Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 21

scrapping old washers?

| Scrap Metal Questions and Answers
  1. #1
    509recycler started this thread.
    509recycler's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Location
    spokane washington.
    Posts
    20
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts

    scrapping old washers?

    any money in scrapping old washing machines? at least the housing for it? I found like five of them. originally went out to pick up some water heaters but they were taken already. but i got some bedframes and other random scrap.



  2. #2
    happyscraper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    spring hill,fl
    Posts
    2,864
    Thanks
    350
    Thanked 1,371 Times in 847 Posts
    There is some money to be made but won't make you rich. On the washers pull the motors out then pull all the wires out then check the panel were the knobs are with a magnet to see if it's aluminum. You can sell all this separate from the steel to max out your profits. Hope this helps a little.

  3. #3
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Nov 2011
    Location
    boise, ID
    Posts
    1,605
    Thanks
    469
    Thanked 1,462 Times in 668 Posts
    Almost all washers have copper coated aluminum windings. Check to see if the faceplates are aluminum, pull the wiring harness and run them across the scale. Should be 600-800 pounds of shred. What are they paying for shred up there now?

  4. #4
    509recycler started this thread.
    509recycler's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Location
    spokane washington.
    Posts
    20
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
    i have'nt priced scrap yet since this is my first trip scrapping. im estimating that I have about 80-100 dollars worth of scrap today from about maybe two or three hours of work hopefully. got a bunch of steel too.

  5. #5
    509recycler started this thread.
    509recycler's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Location
    spokane washington.
    Posts
    20
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
    sorry im a total newb.

  6. #6
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Nov 2011
    Location
    boise, ID
    Posts
    1,605
    Thanks
    469
    Thanked 1,462 Times in 668 Posts
    We all were at one time!

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to freonjoe for This Post:


  8. #7
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    24
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 10 Times in 7 Posts
    I see no problem with it if they are close by.

  9. #8
    TheRecycler's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Ithaca, NY
    Posts
    616
    Thanks
    31
    Thanked 413 Times in 199 Posts
    Not much, just the motor and wires. Maybe the the motor casing is aluminum
    Your Trash-My Cash
    Yours Truly, TheRecycler:
    RecycleReuseItAll@Facebook.com

  10. #9
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Aug 2011
    Posts
    246
    Thanks
    21
    Thanked 177 Times in 73 Posts
    Like others have said, pull the motors/wires/misc aluminum. Check the drum, I can't remember right off hand if it's washers or dryers, but one of them has a chance of the drum being stainless (I've never found one, just something I heard)

    Other than that, I like to keep a washer on hand in the garage to through misc scrap in to. Makes a great small scrap catcher.

  11. #10
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Nov 2011
    Location
    tucson
    Posts
    3
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 7 Times in 3 Posts
    try selling the washers b4 tearing down i get up to 50.00 for non-working washers...

  12. #11
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Melbourne Australia
    Posts
    46
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 14 Times in 9 Posts
    Arent the drums in them made of stainless steel so they dont rust when washing?

  13. #12
    KzScrapper's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Denver Metro, CO
    Posts
    4,841
    Thanks
    7,019
    Thanked 5,792 Times in 2,417 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by thecritta View Post
    Arent the drums in them made of stainless steel so they dont rust when washing?
    Some, but most are porcelain painted to resist rusting. They do make great fire pits.
    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."

  14. #13
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Feb 2012
    Location
    OK
    Posts
    5,731
    Thanks
    6,815
    Thanked 3,465 Times in 1,990 Posts
    you mentioned "old" washers. A lot has to do with "how old". Very old washers can have much higher value as collectors items or displays. I have 3 old washers here, the newest of which I know my Dad bought new in 1962. My sister has another that came from here in a flower garden, with a waterfall going into it, coming from the end of an old water well hand pump, which also came from here

  15. The Following User Says Thank You to Bear for This Post:


  16. #14
    greytruck's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Thornton, Illinois
    Posts
    1,909
    Thanks
    1,679
    Thanked 1,772 Times in 919 Posts
    The older the machine, the better chance of a actual copper wound motor

  17. #15
    auminer's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor



    Member since
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Allen, TX
    Posts
    1,233
    Thanks
    579
    Thanked 2,301 Times in 857 Posts
    I've been just knocking a panel off to get a view of the motor, scraping the windings with a knife blade to determine if it's full-on copper or copper-coated-aluminum. My yard only pays 15¢# for Al wound motors, vs 8¢# for the intact washer. So... If it's the former, I'll strip the washer down all the way to even getting the windings out. If it's the latter, I use the intact washer as a screw/nail/tiny ferrous bin until it gets aaaaaaalmost too heavy to hoist into my truck for a trip to the yard. I'm not fighting that hard to make an extra 7¢ a pound on the motor's weight.

    The margin just ain't there.
    Out of clutter, find simplicity. --Albert Einstein

  18. The Following User Says Thank You to auminer for This Post:


  19. #16
    trashmaster's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Oct 2011
    Location
    jonesboro, arkansas
    Posts
    59
    Thanks
    324
    Thanked 50 Times in 15 Posts
    All washers and dryers have control knobs;;;;... right and all control knobs have SILVER contacts in them . Yes they are small but will add up..
    The contacts are not on the knob but behind the panel in the control box.

  20. #17
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Missouri
    Posts
    9
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts
    Been hauling a TON (literally. Hah!) Of washers, dryers, and fridges over the past couple weeks from a hill side. These items are probably 40 years old and nothing but rust, mud, and nasty, but once a 16 foot trailer is filled we end up with 2300+ pounds (depending on what else we can shove on there). Anyway, these are really good weight items if you have a place to store them at so you can let it add up until cash out time. I normally wait for a trailer load since its a long ways away for a scrap yard. Anyhow, just my 2 cents!

  21. #18
    jghilino's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Buying Specialty Escrap of all kinds, resale grade computer parts

    Member since
    Sep 2012
    Location
    KANSAS CITY
    Posts
    2,672
    Thanks
    1,429
    Thanked 1,453 Times in 919 Posts
    "any money in scrapping old washing machines?" depends on your definiton of scrapping, i prefer to maximize the value of everything i scrap

    id atleast pull the motor and wiring out of it and sell seperatly or just cut the cord

    I have parted one out so see what the demand for parts is, it looks ilke its possible to make some really good money on them, sold a gear box for $80 and a couple other small parts for $20 so far, i think im gonna clear $150 after its all said and done. Resale isnt for everyone as its alot of extra time involved. Not the way to make a quick buck.
    I buy and sell all types of scrap and escrap. I buy specialty and hard to sell escrap. I buy resale items. PM me or contact me at jghilino@hotmail.com
    I AM ACTIVELY BUYING ESCRAP OF ALL TYPES. BOARDS, RAM, CPUS AND MUCH MORE

  22. The Following User Says Thank You to jghilino for This Post:


  23. #19
    SMF Badges of Honor


    Member since
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Melbourne Australia
    Posts
    46
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 14 Times in 9 Posts

    Red face

    I would test the metal drum inside the washing machine to see if it sticks
    to magnet before loading it onto the trailer headed for the shred pile first.

    If the magnets sticks leave it if it doesn't it must mean it's stainless steel
    and I would go probably go mental and cut the washing machine down the
    corners with angle grinder to remove the outer steel shell to extract the
    barrel just so I could get an extra $3.00 or $4.00 for the barrel but that's
    just my insane mentality.
    Last edited by thecritta; 11-14-2014 at 07:28 AM.

  24. The Following User Says Thank You to thecritta for This Post:


  25. #20
    SMF Badges of Honor

    Member since
    Aug 2014
    Posts
    10
    Thanks
    2
    Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post
    Wish I had more room like you guys do to break it all down, I try and get most out but can't keep and sell items for the most part, too much personal crap no room for more... one day.

    Good tip on the silver contacts, thanks!


  26. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. Anything valuable in washers/ dryers?
      By Scrap man in forum Scrap Metal Questions and Answers
      Replies: 22
      Last Post: 09-21-2018, 04:42 PM
    2. Two questions on Maytag wringer washers?
      By drewan in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 15
      Last Post: 12-23-2014, 09:54 AM
    3. Selling Washers and Dryers for more $$$$$$
      By BigRyan in forum More than Scrap Value
      Replies: 13
      Last Post: 12-06-2014, 10:53 AM
    4. washers and dryers
      By GeorgeB in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 33
      Last Post: 07-10-2013, 09:02 AM
    5. 2 washers gets me...
      By Scrappy22 in forum Scrap Metal Prices
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 04-29-2013, 11:04 AM

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 5 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 5 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.





OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook