# Scrap Metal Pricing



## Lightmeup (Jun 26, 2006)

I've got a bunch of copper wire that I was thinking about selling since it's just in the way basically. I checked and copper is at $3.23/LB on the commodity index now. I called a scrap yard and they tell me they'll only pay 50 cents/LB for the wire. I know it has a plastic covering on it (it's mainly RJ-45 eight wire cable) but that doesn't seem like a very good price. Anyone have any experience doing this? Is that really all it is worth?


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## savumaki (Jun 26, 2006)

Commodity prices are for the raw material as it comes from the processor; what you have is finished product that has to be stripped, cleaned and reprocessed.
Try a few other yards as they do vary in what they are willing to pay for various scrap metals.
good luck

karl


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## twentysixtwo (Jun 26, 2006)

Copper wire worth more bare.

Big fire recently in NJ / NY recently. Some winos started it when they were burning insulation off copper wire.


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## Manzerick (Jun 26, 2006)

I was just going to suggest burning it off.. seemed like a good idea at the time



twentysixtwo said:


> Copper wire worth more bare.
> 
> Big fire recently in NJ / NY recently. Some winos started it when they were burning insulation off copper wire.


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## ABTOMAT (Jun 26, 2006)

Do _not_ burn it off. The fumes from burning it, as well as what's left over, is toxic. Not only is it illegal and unhealthy, but then you have to strip off the charred insulation by hand.

Proper metal scrap yards run the stuff through some kind of industrial chipping machine that strips it off. You can do it with sharp tools if you have some time to kill.


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## Morelite (Jun 26, 2006)

Phone, TV, and data cables are not worth much with the insulation on them, plus wire that has been burned is also not worth near as much as it would be if the insulation is removed by hand or a machine stripper. Clean unburned copper is about $2.27 a pound here (PA), heavy wire with insulation and copper pipe with solder and fittings still on it is around $1.73 a pound.


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## twentysixtwo (Jun 27, 2006)

One thing that occurred to me - 50 cents a lb for copper wire is not as bad as it sounds given that they pay you for the weight of the wire - insulation included.

If the insulation weight is 50% of the wire, they they are really paying you $0 for the insulation and $1 a lb for the copper - or maybe -$0.50 for the insulation and $1.50 for the copper - you get the idea.

Ditto on burning the insulation to be a bad idea - very messy. The people who did this in NY/NJ were winos - not really role models for ingenuity.


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## benh (Jun 27, 2006)

You get more money for 1/0 and heavier wire. Basically, the more copper in the wire, the more it's worth. They tend to pay less for clippings and short ends, especially in smaller guages. They also tend to pay less for very finely stranded wire, as it's harder to process.

Don't burn the insulation off. Not only is it dangerous and not only does it emit noxious and toxic fumes, but they pay less for burned wire vs bright stripped. I think they pay the least for unstripped, then burned, then stripped.


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## Trashman (Jun 27, 2006)

Yes, I've been recycling all types of stuff, including different grades of wires, weekly, for about 8 years now. $.50 a pound is pitiful. The classify copper wire as either #1, #2, or if it's stripped BS (brown,shiny). #1 is the stuff you can bend and it stays in it's bent shape, or the stuff that is thick and heavy (you can see that it has more wire inside than insulating covering). #1 is paying about $1.50 a pound, right now. #2 is, almost, everything else -- telephone wire, data cable (multi-stranded stuff), extension cords, vacuum cords, anything used by a household appliance.... #2 is paying about $1.00 a pound, right now. BS is #1 that's been stripped (it's the highest payed for of copper--even pays more than all types of copper tubing (which pays more that wire). It's paying about $2.50 a pound, right now. Oh yeah, there's one other class, and that's Romex wiring, the electrical wiring found in houses and buildings. That pays in between #1 and #2, which about $1.20 or $1.30. 

Copper has been at an all time high, recently, but has just dropped a little bit. Still, though, 50 cents a pound is awful. The prices I mentioned apply to the place that I bring it. There are some places that pay less, some more. Some pay more for quantities over 100 pounds, and some pay even more than that for large, large quantities.

I've come accross places that pay half of what I get, and some that pay even more (but they're too far to make it worth my trip). Just call around to what other places are paying.


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## Manzerick (Jun 27, 2006)

Burn baby burn!!1 LOL


I recycled a radiator from an 1978 monte SS for about $6.00 in 1998...


