Do you break down copper transformers? - Page 2

Originally Posted by thxdts

I was thinking of going to harbor freight and picking up a cheap air hammer with chisel and hammer away at the weld marks instead of swinging a hammer all day. Think it will do a good job or stick with the hammer?

The set up I made for processing transformers is an Angle grinder used to dig into the weld. follow that up with an air hammer to knock the sides off. then depending on how its made you might be able to use the air hammer or manual swung hammer to slide the copper off or you may have to cut the copper and then slide it off. but pay close attention to if there is a weld or not. some are made where each layer is reversed sorta like a tongue and grove I guess. those ones are a pain to get apart. also unless your air hammer is the size they use on the highway the air hammer alone will not be enough to break the weld. and a vice really does help.

This is from another thread, but it is how I bust the "E" transformers. https://www.scrapmetalforum.com/gene...rs-copper.html

Originally Posted by spinroch

For transformers with a weld on the side:

Lay the transformer on its side. Take a small hatchet (I use a 10lb hammer/axe combo)
A big hammer alone will work. too
Give the weld a few good whacks with the hatchet
The weld will break and you can knock off the metal, giving you easy access to the windings

Check out this video:

It is really easy!

I may give the "8" transformers a try with an angle grinder just to see how it shakes out.

I push the copper or laminated steel out with a 12 ton Harbor Freight press.

Originally Posted by jimicrk

I like my horizontal band saw.

How many TPI ( teeth per inch ) yea a fine tooth blade works but be careful of a dull blade.

Originally Posted by alloy2

how many tpi ( teeth per inch ) yea a fine tooth blade works but be careful of a dull blade.

18 tpi.

Originally Posted by jimicrk

18 tpi.

Originally Posted by thxdts

Are there any PCB's or anything to worry about while busting apart the transformers?

Probably not, as long as you are working with the actual transformers, shown on the left. PCB is a thick, black, tarlike substance so you will not mistake it for much else. You might get some metal dust or fines in the grinding process but as long as you have your PPE, you should be OK.

The capacitor, that can on the right, is a different tale. That could very well be PCB, depending on the age of the equipment. Or not; they've used a few different kinds of oils in those things over the years. What's more, unless it specifically says, "No PCB's" on it, someplace, RCRA requires that you handle it like it does have PCB content, and that means it all goes to haz waste, even if it's just salad oil.

triangular rat tail file, cold chisel, and a 3lb sledgehammer will do the trick just fine

i mostly break down 600V+ (mostly industrial) welded copper transformer that have at least 2 pound of copper per units. In street collecting, Some old microwave transformers can worth the time also but not the new ones,it's the only think that I can collect in garbage that worth to be break down. Also few industrial transformer box (a couple of hundreds pounds per units) can worth break down but I've never did those because I sell it as it on classified adds each time i pick one .

small transformers don't worth the time for me, but if you agreed to work for china labor price, go ahead =)

I made sure I knew how to work faster, cause time of breaking apart is... well we all know it doesn't help the profit

Fastest way for me without speciality processing equipment is to cut off one copper end with a bandsaw or sawzall then prybar the remaining copper out.