When scrap metal recycling becomes a major hobby or source of supplemental income, you need to become as efficient as you can at extracting scrap metal from a variety of materials such as old appliances, wires, furniture, and more. Scrap metal recycling is much easier if you use the right tools to take apart and retrieve scrap metal. Here is a list of the most essential scrapping tools that all scrap metal recyclers need at their disposal.
1. Basic Household Tools
You likely have most of the scrapping tools you need already in the toolbox in your garage. These basic everyday tools can be very useful for scrap metal recycling:
- Screwdriver – A screwdriver will help you dismantle equipment and remove metal parts.
- Power drill – This does the work of the screwdriver faster, removing screws so you can take equipment apart to reach the scrap metal within.
- Hammer – With damaged equipment, sometimes the best course of action is simply breaking it apart with a hammer to get to the metal components. A hammer can also be used to break large items into smaller, more manageable pieces.
- Crowbar – A crowbar is another useful tool for opening up and breaking down large materials.
- Wrench – You need a wrench to help you unscrew hard-to-reach and tight parts as you dismantle equipment.
- WD-40 – This may not seem like it fits in your scrapping toolbox, but WD-40 is great for keeping your tools protected as you use them for scrap metal recycling.
You should keep these tools close at hand when scrapping metal because chances are you will need one or all of them to help you retrieve metal from different sources.
2. Wire Stripper
If you’re serious about making money from scrap metal recycling, then you’ll likely be scrapping a lot of wire and cable. Stripping insulated copper wire or cable before bringing it to a scrap yard can help you receive a higher price for it. However, stripping wires with just a razor and pliers is time-consuming, so it may be worth investing in a wire stripper to make the process much faster and easier so that you can strip more wires and earn more cash. For less than 100 pounds of wire per month, a handheld wire stripper is likely all you need. For more than that, you should probably invest in a tabletop wire stripping machine or an electric wire stripper. These scrapping tools will help your scrap metal recycling process become much more lucrative.
3. Buckets, Straps, and a Hand Truck
You need scrapping tools that will help you haul heavy, bulky loads of scrap metal. Whether you prepare your scrap metal at home or in a workshop, you’ll want to be able to transport it all in one go. Buckets, straps, and a hand truck will allow you to move your scrap metal from your workstation to your vehicle and then to the scrap yard. Get a set of quality ratchet straps so that you can securely tie down your load on your way to the scrap yard. Buckets are very useful for transporting smaller pieces of scrap metal so that they do not get lost in transit.
4. Cordless Reciprocating Saw
When you’re scrapping, sometimes you need to cut pieces of metal to get to other parts and components, so you need a scrapping tool that will let you safely and easily cut through metal and other materials. A cordless reciprocating saw will slice through metal, and the cordless feature means you can use it anywhere. Just be careful when handling the tool and any sharp pieces of metal so that you don’t accidentally injure yourself.
5. Metal File
A metal file is a must-have tool for any scrapper. Many metals these days are coated to protect them from the elements and to protect users from electrical shock. Plastic, chrome, and non-ferrous metals like copper are commonly used as plating to protect the metals underneath. A metal file lets you grind away the protective layer to check the type of metal hiding below. This is a great scrapping tool to help you identify your scrap metals so that you can figure out what your load will be worth at the scrap yard.
6. Magnet
A magnet is arguably the most important scrapping tool to keep in your arsenal. It doesn’t need to be a powerful magnet; a simple refrigerator magnet will do the trick. Using a magnet is the easiest and quickest way to figure out if a metal is ferrous or non-ferrous. Ferrous metals contain iron and are magnetic, so your magnet will stick to them but not to non-ferrous metals. It’s always good to know what types of metals you have before you start working on your scrap. This will also help you figure out what your load is worth so you can get the best price when you take it to a scrap yard.
Get the Most for Your Scrap Metal at an East Tennessee Scrap Yard
Once you’ve collected, broken down, and sorted your scrap metal with these scrapping tools, it’s time to bring it to your local scrap yard. Roane Metals Group is a scrap metal recycling facility with two scrap yard locations in East Tennessee. We will accept just about any type of scrap metal and pay you the highest price possible for it. We use honest scales to make sure you receive exactly what your metal is worth. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of breaking down and sorting your scrap metal, don’t worry—we’ll still be sure to pay you a fair price for it. Make some cash from your scrap metal today by bringing it to one of Roane Metals Group’s scrap yard locations in either Rockwood or Crossville. If you have any questions about recycling your scrap metal or current scrap metal prices, give us a call at 865-354-4282 or fill out our contact form.