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## Lightmeup (Jun 27, 2006)

Trashman said:


> I've come accross places that pay half of what I get, and some that pay even more (but they're too far to make it worth my trip). Just call around to what other places are paying.


I would think that pricing should be fairly competitive across the country. So, you think that about $1.00 is a decent price for the kind of wire I have?


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## Trashman (Jun 27, 2006)

Lightmeup said:


> I would think that pricing should be fairly competitive across the country. So, you think that about $1.00 is a decent price for the kind of wire I have?



I would think so, too, but there are some places that just pay a lot less. Possibly, because they do less volume, or just because they feel it's ok to take advantage of people. I know a place that has a big sign, "Highest Paying Recycling Center," which may be true for aluminum cans, but for other stuff, they pay half what others do. I stopped at this place to inquire about their payment for scrap aluminum and copper, and I was shocked at how low it was. The guy saw that I thought their prices were ridiculously low and he said that if I had a lot I could talk to the manager about getting more. I guess they take advantage of the ignorant people and those that know can bargain for a better price.

Anyway, yes, $1.00 a pound is a very fair price for what you have.


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## Lightmeup (Jul 13, 2006)

Hey Trashman, or anyone else that knows. Is there a market for computer memory chips or cards? Or plug-in computer cards, printed circuit boards, etc.?


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## Trashman (Jul 13, 2006)

I can find out. I think my friend was recycling old computers for about a buck each. I do know that there is market for circuit boards/mother boards and such that have gold on them, but I don't know where to find it (the market). I actually know someone, who, about 6 years ago had *a lot* of old mother boards from which he extracted 11 ounces of gold. I don't remember exactly how he did it, but I know they used nitric acid. The final product was fine powdered gold. There is definitely a market, but I'm not sure about the details. I'll ask tomorrow, if I remember.

Did you find a higher paying place for your wire? It's still at $1.00 and $1.50, over here.


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## Lightmeup (Jul 13, 2006)

I dunno. I haven't sold it yet. I called a couple more places and asked what they were paying for #2. One guy said a buck, then asked me what I had. When I told him, he said 'That's not #2. Your stuff only gets sixty cents/LB'. Didn't you say that data cables, etc., are considered to be #2 by you?


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## Handlobraesing (Jul 13, 2006)

If by wires, you mean CAT-5, I suppose the buying yard has an idea of % copper by weight for many typical types of wires. 

Ethernet cables are freaking expensive when you buy retail, that said, I say you have better chance cutting them to whatever length, mount connectors and sell as data cable on eBay.


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## Lightmeup (Jul 13, 2006)

Most of them are ethernet cables. 8 wires with RJ-45 plugs.


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## Trashman (Jul 13, 2006)

Yep, that's what I said. Where I am, they only classify as, either, #1 or #2 and Romex (in between #1 and #2.) They're not too picky about the wire where I go. The only think they don't take where I go is coax, but even that, I'm told is taken by some places, but I think it only pays like 10 cents/lb. Phone cords, wire, usb/ethernet cables, data wire (the multistranded stuff where each strand only has a hair of copper inside each insulated strand), and anything you find to power anything electric (though, that could be #1 if it's for some large, heavy duty-machinery).

There was a thing on the news a couple of nights ago about people getting caught near the airport stealing the extra wire that hangs on some telephone poles. Those wires are heavy!


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## Lightmeup (Jul 13, 2006)

Yeah, I think I just need to make more calls. Most of these places seem like they're used to dealing with idiots that have no idea what is going on. What do you deal with besides copper? Is there anything else out there that sells well?


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## Trashman (Jul 13, 2006)

I sell mostly scrap aluminum--windows, window frames, shower doors, sliding glass doors and the tracks that go with them, gas BBQs (the ketel portion is usually made of cast aluminum, patio furniture, etc... Also, copper tubing, brass, stainless steel (pool filters, sinks, etc...), and electric motors are some other things I recycle. The bulk of what I find is aluminum, though. The radiators in old air conditioners pay quite well, too--90 cents to $1.30. Everything generally has to be "cleaned", or isolated from other metals, which means removing screws and such. It can be a lot of work, but good tools can make it a lot easier.


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## Illum (Jul 13, 2006)

I have two coils of extremely thin copper wire extracted from two stepping motors from a Lexmark Z53 printer....anyone who wants them...they can have it...


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## Trashman (Jul 13, 2006)

Illum_the_nation said:


> I have two coils of extremely thin copper wire extracted from two stepping motors from a Lexmark Z53 printer....anyone who wants them...they can have it...




