Cutting off Gold Fingers

Well I have read many threads about not to cut gold fingers off video cards, etc, but being very curious I decided to do my own little experiment.

I started with 26.315 lbs of gold fingered cards, varying in all different sizes. I made sure I had a good mix of very small, small, medium, large, and extra large cards so I could get a better average.

I get $4.45 per # on gold fingered cards from a member on this forum so that would equate to $117.10.

I spent 60 minutes cutting, organizing, and cleaning up the dust. These were my results:

25.65 lbs of trimmed cards which I can get $3.35 per # on boardsort which equates to $85.93
I was left with .665 lbs of EXTREMELY close cut gold fingers which I can get $74 per # on boardsort which totals $49.21

Which gives me a total of $135.14 and is $18.04 greater than leaving them. So I pretty much made $18 an hour, but I can definitely speed up the process significantly. I am using a bandsaw and it rips right through them.

Now I have noticed that many of you say that you don't think it is worth it to cut the fingers off, but I had an hour in which I was doing nothing and decided to try this experiment.

Thoughts?

Add cost of blades, electricity and potential to cut your own fingers off and i wouldnt bother...personally

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Originally Posted by shendog

Add cost of blades, electricity and potential to cut your own fingers off and i wouldnt bother...personally

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Blades are less than $10 and last a very long time since this stuff is very easy to cut through. Also electricity is very cheap. And as for cutting off your fingers, I do understand, but my fingers are always 4-5 inches away from the blade. If you are very careful the entire time, it is not a problem.

$18 per hr is a good return. Sounds like having the bandsaw speeds up your process and since it was the first time you will probably get quicker the more you do. Nice job and breakdown of the numbers for us.

Dusts can be deadly. Please recycle safely everyone.

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Originally Posted by BRASSCATCHER

$18 per hr is a good return. Sounds like having the bandsaw speeds up your process and since it was the first time you will probably get quicker the more you do. Nice job and breakdown of the numbers for us.

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I agree which is why I wear a mouth and nose mask, make sure no one else is around, and work in a large, well ventilated room. After I am done, I vacuum the dust off of the ground.

@Brass Yes I was slower because I tried several methods with cutting. I am going to save up a larger load and run the same experiment. The bigger the sample size, the better!

Hey Shen, how many bandsaw blades does it take to cut the fingers off 26lbs. of boards?

There is the possibility of ebay sales which could increase the return on your time. Of course the possiblity of a dispute with a buyer could jack that up but it would be worth considering. I would recommend putting together a shop vac attachment for the band saw and maybe put a filter on the exhaust of the shop vac to catch any dust that gets out.

Thanks for sharing your numbers, Mike.

Decycle what type of blades are you using?

There is another way you can get the fingers off boards. It's quick, easy, leaves no dust, does not risk your lungs...

Take at least a 2x4 but a 2x6 works great for the longer fingerboards.

Cut a slot across the width of the board the depth you want to knock off the fingerboards at, then just simple slip the fingerboard part of your PC board in the slot, and push forward, it breaks the fingerboards right off without any problems. You can knock off a lot more fingerboards in a lot less time rather than using a saw. I have tried many different ways, and this honestly seems the best for me. I know longer scrap, I strictly refine and I have given away my jigs or I would have taken pictures. You can easily burn through a gaylord this way.

If you want to get fancy, you can get a cheap wood chair, attach your fingerboard jig on the chair and now you have easy leverage

Scott

I am sure this has already been mentioned, but you lose money cutting fingers off the heavy cards. I go by the 4 ounce rule, over 4 ounces finger stays on, under 4 ounces it comes off. If i am gonna devalue a card for fingers then it better be a light card. I am using the standard yellow handle tin snips to cut mine, it works ok and no dust.

Sheet metal break works also, just takes time to load.

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Originally Posted by happyscraper

Hey Shen, how many bansaw blaids dose it take to cut the fingers off 26lbs. of boards?

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I give up...how many? I'm more concerned about my fingers! :)

Cutting off your fingers is no fun folks.

Old paper cutters also work, the type that has the heavy iron handle with the steel cutting blade connected to it.

Scott

the new arm style paper cutters do not work, they are made of particle board, about 5 cuts and they are done, just giving you a heads up

It is a heavy duty bandsaw, next time I am in the shop I will check out the specs. After 26 pounds, the blade was still cutting the same as it did before. I am currently using a wood blade, but will probably switch to a metal one just to see the difference.

In the past I have used a band saw but the smell was the worst. It did work very well with a wood blade. If I was to do this alot I would get a respirator type mask. The dustless methods mentioned are worth a try.

I wouldn't use a saw of any type because of the dust. If you are cutting older boards you are dealing with PCBs that are far more toxic than even the combinations of acids I use to refine precious metals. It's nasty nasty stuff.

What are PCBs?

Even wearing a respirator and having the particulates sucked away you are still dealing with minute particles.

There are many other reasons not to use a saw. Anytime you are breaking down electronics (scrapping) it's always better not to use a saw than to use one. Grinders, saws, wire wheels, etc are all not advisable. The most valuable electronics to scrap are those before 1979 which also will probably be made of PCBs.

Scott

I always just snapped them off using a pair of sturdy pliers.

Trims them pretty close for me, or I've just got better with practice. :confused: