10hp electric Dayton motor

I got a electric Dayton motor 10hp weight was 113lbs whole didn't expect it to be that heavy. So far the aluminum shell is 10lbs I'm not sure if it's cast or extrusion but I'm leaning on extrusion cause of the shapes on it. The ends are cast aluminum. The copper and steel part are 54lbs or so. I was thinking it's probably going to have 10lbs of copper I'm not sure I'm going to use a sawzall on it tomarrow. I figured it at 22.60$ had I done nothing to it usually I break things down I saw somewhere that a electric motor has either 10 or 15% copper in them by the weight of the whole motor is that right? is it really that small of a percentage?.

Those percentages are correct. It's basically like a transformer if you stuck a steel rod through it and surrounded it with a steel case. I've seen motors with extruded aluminum but it's pretty unusual. Much more likely cast.

Usually breaking down "large" motors isnt worth it from my experience. Pretty much break even with the time spent and grinder blades. especially with the current prices of copper at almost half of what it was 2 months ago.... oh well just have fun with it.

I know it's 2.90$ for num 1 and 2.65$ for num 2 at least when I get the rest of my aluminum wire it's still up at .75 and extrusion is also still up at .80 aluminum sheet dropped to .40 cans are at .50 good thing I got 40lbs of extrusion coming hopefully next week and probably 75lbs insulated 4/0 aluminum wire and hopefully the A frame coils I'm gonna get probably 30 A coils on another note has anyone ever been questioned by the yard say if they brought said 30 A coils broke down into clean radiators at once? Just was wondering if I should space then out into 10 at a time. I mean I took in bare wire 100lbs and no questions but maybe air conditioners are different.the motor is being a pain the copper has resin on it not wanting to come out haha been a long while since I did one I forgot how much labor goes into it. Even with a sawzall I probably should get a grinder though

Originally Posted by CopperMiner

You're better to check current prices, because full electric motors were paying less than shred at my neck of the woods last week. In that context, it would pay more to break it down, but is it really worthy to do it when all prices are low? If you have storage space and you do not need the money asap, I would leave it sitting or if you have time to kill, maybe break it now and keep everything stored for when the prices will be better? Also, motors are likely made of cast and that never paid much, but extrusion price has taken a serious drop and it is currently priced close to cast.

Yeah the way its been going, i cant wait to see how much worse prices will be by next weekend......

Don't say that you will jinx it then they will go down they usually hold for a while it held forever at 3.25$ for bb. For cast and extrusion round here it's a gap of .40 to .80 for extrusion.