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.