Getting "Rid Of" your Aluminum Cans

[two_bit_score]

In the SF Bay Area most of the tree guys give wood away. With the ban on wood burning in new homes and no burn ordinances even oak has almost no value

It wasn't always so as back in the 70's and 80's guys would line up asking to haul away storm fall oaks on the property.

We also had scavengers including those that would steal aluminum window frames from vacant homes... it happened to me.

Yeah, thieves abound everywhere.

We cut some wood up about two years ago at one place from a large oak limb that blew down in a storm and put it out at the curb and several people stopped and picked some up before the city got there. None of them asked, just took it. Not that I would not given it to them but .......
It was cut up in short lengths so easy for some to stop and throw in their car trunk or truck bed.

You have to be careful putting out anything that someone might be attracted to or you will wind up missing some things you intended to keep.

 

[Oaktree]

Yeah, thieves abound everywhere.

We cut some wood up about two years ago at one place from a large oak limb that blew down in a storm and put it out at the curb and several people stopped and picked some up before the city got there. None of them asked, just took it. Not that I would not given it to them but .......
It was cut up in short lengths so easy for some to stop and throw in their car trunk or truck bed.

Not sure I'd call that theft. Something left at the curb usually implies "I don't want this, it's free for the taking".

 

[two_bit_score]

Not sure I'd call that theft. Something left at the curb usually implies "I don't want this, it's free for the taking".

I guess I’m old fashioned. I wouldn’t call them taking the firewood sized logs theft in that case because they were left there to be picked up and hauled off by the city. But, the people who took them did not know that for certain. They assumed that they were “free for the taking” only because they were at the curb.

They did not know for certain that those logs had not been purchased by someone who was coming to pick them up later. The pile did not have a sign or anything that indicated “Free” on it.

Again, old fashioned, but I wouldn’t get anything out of someone else’s yard unless I knew for certain it was free and there for anyone to take.

Now my wife, If she sees something by the curb on trash day, she will get it if she thinks it’s useful. That’s on trash day, by the trash can.

 

[Industrial Toys]

On a hot, very hot summer day, a customer was taking over an industrial unit next to them. I spotted some heavy liquidtite electrical cable overhead in the joists that they were not going to use, and they said I could have it. After much sweat and effort, I got it out, rolled up and ready to put in my truck. I went to wash my filthty hands and when I got back, the roll was GONE! I was livid. I think it was the guys in the next unit, but I couldn't prove anything.

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... just bringing in the groceries and had the trunk emptied out through the folded down rear seat...

The risk is low for property crimes...

We took had a rash of guard rails stolen for scrap until the State got involved... not the value of the aluminum but creating danger to life and limb.

 

[Industrial Toys]

So, your vehicle had been entered and groceries stolen?

Guardrails are aluminum?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

On a hot, very hot summer day, a customer was taking over an industrial unit next to them. I spotted some heavy liquidtite electrical cable overhead in the joists that they were not going to use, and they said I could have it. After much sweat and effort, I got it out, rolled up and ready to put in my truck. I went to wash my filthty hands and when I got back, the roll was GONE! I was livid. I think it was the guys in the next unit, but I couldn't prove anything.

It's much safer to steal copper wire if it's already disconnected and removed.

thief cooked stealing copper wire - Google Search

 

[Industrial Toys]

It's sad you see so many abandoned buildings torn apart for the copper pipes and wiring.

 

[MossRoad]

So, your vehicle had been entered and groceries stolen?

Guardrails are aluminum?

My brother in law is a heavy equipment operator. He works a lot of bridge and culvert jobs running excavators and such. He has several aluminum i-beams that he says are the supports for guard rails along the bridges and culverts.

 

[Deere Dude]

That would be simple enough and it would also allow me to crush the occasional gallon can. Now, how to crush glass...

When crushing cans they are different sizes so I save time by putting many inside others to triple them up.

I am not brave enough to even try crushing glass with a splitter. I would think it would explode right toward my face.

I am thinking of setting up a gun range like I see in westerns and have fun blazing away at them.

 

[Buggs67]

We have to pay by the bag for garbage and recycle. $3.25 large bag.

I crush the AL cans and fill boxes in the 4 car 32' deep storage garage Once a year I take it and any other recyclable metal to scrapper. Last year it was $38 cash.