How much do they weigh? If it's what I'm imagining, it's probably barely worth the postage, and not worth the hassle.


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## Illum (Jul 14, 2006)

Trashman said:


> How much do they weigh? If it's what I'm imagining, it's probably barely worth the postage, and not worth the hassle.



the two coils weighs lighter than the evenlope

I extracted it as an ideal application for "slow burn fuse" but it shorted out my testing power supply so I left it there...


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## Trashman (Jul 14, 2006)

It's not really worth sending it through the main to be recycled, as the postage will be more than the value of the wire, but maybe it can be used by somebody for mods.


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## Lightmeup (Jul 15, 2006)

Trashman said:


> I sell mostly scrap aluminum--windows, window frames, shower doors, sliding glass doors and the tracks that go with them, gas BBQs (the ketel portion is usually made of cast aluminum, patio furniture, etc... Also, copper tubing, brass, stainless steel (pool filters, sinks, etc...), and electric motors are some other things I recycle. The bulk of what I find is aluminum, though. The radiators in old air conditioners pay quite well, too--90 cents to $1.30. Everything generally has to be "cleaned", or isolated from other metals, which means removing screws and such. It can be a lot of work, but good tools can make it a lot easier.


What are the buying prices you get for those various items in your area?


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## Trashman (Jul 15, 2006)

Aluminum extrusion pays 75 cents if it is clean and unpainted (clean, meaning no glue, plaster, stucco, etc.). Extrusion is stuff like windows, window frames, shower doors and their frames, and stuff that looks like that. It has a distinctive look and you can spot it just by looking at it. Anodizing doesn't affect price.

"MLC", which is just about everything else aluminum that is not painted, pays 60 cents per pound. Unpainted aluminum tubing, such as what is found in folding beach chairs, is a good example of "MLC". Painted or unclean extrusion goes in with the MLC. 

Cast and painted aluminum is paying 50 cents per pound. Gas BBQs (the kettle part) are usually made of cast aluminum as well is a lot of patio furniture. 

Brass is paying $1.30 for red and $1.20 for yellow. "Contaminated" brass, which is stuff that is mostly brass, but that has some other metals (probably, iron stuffs) that cannot be easily separated mixed in with it, pays 60 cents per pound. And example would be a brass spicket that has an iron bolt on it (that you just can't get off).

BS (brown/shiny) copper, which is stripped wire, pays $2.50. Copper #1, which is like unused copper tubing pays $2.20, I think. Copper #2 is general stuff made of copper and also tubing that has solderings on it (used tubing, generally) and it pays, I think, $2.10 or $2.00.

Stainless steel is paying 60 cents per pound.

Clean copper and aluminum radiators (copper tubing w/aluminum finning, like from air conditioners) are paying 90 cents per pound. Again, clean means just the good stuff, no metal ends on them. The metal ends have to be cut off, or the radiators only pay half.

Aluminum car rims are paying 60 or 65 cents, I think.

Die cast (a type of contaiminated aluminum) is paying 15 cents per pound. 

"Dirty" aluminum is paying 12 cents a pound. Dirty aluminum is all the stuff that still has screws, nails, rivets, and anything else that a magnet will stick to, still in it.

"Breakages" are paying 10 cents per pound. These are electric motors. They don't, generally, have to be isolated from their housings.

Ballasts are recycleable, but I don't remember what they're paying. They pay the least, probably, somewhere between 1 and 4 cents per pound.


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## Lightmeup (Jul 15, 2006)

Trashman, in your earlier post you said #1 copper was $1.50, and #2 was $1.00. This is much different than last post. Which is right? It couldn't have changed that much, right?

What is a ballast?


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## Trashman (Jul 15, 2006)

Oh, the earlier post was copper wire #1 and copper wire #2, the latter is just plain old copper #1 and copper #2--not wire! Copper #1 is basically clean tubing and pipes. #2 is basically copper tubing with solderings, or anything else that is copper, like copper pots and pans. Then there's the #1 and #2 (and romex) wire. Stripped wire is usually lumped into the "copper" category and not the wire category. It is of the highest quality and pays the most.


