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When I scrap the bright orange extension cords should I just scarp the whole thing or should I strip off the bright orange cord and just bring in the 3 smaller insulated cords inside?

Stripping the big thick orange cords is not hard but I cant strip the tiny ones inside. Will scrapyards take the whole orange cords and is there a price difference between the unstripped cords and the half stripped ones?

Yes! Scrap yards would love to buy your scrap copper wire, even if it is double insulated.

Scrap yards usually have different values for different types of wire, materials, and gauges. But it usually boils down to categories equivalent to single insulated wire and double insulated wire.

Also, If you are wondering how much copper you would get from stripping the entire thing, down to the copper, estimate that the double insulated wire is roughly 50% copper by weight.

Best of Luck!

theirrationalist wrote:estimate that the double insulated wire is roughly 50% copper by weight.

This is roughly what I came up as a guide when buying wire. I always try to offer a dollar for each orange cord. Sometimes I get laughed at sometimes I get ready sellers.

I also look for boxes of jumbled wires at yardsales. Again I offer $1 and bargain up, but never yet paid over $3 for a big plastic tub. There is just too much out there to overpay for one box. Even the unstripped thin wire (not computer ribbon wire) will get me 70¢ lb. Besides I always find surprises in the big bins of wire. (cell phones, computer boards, etc)

It is actually not that hard to strip the insulation off of each of the individual 3 wires. I personally use a sharp box cutter. I will put a old tshirt or towel on my leg (incase the knife slips, wont cut my leg or jeans). I will then place the one end of the wire on the towel, put the the cutter a few inches from the end on the wire and pull the wire to me, cutting the last few inches to start my strip. I will then turn the wire around, and place the cutter where I had started my strip and do the rest of the wire. With some practice it will actually become quite easy. I have stripped literally hundreds of feet of wire like this and have recently filled a 7 gallon plastic bucket with #2 copper wire (and I compressed it as much as possible to get as much wire in there as possible). Final weight was 50 lbs of clean #2 copper wire.

wayne1956 wrote:It is actually not that hard to strip the insulation off of each of the individual 3 wires. I personally use a sharp box cutter. I will put a old tshirt or towel on my leg (incase the knife slips, wont cut my leg or jeans). I will then place the one end of the wire on the towel, put the the cutter a few inches from the end on the wire and pull the wire to me, cutting the last few inches to start my strip. I will then turn the wire around, and place the cutter where I had started my strip and do the rest of the wire. With some practice it will actually become quite easy. I have stripped literally hundreds of feet of wire like this and have recently filled a 7 gallon plastic bucket with #2 copper wire (and I compressed it as much as possible to get as much wire in there as possible). Final weight was 50 lbs of clean #2 copper wire.

How do you determine what is #1 copper vs #2 copper? Do you make more $ by stripping the insulation from the wire?

This the kind of scrapping anyone can do, with zero know-how and a pair of cutters. Perfect for me

I started a bucket of wire last Spring. Need to pay more attention to it.

I always strip the entire extension cord,I use a pocket knife,but I would put something on your leg as wayne1956 suggested. I have ruined alot of pants stripping wire. So far this year I have stripped a total of 524 lbs of copper wire.

man that is alot of wire you stripped. good for you, that is awesome!

Morsecode wrote:This the kind of scrapping anyone can do, with zero know-how and a pair of cutters. Perfect for me

I started a bucket of wire last Spring. Need to pay more attention to it.

This is what I use. Works fast. It cost about $100 on ebay and paid for itself a few times already. Some are now selling for $70

cyberdan wrote:

Morsecode wrote:This the kind of scrapping anyone can do, with zero know-how and a pair of cutters. Perfect for me

I started a bucket of wire last Spring. Need to pay more attention to it.

This is what I use. Works fast. It cost about $100 on ebay and paid for itself a few times already. Some are now selling for $70

What is that machine called, so I can look for one?

Yes, do tell. (so I can outbid adagirl)

Sounds like a challenge! I will be focused on stocking up big time on some silver today, so you won't have much of a bidding war from me this week. I hope y'all see this as a great buying opportunity for Ag and Au. Stock up!!

Search Ebay for "L100 Wire Stripper".

thanks

mj74 wrote:I always strip the entire extension cord,I use a pocket knife,but I would put something on your leg as wayne1956 suggested. I have ruined alot of pants stripping wire. So far this year I have stripped a total of 524 lbs of copper wire.

That's awesome!

cyberdan wrote:

Morsecode wrote:This the kind of scrapping anyone can do, with zero know-how and a pair of cutters. Perfect for me

I started a bucket of wire last Spring. Need to pay more attention to it.

This is what I use. Works fast. It cost about $100 on ebay and paid for itself a few times already. Some are now selling for $70

Thanks a million! That machine looks like a lot of fun.