586,065 active members*
4,842 visitors online*
Register for free
Login
IndustryArena Forum > Community Club House > What is a fair price for scrap yard aluminium ?
Results 1 to 16 of 16
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    313

    What is a fair price for scrap yard aluminium ?

    Hi..

    At a local scrap yard they sell aluminium in all kinds of shapes for the same kilogram price.
    There are some nice blocks to make stuff from on a cnc router.

    What is a fair price per kilogram for aluminum found at a scrap yard ?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    3319
    The scrap metal market is typically operating at "world prices" - namely, world demand sets the daily, sometimes hourly prices of the metal which are often rapidly changing as bids come and go. The salvage dealers make their living bartering metal. SOmetimes even a small per Kg change in price can make a big difference to their bottom line in profits.

    A lot of the small, onesy twosy sales of scrap metal can be a PITA to the scrap dealer. Why? Their focus is usually on selling truck or carloads of the stuff as opposed to handfulls.

    If you can find what you want/need as scrap and it is cheaper than new billet or bar stock - new stock is also pricey and usually much more so,

    Hence pay the price and consider yourself lucky you even found some.

    Besides, act quick as the stuff may be gone when you finally figure out that deal was good enough.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    12177
    Quote Originally Posted by vroemm View Post
    ....What is a fair price per kilogram for aluminum found at a scrap yard ?

    Thanks.
    That is a bit like asking 'how far is up?' .

    If you are willing to pay the asking price then you must think it is fair.

    If you do not think it is fair and do not buy anything but other people do obviously they think it is fair.

    I am interested; what is the price per kilo in Euros? In my area near Vancouver, Canada, good clean scrap in largish pieces is around $CDN2 per pound which is near enough to $CDN5 per kilo which is EUR3.45
    An open mind is a virtue...so long as all the common sense has not leaked out.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    733
    I picked up 21lbs of bar stock at my local scrap dealer for $35 last month.

    They were 3/4" thick x 3" width in various lengths. Good for small projects. The aluminum was stamped 6061 by Alcoa. They had alot of larger pieces available and flat plate too. Not sure if it is a good price but the place is only a couple of miles away so very convenient for me.

    Mt Clemens recycle in Michigan.


    Jim

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    313
    Quote Originally Posted by jfong View Post
    I picked up 21lbs of bar stock at my local scrap dealer for $35 last month.
    You payed then 2.66 euro per kilogram.
    Geof payed 3.45 euro per kilogram.

    Last year i payed 2.50 euro per kilogram.
    Few months ago it went up to 3.50 euro per kilogram, if i remember correctly.
    Not so strange prices then.

    Today i saw two large blocks aluminium.
    Like 40x20x20 centimeter, 16x8x8 inch.
    I think i will go and get them.
    All though i do not have a cnc router yet :-)

    Thanks all for your help.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    313
    Are the aluminium prices expected to go on average up in the coming years and decades ?
    Or could it go down ?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    12177
    Quote Originally Posted by vroemm View Post
    Are the aluminium prices expected to go on average up in the coming years and decades ?
    Or could it go down ?
    Yes.
    An open mind is a virtue...so long as all the common sense has not leaked out.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Posts
    5
    Quote Originally Posted by Geof View Post
    Yes.

    basically as always metal prices of any kind tend to go up and recently the prices have been increasing a lot ,hence all the issues with people no not people worthless scum stealing any kind of metal they can (i just had 2 huge radiators stolen off of me along with a lot of scrap aluminum and bronze bushings)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    4396
    Quote Originally Posted by Geof View Post
    That is a bit like asking 'how far is up?' .

    If you are willing to pay the asking price then you must think it is fair.

    If you do not think it is fair and do not buy anything but other people do obviously they think it is fair.

    I am interested; what is the price per kilo in Euros? In my area near Vancouver, Canada, good clean scrap in largish pieces is around $CDN2 per pound which is near enough to $CDN5 per kilo which is EUR3.45
    Could you translate this into US Dollars? Sorry but I'm just a Machinist with Little Accounting Knowledge LOL.
    Toby D.
    "Imagination and Memory are but one thing, but for divers considerations have divers names"
    Schwarzwald

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

    www.refractotech.com

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    12177
    Quote Originally Posted by tobyaxis View Post
    Could you translate this into US Dollars? Sorry but I'm just a Machinist with Little Accounting Knowledge LOL.
    Don't be so darn lazy, do it yourself .

    http://www.xe.com/
    An open mind is a virtue...so long as all the common sense has not leaked out.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    4396
    Quote Originally Posted by Geof View Post
    Don't be so darn lazy, do it yourself .

    http://www.xe.com/
    Thanks for the Link
    Toby D.
    "Imagination and Memory are but one thing, but for divers considerations have divers names"
    Schwarzwald

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

    www.refractotech.com

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    313
    Quote Originally Posted by tobyaxis View Post
    Could you translate this into US Dollars? Sorry but I'm just a Machinist with Little Accounting Knowledge LOL.
    Go to google.
    Enter following line:

    3.45 euro to dollar

    Then you get :

    3.45 Euros = 4.762035 U.S. dollars

    Can also do this with other stuff:
    Enter in google:

    10 lbs to kilogram

    You get back:

    10 pounds = 4.5359237 kilogram

    Nice stuff !
    Easy as eating cake :-)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    313
    It was 3 blocks of CERTAL T651 aluminium.
    Which is strong aluminium.
    Together the weight is 45 kilogram.
    I payed 2.50 euro per kilogram.

    On a scrapyard there is always the question, what does it weigh, what will it cost.

    To solve this i made a handheld weightscale from a secondhand digital personal weight scale.
    It is cheap and easy to make.
    Easy to take with you to the scrapyard and do you own measuring of the weight.

    Here are pictures and a drawing in dxf.
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38813

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    12
    Quote Originally Posted by jfong View Post
    I picked up 21lbs of bar stock at my local scrap dealer for $35 last month.

    They were 3/4" thick x 3" width in various lengths. Good for small projects. The aluminum was stamped 6061 by Alcoa. They had alot of larger pieces available and flat plate too. Not sure if it is a good price but the place is only a couple of miles away so very convenient for me.

    Mt Clemens recycle in Michigan.


    Jim
    Is this the place just outside of Selfridge? I know pepole that go there all the time and talk about the "treasures" they find there. I've been meaning to check it out

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    733
    Yes on Irwin drive just off North River Road. The aluminum is in the building on the left side.

    Jim


    Quote Originally Posted by gravitar View Post
    Is this the place just outside of Selfridge? I know pepole that go there all the time and talk about the "treasures" they find there. I've been meaning to check it out

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Posts
    313
    Quote Originally Posted by gravitar View Post
    Is this the place just outside of Selfridge? I know pepole that go there all the time and talk about the "treasures" they find there. I've been meaning to check it out
    Would be nice if there was a world map with these nice places :-)

Similar Threads

  1. Machine scrap yard in Seattle area?
    By Darren_T in forum DIY CNC Router Table Machines
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 05-14-2011, 10:16 PM
  2. what are fair wages
    By dertsap in forum Community Club House
    Replies: 77
    Last Post: 02-10-2010, 01:27 AM
  3. Hobby Machinists Fair Oaks, CA
    By HeavyMetal in forum MetalWork Discussion
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 02-17-2005, 10:39 PM
  4. USA Fair Trade
    By Turbine in forum News Announcements
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 08-27-2003, 02:07 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •