Request a pickup or a price
Tell us whether you are selling, recycling or buying, then the reel count, the flange size and the ZIP. That is enough to plan a run or answer a buyer. We reply by email with a pickup window or a price, usually after checking which lane passes you and what share of a deck your reels take.
What to put on the request
| Box on the form | Why we ask | Example of a useful answer |
|---|---|---|
| What do you need? | Selling, recycling and buying go to different places | Sell or clear reels |
| Product and condition | Sets whether reels are graded for resale | Wooden spools and cable reels; Used |
| Pieces | The total reel count | 34 |
| Flange size | Decides how reels load and how much deck they take | Mixed sizes |
| How can the reels be loaded? | Tells the driver whether to expect a forklift | Forklift on site |
| How often do reels pile up? | Lets us offer a standing slot | Every two weeks |
| Pickup address and ZIP | Puts you on a lane | The yard gate, not the head office |
| Description of goods | Sizes, condition, dock hours, site rules | 20 × 36 in, 10 × 60 in bolted, 4 stencilled; gate 6 to 2 |
Sell, recycle or buy: which box?
| Choose | When | What you get back |
|---|---|---|
| Sell or clear reels | Most of your reels look sound, or you simply want the yard cleared and are happy for us to grade them | A pickup window and a word on value |
| Recycle reels | Most are broken, rotten or split, and you want them gone responsibly | A pickup window and how recycling is handled |
| Buy spools | You want one spool, a matched set or a load | Sizes we have or expect, a price and delivery options |
Not sure? Choose sell. Every reel is graded at sorting, so a stack sent as "sell" that turns out to be mostly recycling still goes on the same truck.
The flange size answers, decoded
| Form answer | Reel sizes it covers | How they ride |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 in | 24 inch reels and smaller | Flat, stacked four high; hundreds per deck |
| 30 to 47 in | 30, 36 and 42 inch reels | Flat, two or three high; 60 to 189 per deck |
| 48 to 71 in | 48 and 60 inch reels | On edge, two staggered rows; about two dozen per deck |
| 72 to 96 in | 72, 84 and 96 inch reels | On edge; 16 to 20 per deck, forklift or crane needed |
| Over 96 in | The very largest utility reels | Step deck or flat; ask first |
| Mixed sizes | Any combination | Put the count of each size in the description |
What happens after you send it
- We read the count and sizes and work out the share of a 53 foot deck.
- We match your ZIP to its lane and look at what else is waiting on that lane.
- We reply with a pickup window, or with questions if something is missing. Buyers get a reply on sizes, availability and delivery.
- On the day, the driver loads, chocks and straps the reels and leaves you a count by size.
Photos help
After you send the form, reply to our email with three photos: the whole stack, one flange face, and one arbor hole. That lets us judge condition and spot stencilled reels before a truck is on the road.
For anything the form doesn't cover, write to info@lawoodenspools.com. Include your ZIP and, if it is about reels, the count and flange sizes.
Where we work
Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, on twelve lanes from the harbour to the high desert. San Diego County is outside our area. See areas and lanes to check where you sit.
Before you book a pickup
If every reel is one maker's and you have a full truck, try that maker's take-back program first; see take-back programs. If reels carry an owner's stencil, set them aside. If any still have cable on them, cut it off. Everything else, send to us.
Requests we can't take
- Reels with cable still on them, including part reels of scrap copper or aluminium.
- Steel and moulded plastic reels, which belong to their owners.
- Pickups in San Diego County or beyond the four counties.
- Loose pallets, crates and general wood waste without reels; a hauler or wood recycler suits those better.
If you are unsure whether something fits, ask anyway. A quick no saves you waiting on an answer you don't want.
Words on this page
- Pickup window
- The span of hours a dock is open and staffed for loading.
- Flange
- The round end of a reel; its diameter (24 to 96 inches and up) is how reels are sized, sorted and loaded.
- Bill of lading
- The freight paper listing shipper, pieces, description and weight; our request form is drawn as one.
- Ride along
- A small pickup added to a run that is already going that way, instead of a dedicated truck.
- Part load
- A stop that takes a real share of a deck, roughly a quarter to most of it, so the run is planned around it.
Read next
Request questions
How quickly do you reply?
As soon as we have checked the lane and the load. A request with counts by size, photos and dock hours gets the quickest answer, because there is nothing to ask back.
Is there a phone number?
No. Requests come in through the form or by email, so every detail the driver needs is written down in one place.
Can I change a request after sending it?
Yes. Reply to our email with the change, or send a new request and say it replaces the first.