronics no longer work, don’t throw them out, salvage their parts for aluminium and make some cash for scrap.
Utensils
The kitchen is a great place to look for scrap aluminium as it can be found in a variety of kitchen utensils such as cutlery, baking trays and cookware.
Bike frames
Instead of throwing out your tired old bike, salvage the frame and add it to your pile of scrap metal.
Aluminium can be sourced from a variety of household items and is a great metal to trade in to your local metal recycler. Not only will you be able to get cash for scrap, your recycling will also benefit the environment. Metal Men Recycling accept all kinds of aluminium scrap and can even arrange a 24-hour scrap metal pick up service.
It’s that time of year where the summer holidays are just around the corner and everyone is scrambling for extra cash to use forChristmas presents. Trading in your scrap metal is not only a great way to earn some extra money, it’s also beneficial to the environment. Here are some awesome ideas of how you can make some well-deserved cash from your unwanted scrap metal around the house.
Which metals can I trade in?
The best types of metals to recycle include brass, iron, steel, copper, and aluminium.
Step 1: Grab a magnet! If the magnet sticks to the metal, you may be looking at something like steel or iron. Steel and iron are ferrous metals and although they are not worth as much as non-ferrous metals, they are still worth trading in for cash. Metal that does not stick will most likely be an aluminium, bronze, stainless steel or even brass. These are extremely valuable to recycle thus; more money!
Step 2: Call your local scrap yard and check what metals they accept. This may save you an unwanted trip.
Step 3: Visit your local scrap yard or, if your scrap metal provider offers it, arrange a time for pick up.
Handy Tips: Where to find scrap metal in the home
Steel- Steel, being one of the most popular metals used in the world can be found in things such as old shelves, cars and even old rolls of wire
Aluminium- One of the most common products that uses aluminium are in fact soft drink cans! Grab a box and start collecting!
Copper- Copper is commonly used in such things such as gutters, within air conditioners, electrical wires as well as plumbing pipes. Copper, being one of the more expensive materials should be kept separately so you don’t loose it.
Brass – You can find brass on things such as door handles, bathroom fixtures as well as light fixtures. Being made of both copper and zinc, you can often find brass in plumbing materials
To make the most of your scrap for cash, call Metal Men Recycling today! We offer 24-hour pick up and will give you cash for scrap metal in no time at all.
Whilst it’s great to earn a little bit of extra cash by exchanging your scrap metal for cash, recycling metal plays an important role in preserving environmental resources and minimising the carbon footprint of the manufacturing industry. This week, we take a look at four key ways metal recycling benefits the environment.
Energy conservation
Metal recycling conserves energy that would be otherwise be wasted on mining, refining and manufacturing oil. The exact amount of energy conserved by recycling metal varies depending on the type but for example, recycling just a single aluminium can saves enough energy to continuously run a 100-watt light bulb for around 20 hours, or a computer for three hours.
Ore conservation
Our reliance on oil is problematic because it is a limited resource and recycling metal helps preserve this already heavily mined resource. For example, sending your old car to a scrap metal recycler instead of to landfill saves an impressive 1134kg of iron ore.
Greenhouse gas reduction
The production of new metal releases an enormous amount of greenhouse gases which contribute to both climate change and air pollution. If the world could switch over wholly to recycling metal instead of extracting it from ore, it would cut greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 300 million and 500 million tons. Metal recycling also generates 97% less mining waste and uses 40% less water than virgin metal production.
Prevents littering
Scrap metal dumping is a serious environmental hazard. When large whitegoods such as fridges, appliances such as air conditioners, and vehicles are dumped on the side of the road, they not only create an eyesore but are likely to release pollutants into the soil and water table as they degrade. Oil, diesel, paint, petrol, coolants, transmission and brake fluids, mercury and hydroflurocarbons are just some of the pollutants that pose a threat to the local environment and human health.
Bonus round: creates more jobs
The metal recycling industry both creates job opportunities and generates income, ultimately strengthening the Australian economy. It is estimated that metal recycling creates 36 times more jobs than incinerating scrap metal, and six times more than sending metal to landfill.
Metal Men Recycling are scrap metal buyers based in Melbourne. We offer fair prices for a wide range of metal and industrial scrap. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 5941 6677.
Although environmental consciousness and sustainability is a near constant discussion topic in 2016, there are still plenty of misconceptions surrounding what we can do to reduce the impact our lifestyles have on the environment. Some of the best examples of this confusion are the myths that surround recycling. This week, we take a look at some of the most common misconceptions people have about how to recycle, and the impact that recycling (even on a household scale) can have on both the global environment and the Australian economy.
It doesn’t matter what I put in the recycling bin, it all ends up in landfill
One of the most common excuses that people use for not recycling is that it just ends up in landfill with all the other refuse. This is a total myth, as evidenced by the fact that over two billion aluminium cans are recycled in Australia every year as a result of the efforts of everyday Australians making use of their council recycling bins and other recycling programs.
Anything recyclable can go in the recycling bin
Council collection bins are designed to accept paper, cardboard, and packaging materials, but the list of recyclables doesn’t stop there, and it’s your responsibility as a civically minded person to seed out the right recycling programs if you have other refuse. The reason that council bins accept such a limited range of recycling materials is to minimise contamination from other recyclable products, so putting things like printing cartridges, plastic bags, car batteries and scrap metal in your council recycling bin, you may actually be contaminating other recyclables and putting a burden on local councils that they don’t have the resources to manage.
Rubbish cannot be repurposed
In 2016, there is virtually no manufacturing industry that does not incorporate recycled materials into their product line. Toilet tissue, drink cans, printer cartridges, product packaging, e-wood and steel are just a few examples of manufactured products which contain at least some recycled materials. It is estimated that every year, Australian recycling recovers $912 million dollars worth of commodities.