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## flashlight (Jul 15, 2006)

Scrap metal prices around these parts are really high right now, so much so that unscrupulous people are ripping off public signboards, manhole covers, guardrails, fencing, etc causing dangerous hazards for others. :shakehead:


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## Sub_Umbra (Jul 15, 2006)

In some parts of New Orleans looters are stripping out large copper cables nearly as fast as the utilitiy companies can install it. Phone customers in the hinterlands have waited months and months for the post-K restoration of their service -- only to have the metal stolen within 24 hrs of installation.

If our local 'police' had any inclination towards law enforcement it probably woudn't be as serious a problem as it is.


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## Lightmeup (Aug 29, 2006)

Trashman, what are the current copper wire prices by you?


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## cyberhobo (Aug 29, 2006)

In my area, they caught a couple of guys pulling Verizon's copper cables out of the ground with a come-along. They were successful for a couple of days and finally, the police nabbed em'  once Verizon reported several hundred yards of wire being yanked out of the ground. I hear it was 5 inch diameter copper cable.


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## Trashman (Aug 29, 2006)

Lightmeup said:


> Trashman, what are the current copper wire prices by you?




Same. #2(data cables, extension cords, house hold appliance cords...etc...) - $1.00, #1 - 1.50, and BS (Brown/Shiny, basically, #1 stripped) - $2.50.


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## Lightmeup (Aug 29, 2006)

Trashman said:


> Same. #2(data cables, extension cords, house hold appliance cords...etc...) - $1.00, #1 - 1.50, and BS (Brown/Shiny, basically, #1 stripped) - $2.50.


Hey, do computer memory cards, circuit boards, etc., have any residual scrap value?


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## Trashman (Aug 30, 2006)

Somewhere, they probably do, but I don't know where. You'd probably need tons (literally) to make any decent money, anyway.


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## Billson (Aug 30, 2006)

Lightmeup said:


> Hey, do computer memory cards, circuit boards, etc., have any residual scrap value?



Trashman's right. I once watched a show on Discovery channel where someone collected computers to recycle. He said that computer parts actually had more recoverable gold than ore in addition to many other metals.


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## Trashman (Aug 30, 2006)

I knew somebody that, around 6 or 7 years ago, bought a huge lot of computers and old mother boards from Wells Fargo. They were upgrading and all their old P1's were sold to him, which he refurbished, installed windows in, and then sold. Anyway, there were a lot of old mother boards. Not too, too many, though. I saw and about a regular size household trashcan or two filled. Anyway, another friend of mine, a polish chemist, showed him how to extract the gold from the mother boards. I know they disolved the boards in nitric acid and from there I don't know what they did. Well, to make a finished story over with, they got 11 ounces of pure gold out of all those boards. I saw the gold flakes in a jar--it looked like something a miner would pan for.
Pretty cool. 

I think the larger recycling centers, the ones that take scrap iron and everything, pay a dollar for each old computer they are given, which, by weight, is more than what it'd be worth if it were just sold as simple metal scrap.


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## Silviron (Aug 30, 2006)

Just "eyeballing them", there seems to be a whole lot less gold in run-of the mill computer boards than there used to be.... I don't think *I'd* bother with it anymore.

We bought about three train car loads of military / government surplus electrical busses, computer, communications and avionics circuit boards, outdated film from aerial surveillance cameras and other similar stuff back in '80, just before gold skyrocketed to $700 an oz + and silver was in the teen$ per ounce.

Mostly we stripped the gold with nitric and melted it down to ~.99 fine ingots, no other treatment needed. But some of the gold and a lot of the silver required cyanide and electrowinning to produce about ~.995 fine purity. 

Just the sale of the aluminum, copper and brass scrap was nearly triple our winning bid at the Govt. surplus auction..., There were some working items like oscilloscopes and radios that we sold outright for a decent amount of money too.

The ~13 ounces of gold and ~28 pounds of silver was just 'gravy'... There was one kind of module that was supposedly part of a telephone system that had nearly an fifth ounce of gold in and on it.... We only had a few of them... Man... wished we had a whole train load of them.

Not bad money for two guys working for a few hours a day for two months on a pretty small investment. 

We were going to go into the scrap metal / precious metal recovery business in a big way, but the 'big boys' we were selling to figured out what we were doing and started bidding things up to the point that we couldn't make any decent, EASY money at it. And a few months later, some guy was selling booklets in the back of Popular Science telling how to do it, and competition across the country was just huge.


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## Trashman (Aug 30, 2006)

Silviron's right. The new stuff doesn't contain much gold at all, if any. Those boards my friend had were all P1's, which came out when, the early to mid 90's? 

That's a great story Silviron!


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