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As a scrapper neophyte I could use some tips. (I apologize if something addressing my question has already been posted)

I have been collecting various metals and wire. 1) How do I determine which metal is which metal? Obviously I know an aluminum can, but how do I determine the metal content of a screw, a food can, nuts and bolts, hinges, etc??? 2) is there a reference book that I could learn from? 3) I assume that all insulated wire contains copper?

I see metal everywhere, just being thrown away, and I am collecting it. The best I can do right now is sort it by color. Any help is much appreciated!

A magnet is a useful tool. Nuts, bolts, hinges, etc. that stick to a magnet are ferrous metals, probably steel or some such. Beyond that, you sort of have to learn some of the other properties of various materials. Aluminum is very lightweight and usually light colored. Lead is very heavy. If it is brass colored it probably is. If it doesn't stick to a magnet and looks and feels like steel, it may be stainless steel. Copper may be very bright or have green oxidation, or be dark brown. It is quite soft and malleable. Electrical wires are commonly copper or aluminum. They are quite different in appearance. Browse through your local hardware store and get an idea what different types look like. Go to one of the stores that have open bins and boxes of hardware. You can learn a great deal just by handling the various items.

Good luck! Hope this is helpful,
tex

Thanks. The feedback you provided is very helpful. Will just any magnet do?

I appreciate the hardware store idea. Good tip! Why didn't I think of that?

I seem to have found some brass screws, which got me thinking, really brass screws?

I guess it it a learning curve and trial and error. Many thanks!

Ins wire can be Alum or copper

thanks, I didn't know that.

Here's another good way to learn stuff.... when you go to the yard, ask questions! Ask many many questions! Any yard worth its salt WANTS you to bring in the high dollar stuff. If they see you are serious, they will help you.

PM Inbound.

Excellent advice. I typically drop off my cans during lunch and I am in my "white collar" clothes. I think I will put on some jeans and a tee shirt and go hang out. There was one guy down there that I think would help me provided they were not busy. Thanks!

I love this!

"white collar" clothes.

I'm a salesman. Granted, it's construction sales, but I'm always in white collar clothes! I really love getting dirty in my nice stuff!

As far as magnets go... I've come across a good deal of speaker baskets, with the magnet still inside, somebody took what little copper was inside them.

I don't foresee myself using all of these magnets. Do yards accept them? What element are magnets anyways?

I add them in with my steel

Ok, thank you very much

adagirl wrote:As a scrapper neophyte I could use some tips. (I apologize if something addressing my question has already been posted)

I have been collecting various metals and wire. 1) How do I determine which metal is which metal? Obviously I know an aluminum can, but how do I determine the metal content of a screw, a food can, nuts and bolts, hinges, etc??? 2) is there a reference book that I could learn from? 3) I assume that all insulated wire contains copper?

I see metal everywhere, just being thrown away, and I am collecting it. The best I can do right now is sort it by color. Any help is much appreciated!

Thanks for asking. The answers will help out a lot of us rookies. Maybe this can be made in to a sticky?

Another good way to learn is by just reading all the posts in this thread. That has helped me out tremendously.

texcollex wrote:A magnet is a useful tool.

I use a magnet that I got out of a pc hard drive and I really like it. It's a lot more powerful than the kind of thing you pull off your fridge.

Thanks for asking. The answers will help out a lot of us rookies. Maybe this can be made in to a sticky?

Another good way to learn is by just reading all the posts in this thread. That has helped me out tremendously.

Yep, I agree. Reading the posts is a great help. Maybe as I/we learn more, we could put together a quick list of what to look for, what items bring more $, tips and insights, etc.

creshka46 wrote:

texcollex wrote:A magnet is a useful tool.

I use a magnet that I got out of a pc hard drive and I really like it. It's a lot more powerful than the kind of thing you pull off your fridge.

Is this a magnet you can buy at Lowes or Home Depot? Is it a certain brand of magnet?

Here's a hint. Ask your scrap dealer/yard if they have any magnets. Almost every yard I have been to has had these little magnets on a chain with the name/phone # of the yard printed on it. I have them from Dallas/Omaha/Denver/New York/Kansas City/Des Moines. Just about any good sized yard has them.

Here's a link to the company that sells them.

http://www.nationalmagnet.com/magnets.htm

sometimes speaker baskets are cast AL. just knock off the magnet with a hammer.

okay, remember I'm a rookie. what is a "speaker basket?"

adagirl wrote:okay, remember I'm a rookie. what is a "speaker basket?"

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=speaker+basket

Sorry, I couldn't resist!

Here is a site you can look at: www.scrapmetaljunkie.com

Go under the "scrappers handbook" at the top, then click on "scrap metal identification" in the drop down box. Some good info in there.

OneBiteAtATime wrote:when you go to the yard, ask questions! Ask many many questions!

Great idea! (now I gotta learn spanish)

creshka46 wrote:I use a magnet that I got out of a pc hard drive and I really like it. It's a lot more powerful than the kind of thing you pull off your fridge.

I got a very tiny magnet made out of the same metal. I hot glued it to a small magnifying glass handle. The glass has a cord and I wear it around my neck. (I buy a lot of jewelry and need to look for marks) I can test and no one will know what I am doing. The hard drive magnet is just too strong for me. When it hits steel it is a wrestling match to get it off.

wayne1956 wrote:Here is a site you can look at: http://www.scrapmetaljunkie.com

Go under the "scrappers handbook" at the top, then click on "scrap metal identification" in the drop down box. Some good info in there.

This is a great site for the beginner up to the expert. Thank you for sharing this site with us all!!