Computer heat sinks

The large motherboard CPU chip head sinks my local CMC yard only wants to pay me 28c /lb for whole under "brass refinery" catagory. I figured these would be the same as cu/al ac coils clean. Said if I cut the fins off, it would be #2 copper. I tried to argue that there is zero steel on these, and they didnt seem to care. The round ones I can press the chunk of copper out of that weighs about 1/3lb and get #1 probably.

At the yard I work at those go as clean al/cu, the other's go as #1 ex if clean the colored one's #2 ex. They either don't know what they are doing or trying to get over on you. Hope this help's.

I hope you're not limited to that 1 yard. If you are, try talking to the owner or someone in charge. One of the yards I go to has a copper/aluminum heat sink category that paid .75 a pound 3 months ago. Other yards may be paying more so I plan on checking prices there also.

If you have no luck at your yard, check with the buyers here. I know of a couple that buy these if clean and at least one that also buys dirty cu/al and dirty al at very good prices. For me, these made sense to include in a pallet shipment.

Im going to talk to the head buyers at their main process yard. I have a few other yards, one I wont deal with, the other one I am considering talking to about their e-scrap pile. They dont pay for computers I dont think. I sell my brass ammo to them since cmc wont take it

I get ACR price on these, .90/lb last week when I sold them. Most scrap yards do not understand what these are/are composed of. There are a few types where it is impossible to get the steel off, those went as dirty for .75/lb.

Originally Posted by AuburnEwaste

I get ACR price on these, .90/lb last week when I sold them. Most scrap yards do not understand what these are/are composed of. There are a few types where it is impossible to get the steel off, those went as dirty for .75/lb.

What steel are you referring to that you cannot get off.

http://i1.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/...7Ui/s-l225.jpg

The steel piece in the middle. I'm sure there is a way to press it out, but the price difference doesn't justify the effort.

The round ones in the picture have a steel plate on the bottom that the copper core is pressed through. I just beat them out with a socket and hammer on a vise. Clean alumin and clean copper. The square ones I dont want to have to cut up

I have a hard time understanding why they are not considered ACR. I have a stack of AC coils and there is no difference in the materials they are both made of. The fins on heat sinks are 6063 aluminum, which is better than just 6061. When the giant melt furnace is loaded with ACRs to refine, they are going to skim off the aluminum first and then melt the copper.

Originally Posted by aaron p

I have a hard time understanding why they are not considered ACR. I have a stack of AC coils and there is no difference in the materials they are both made of. The fins on heat sinks are 6063 aluminum, which is better than just 6061. When the giant melt furnace is loaded with ACRs to refine, they are going to skim off the aluminum first and then melt the copper.

The important thing to remember is that it doesn't matter what we think. If the yard you are dealing with (or for that matter, the buyer they are selling to) is unwilling to buy them as ACR, then there is no sense arguing with them. You have 2 choices, take what they offer or put it back in your vehicle and find somewhere else to sell it.

Metalurgical common sense unfortunately is lacking in the industry. Being a machinist my entire life, its unfortunate. But ill keep looking.