Tag: scrap metal

Metal Recycling in the Office

Posted on by AWD Digital

Businesses generate a lot of waste, so it’s important to implement sustainability practices that allow you and your workers to reduce, reuse and recycle as much of this waste as possible. In addition to recycling common office wastes such as paper, cardboard, printer cartridges, and plastics, care should also be taken to ensure metal wastes are recycled, by trading them in as scrap. If you want to do your bit for the environment and earn some cash for scrap, find out where you can salvage scrap metal around the office.

Aluminium cans and food containers and foil

It’s likely that your workers order takeaway lunches at least a couple of times a week, so to prevent this recyclable waste from ending up with the rest of the rubbish, provide your office with a designated metal recycling bin. Instruct your employees to recycle all aluminium waste, along with any steel cans (from baked beans or canned tuna) they may bring into the office. Aluminium and steel are able to be recycled infinitely, and recycling just one aluminium can saves enough energy to power a TV for 3 hours, so it’s worth holding onto this waste until you can trade it in as scrap.

Old steel furniture

Before chucking out old office furniture, check whether it has any recyclable parts. Steel framed chairs and tables, as well as chrome plated pieces, are often favoured in office environments because of their professional look, so salvage the metal from these items before disposing of them. All of this metal can be added to the pile that you take to your local metal buyer.

Old technology

One of the biggest sources of scrap metal in the office is obsolete computing technology. Electronic waste (or e-waste) is full of valuable metals like copper, silver, gold and palladium (among others), and because the other components of e-waste can be hazardous to the environment, it’s important that as much as possible of it is recycled before being correctly disposed of.

Old piping

If your office is having the plumbing re-done, make sure you keep your old piping. Synthetic PVC piping is favoured over galvanised piping (steel or iron with a protective zinc coating) these days, however these outdated galvanised pipes are a great source of scrap metal.

Decorative features

When redecorating your office, look out for items like brass door handles or unwanted metal ornaments. These items can also be added to your scrap metal pile.

Collecting the scrap in your office for metal recycling is not only beneficial to the environment, but is also a good way to generate some extra cash for office lunches and the like. Metal Men Recycling will give you cash for scrap metal and even offer a 24-hour pickup service.

Looking for Scrap? Here are 4 Places to Find Scrap Iron around the Home

Posted on by AWD Digital

When we think of household scrap metal, our minds often turn to things like old car shells, huge collections of aluminium cans, steel fencing, and copper wiring, however iron is also a great source of scrap metal and can be found in many furnishings and appliances around the home. Whether you’re having a big cleanout, are renovating, or simply want to make some extra cash, it’s a great idea to scour your home for scrap iron to be recycled in exchange for cash. Read on to find out where you can find scrap iron throughout your home.

Awnings and old window frames

Many older style houses (of which there are plenty throughout Melbourne) have wrought iron finishings like window frames and awnings. Because iron is so durable it makes a fantastic building material, so if you’re renovating your old home you’re bound to find iron somewhere. Not too long ago, iron was commonly used as a sturdy material for window frames, as it was able to keep the window in place and withstand high winds, and iron awnings above windows and doors were a popular form of decoration.

Ovens and stovetops

Beneath the layers of enamel, many older style ovens are actually made from valuable iron, so if you’ve got an old oven that you want to get rid of – either because it no longer works or because you’re upgrading – hold onto it and trade it in as scrap. If your oven isn’t made of iron, your stovetop undoubtedly will be, so salvage any old cooking elements and take them to your local metal recycler.

Bed frames and clothes racks

The bedroom seems an unlikely place to find scrap iron, however items like bed frames, dresser chairs, and clothing racks can all be made from iron and should be recycled rather than thrown out. Sometimes these items are coated with decorative paint, so if you’re unsure whether your furniture is made from iron make sure you scratch away at part of the surface.

If you come across any of these items around your home, don’t throw them away. Instead, take them to your local scrap metal dealer where you can earn cash for scrap. Metal Men Recycling accept a huge range of ferrous and non-ferrous metals and will gladly take any unwanted scrap metal off your hands.

Fun Garage Conversion Ideas

Posted on by AWD Digital

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.

How to harvest scrap metal from your garage

Posted on by AWD Digital

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.

A Guide to Harvesting Scrap Metal From Your Car

Posted on by AWD Digital

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.

Where to Find Aluminium Scrap Around the Home

Posted on by AWD Digital

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.

A Beginners Guide to Cash for Scrap Metal

Posted on by AWD Digital

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.

metal scrap

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.

Trade In Your Old Farming Machinery For Cash

Posted on by AWD Digital

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.