What are some methods to turn lesser class metals into premium class metals?

Originally Posted by dirtymoney

Like turning copper pipe that has corrosion into bright and shiny pipe. ANyone do this? If so... what are the methods? I want to maximize my profits. I have a lot of stockpiled pipe that would be considered class 2 instead of class one.

It can be done by various methods but usually not worth the effort to take it from #2 to #1 copper.

Also... what about processing scrap or disguising it so that it is taken?

Example.... my workplace replaced their antiquated system with an ethernet phone system and they threw out a large bundle of old telephone wires.

Well, every scrap metal recycler around me refuses to take telephone wires. So i figure that I could do either of the following... Wrapping other wires around telephone wire to hide it, or stripping all the wire of insulation so it is just bare/bright very thin solid copper wire and intermix it with other thin copper wire.

That's cheating and stealing.

Is this generally frowned upon?

I'd say that pretty well answers itself.

Phone wire (if it is copper) should mix right in with the # 2 insulated, not hidden. If you have to hide things then maybe it's time for a new yard.???Maybe?

Originally Posted by Mechanic688

Phone wire (if it is copper) should mix right in with the # 2 insulated, not hidden. If you have to hide things then maybe it's time for a new yard.???Maybe?

All the scrap yards within reasonable driving distance wont take phone wires. Things have gotten incredibly restrictive around here.

Originally Posted by badkarma506

hydrogen peroxide will make pipe shiny again. but they will find some other reason not to pay top dollar for it. like a coming into the yard deduction, or a t-shirt tax. just take the outter insulation off the phone wire and it will be #2 insulated.

Thank you for the hydrogen P tip. Just the thing I was looking for.

Also... no yards near me will take telephone wire.

you shouldnt have to hide telephone wire/lan cables, cut the ends off for gold connectors then put the cables in with the rest of your insulated wire.

i think stripping it is worse than mixing it, if the yard wont take it as #2 find another yard or put it in a large flat rate box and ebay it, there are yards in kc missouri that will buy that as number #2

if you have a parts washer or a 5 gallon bucket with lid put the copper in it with white vinegar and baking soda it will make a mess but come out clean now the kicker

it costs about $5 and in my are the differecne between no 1 and no2 is only 11 cents your not gonna get 50 lbs in the bucket to pickle bathe it

Not to hijack this thread but I was told yesterday that my yard is not taking power cables from computers as #2 insulated any longer. They are going to be grouped in with low grade computer wire. .70#. Guess where I am not bringing my #2 any longer? Has anyone been getting the same info? Just thought I would ask since there was another thread about deductions and now this one about phone wire. It has always been taken as #2. If you have to work harder to hide it then I wouldn't be selling anything to these places any longer, it is what it is and it should be #2 insul.

I have said this before, so I hope saying this in this thread doesn't make me sound like a broken record. I apologize if it does.

To get more money from your scrap metals you first have to understand the flow of scrap metals being recycled.

Metals are first used, then discarded

Recyclers/scrappers collect metals and sell to a scrap yard

Scrap yards accumulate the metals and turn them over to refiners

Refiners purify metals and turn them over to industry

Industry creates viable products and sells them again as retail products.

Obviously the best way to recycle is to take the recycle good, and turn it directly into something that can then be sold retail. In this way you cut out the middle men who otherwise would be making a percentage of your profit. Here is a very simple formula that isn't nearly as dangerous as refining, but will make you far more for your copper than you are by selling it to your local scrap yard.

Melt it into ingots. That's right, melt it into bars and sell it on ebay, or craigslist, or whatever. People are buying metals as the economy does worse and worse. This is a little known money making model I am sharing with you, and has been bread and butter for me.

Take something cheap and turn it into something worth more by adding your craftsmanship and labor

I am giving an example of what copper could potentially sell for if cast into a bar and stamped with something very simple.

20 Kilo Copper Bullion Bar 2 2 Pounds Each Ingot New | eBay

That is 20 bars of copper each weighing 2.2 lbs which amounts to 44 lbs of copper for $419.99. 419.99 divided by 44lbs = $9.54 per lb. How much do you currently get for scrap copper.

Now that is .999 fine copper, copper pipe is only 99.9 fine usually. Here is an example of 99.9 fine copper ingots:

"Copper" 6 1 Kilo Copper Ingots | eBay

Without going over all the math again, these are selling for about $5.38 per lb, right around $2.00 more than you would get at a scrap yard.

You can build a furnace capable of melting copper for around $400.00 that would work extremely well and give you years of service. The crucibles and ingot molds to melt copper would not be too expensive. Instead of attempting to make your copper bright and shiny, you can simply melt it and pour and sell it for more.

You can also do the same for Aluminum:

Aluminum Ingot | eBay

Zinc:

18 lbs Zinc Ingots Used as Non Marring Blks to Strike Dies Midland Foundry | eBay

The more labor and craftsmanship you invest in your scrap, the more money you can make. With just a small investment, little time, effort and energy you can make a lot more for your metals than otherwise you would.

Scott