Hard Drive Destruction

[MvPElectronicRecycling]

Just wondering how people here, have found the most cost effective way of hardware destruction. I was thinking of picking up a drill press...

[ggariepy]

If you're offering data destruction up as a service, it's hard to go wrong with a $30 drill from Harbor Freight and a 3/8" bit. Cheap, fast and easy. I would take the high-grade board off the drive *first*.

If you're into that sort of thing, when you dismantle them there are some pretty powerful magnets inside that apparently have value on the eBay market. The magnets are powerful enough that you definitely don't want to get your fingers pinched between two of them.

--Geoff

[GeorgeB]

You dont really have to destroy the drive, to destroy the data.

A program like DiskWipe will do the job, and then you can re use the hard drive, or even sell them.

[BRASSCATCHER]

Ballpien hammer...one hit on one side one on the other should crack the platters. You can do it without removing the boards if you are selling them whole.

[MvPElectronicRecycling]

Ballpien hammer trick sounds do able. Destruction will be the only way for a potential client in talks with, there a pretty large bank with lots of branches out my way. I have to add security cage, and safe in my warehouse to house the information till destroyed also.

[drozenski]

You dont really have to destroy the drive, to destroy the data.

A program like DiskWipe will do the job, and then you can re use the hard drive, or even sell them.

Not if the drive is inoperable or the customer specifically pays for their drive to be destroyed.

[GeorgeB]

Not if the drive is inoperable or the customer specifically pays for their drive to be destroyed.

Well, yes, that is true. However, he didnt say anything along those lines. He just asked what was the easiest and cost effective way of destroying the drives.

I was simply making the comment, that if all their wanting is to destroy the information contained on it, there is an easy way of doing so.

I am with you on the page, that if a client requests that the hard drive be destroyed and not just wiped, then I will do that!

Either way, I am going to make money off of it.

[Craasher]

Ballpeen hammer does do the job but takes a lot of arm power and you can tire out easy if you have a lot to do. Also you can't be 100% sure that your hits broke every platter. For what you are talking about I don't think its a very good option. THe best option for what your talking about I think would be the log splitter that people talk about on here. You can crush 2-3 drives at a time all for the flick of a button.

To maximize your money you could take the boards off split them in half with the splitter than separate the aluminum and stainless and magnets if you wanted to. If you didn't want to fool with it take the boards off split the drives and then sell it as breakage. If you wanted to give them proof take the serial numbers of the drives down when you pick them up then take pictures of the drive crushed with the serial number visable.

[MvPElectronicRecycling]

I was thinking log splitter too. Is that a safe alternative way to do it indoors?
Thanks all for opinions...

[Mechanic688]

I was thinking log splitter too. Is that a safe alternative way to do it indoors?
Thanks all for opinions...

As long as it's not a gas powered.

[Whm1]

Documentation is probably the hardest part of destroying a drive for $. A video is the best for proof of destruction. Security cameras from tiger or even from harbor freight might do the trick. Mount the camera on a stand above the splitter and show the complete action. Then give them a thumb drive or dvd of the process. I want to make a small shredder, but I usually need that money for food or gas.

[Ecycle Atlanta]

Just thinking out loud here, but do they make a metal cut-off type blade that can fit on a 10" chop saw? Build a jig that will hold the drive (or 2-3 at a time) then cut them in half. Probably can do this off the back of a pickup on the customer property if drives are already removed or easy to remove quickly onsite. I would guess that it would do the trick. I also know they make a big machine that grinds hard drives into small pieces, but do they make a more economical one that would allow onsite destruction? I was thinking that during an ecycling event i could hook one up and run it every 30 min...let the kids throw them into the bin and watch it do its job. Kids (and some of us scrappers) love to see destruction in action

[MvPElectronicRecycling]

I personally shed a tear every time I have to destruct a perfectly good hard drive that 120gb or bigger for desktops, but especially for laptops. LOL

[Bear]

Just thinking out loud here, but do they make a metal cut-off type blade that can fit on a 10" chop saw?

Yep! I've used those for years on an old 10" Ryobi miter saw, works like a charm. You can also find them which fit circular saws, or maybe use the 10" one on a 7" saw after it's worn down a bit, not positive if the arbors are the same though

[PartTimeScrapper]

Im thinking a bench mounted metal sheer would work just fine. Or even a small hudrolic one?

[drozenski]

I was thinking log splitter too. Is that a safe alternative way to do it indoors?
Thanks all for opinions...

Look into this or something similar.

4-Ton Electric Log Splitter-RY49701 at The Home Depot

This will be enough to destroy 1 drive at a time.

I have a gas powered one and can crist 5-8 at a time. They work great. Just make sure you wear safety gear. things go flying!

[PartTimeScrapper]

Look into this or something similar.

4-Ton Electric Log Splitter-RY49701 at The Home Depot

This will be enough to destroy 1 drive at a time.

I have a gas powered one and can crist 5-8 at a time. They work great. Just make sure you wear safety gear. things go flying!

I want to see a video of this

[Enoch43]

[drozenski]

I want to see a video of this

Ill see what i can do this week. But my splitter is burred behind about 4 tons of equip. The poor thing hasn't seen the outside of my garage in a month.

[Ecycle Atlanta]

Returning to this thread as I was looking at ramping up my services based on a few new large clients I have obtained. A shredder is financially not viable for me, but I have seen people compare using a shredder to "killing and ant with a tank". The simplest way I heard is to drill 3 holes through the platter and circuit board. This brought up a couple questions for me:

1: Will drilling offer a level of security that might be acceptable to compliance groups (like R2)? Or do they require a more dramatic approach like crushing/shredding?

2: Has anyone done this and had any problems selling the drilled circuit boards at the same cost as non-drilled boards?

3: If you have done this, what size drill bit is effective and what locations on the drive do you drill?