Stockpiling Bare Bright Copper

Same here. I strip all the wire of a certain gauge that looks as if it is worth the time. Most of the time it is THHN wire and other stuff like dryer wire, stove wire, thick extension cords, etc. I can fill a five-gallon bucket in a couple weeks if I get a fair amount of the wire. Unfortunately, I don't very often. But, I did just pick up 20 buckets that contained a polishing solution for the type of tile you see in schools. My old high school polished up this summer, and I was able to walk out with 20 buckets plus lids. A nice pickup. On that note, you should be able to find a bunch of cleaner (as in not filled with chemical smells and liquids) pretty easily. Just dumpster dive behind some businesses or hardware stores. Even Lowe's and HD might have something in the dumpster. I have found stuff there before.