Metal Men Recycling offer metal recycling in Melbourne. We pay cash for all kinds of scrap metal as well as car batteries and used vehicles. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 5941 6677.
In our previous blog, we looked at some of the most common misconceptions surrounding household recycling and how even participating in programs on this small scale can make a major difference to both the environment and the economy. This week, we thought we’d take a look at some of the myths often applied to scrap metal recycling.
Recycling metal is not economically viable
Whilst there is a cost to metal recycling, it’s nothing compared to the money involved in mining and processing virgin metal. Some of the factors that make recycled metal significantly more cost effective than it’s virgin metal alternative is it’s significantly lower energy consumption, which drops down by 60% in the case of steel recycling.
Recycled scrap metal has limited reuse options
There is an overwhelming number of different products which can be manufactured using partially or entirely recycled materials. Virtually every steel product on the market today contains a percentage of recycled material and this also includes civil engineering structures such as bridges and road infrastructure. Aluminium is another product that is infinitely recyclable and recycled aluminium is in almost every drinking can on the modern market.
There is no demand for scrap metal
As more and more enterprises within the construction and manufacturing industries choose to focus on reducing the environmental impact of their activities, the demand for scrap metal has sky rocketed. Metals like steel which can be melted down without losing any of it’s strength is one of the most in demand types of scrap and it’s estimated that the global scrap metal industry brings in some $80 billion in revenue each year.
Metal Men Recycling are established scrap metal buyers in Melbourne. We pay cash for all kinds of scrap metal as well as other materials including car batteries, steel pressings, machinery, trucks, car batteries, caravans, PVC, compressors and cars. To learn more about our capabilities, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by calling 03 5941 6677.
If you’re an Australian farmer gearing up for harvest season, it may be a good time to think about recycling your old farming machinery. Not only will you be decluttering your farm in preparation for the busy harvest season, you can also earn a significant amount of cash from the scrap metal present in your machinery. To find out how to earn cash for scrap metal on your farm, read on.
Clear your farm of redundant machinery
With new farming technologies constantly being introduced, it’s important to keep your farm’s machinery up to date to ensure maximum productivity. New machinery can significantly reduce your workload, and drastically cut down your energy consumption, which is good for your operational costs and for the environment. Instead of holding on to obsolete machinery in the hope that it will come in handy one day, take a look through your shed for out-of-date machinery that can instead be turned into valuable scrap metal. Obsolete farm machinery that can be used as scrap metal include:
Reapers
Steam tractors
Hog oilers
Threshing machines
Portable engines, agricultural engines and ploughing engines
By recycling outmoded farm equipment, you can clear space in your shed for newer models and earn some cash for scrap metal.
The older, the better
You may have machinery that’s been sitting on the family farm for generations, collecting dust. Old machinery dating from the 50s, 60s and 70s is usually very heavy, and while this can make it cumbersome and difficult to use, old machinery is a great source of scrap metal. The more your piece of machinery weighs, the more its scrap metal will be worth. Be on the lookout for machinery made from steel or stainless steel, or equipment containing copper or brass parts.
Look for all kinds of scrap
Old machinery may not be the only source of scrap metal on your farm. Scour the area for other sources of metal such as unused sheds, rusted plows, old implements and tools, unused troughs, metal from old repairs, tubular steel, plate steel and even excess chicken wire. All of these can be used as scrap metal, giving you a higher return.
Farms are full of old machinery and equipment just waiting to be recycled as scrap metal. At Metal Men recycling, we will give you cash for scrap metal, and even offer a 24-hour pickup service for your convenience.
If you’re serious about making cash from scrap, then it pays to network. Whilst it’s relatively easy to find odd bits of scrap metal around your home, neighbourhood, and workplace, it can be hard to consistently make money by sourcing scrap in this way. Most scrappers who want to turn a profit, tend to build relationships with local tradespeople by offering free pickup and disposal in exchange for any metal that may be amongst the refuse. This week, we take a look at 5 of the best tradespeople to befriend if you’re looking to make cash from scrap.
Plumber
Although PVC pipes are the norm in modern plumbing, a relatively affluent heritage city like Melbourne still has plenty of old houses with copper and brass plumbing systems that are eventually bound to fail. When plumbers replace the piping in old houses, they tend to throw out a lot of metal refuse like water heaters, pipes and sinks.
Electrician
Copper is the most sought after scrap metal because of it’s scarcity and high price, and it just so happens that most of the high grade copper produced is put to use as electrical wiring. Although copper wiring does not weigh that much, the purity of the copper means it will fetch a very high price in the scrap yard.
Site foreman
Construction sites are a fantastic source of metal scrap, but it’s important to develop a good relationship with the site foreman and have written permission before you go rummaging through the dumpsters, as you risk being charged with trespassing.
HVAC technicians
The humble air conditioning unit is an abundant source of metals, including precious copper wire. Heating returns, old furnaces, and water heaters are also great sources of metal scrap.
Mechanic
Auto repair shops are a veritable buffet of stainless steel, aluminium, and iron scrap. Unfortunately, old cars and trucks are a well known source of metal, so you may have to compete with other scrappers to curry favour with your local auto repair shop.
Bonus round: small business owners
Although it isn’t necessarily a sustainable source of scrap, it can be well worth visiting small business owners in your local high street or shopping centre and enquiring if they have any machinery, display props, storage ware or miscellaneous metal items that they want to get rid of and then offer free delivery. Many small business owners have useless flotsam floating around their storage room that they haven’t had the time to dispose of, so it can be possible to find some great scrap.
Metal Men Recycling specialise in scrap metal collection around Melbourne and offer fair prices for a wide range of scrap. To learn more about trading your scrap for cash with metal men, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 03 5941 6677.
