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I am planning a trip to MI this summer and was wondering what the going rate for copper is at your local yards.... Here in my area the price is so low (no competition) so they can pay what ever they want.. motor windings they told me that they would pay .30 a lb and clean copper tubing sells as #2 $ 0.80 / lb. here is what I have and wondering the price your local yard pays..
when I said you can do better then that can't you they told me your "free to go else where". however pacific has a monopoly here and the area would have to travel far to get to an area that pacific has some competition.


motor windings (clean bright no coating) * approx. 40 LBS
motor windings (red coating) *approx. 60 LBS
solid strand copper (clean no insulation hand stripped pretty color) *approx. 20 LBS
multi strand copper (clean no insulation hand stripped pretty color) *approx. 120 LBS
solid strand copper silver coating ( old house wire scrape the outside and copper shows no insulation) *approx. 10 LBS
multi strand silver looking (from electronics no insulation) * approx. 10 lbs.
copper tubing free of solder dark rings with shinning between (from AL radiator) *approx. 110 LBS
copper tubing free of solder dark from exposure to air/dirt etc.. *approx. 30 LBS

more copper wire added to buckets every day (2-20lbs).. and the clean bright motor windings they asked me where they came from and I told them that is why he said .30 a lb if I left them in the motors it would have been .11/lb they guy was a jerk maybe I got him on a bad day or something but I would never sell what I would classify as #1 or higher for .30 If anyone could give me an idea if it is like that everywhere or just here where no competition with out driving 600 miles.

Well that yard is screwing you.

Your motor windings should be going as #2 copper. Even the "bright" windings will still have a coating on them, so no need to seperate them from the red.
Your multi strand and single strand if clean and bright should go a "bare bright'. Well, at most yards anyway. Some yards will discount the strand wire to #1.
Copper tubing that is free of all dirt, paint, fittings and solder can go as #1. We always cut our pipe into 2 foot lengths, our yard likes it like that. All contaninated pipe will go #2 as long as there are no brass fittings attached.

Just remember, some states have laws against non-residents selling copper so check the state before you go.

BTW, just where are you located?

I live in Sidney mt. there are 2 scrap yard companies (300 miles radius ) however the owner of the land under both of them is same person. so it is like left hand in competition with right hand. but still feeding same mouth.. some of the motor windings I classify is clean shinning is what I use to call #3 from small motors that I strip when sitting watching tv. man if I found a girl with hair like that I would be in love (soft, long, beautiful ect) the scrap yard is called pacific recycling they told me the only thing they call #1 must be single strand clean bright and larger then a pencil around. and they don't grade
#3 and rarely get any #1 never anything higher. most of everything they get in is #2 or insulated #2 which is what they classify the motor windings at..


with no competition they can pay what ever they fill like. and that is why I was thinking about selling my copper else where. err not thinking about it will refuse to sell it here. it does not take up much space and if the price is not right I will just keep stacking the 5 gallon buckets full (lids on) in crawl space

current price (last week when checked) was .80 for #2 1.10 for #1 and .30 for motor windings..(insulated #2) they call the coating insulation. there has to be better prices out there...

Find out how much pounds you need to get the better price. With only 2 yards It cant hurt to ask...

You already know this, but your scrap yard's prices stink. You could probably do better filling a USPS Large flat rate box and selling it on ebay (even after fees).

Here's an Ebay auction for stripped copper wire. Looks like it's in a USPS large flat rate box. It's already over $3 a pound.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/45-LBS-of-3-0-C ... 27e45849a8

Even after shipping and fees, you would be coming out ahead.