do you clean up lower quality tv yokes??

I haven't scrapped a large number of tvs but enough to know that some are 'sweet" and give up their bounty nicely (Cu deguassing, larger yoke that is easy to come off and then is fairly easy to get clean). And some are "arggggggggggh" pains (Al degaussing, smaller yokes that have no set screws so they cann't get pulled off nice off of the tube, lots of glue or whatever the crud is on them). These poorer quality yokes, what do you do with them; try cleaning up or does your place just take them as they are and give you less money for them?

My non-ferrous guy does have 3 levels of Cu and although I've never sold any #3 maybe these qualify? I should check it out by next time bringing one and see what they say. Maybe that's the end of the story. But if a guy does need to clean them up, try chiseling them off, throwing them in a fire, etc.?? Just seeking some advice. Thanks!

I'm also wondering this. I have 2-3 pounds of copper in yokes that have glue and glass still stuck to them. I cant get myself to just sell them as is, and if I did do that I wouldn't know which pile to throw them in. I want to just take a hammer and beat the crap out of them, but I don't know if that will do it, also, I live in an apt. so I try to keep the hammering to a minimum.

Sometimes when I just whale on 'em with the hammer, the junk chips right off, other times it compacts more with the wire and is truly a nightmare. What works best for me is just what Mechanic described - grab the cutters and "roll" the epoxy away.

Roll it in a towel and smack it with a hammer a couple of times.

Originally Posted by saabsw

I'm also wondering this. I have 2-3 pounds of copper in yokes that have glue and glass still stuck to them. I cant get myself to just sell them as is, and if I did do that I wouldn't know which pile to throw them in. I want to just take a hammer and beat the crap out of them, but I don't know if that will do it, also, I live in an apt. so I try to keep the hammering to a minimum.

try to clean of as much glass as possible
u or sumone else could get cut later on when ur taking it to the yard.

as far as glue/epoxy- a little bit stuck on is OK

I do a lot of TV's. The yokes in your pic I put aside, when it gets cold out I leave them out side a few days. By then epoxy is brittle and I smash with a tamper. Very little effort is needed. Al degassing , my yard lest me put it in with # 2 ins. wire.

I just pull it all out and throw in pile along with all the spooled copper from mother boards, tv yokes also. Whence I get a bucket full I smash it under a tarp and it will smash anything and everything off of it if you hit it right, chisels usually work good for tape and glue also. Good luck

Originally Posted by junkfreak

I do a lot of TV's. The yokes in your pic I put aside, when it gets cold out I leave them out side a few days. By then epoxy is brittle and I smash with a tamper. Very little effort is needed. Al degassing , my yard lest me put it in with # 2 ins. wire.

Put it in the freezer. Then smash it with a hammer. The glue brakes off quite easy when frozen

Thanks, I hadn't thought about the freezer and the glue although some have probably been around since last winter. I'll try that this weekend. Then again, if they take these messed up ones as #3 Cu, there's only 10 cents a pound difference between that and #2 (which most of my Cu is).

Hammer...smash..repeat as necessary. Whether you freeze it or fresh out the tv carcass.

Throw on some



an get to smashing. For bonus points..yell "HULK SMASH!" while you do it, preferably while outside or around others. The reaction is priceless.

Oh an use the towel, or an old table cloth, or even one of those plastic tarps if you have one that is no good anymore. Easier clean up, an yes..for the love of all cold beverages everywhere, PICK UP THE **** GLASS! Don't break glass an you won't have to worry about it.

Have fun.

Sirscrapalot - STOP! Hammertime..

I'm currently cleaning up a bunch by soaking in gasoline, softens up the epoxy to where i can just scrape it off with little effort. I would usually use acetone but I don't have any right now and gas is way cheaper.

Originally Posted by KzScrapper

Why go to the extra time, expense and mess...It's #2 and will never be #1.

I get $2/lb for #2. Not a hassle for me, doesn't take much time at all aside from soaking but I have plenty of other things to do while it soaks.

My first question is were do you get glass on the yoke? Why is everybody trying to clean all the epoxy off the copper? Your not going to up grade the copper and your taking weight off. The copper from yokes is #2 copper so put it the #2 bin. How hard is that?