I didn't know that was copper

[michael3065]

I'm sure that everytime I go to the scrap yard I don't get the maximum value for what I had. This is mostly because I failed to properly identify the the less obvious copper, brass. etc. contained withing the items I scrapped. For example I often find old comunication equiptment such as 66M Blocks. I never knew that these blocks contained easy to extract tin plated copper clips until someone at the scrapyard told me when he saw me tossing them in with my light iron.

The clips are tin plated copper

66_bridging-clips_SA1-XXXX_big.jpg (70.18 KiB) Viewed 1205 times

If anyone else can think of some other sorces of valuable sorces of metals often overlooked please share them..... WE CAN ALL USE THE MONEY

[silversaddle1]

Not only are the clips copper, but so are the terminals the wire is pressed in to. Well, at least all the ones I have scrapped were. And with a little effort they are simple to harvest.

[theirrationalist]

Heating elements, like those out of a electric stove, are often overlooked. I included it in my post on noteworthy alloys. They are always a high Nickel alloy, and many yards will buy this for stainless steel price or better.

The Magnetron out of microwaves are basically a hollow copper ball with aluminum heat sinks (and some other junk attached).

Any type of gas regulator, like those off a propane grill, or a gas water heater, I think are all zinc/aluminum/brass components. My yard buys those regulators at a special price.

Silver plated things, like dinnerware and what not, are actually cupronickel, aka, copper nickel alloy. Some pay brass price for these, but one yard near me has a special cupronickel price that is usually at or above copper price.

Oh, and CRT monitors usually have over a pound of copper, sometimes over 2 pounds of copper. Not to mention the few small transformers and aluminum heat sinks inside.

Does anybody know what the gears inside a transmission are made of? It's some type of high grade alloy... Wonder if it's worth any more than steel?

[michael3065]

Thanks for the input, hope others share also

[hobo finds]

the yard by me has the following grades of aluminium

MLC
Extruded
Painted Alum
Furnace Alum

But if your aluminium is painted extruded you get the extruded price .10 more than painted. most people just put the painted together as they don't know...