Best way to compact your scrap wire for storage

**electricblue** · 10-01-2012, 01:14 PM

I'd like to be able to bale in some way my bare bright copper. I was thinking about a trash compactor. Do you think this might work or not enough power? I'd like to be able to stack it for storage rather than buckets everywhere.

**ddelatorre14** · 10-01-2012, 01:34 PM

I see two problems with that. 1. Your buyer will be sceptical about whats in the middle of the bale. 2. If he rejects your load then you have to take it all apart and not a good thing. Just sayin

**Russell** · 10-01-2012, 01:34 PM

A garbage can with a weight.

**greytruck** · 10-01-2012, 01:45 PM

big tote and step on it to compress it. Just like leafs in the garbage can, got to get em all in there

**electricblue** · 10-01-2012, 05:37 PM

Good point DD.

**eesakiwi** · 10-01-2012, 10:42 PM

I just put it in a bucket & cram as much wire into it & then use a wooden pole about 4 feet long to punch it all in.

Its amazing how much it compacts, 10Kg+ into ten litres. Then I put that into a shopping bag & get the free bus to my scrapmetal buyer.

**newattitude** · 10-01-2012, 10:49 PM

I use a sledge hammer to ''pack'' my copper and wire in buckets after stomping in them doesn't work any more lol.

**Bear** · 10-01-2012, 11:22 PM

a good axle shaft will smush em on in there too ; )

**nebrs13** · 10-01-2012, 11:43 PM

#2 stop on it should be able to get 1000-1500lbs into a 4x4ox48 gaylord, stomped harness wire isually close to 700-1000 becuase of plugs etc..

**oldtoothlessbassmaster** · 10-01-2012, 11:48 PM

for me 50 pound coils stack , pack and distribute the load well

it just takes a few extra minutes to juggle a few coils/lbs + or - on my scale and then bale with a few more ft of bare bright

**Mechanic688** · 10-02-2012, 12:23 AM

OOOOO, Pretty

**kbob** · 10-02-2012, 08:40 PM

Veery nice Oldtoothlessbassmaster!

**High Voltage Processing** · 10-02-2012, 09:52 PM

I use a very large, very loud machine that chops it up into little pellets and I put it in a 55 gallon drum. I can get 2200 pounds per drum.

**wayne1956** · 10-04-2012, 10:37 PM

I have several 5 gallon buckets of the same make. I will fill one with some heavy scrap, then while I am putting number 2 wire in another bucket, I will periodically put the first heavy bucket full of scrap inside the copper bucket and leave it for a while. It will compress it and will stay compressed.

**BurlyGuys** · 10-05-2012, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by oldtoothlessbassmaster

for me 50 pound coils stack , pack and distribute the load well

it just takes a few extra minutes to juggle a few coils/lbs + or - on my scale and then bale with a few more ft of bare bright

I hate you... ;-)

**oldtoothlessbassmaster** · 10-05-2012, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by BurlyGuys

I hate you... ;-)

i know that feeling.....but i did get me a stylin new tee shirt & some pens as a bonus with that run

**Cole** · 02-21-2013, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by oldtoothlessbassmaster

for me 50 pound coils stack , pack and distribute the load well

it just takes a few extra minutes to juggle a few coils/lbs + or - on my scale and then bale with a few more ft of bare bright

Where do you get copper like that from?

**grouchyolddude** · 02-21-2013, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bear

a good axle shaft will smush em on in there too ; )

I stuffed around350# into a 25 gallon drum like this. At the yard a skinny little guy grabbed onto it and gave it the usual tug..... Then stepped back, looked it over good, like he was expecting it to be nailed down..

**jghilino** · 02-21-2013, 06:52 PM

copper weighs like 559 pounds cubic foot, i dot think a trash compactor could handle the weight, plus how are you gonna get it out

**jghilino** · 02-21-2013, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by oldtoothlessbassmaster

for me 50 pound coils stack , pack and distribute the load well

it just takes a few extra minutes to juggle a few coils/lbs + or - on my scale and then bale with a few more ft of bare bright

now thats a nice load

Best way to compact your scrap wire for storage

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