How to remove tungsten carbide buttons from rock drill heads?

I have thirteen boxes of drill bit heads that were used for drilling rock. This bits were used to drill holes for blasting. I have acquired them legally.


So my question is, how do you remove the carbide buttons from the heads? How are they attached? Is it cost effective or would it be best to sell it "as is"? I am guessing I have around 500lbs of bits and I don't know how much carbide this would be.

If it would be better to sell it as is, can somebody suggest a good buyer? I live in eastern Kentucky and don't know if I have enough carbide to sell the places online. I haven't contacted any yet. I came here for advice first.

The local scrap yards only want to pay short iron price ($10/100lbs) for the bits. I think they are worth more than this.

Google hasn't turned up anything, so I was forced to come here. I do not like to join a forum that I cannot actively contribute to, but here I am.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

It seems to me that most bits are silver brazed into place. All you should have to do is heat them with an oxyacetylene torch up to a dull red or enough to melt the brazing and give the carbide a tap with a hammer. It should drop out.

Jon.

Originally Posted by sawmilleng

It seems to me that most bits are silver brazed into place. All you should have to do is heat them with an oxyacetylene torch up to a dull red or enough to melt the brazing and give the carbide a tap with a hammer. It should drop out.

Jon.

That answers my question. Thanks for the help.

One last thing--check the buyer section here. I believe we have at least a couple of carbide buyers here. I think you will be blown away by the pricing. I was!!

Jon.

Originally Posted by thortek

welcome to the forum. Here are a few links that might help.....

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...p-carbide.html

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/intro...-facility.html

There are quite a few other links....just search carbide and prepare to learn. And you CAN contribute. Let us know how you worked your deal, and let us know where to look for scrap!

Yea, I found those links in the "Similar threads". I tried google, I tried the sites google search (same results). Then I post a thread, check back at it and find the answers I was looking for.

A large rosebud style heating tip works great. I just removed a bunch of inserts today using one on a rotary blasthole drill bit. Get the bit almost melting hot and they fall right out.

just like others have said just heat it up with a torch and pop it off with a hammer it will be well worth your time since we are paying $10.25 a pound for them. If you are unable to make it to our recycling facility in south carolina you can ship it and we pay for shipping if you have over 40 pounds which you have stated you do so its a win win for you. here is a link to our buyers and sellers thread here on the forum

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/scrap...p-carbide.html

We had a few tons of the rock bits with tungsten carbide with three rotary heads. We sold them to Tungco, they purchased them with the steel. Made it not worth cutting out the tungsten. They are located Western Kentucky.