Trying to Remove Old Trailers

[RickF11]

I have a spot of property with many trailers that need to be removed. Does anyone have any suggestions on cutting through the steal beams of the bottom frame? I'm trying to figure out a way to fit pieces in the back of my pickup so that I can haul them away. I guess I'll have to rent/buy a type of saw or will I have to melt them? I really have no idea. Thanks for any advice.

[HayZee518]

I'm sure your rental facility will have and give you a simple hands on primer on the oxy-acetylene torch. This unit is far easier and less time consuming as a saw. Your regulator setup is normally 6 lbs acetylene to 40 lbs oxygen. As the primary flame heats the metal to incandescence, the center hole feeds pure oxygen to blow away the melted metal. There are different tips for different thicknesses of metal all numbered from 0 to 4. The tip has a minimum of four holes for the primary jets and one larger one for the "blow-hole" - the rest are usually seven pre-heats and one "blow-hole."

[RickF11]

Hey, I appreciate the reply. Oxy-acetylene torch, eh? Now I'll know what to ask for. Thanks again partner.

[thedcdude]

Have you tried calling a scrap dealer? They may remove them free.

[RickF11]

Yea I did. They said it wasn't worth the trouble. But I'm definitely going to be bringing the metal to a scrap yard to try and make some money out of the process.

[driz]

Originally Posted by RickF11

I have a spot of property with many trailers that need to be removed. Does anyone have any suggestions on cutting through the steal beams of the bottom frame? I'm trying to figure out a way to fit pieces in the back of my pickup so that I can haul them away. I guess I'll have to rent/buy a type of saw or will I have to melt them? I really have no idea. Thanks for any advice.

If you already haven't done it don't be so quick to do the work for them. At least around here they should come and get them and pay you for the stuff. I know its a bit of a secret but with the price of steel and aluminum being at least twice what it was a few years ago its a different game alltogether. You should be getting good coin for that stuff and not have to lift a finger, period. Let them know its free and they should be fighting over it and let them do the cutting, they have the gear and the experience. Steel scrap is a far different beast than it was the last 3o years.

[LazyPup]

Just came back from taking a couple hundred pounds of clean brass (old plumbing fixtures) to the scrap yard and while i was there I discussed this topic with the scrap yard owner.

Do not expect a rush of scrap dealers running to get this material. As of this morning the current price of "Clean -Heavy Steel" is $.05/lb ($100/ton) delivered to the scrap yard.

In order to send a team of men to pick it up he would need to pay portal to portal wages on his people @$16.50hr + bennefits and provide a truck which gets 5mpg while burning $3.99/gal fuel, not to mention that the job would probably also require a bobcat or similar piece of heavy equipment to handle the material plus the cost of oxy-acetylene torches or abrasive blades.

In addition, the scrap yard liability insurance only covers them when there are on thier own property. If they need to use abrasive saws or oxy-acetlylene cutting torches the scrap dealer must get a special rider on his liability insurance which is a minimum of $250/day.

You may have some success in finding those small one pick-up truck operators who scour the neighborhood for scrap but keep in mind that they expect the total value of the scrap for thier labor and they have no liabilty insurance. If they get hurt on your property they could, and probably would sue you, not to mention that if they set a grass fire or burn your house down from improperly handling a cutting torch they will be in the wind before you can call the fire dept.

My scrap yard dealer suggested seeing if you can find a small welding shop in your area that custom builds trailers. They may be interested in getting your old trailers as structural material for future work.

[driz]

Around here the scroungers will come out of the woodwork for free steel and the price of it still isn't that cheap. Those guys who run that scrap yard must have something special going to want to charge you to come out an pick it up free. They

dont

' need to bring along special equipment just the

bigass

cutting torch that to them is like a hammer to a carpenter. It doesn't cost them squat to operate that rig and cutting the stuff into man load size pieces and they cut the stuff about as fast as you can saw through hard cheese with a knife literally. Then all you do is toss the pieces in the truck its that simple. Really guy someone is jerkin your chain here and you need to look around more before paying someone for something they are going to make money on.
If it was me I would take a walk around the yellow pages before lifting a pinkie. Try putting an ad on your local CRAIGS LIST for one. Then start calling around to the local steel fabricators in your area. You know, the guys who make

stuctural

steel for buildings and whatnot. Make em a deal, come get it and its yours if they can do it fairly soon. Don't lean on em to get it out tomorrow but don't let em make you wait more than a week or so either. If its not gone by such and such date there is another guy who wants the stuff ( even if there isn't). You will also find small timers who do metal fab who would rush to you for free steel. The trouble is they aren't in the yellow pages cause the listing is far too expensive for them. Those guys should run to you, ever grateful. You can find them by looking around and talking to garage owners

ect

. Really you will be able to find someone it just takes a bit of looking in the out of the way places.