what should i do with it ?

Hello I'm very new to scrapping.
I started to clean out the wood behind my house a lot of old pipes and just stuff. Today I took my wheelbarrow and set to work. one of the things I pulled out was a Auto AC compressor. That's what the Husband says it is. LOL It has an Aluminum/rusted steel case. I started to take the bolts out and then started wondering if I would do better to just scrap it the way it is It's 25LBS ? What should it go under? Should I take it apart?

I also took out two old Window AC Units. We took them apart to a point. I have the fins still have the copper U on them. I did read that we need to take the ends off, Just need to get hubby to do this . I can't work a sawzall I also read that some people take the black sealed compressor apart for the copper, should I do this ? One is 30lbs. Will I get more money from the copper inside ?

I know these are questions that have been asked a lot. But I can only some of this stuff myself. I can work a screw gun and hammer. But when it comes to the saw and grinder? I need hubby! He has a day job, so he can only do so much. SO when I start to get him to do the hard stuff I need it to be the most cost effective. He may quit this non paying honey do job!

Thanks for the help
Mommalaa

Check with your yard to see if they buy sealed units (compressors). If you don't clean the steel mounting plates off the ends of the coils they will go as dirty cu/al radiators and the price will be a lot lower.

Hi Freon Joe.
I took your advice and called the nearest yard, this yard has a web page but they don't put prices up like others do. I asked about the sealed AC units and he said he would take them. @ .20 a pound. So both together would be 48 lbs. @ .20 = 9.60 I wonder what I would get If I had hubby cut them open ? although I did read that there is copper inside, I don't know how much Lbs ?

They he said that the copper/ Finn from the window AC would be about 1.00lb and if I cut the ends 1.20 lbs Is this a good price? I know I could get some money for the copper u and other lines just don't know how much.

When I started to ask other prices like copper #1, #2, Aluminum. He became very short with me and said he will not give me prices over the phone because it changes every day. True, but other yards put the prices on web pages so at least I can get all idea, for a new person like me. This is a tough market !! I have a few other yards near by so I would like to go to the one that gives the best $. I guess you need to have a relationship with the yard first.

I will try and call and check the other yards and see if they will talk to me! Is it because I'm a women ?

Thanks
mommalaa

At .20 apound on compressors you're pretty much at the break even point. Most of those yield about 8% copper. Cleaning the coils with be worth it. You'll loose about 10% total weight but you'll make all of it back in the extra copper. The cut off ends run about 50% copper/50% steel.

They were probably short with you on the phone because they get 100's of calls a day wanting pricing.

Mick, it's 9.60, if she cuts them up she'll end up with about 3.5 pounds of copper probably 42 pounds of shred afiter you subtract the weight of the oil.

be sure to keep a magnet handy while you're picking up, laa, for separating the non-ferrous

Thanks so much for the help. When my husband gets home Ill show him the post and I guess he will let me know if he is going to cut open the AC sealed unit. I know he is going to do the fin/ ends. I did get him to do the AC motors. I pulled out 2lbs copper. If it were just me I'd be out there cutting them open. I can't work the grinder.

On another note, I am going to keep the auto AC unit whole. I found a post that said it would go as Aluminum shred ? It's 25Lbs/ case is Aluminum and rust steel.

One more thing. I have about 150 lbs of heavy pipe. I think it was for waste pipe it's very large. would that go with the steel ? Or is it another very heavy metal. There is a lot more of it. I just took some for now, so I can find out what it should go under. I guess I'll find out when I get to the yard.

you need some glasses and gloves. And.. a hammer, strike that pipe with a good hammer and see if it shatters

A yard that dosn't post thier prices and won't talk to you on the phone and give an excuse like that I would staw away from. The yards I use do not change thier prices every day, that is a red flag to me.

Hi Bear and Happy.
Happy.
Thanks for the comment on the yard and prices. I kind of find it odd. I mean, If I were going to buy something from the store. Lets say beer, One store had the beer at $3.00 and another at $5.00. I would go to the one for $3.00. Now I would never by anything from a store that says it's a surprise price today " ya never know " LOL
I do realize that this is a scrap yard at not a store. But still, I just want to get an idea.

Bear.
If I hit it with a hammer, and my arm doesn't break but the pipe shatters. Would that make it cast Iron ? I did go to the new person posts and look at all the pics of the different metals, I'm just not sure what I'm looking at. Also I did use my magnet and did find some copper, aluminum, and a bunch of silver color pipe not sure yet what that is. mostly the u shaped pipes.
Thanks again
mommalaa

U shaped pipe? Like off the ends of radiators? If so, then they're aluminum.

non magnetic and silver could be either stainless steel (heavier type) or aluminum ( a lighter type) Many times you can distinguish the two just by bouncing it in your hand a bit to determine weightiness (that's an old term I just made up, funny thing though, the spell check didn't turn red ; ) Also, you can use those gloves and glasses, and that grinder to determine type (SS=sparks, Al=no sparks), even metals with differing carbon content give off different type sparks when hit with a grinder Popular Mechanics - Google Books

Hi guys,
U shape as in sink pipe trap. I think some of them are copper, I started to sand them looks kind of pink, (all non magnetic) some are very light weightiness. LOL
Most of the long length pipes are rusted. So I guess steel, iron. I did find a tall pipe jack thing, maybe to jack up the house ? Rusted, Very Very Heavy !
I think they have been dumping here for years. I hope nothing bad Is dumped here.

Thanks Again for all the help.

Hi Mick. I really don't know if it's correct to call them sink trap ? They just look like the pipe under the bathroom sink, I have a few like this. some are heavy. Maybe brass ? I will weight for my husband. You guys have been very helpful. I think I just need to work at it for awhile, learn as I go.