# How to make a quick buck



## bbnissan (Nov 7, 2004)

I'm going to let everyone in on a little secret that I've had for several years now. Most people don't know it, but city recycling centers will usually take old mowers and 2-cycle equipment so that they can be recycled. Also, many people don't know that the recycle centers will sell the good stuff for a very small price. At my local recycle center I pay $15 for push/S.P. mowers, $8 for any piece of 2 cycle equipment, and $5 for engines. And don't think that all the stuff is junk either. There are alot of people out there that will throw away a perfectly good lawnmower just because it won't start or because its hard to start. 

Just to give you an example, I picked up a Echo trimmer today for $8 because it wouldn't start. This isn't some cheap POS trimmer either, this is a commercial grade straight shaft trimmer with the clip for a shoulder harness! I brought the trimmer back to my house and did some work to it and now it runs like brand new (even holds 140psi compression!). The only thing that was really wrong with it is that the carb was gummed up with old fuel. I simply changed the spark plug, rebuilt the carb, installed a new fuel filter, and cleaned the spark arrestor. Now I have a $250 commercial grade trimmer that cost me $20 to buy and fix. If I get around to selling it (which I probably won't since it will run circles around my Ryobi trimmer), I will probably ask $120 for it. So if you do the math, I could make $100 profit off this trimmer! This is pretty typical too. I can go to the recycle center and spend about $60 on used equipment and turn around and sell it for around $500-$600.


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## bugman (Aug 12, 2004)

exactly and too when your just going around and you spot something you like ask. i've gotten two free riders due to this. run good. one had a i/c engine. of course most people around here have a mower and take it down to the shop around here. now they get it fixed and they run good. but they either don't pay or pick it up within 30 days. had one before someone didn't pay for, they sold it to me for 30 bucks. the price they set for a rebuilt carb so they sold it for that price. got it home sold it for 60 bucks. like you said you gotta look and like i say you gotta ask. just the other day a friend i know got a old sears rider, garden tractor now, 20 some years old. paid around 50 bucks for it. all that was wrong needed new belts and had light rust. 14hp horizontal shaft briggs. runs like new. good deck and all. it was a shed sleeper. man was making room. now with a good paint job etc. it could fetch 600 bucks easy. even more. all you gotta do is look around and ask. most people will give it to you. the junkyard is also a great place for whole good engines or parts. heads for nothing hardly, whole engines that run, had em have gas in them and i come home and spray ether in em and they start and run perfectly.


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