need advise on 2 tools to make my escrap go quicker

Ok so I prerused a bunch of old threads but no definative answer.

I mainly scrap ewaste and wpuld like to make some tasks go alot faster...time is money of course!

1. What is the best tool to cut computer ends off wire...flat ribbon cables and power supply (also if it can cut the entire cable bundle off the power supply even better). My hands are KILLING me with regular wire cutters. Is there a good POWERED tool I can use (and I am not setup for air powered yet)? Quicker is better.

2. The beat tool to strip low grade boards? Yes I pull socketed eproms but generally there are tatalium pieces, alum heatsinks, wires soldered to the board, and sodered eproms and ic chips. What works best to just stip the whole **** thing...I can just bag up all the residual items and include with the low grade where I sell them. I have a cheap ocillating tool but it doesnt seem to cut fast enough or all that great. Chisel works but again too slow and kills your arms after awhile. I need easy and fast.

Suggestions? I just keep growing and need to to go faster where I can keep up the $'$$ per hour. Lmk!

I cut power supply bundles with a cutoff wheel. Slices through quick and easy.

As for chiseling things off...don't know if it would work, but they make scraper attachments for reciprocating saws. Might be able to use it like a chisel, or cut down a used blade and make a chisel out of it. Though holding a saw for hours will get tiresome. What about a dremel with a cutoff?

Some people use a paper cutter for ribbon wire. I use scissors.

I use scissors to cut the ends off of ribbon cables,

I have a great set of wire cutters and heavy scissors...but after about 30 cables your hand can get pretty sore...trying to figure the best powered solution....I can get 100 old cables many times or more. A band saw might work...just same with stripping the low grade boards....not sure.

The cutoff wheel is a good idea, but many times you cant get it where you need it...I wad thinking that just running something that will cut all the components off those boards...really just cutting solder would be far quicker. You can then just sort the pile quickly and the remainder goes with the low grade board container. I would love to have a band saw that would cut like a butchers saw...lol...really fast.

ya I use a paper cutter old school slicing action is fun and quick and there easy to sharpen and look for them at auctions or garage sales and such get them real cheap I have 4 right now so that I can switch up and multi use for helpers

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Originally Posted by webuyselltradestuff

I have a great set of wire cutters and heavy scissors...but after about 30 cables your hand can get pretty sore...trying to figure the best powered solution....I can get 100 old cables many times or more. A band saw might work...just same with stripping the low grade boards....not sure.

The cutoff wheel is a good idea, but many times you cant get it where you need it...I wad thinking that just running something that will cut all the components off those boards...really just cutting solder would be far quicker. You can then just sort the pile quickly and the remainder goes with the low grade board container. I would love to have a band saw that would cut like a butchers saw...lol...really fast.

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http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/priva...bbon-wire.html

I use buch loppers or trimmers to cut the power supply wires off.

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Originally Posted by PartTimeScrapper

I use buch loppers or trimmers to cut the power supply wires off.

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those work great also,,

It seems to me there is discussion in the old Gustavus thread about stripping boards with an air hammer with a chisel on it. If you google "air flux chipper" you should see what they are talking about. He was stripping boards flat out clean. I don't know if you are wanting to get that clean...

I've used a battery powered side head grinder with a thin cutting disk in place the grinding wheel for cutting wire--it works pretty good and is light. Mine is an 18V Dewalt. I used it a LOT when gutting industrial electrical cabinets that were full of No.14 stranded control wire. I started doing those with plain old sidecutting pliers and found the same thing as you--it got old REAL fast. A Dremel might be a little more surgical if you are doing smaller stuff.

I have also used a metal cutting bandsaw for cutting larger wires, although it will work on smaller wires, too. The blade travels a lot slower so it can be a bit "grabby" with small wires. I use a blade with lots of teeth per inch which reduces the grabbing.

Jon.

I use a 10 inch pair of these for ribbon and power supplies and many things that get in the way...They stay sharp, quick and are easy to use. I don't care for ewaste much, but when I get it, I will usually cut or process everything as I go thru each tower so I'm not stuck with cutting the same of all one thing for an hour or two.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/d...kingShears.jpg

Since I remove the power supplies I use an angle grinder with a thin metal cutting blade. I save them up and work out side to avoid breathing in the dust. Mike.

Well, shoot!! Sorry about that!! I don't know how that happenend!! Brain f*rt or something!!

Jon.

Fixed it.

J.

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Originally Posted by sawmilleng

Fixed it.

J.

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Now if Bear will just fix his then we'll be good to go again,,,
Thanks Jon.

hahaha, I set there waiting on something to load, photos maybe? something had to be there, didn't it?

aviation snips. even if they aren't the best tool for these specific jobs, they do these adequately and do many other things. they are not powered but spring loaded, which saves the wear and tear on your hands. I wouldn't be scrapping without them

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pro...68cc75_300.jpg

Cable cutters work great for bundles of smaller wires, up to stuff as thick as the cord coming off a stove or dryer. I bought mine at Lowes for well under $20, and they work like dynamite on anything too big for regular ole' diagonal cutters.

For ribbon cables, I have a pair of shears that I got as a freebie from Harbor Freight, they seem to work just fine. I've got a stack of them, so when they get really banged up, I throw them in with my shred and start over with a new pair.

Yep I buy most of my wire cutters at hatbor freight...I have to destroy like 5-7 to make the cost up from lowes. They get abused anyways so I go that route. I buy really good powet tools though...dewalt drill, ect. Pays to by those....but I also buy alot used when contrators or others need the money.

Looks like the old school paper cutter might be the best non powered way to deal with computer cable ends...I had seen it in the old threads but wanted to see if anyone k ew of a better tool. I'll pick one up at a yard sale I am sure.

The other quedtion on the low grade stuff....band saw or air chisel seems to be the way to go....I just have aloy sometimes and cutoff wheels can take too long. I might see if I can find a band saw with an abrasive cable instead of a saw band...might work better and you can get diamond ones that would last forever on the relatively soft material.

I will say this...the oscellating tool I have with a 1/2 moon cutting blade...it works WONDERS on removing the copper tubes from the cpu heatsinks...10-15 seconds....I bought a cheap $20 one from harbor freight to try it. It would work great on boards too IF you can grt it in where you need it.

Now to add some more pickups for volumne since I can xo stuff faster. :)

Thanks guys!

The best tool for cutting wire hands down is a pair of bypass pruning shears. We keep three sizes in each truck and at every work station. We buy the small pruners at Menards for less than $5 a pair. Black & Decker makes a nice 18" shear that we got for around $10 each. they work great on power supplies and you cut all day without your hands hurting. We also use the long handle loping shears for heavy gauge wire, flexible conduit, etc. You want the bypass type rather than the anvil style. You can easily sharpen them with a file or small handheld grinder if they get really dull.

For stripping circuit boards, nothing beats an air chisel with an inch and a half wide scrapper chisel. We have learned from painful experience that all air chisels are not created equal. You get what you pay for. A $40 air hammer will kill your wrists and hands in an hour or two. If you going to strip a lot of boards, invest in a good air hammer that has some weight and shock absorbing features. It will run $175 dollars or more but it is well worth the investment. You will also need a good air compressor to power it.

Hope this helps. TRB