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Dirty aluminum vs clean

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  1. #1
    scrappy888 started this thread.
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    Dirty aluminum vs clean

    I picked up a couple heating elements the other day...



    They are ali w steel rivets all around..

    These are about 7 feet tall by 3 feet wide..

    I think they were meant to heat baked goods..

    Seems like quite a bit of work to get the clean ali...any advice

    Thx


  2. #2
    Sirscrapalot's Avatar
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    Use a grinder to cut the rivets out, or whatever tool ya got I guess that will do the job, or just say.."BAH!" an throw it in with the dirty alum.

    I think a grinder is what I was advised to use when I asked along ago in regards to alum beach chairs. Stupid rivets.

    Sirscrapalot - Rivet rivet!

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  4. #3
    newattitude's Avatar
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    My main big yard wont even take heating elements as aluminum because of the ...... whats the white stuff inside of them?? He told me to throw them as steel.

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    KzScrapper's Avatar
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    Heating elements are usually stainless and I drill out the rivet with a smaller bit and they release.
    Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesaler
    Certified Zip-Tie Mechanic
    "Give them enough so they can do something with it, but not too much that they won't do nothing."

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    Jonniebrass's Avatar
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    I agree with KZ a drill makes easy work on rivets.

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  10. #6
    msearl3244's Avatar
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    Time vs. money. You have to do the math for yourself. Some people are faster or have have better equipment then others. If you do one and it takes you forever then it probably was not worth it. If you aren't doing anything anyway, you may want to take up video games. That is what everyone I know does that have nothing better to do...lol

    Maximizing profit does not mean your time is worthless. Don't short change yourself. I have made that mistake myself.

    I have heard people say they just do this for a hobby. I do this for a living. Either way does not make your time worthless.
    There may a million better places to live than Iowa, but none of them are home!

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  12. #7
    ScrappinRed's Avatar
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    I thought heating elements were NiChrome?
    ~You have to start somewhere to get anywhere~

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  14. #8
    webuyselltradestuff's Avatar
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    Too much time involved for the return...just throw it in where they say throw it in (unless steel), shop around if they say steel.

    It is kinda like stripping all the copper wire off the little transformers...more time than it is worth...you get what maybe $2/ lb more...I would have to do 20 pounds and HOUR to make more than my rate per hour, so just goes in the copper bearing and keep trucking...

  15. #9
    Sirscrapalot's Avatar
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    On those little transformers...I save'm for either when I got nothing better to do, a rainy day, or just feel like smashing something. Taking 2 minutes to grab the hammer set the sucker up, an smash it is ok in my book. I get rid of my stress an make a little extra money. Thats ok for me. Doesn't have to be pretty to get the job done. Smash smash, pluck, toss in copper bucket.

    Makes dropping that copper off all the more sweeter. I don't make daily runs to the yard tho, an tend to save up my copper till I have what I feel is worth turning them in.

    Sirscrapalot - Smashing time!

  16. #10
    happyscraper's Avatar
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    I would like to see a pic of the elements. Dose it look like the elements on a stove or is it a coil of wire that looks like a slinky? If it's the wire type then it is NiChrome and is worth about 2.00#. I never heard of a heating element being made of aluminum, seems like aluminum wouldn't be able to stand up to the heat. But what do I know.


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