Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 60

A Scrapper's Dream: electrical and non-ferrous

| A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
  1. #1
    Patriot76 started this thread.
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,591
    Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,256 Posts

    A Scrapper's Dream: electrical and non-ferrous

    This thread was started for those of us that lack knowledge of e-scrapping, but come across some unusual finds on the farm or in building clean outs. It is pure laziness that motivates the creation of this thread. It is known that we should research previous threads for information before posting a question, but time does not allow it in this case. If you want to cuss me for my lack of research efforts in this regard, so be it. If you have knowledge and a willingness to share, that would be appreciated. If you want to add other questions or insights, that is welcomed as well.



    So first question, can anyone tell me what this is? What was it used for and what parts are valuable?



    Sorry for the quality of the picture. We do not have electricity in the building and this picture was taken using two pen lights. Have you ever taken a picture holding the camera with your hands, a flashlight in your mouth, and another flashlight held between your knees?
    Last edited by Patriot76; 03-23-2014 at 05:48 PM.


  2. #2
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    OK
    Posts
    5,731
    Thanks
    6,815
    Thanked 3,465 Times in 1,990 Posts
    Are there any panels on it? Any type of screen? Light bank? What about a graph, chart type thing?(either circular or cylindrical) The top looks like an old phone bank but I'm more inclined to believe it's something to do with stats of operations, the wires each running to tattletale switches, gauges too maybe, throughout the plant


    I lightened it up a bit but it's still fuzzy. I believe it's some type of control panel

    imgbox - fast, simple image host
    Last edited by Bear; 02-21-2014 at 03:58 PM.

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to Bear for This Post:


  4. #3
    Patriot76 started this thread.
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,591
    Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,256 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Bear View Post
    Was there no panels on it? Any type of screen? What about a graph, chart type thing?(either circular or cylindrical) The top looks like an old phone bank but I'm more inclined to believe it's something to do with stats of operations, the wires each running to tattletale switches throughout the building
    This is all that is left. No other evidence we can see with flashlights.

  5. #4
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    OK
    Posts
    5,731
    Thanks
    6,815
    Thanked 3,465 Times in 1,990 Posts
    Can you get it out in one piece? Is it one large unit or a bunch of pieces? How is it mounted?


    PS you need a camera ; ) I did a thread once titled Photography 101 that might give you some pointers

  6. The Following User Says Thank You to Bear for This Post:


  7. #5
    sawmilleng's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Central Kootenays, BC, Canada
    Posts
    861
    Thanks
    713
    Thanked 1,200 Times in 521 Posts
    The top things look like resistor coils. The rest of the items with capacitors on them may be older versions of instrument "transmitters" or "receivers" --I'm not sure of the correct terms--but they would either send signals out to remote control valves or receive signals back from temperature probes, pressure sensors or the like. Usually used low voltage, (24V) and a 4-20 milliamp signal for controls.

    I'm buffaloed why the heavy resistor coils would be in the same box with the transmitter stuff. Usually the resistors would be with some power devices, for example, for braking on heavy electric motors.

    Any chance of more photos? Is there any sort of nameplate on the panel doors or inside the cabinet doors that might name the cabinet, giving a clue as to its use?

    Better get you a headlamp to put on your hard hat!! Way better than holding a light in your hand!!

    Jon.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to sawmilleng for This Post:


  9. #6
    Patriot76 started this thread.
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,591
    Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,256 Posts
    Bear, your thread on photography is well remembered. I am always reluctant to post pictures because of that thread, LOL. Maybe when I retire I will concentrate on photography. Until then it is point and shoot with the camera and the gun.

    Saw, a headlamp was available. Just forgot I was wearing it. Anyways a headlamp would not be as fun with three stories of exposure as holding a flashlight with your knees. And FYI I have not worn a hard hat for over thirty years, still wearing my cowboy hat. That will end soon.

  10. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by Patriot76:


  11. #7
    Sirscrapalot's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2012
    Location
    A sandbar off the atlantic..OBX,NC
    Posts
    6,123
    Thanks
    11,885
    Thanked 8,781 Times in 3,853 Posts
    Some good decent head lamps out there to go with your cowboy hat....Used to use one when I was working for Amazon(dark in the campground!)LED..was like..10 bucks if that at walmart. Worked awesomely for several years, till I forgot where i put it, an when I found it, it was a in a flooded box.

    Good for just taking photos, if the other is overkill. Sure their even cheaper these days. Or if ya got a smart phone, the flashlight app, strong but will kill a battery.

    Yea, nothing earth shattering..just thoughts. Use at your peril.

    Sirscrapalot - Character is power. - Booker T. Washington

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to Sirscrapalot for This Post:


  13. #8
    spinroch's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    675
    Thanks
    1,983
    Thanked 1,556 Times in 460 Posts
    Shooting in the dark, here (heh heh!)
    The white blocks at the top look like 66 Blocks. Those are telephone or data termination blocks.
    The items below that look like individual power supplies. Possibly part of an old telephone system or industrial control.
    If you can get some better pictures.... you know the rest.
    F1 Recycles

    Electronic/Electrical/Mechanical Recycling
    www.f1recycles.com


  14. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by spinroch:


  15. #9
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    128
    Thanks
    44
    Thanked 165 Times in 52 Posts
    I think those top things are telephone equipment like mentioned. I've taken a few apart. Take the back/bottom lid off and hit all the grey tabs out from the front. They'll look like aluminum, but are copper with some kind of coating. Went as #2 copper.

