The sealed motor

I have a fare amt of sealed motors (compressors) as it is I've got some good weight and could get about .25 .27 per pound , I have taken a few apart and they have good worth , copper , Short .
does any one know of any ways to open them up at a not so time consuming way
I have used the thin grinding saw blades on my worm drive skill saw it cuts well but like it's not fast work and after 3 of them your headed for a new blade so the profit along with time, hard to say it's really worth it.
I see Lowe's sells a $60 blade that cuts steel it looks promising but i will need to cut SOME motors till blade get paid for .I don't want to spend $60 and find i break even
Any suggestions?

some people prefer a sawsall....seems that more people use the grinder. I've just started to us my grinder, so can't say which is faster yet, but you can get both real cheap at Harbor Freight. There are several threads on this if you you use the search feature at top right of page. Also a great video on youtube by aussieguy or aussie "something"....forget his name. Good luck.

I have a good makita grinder i assume it will be a thin blade i use .

yes, it's called a cut-off wheel.

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Originally Posted by Copper Head

I have a good makita grinder i assume it will be a thin blade i use .

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I get cheap discs which cost .70 each. They don't last very long but I personally think its at least 100x faster than a sawsall. Last time I used it I was cutting brass valves and copper stems off of 8 water heaters. By the time was done the disc was toast. So for .70 I was able to cut about 12 pretty thick brass valves and them things cut threw copper like butter.

As far as bang for the buck this has been my best tool investment.
Can't tell ya how much time this thing has saved me.
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-h...der-95578.html
This says $20, got mine about a year or so ago for $10.

And to top it off keep an eye out in your newspaper for the 20% off coupons for Harbor Freight. It makes those angle grinders and metal cut off wheels even cheaper. I use the heck out of them (always keep 3 or 4 in my checkbook).

I use a 9inch angle grinder, a discs worth about US$5+. You get over 10 compressors per disc (can't remember the actual amount, its probably a lot more, 15+)
You have to drain the oil out first, then when you shift it around, more oil comes out, as soon as you cut it, more oil...

A Plasma cutter would be the best way to do it though..

I use a bench vise & rip the rubber feet off, clamp its foot & cut 1/3 to 1/2 way around under the welded rim, do that twice or more, the top hat part I'm saving to use a ornimental cannons.

Pop the cap off & its still attached by wires(3) & a thin steel pipe, cut them & let the oil drain off & unbolt the 4 bolts holding the laminations & copperwires.
Grab that in the vise & cut one end off the copper windings & punch the rest of the copper wire out.

Then use a knife to cut thru the strings & remove them, I then give them a wash in the hot waste water from my dishwasher, in a drum with some extra washing powder, then drain.
You won't get all of the oil off, but say to the scrapper you "have washed them" & smell the dishwashing smell & mention they were "greasy as, before hand" & "as they were in oil theres no corrosion at all".

I get #2 price NZ$6.70Kg or US$5+ a Kg or (US$2.40Lb?)
Theres just a bit under 1Kg of Copper on average. I'd say 2Lbs solid.

Notes.
One or two of the pipes welded to the casing is 100% copper, not steel.
Theres Ali in the armiture & sometimes theres a Ali bearing on the shaft & steel forging- it needs 3 Allen key screws to be undone to remove it- easy.
The piston conrod is sometimes Ali.
The head of the compressor is sometimes a Ali plate.
Theres a oil pickup on the end of the shaft, most times its steel, if its Ali theres a screw holding it on.
The piston & conrod would make great parts for a 'metal peice welded ornimental motorbike'. Harley style.
The valve assembleys look like 'eyes'.
Theres a copper wire coil in the starter part, built onto the side of the casing, in later ones they use a sort of diode instead.
I seperate all the bits, shaft, valves, bolts, laminations & Ali, Steel forgings, Ali parts, pistons, Copper wire..
http://www.seabreeze.com.au/img/phot...ng/3099338.jpg

That pics interesting, they cut thru it verticaly, I'll try that next time.

As you use the grinder, check that the 4 or 5 bolts that hold the 'angle head' part of the grinder don't come loose.
They do & that wears out the gears even if its a little loose.
Make sure the grinder has 'come up to speed' before grinding.
Hang the grinder you 'head up' so the warm loose grease falls back onto the gears.
Don't let the metal move as you cut thru it, that 'cuts out' the disc

De walt Makita or Milwalkie blades are the only way to go. I rigged up a new finger guard on my 4 1/2 inch grinder so I can use 7 inch blades. as you cut dont try to cut through the first time, make several passes to make the cut. the blade will last much longer. get rid of as much of the oil aw you can it is hell on compound blades. You can use Harbor freight ten pack blades for $5 or 6 bucks and change 10 blades a day, or buy one De Walt 7 inch for $5 and cut all day. your choice.

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keep an eye out in your newspaper for the 20% off coupons for Harbor Freight. It makes those angle grinders and metal cut off wheels even cheaper. I use the heck out of them (always keep 3 or 4 in my checkbook).

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Yea, but don't 3 of those wheels make your checkbook really fat???

^^^LoL, that would be something I would do

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Originally Posted by Catfish Bob

I get cheap discs which cost .70 each. They don't last very long but I personally think its at least 100x faster than a sawsall. Last time I used it I was cutting brass valves and copper stems off of 8 water heaters. By the time was done the disc was toast. So for .70 I was able to cut about 12 pretty thick brass valves and them things cut threw copper like butter.

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I've been using these discs from HF. They're about $0.80/ea, but I have been shocked at how much longer they're lasting than I expected.

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Originally Posted by Catfish Bob

As far as bang for the buck this has been my best tool investment.
Can't tell ya how much time this thing has saved me.
Angle Grinder - Save on this 4-1/2" Angle Grinder
This says $20, got mine about a year or so ago for $10.

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I got this one from HF for $18, and have been very happy with it so far.