Why Not Find Copper for Free Instead of Buying at Face?

[Recyclersteve]

Why not find copper for free instead of buying it at face value? I'm referring to scraps that people leave sitting by the curb or that companies throw out in their dumpsters. Specifically, I am referring to copper wiring, piping, yokes from TV sets, motors, transformers, etc. Some of the wiring can be stripped to make bare bright copper which can be sold right now for about $2.30-$2.40/lb. The insulated copper wiring currently pays about 30-50 cents a pound, because it weighs a lot more. You get paid by weight, and in the case of insulated wire, the copper is often only a small percentage of the total weight. Also, insulated wire needs to be stripped to get at the copper, which can be quite a job for some types of copper. At least you don't have to worry about melting this form of copper down, like you would with coins.

No matter what form you acquire copper in, it does take up a lot of space. So that is a potential issue whether you are talking about copper Lincolns stored in 5 gallon buckets or copper wire stored outdoors or in a garage/shed.

Admittedly the copper you find outdoors is likely going to be messier to go through than rolls of cents obtained from a bank, although they can be messy (with random sticky substances, etc. on them).

Another factor is that some people don't want to be seen scavenging. Truthfully, they might get embarrassed. It is probably somewhat like reaching into a Coinstar machine to pull out a single penny.

There are tons of videos on YouTube about scrapping. You are doing something good for the environment and helping to keep someone at the scrap yard employed that might otherwise have a tough time finding a job. You get a bit of exercise as well, so that can be a side benefit.

Another side benefit is that you may find some aluminum, brass, stainless steel and steel out there as well. Again, for free.

Furthermore, you might find something that can be used by you or taken to Goodwill. Just tonight I found a perfectly good office chair in a dumpster and promptly took it to Goodwill. It had a little bit of tape on the right armrest but worked just fine. It is a real shame that some people throw decent things into the trash without even thinking.

So what is it that keeps you from picking up copper sitting out there for free?

[oktyabyr]

Absolutely nothing stopping me, other than lack of any of those. Lol. I do look in parking lots as I walk through. Also always check the take a penny bins. Coin star as I walk by in the grocery store. It always pains me to sit there and watch people pour change into those things. I mean I’ve done it for the Amazon and iTunes gift card when they are free. But most people just pay for the cash.

[Recyclersteve]

Actually I meant copper as contained in electrical wires, copper tubing, etc. (not coins). I realize the copper you are talking about is also free, but I should have explained things in more depth.

[GTOJohn]

Wow, not many replies to your post. There are some scrappers on this forum, but not many. I've been a scrapper since a kid - taught by my Dad and uncles. It is amazing to me to see what people throw away.

[Recyclersteve]

GTOJohn:

There is a separate thread on this site called "What did you scrap?" It currently has over 1,600 replies and is under the Scrap Metal Salvage topic. Feel free to post something there whenever you are able to sell something.

[everything]

Some do! I pick copper all the time, and brass, and let allot, and I mean allot go, when I just glance into some of these dumpsters all I can so is sigh.. And, got my brother into it, he has a storage locker and I can't wait to see his collection. The problem I face with scrap copper is that I can get money for it fairly easily and don't let my scrap pile get to large. I really got into scrapping steel/iron this year though. My running total so far this year is over $300 in scrap, which isn't even close to worth the time/effort I put in, which is why it goes into the dumpsters, curbs, garbage, etc. Oh, and btw, the insulation on copper wiring doesn't always weigh as much as you think it does.
All these base metals take up allot of space, unless they could be melted down into larger ingots cheaply.

[Recyclersteve]

Let me add a potential cautionary note about storing bare bright copper wire, that is, wire that has already been stripped of the insulation. My understanding from others is that the bare bright should not be exposed to the elements (stored outdoors), but should be indoors at room temperature. Think also about the container you are storing it in. I used to use an old 5 gallon bucket that one time contained chlorine. I can't seem to get rid of that old chlorine smell, so I've taken the bare bright out of that bucket and put it into a box that doesn't smell like that.

Bare bright copper sure does look nice.

[Changechecker]

I look for free copper and all the other metals when I drive around daily. Any form is good for me. I build up my collection of scrap (minus copper and brass) and barter with a neighbor who is also a scrap collector. He mows and does odd jobs for the scrap I don't want, which is most of it.

[SilverBandit22]

So, mostly out of curiosity, where do y'all find this stuff? I've seen people mention places like dumpsters and on the side of the road, but this seems very hit or miss. Is there more specific places to look other then just kind of hoping to find something on the side of the road?

[Recyclersteve]

If you have curbside rubbish pickup in your area, you might try looking at the curb 1-2 days before pickup begins. Also, certain businesses (electricians, general contractors, lighting retailers, plumbers, home audio contractors, etc.) tend to throw copper into the dumpster on a fairly regular basis. I don't recommend getting into the dumpster, but you might carry some kind of pole to reach items that are otherwise hard to reach. I carry some tools in my car and always keep a pair of clippers to snip cords from old style TV's and other appliances sitting by the curb. If something looks really good and you don't need it for your house, you might consider taking it to a place like Goodwill rather than having it go to the landfill.

[everything]

I've gotten better at my habit of picking up every last little bit of copper or metal I find, especially on the road, I don't want to get hit by someone gawking, back streets ok. My brother does have access to quite the honey pot, won't go into it but he gets amazing stuff.

Enough so he's been collecting some little stash piles and has to come back for it later, we are planning it out together so it becomes a productive endeavor. Their is a dumpster nearby I could hit weekly and score maybe $15 in copper and aluminum each time but I won't.

With wages creeping up I may do some part time work this summer and just buy metal instead vs. driving around aimlessly looking for it. Which usually I don't, but garbage collection day is when I keep my eyes open and it's easy to toss anything into the back of the truck. Under free on craigslist their is metal to be found as well. I mean . I see someone put a TV on the curb yesterday, I saw the cord, and I know it has boards in it, but I just didn't bother. Sadly it will go to landfill, doubtful it would be recycled properly. Many new consumer products have less metal in them.

[JadeDragon]

In British Columbia there is a tax on electronics which roughly funds the free recycling of old electronics. We are required to drop them at bottle depots. Of course you can take scrape worthy stuff direct to a scrap metal buyer.

[Recyclersteve]

Sometimes when you see a house being torn down and rebuilt the dumpster(s) is/are out by the street (and not behind a fence). If the name of the business on the dumpster doesn't have a word like recycling in it, I will look into it to see if it is mixed items (meaning recyclables with stuff like concrete and wallboard that isn't recyclable in most places). If it is mixed items and the dumpster isn't behind a fence, I don't mind removing stuff like copper wire, copper piping, etc. As a side benefit, you can sometimes get other free stuff like light bulbs. Keep in mind that often times chandeliers have 10-20 or more bulbs in them. Many times they are thrown out with the bulbs intact. I know of several scrappers who say they will likely never have to pay for light bulbs again.

[AdamsSamoa]

I used to do it a lot more than I do now....

[thecrazyone]

I have no problems picking it up, heck I have 3 TV's right now with copper in them. But the scrapyards here in DE/MD rip you off.