burnt copper A NoGo

I am on a family trip visiting my wife's sister, I am in Lawrenceville Georgia , As you figured I gave a little shot at scrapping, I took some copper from home also.
I found curb hunting of no value - people are very clean and you just don't see TV's Vac Microwaves sitting on the curb I found one dumpster and that had a little bit
But over all I found so much space Or area to cover with no return in the find. I did get 20 lb's wheel weights for free But If I lived here I feel it would be harder.
Now the copper I took with me was not excepted and was told from here to Alabama burnt copper not excepted.

Well that's a thought as wile my area cares not,
When the chopping block chops by me I see I don't want to be stuck with any of it.
I will say that they pay very well for wire with casing as much as 2.50 down to 1.05 clean #1 $2.95 Also payment is in the form of check !! I guess I am spoiled !!



I was thinking a little muriatic acid to clean ??

The pro's of GA
Nice people Nice weather - lower taxes - I like it here - very calm - you all

Ahh the heck I always loved the south .

Originally Posted by Copper Head

I was thinking a little muriatic acid to clean ??

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jewelers use dilute sulfuric acid in there pickling solutions to brighten cooper.

look for sulfuric acid drain cleaner. It will be wrapped in plastic at Ace or HD lowes. it should say 98% sulfuric acid. from what I read on this (pickle)its about 10% acid the rest water 1:10 ratio on acid to water. (always add acid to water ESPECIALLY WITH SULFURIC)

Try it on small lot with a small amount of acid solution.

If I were to do this and had a reason to. I would set up my turkey fryer and use a big canning pot to boil water in then I would make my acid solution (always add acid to water ESPECIALLY WITH SULFURIC) in a 5gal plastic pail and put it into the hot water and let it heat up. when its warm around 80-90 degrees I would dip in some cooper and let it sit till all is clean. first rinse it in water then rinse it in a weak solution of lye and water then clean water again and again.

Just a warning sulfuric acid is a nasty unforgiving acid when concentrated and still nasty diluted. look up sulfuric acid burns it will eat through your skin in no time. diluted it will burn were gloves and eye protection. It will also do some pretty good work on your clothes so where the ones you were throwing out. I like to use those plastic rain suits for stuff like this.

Metal Studio Workbook: In a pickle. All about pickling solutions and how to dispose of them.

I love ga ! Use to fly at the atl quite often when I lived in south Carolina, I miss seeing a chicken n waffles every 2 blocks. So if they don't accept "burnt" copper what are you suppose to do with wiring from a house that burned down ?

This morning got out early and did manage to get 380 LBs of empty spray cans and truck oil filters from a municipal dumpster
(yes mix trash) 4 sheriff vehicles drove by and paid me no mind. also found a - micro wav - projection TV . made $50 and have 25 lbs to start tomorrow . This yards name is called Blaze and I see they shred there metals on property.
In life I want to make money with my skills as a scrapper and my skills as a painter . Scrapping is here but it is harder . all other work is of more abundance painting homes wall cover work have better opportunity's . The weather in Georgia is nice and kids who can pull A's can be a part of the Hope scholarship for collage
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The amount of copper brass and other metals that I find at my feet by me (up north) is unique but they pay less any way so I tend not to sell . CU #2 by me 2.26 here 2.80 they pay so well for coated wire that I feel good to sell as is .
I like it here . I might just want to be away from the cold . -10 and zero for winter is not so easy and it's long - Nov to April

ok, i kinda stopped reading this thread but want to leave a side note...

stop burning the wire. Its not good to burn the plastic and so take it in as it is with the coating on and have it removed by a wire chopper the RIGHT way...or strip it by hand.

We are not only doing it to make the cash but cleaning up where we live and keeping things out of the landfill for the environment.

Burning wire is just as bad as braking crt glass and just tossing them in the trash...it should not be done and they should be recycled by a recycling company that can handle them!

Maybe I think to much like a professional and recycle not only for the cash but for the environment as we are kinda trashing it....

Originally Posted by etack

jewelers use dilute sulfuric acid in there pickling solutions to brighten cooper.

look for sulfuric acid drain cleaner. It will be wrapped in plastic at Ace or HD lowes. it should say 98% sulfuric acid. from what I read on this (pickle)its about 10% acid the rest water 1:10 ratio on acid to water. (always add acid to water ESPECIALLY WITH SULFURIC)

Try it on small lot with a small amount of acid solution.

If I were to do this and had a reason to. I would set up my turkey fryer and use a big canning pot to boil water in then I would make my acid solution (always add acid to water ESPECIALLY WITH SULFURIC) in a 5gal plastic pail and put it into the hot water and let it heat up. when its warm around 80-90 degrees I would dip in some cooper and let it sit till all is clean. first rinse it in water then rinse it in a weak solution of lye and water then clean water again and again.

Just a warning sulfuric acid is a nasty unforgiving acid when concentrated and still nasty diluted. look up sulfuric acid burns it will eat through your skin in no time. diluted it will burn were gloves and eye protection. It will also do some pretty good work on your clothes so where the ones you were throwing out. I like to use those plastic rain suits for stuff like this.

Metal Studio Workbook: In a pickle. All about pickling solutions and how to dispose of them.

Sulfuric acid will eat thru all organic materials. Pants,shirts,shoes,boots,socks,hats...etc. It will keep eating until it exhausts itself or hits something inorganic. I would not handle it unless you have gloves that go up to at least your elbow that are rated to handle acid. You should also have at least a rubber apron on and a full face shield.
I am a bit surprised that you would post this as a means to clean copper wiring. Most scrappers are not going to have that proper safety equiptment to handle sulfuric acid and by posting in big red letters not to pour water into acid ever may not be enough of a warning for some people. Its very easy to get what goes into what confused and if the mistake is made or the proper dilution is not mixed you are going to have at the least some bad burns or possibly worse.
I DO NOT RECOMMEND anyone using sulfuric acid to strip wire. If you are too lazy to use a wire stripper or strip it by hand then turn it in as #2 insulated. Its not worth permanently scarring yourself or possibly killing yourself for a couple of pennies.
I am also surprised you posted this considering the top priority at the other site is safety.

Originally Posted by scrapping4ever

HT? Chicken place on your sandbar?

Best chicken I remember was down in S E Kansas, two places out in the country; Chicken Annie's and Chicken Mary's.
And no place for me to get any at midnight,,,,

Correct me if I'm reading the OP wrong but, are you saying you knowing tried to sell something you knew was not accepted (burnt wire) and are complaining about the law being upheld?