  16. The Following User Says Thank You to Caveman for This Post:


  17. #10
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Memphis, TN
    Posts
    117
    Thanks
    11
    Thanked 25 Times in 21 Posts

    possibly telephone termination blocks

    Looks to me like some type of old telephone termination equipment.

    Are there 2 wires twisted together making a "jumper" from left to right at the top of the photo? If so, then you have found the "cross connect" of the old telephone switching equipment. Typically, at a telephone company switching equipment location, the "cross connect" is called a Main Distribution Frame (MDF). The outside cables would terminate on the vertical side and the switching equipment would terminate on the horizontal side. Jumpers are run to connect a person's phone cable to the switching equipment.

    If this is an old key system (internal telephone system), the cables running to each desk phone would terminate one place and the switching equipment would terminate on other blocks. Jumpers would be run to "cross connect" the internal cable runs to the switching equipment.

    The bottom of the picture could some old mechanical switching equipment; can't tell from the photo.

  18. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by daw_green_clean:


  19. #11
    etack's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor
    Buying Tantalum capacitors

    Member since
    Oct 2012
    Location
    United States ohio
    Posts
    503
    Thanks
    443
    Thanked 635 Times in 282 Posts
    Looks Telephone to me too but way to grainy to tell. If you can take closer pics that would help too.

    Eric
    I buy Tantalum Capacitors and offer other services. Check out my thread for more info.

    http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...-cap-more.html

    http://recycletantalumcapacitors.com/

  20. The Following User Says Thank You to etack for This Post:


  21. #12
    Patriot76 started this thread.
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,591
    Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,256 Posts
    Everyone has motivated me to be a better photographer with a better camera, light, etc. Never had this problem scrapping farms. So much to learn, so little time. Thank you.

  22. The Following User Says Thank You to Patriot76 for This Post:


  23. #13
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    OK
    Posts
    5,731
    Thanks
    6,815
    Thanked 3,465 Times in 1,990 Posts
    Most any point and shoot will be ok Patriot. An Optical zoom is a key ingredient. Using a photo editor can be almost as much help as the camera itself. I'd be happy to answer any questions on any of it, although I'm not a professional photographer, I've picked up a few things along the way

  24. The Following User Says Thank You to Bear for This Post:


  25. #14
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Feb 2014
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    177
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 110 Times in 68 Posts
    Try to up the exposure a bit on your camera (if you can). I'm sure that'll help a good bit.

  26. The Following User Says Thank You to emeeks for This Post:


  27. #15
    spinroch's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Posts
    675
    Thanks
    1,983
    Thanked 1,556 Times in 460 Posts
    I humbly rest on my laurels
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  28. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by spinroch:


  29. #16
    Patriot76 started this thread.
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,591
    Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,256 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by spinroch View Post
    I humbly rest on my laurels
    Your laurels equate to insight in my book. Good choice for an avatar. The best I could do is a smashed beer can.

  30. The Following User Says Thank You to Patriot76 for This Post:


  31. #17
    Sirscrapalot's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2012
    Location
    A sandbar off the atlantic..OBX,NC
    Posts
    6,123
    Thanks
    11,885
    Thanked 8,781 Times in 3,853 Posts
    Hope he remember's his buddy in the purple bag, if he's ever near my sandbar.

    An stop taking photos after drinking Patriot! It' does make them less blurry.

    Sirscrapalot - Has a collection of Crown bags.

  32. The Following User Says Thank You to Sirscrapalot for This Post:


  33. #18
    Patriot76 started this thread.
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,591
    Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,256 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Sirscrapalot View Post
    Hope he remember's his buddy in the purple bag, if he's ever near my sandbar.

    An stop taking photos after drinking Patriot! It' does make them less blurry.

    Sirscrapalot - Has a collection of Crown bags.
    Guilty as charged. The camera is going in for intervention treatment on Monday. Thanks for the heads up. And as far as the purple bags, we use them to store our fishing reels in. It is embarrassing to say my purple bags cannot keep up with my fishing reels. I think I will drink to that.

  34. The Following 3 Users say Thank You for This Post by Patriot76:


  35. #19
    Sirscrapalot's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Mar 2012
    Location
    A sandbar off the atlantic..OBX,NC
    Posts
    6,123
    Thanks
    11,885
    Thanked 8,781 Times in 3,853 Posts
    I'll have one for you also sir.

    Sure Spin is just proud of himself now. He better have two for each of us.

    Sirscrapalot - Can't corrupt those that are already corrupted. - Unknown, but the frowny face is mine.

  36. The Following 2 Users say Thank You for This Post by Sirscrapalot:


  37. #20
    Patriot76 started this thread.
    Patriot76's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Buffalo Commons
    Posts
    2,949
    Thanks
    10,591
    Thanked 7,218 Times in 2,256 Posts
    Just an update. We have miles and miles of brass pipe and copper wire. We have already removed two transformer stations with three transformers each. Ferrous metal removed equals about 55 tons.
    Last edited by Patriot76; 03-22-2014 at 09:16 PM.

  38. The Following 8 Users say Thank You for This Post by Patriot76:



  39. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. A Scrapper's Dream
      By Patriot76 in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 265
      Last Post: 08-04-2015, 06:33 AM
    2. Bartering turns $20 of ferrous into $130 worth of non-ferrous
      By Mick in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 03-23-2014, 05:09 PM

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook