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scrapping old washers?

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    509recycler started this thread.
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    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.



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    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.

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    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?

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    509recycler started this thread.
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    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.

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    509recycler started this thread.
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    sorry im a total newb.

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    We all were at one time!

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    I see no problem with it if they are close by.

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    Not much, just the motor and wires. Maybe the the motor casing is aluminum
    Your Trash-My Cash
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    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.

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    try selling the washers b4 tearing down i get up to 50.00 for non-working washers...

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    Arent the drums in them made of stainless steel so they dont rust when washing?

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    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
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    "Give them enough so they can do something with it, but not too much that they won't do nothing."

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    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

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    The older the machine, the better chance of a actual copper wound motor

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    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

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    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.

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    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!

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    "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

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    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.

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  25. #20
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    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!


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