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I'm curious if any of the scrappers on this site purposely keep a stockpile of bare bright copper wire on hand for a SHTF scenario. Copper is used in so many things that I thought it might be good to consider keeping a bucket full of bare bright. I don't know specifically what I'd use it for (perhaps barter?), but figured there might be value in having it on hand. And I am not referring to having containers of copper coins on hand- I am specifically referring to copper wire.

What does everyone else think?

I got a bunch of it. I never miss an opportunity to bring home copper scrap. It has become a real hassle to weed-eat around it in the back yard. I have to keep putting out rat poison, too.

I got scrap copper stuffed into every little space I can find in my garage, storage unit, shed behind the house, and now lying on the lawn. I will post some pics as soon as I remember how, of what is in my backyard. I have not bothered to strip it out of it's various products. I figure there will be plenty of time for that should I need copper to buy food and medicine.

I've never thought of it as a literal stockpile, but I have kept a few small containers of bare stripped copper, and I have a tube of power wire of various types that isn't stripped, and I use it for various things (hanging heavy pictures, etc - sort of like "bailing wire" used to get used on the farm/ranch), to wire things up, etc, but it's also a mini-stockpile of sorts I suppose.

Tub not tube

Seems silly to stockpile bare bright for a SHTF scenario. Seems like insulated wire would be much more useful. Something like a few rolls of new 12-2 Romex or even single strand #12 THHN.

I am going to extract the copper from a bunch of fans today. What is the best plastic bucket to store it in? If I remember right, anything with "chloride, chlorine, etc." is bad for copper. It causes it to tarnish, right? Are "food grade" buckets best?

Here are pictures of somet of what is in my backyard:

I have a ac unit graveyard in my back yard lol
maybe 100 outside units from 2-7.5 ton

smackvay wrote:I have a ac unit graveyard in my back yard lol
maybe 100 outside units from 2-7.5 ton

Wow - you must have a big back yard! My wife would kill me.

smackvay wrote:I have a ac unit graveyard in my back yard lol
maybe 100 outside units from 2-7.5 ton

WOW!!

I had a barrel I was filling up with copper wire...i gave it to the scrap guy that drives our 'hood...along with a 25 year old stainless grill and an old lawnmower...they were happy.