Paper and anything safe to burn, we burn. Bottles I shoot w/ .22 and fill bag at $3.25 ea to drop off at town hall. I shoot the bottle at about 30' in a sorta shadow box so it's easy to pour into plastic bags.

 

[Doofy]

We have to pay by the bag for garbage and recycle. $3.25 large bag.

I crush the AL cans and fill boxes in the 4 car 32' deep storage garage Once a year I take it and any other recyclable metal to scrapper. Last year it was $38 cash.

Paper and anything safe to burn, we burn. Bottles I shoot w/ .22 and fill bag at $3.25 ea to drop off at town hall. I shoot the bottle at about 30' in a sorta shadow box so it's easy to pour into plastic bags.

Shadow box idea would certainly help contain some of the glass mess. Glass bottles are fun to shoot but bending over to pick up the shards is hard on my Fat.

 

[Industrial Toys]

No thought to critters hurting themselves on the glass? Not like they can go to a doctor!!!!!

 

[Doofy]

I would think a glass-trap of some sort could be constructed to contain the mess somewhat. Not sure why animals would be playing in broken glass? I would think wildfires would be more of a concern when not picking up broken glass. I have actually seen two fires in the same exact area due to a broken 1 gallon clear glass jug and bright sunshine.

 

[ultrarunner]

So, your vehicle had been entered and groceries stolen?

Guardrails are aluminum?

No... tools in trunk I was bringing home from work... all in trunk but car has folding back seat...

Yes... Overpass Guardrails are/were aluminum... so many stolen the started replacing with 4" dia. Ridgid Conduit.

 

[ultrarunner]

We have to pay by the bag for garbage and recycle. $3.25 large bag.

I crush the AL cans and fill boxes in the 4 car 32' deep storage garage Once a year I take it and any other recyclable metal to scrapper. Last year it was $38 cash.

Paper and anything safe to burn, we burn. Bottles I shoot w/ .22 and fill bag at $3.25 ea to drop off at town hall. I shoot the bottle at about 30' in a sorta shadow box so it's easy to pour into plastic bags.

That's a bargain... if the lid on a 20gallon waste managed curbside tote isn't fully closed due to excess garbage the minimum extra charge is $26.52 and for that a glossy time stamped picture...

Its a real problem because by statute property owners are direct billed for compulserary disposal services.

 

[ultrarunner]

We have to pay by the bag for garbage and recycle. $3.25 large bag.

I crush the AL cans and fill boxes in the 4 car 32' deep storage garage Once a year I take it and any other recyclable metal to scrapper. Last year it was $38 cash.

Paper and anything safe to burn, we burn. Bottles I shoot w/ .22 and fill bag at $3.25 ea to drop off at town hall. I shoot the bottle at about 30' in a sorta shadow box so it's easy to pour into plastic bags.

That's a bargain... if the lid on a 20gallon Waste Management curbside tote isn't fully closed due to excess garbage the minimum extra charge is $26.52 and for that a glossy time stamped picture...

Its a real problem because by statute property owners are direct billed for compulserary disposal services.

 

[goeduck]

Shadow box idea would certainly help contain some of the glass mess. Glass bottles are fun to shoot but bending over to pick up the shards is hard on my Fat.

Right after I read this post there was a big crash in the kitchen. Wife dropped the microwave bottom tray. Shards everywhere. $38 to replace including taxes and shipping, but that is better than shopping for a new microwave.

 

[Doofy]

Right after I read this post there was a big crash in the kitchen. Wife dropped the microwave bottom tray. Shards everywhere. $38 to replace including taxes and shipping, but that is better than shopping for a new microwave.

We haven't broken a turntable yet but fear it will happen someday. Large, unwieldy and slippery. With all the convenience that a Microwave offers, I have never found the perfect one. I want one with a lighted touchpad, a quiet easy close door, a "dinger" that can be turned down and a clock that doesn't blink, blink, blink every time the power bumps. Also, a 30 second and one minute button to warm my coffee depending on how much is in my cup. I would gladly pay extra for these features.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Have come darn close. Cats have busted a pile of dishes lately though. Ceramic tile on floor is terrible and unforgiving!