I discovered the hidden value in scrap metal when helping my sister clean out her house/garage/yard in Texas. There was a large gas grill that had gone to pot, so I read a little online and tore the thing into pieces. Made piles of the different kinds of metals. Added a few other items she was ready to throw in the recycle bin or trash, and came home with a nice $50 or so for a few hours' work.
I live in South Carolina though. So I think the prices here are lower and the restrictions are tighter. I've been collecting mostly broken electronics and computers and computer peripherals. I've got boxes of torn down items with different classes of materials - but I still feel a bit hopelessly lost. It's easy to pick out the ferrous material with a magnet, and the obvious copper wire. I've also come across a good bit of yellow brass candlesticks and knobs and things like that. But I still have a few piles of stuff I don't know what to do with. I'm throwing all of the circuit boards together to separate at a later date.
The main thing I'm confused on is the flat, plastic coated ribbon wire that is found around the edges of the screens of flat screen TVs, and in lots of computer peripherals and some other electronics. They have rows of copper or some other metal wires in them, but also some of them look to be gold coated on the connection ends. Are these ribbon cables worth anything? Especially the ones with (what I think is) gold coating on the connecting ends? What should I do with them? I don't have a picture now but I can get one soon.
It's also difficult to learn all of the various little bits of metals connected inside these electronics. Some look kind of exotic, but I have no way of knowing what their value is. I enjoy tearing things apart, but it has created a bit of a storage issue. I may just try to organize what I've got and sell it on ebay.
But are there any scrappers out there who would just buy boxes full of non-working electronics of all types? From compact cameras to portable stereos to computer peripherals and printers? I mean not broken down, but just boxes full of broken electronics. I feel a bit overwhelmed!
Anyone in South Carolina feel free to contact me - I guess I can't PM yet, but replying here is fine, or leaving an email address. I'm just worried that I'm spending hours and hours to make just a couple of dollars at the end of the day (or month, more like).
Anyway, it's nice to finally be a member here - I've been lurking for months! Thanks for all the free info and tips)
Register To Reply
Bookmarks