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Are electric motors worth breaking down?

PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:40 am
by Finder
For the copper?

Ive got an old washer and dryer in the garage that I would like to harvest the copper from the motors. If so, any tips on doing that?

Im not sure my scrap yard takes them whole anyway, I didnt see them listed.

Re: Are electric motors worth breaking down?

PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 9:43 am
by Thogey
Dude, your scrapyard stinks.

They pay .01 for tin and don't take washer and dryers?

Re: Are electric motors worth breaking down?

PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:21 am
by hobo finds
I think Wayne 1956 is around your area andsomeone had posted scrap prices in the DFW area. Yes if you can remove the motors you will make around .20 - .25 a pound for them by me.

Re: Are electric motors worth breaking down?

PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 11:59 am
by Finder
They do take washers and dryers im sure, its just that I have a car and they wont fit in it.
but yeah, other than Copper they dont seem very competitive. I have others in the area and as time goes on I will figure out how to best sell my scrap.

They probably considered 19 lbs of scrap steel on the small scale a nuisance.
I dont really like the guy, he is an ass and acts like he is doing you a favor by buying your scrap. Its mansfield metals on 1187.

But I am new and am still learning the ropes.

With a car I will probably concentrate on the more valuable metals, copper, brass, stainless.

I just broke down an old computer crt from the garage this morning, probably half a lb of copper. Thought it would be more, looked like a lot.

Re: Are electric motors worth breaking down?

PostPosted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 10:33 pm
by wayne1956
Finder wrote:They do take washers and dryers im sure, its just that I have a car and they wont fit in it.
but yeah, other than Copper they dont seem very competitive. I have others in the area and as time goes on I will figure out how to best sell my scrap.

They probably considered 19 lbs of scrap steel on the small scale a nuisance.
I dont really like the guy, he is an ass and acts like he is doing you a favor by buying your scrap. Its mansfield metals on 1187.

But I am new and am still learning the ropes.

With a car I will probably concentrate on the more valuable metals, copper, brass, stainless.

I just broke down an old computer crt from the garage this morning, probably half a lb of copper. Thought it would be more, looked like a lot.


I live in your area and use to take all my stuff to Manfield Metal, but now mostly take them to Erath metals because they are closer and pay for more variety (example, Mansfield metal will not buy car batteries, Erath will). For the most part they are pretty fair on their prices, they just do not like to take steel on the small scale, they will only pay a penny a pound for it, even when they are paying 8 cents on the large scales. As far as I know of they do not buy elecric motors as such, but American Recycling in Fort Worth will and same with Erath Metals south of Alvarado. Erath pays 20 cents a pound. I have found Mansfield will pay better for aluminum/copper coolers than Erath, so I just try to keep up with who pays what. It would pay for you to remove the electric motors and put them aside until you have several, then take them to American or Erath whole, depending on which is closer. Trying to separate out the windings would be a ROYAL pain, and I personally do not mess with it. If you have any other questions, PM me and I will try to answer them.