New to scrapping

[Motörhead]

Are car radiators really worth the mess?
And what's the best method for scapping an engine?

[Mick]

Yes - I get quite a few and make pretty good money.

Remove fluids. I take off oil pan and oil filter. Haul it in. Motor and #1 Iron are usually the same.

When I get radiators and engines, they are already out of the cars.

[Motörhead]

What about iron blocks with alum. head should it be removed for another pile?

[TheMetalizer]

You can separate the motors if you want to sell the aluminum on the side at 50 cents a pound. The steel will be about 8 cents per pound. If you don't mind doing it, take the time and separate the metals and make more money.

[Motörhead]

Yea sounds good. Thanks wait if you remove the head would you remove the cams (ohc) an valves or leave it all because either way it's still mixed because of valve seats an guides?

[TheMetalizer]

Bring it in as is, and if they say they want it removed for a better price, then do it. Bring some tools and do it outside of the yard right there if you want. I always have tools in my truck, so I will do that type of thing pretty often i possible.

[Motörhead]

Any ideas on the best way to strip wire?

[Mick]

Any ideas on the best way to strip wire?

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/showt...ed-copper-wire

[IdahoScrapper]

I bought a manual wire stripper off ebay. Works pretty good and for me it's faster than a knife. Has an adjustable blade and 3 rollers that adjust to the size of wire. Set it and start pulling wire. You'll plow through a pile of wire in no time.

[tjlock]

I think I know which one you are talking about. The blue steel contraption? I am looking into getting one of those as well.....Just have to wait until I can make ends meet money wise before I spend the money. $100 isn't bad, but being the only one working in a family of 4, things get tight. Although I am sure that after I get everything stripped that I have sitting in the shed, it will already pay for itself.

[IdahoScrapper]

Yep, that's the one. If you end up buying one there's a bit of a learning curve, or at least for me there was. At first I was letting the blade cut all the way through the insulation, but then it would catch on stranded and cut my hand, or cause nicks in solid and catch my hand. Set the blade to where it goes most of the way but not touch the wire, then pull it apart. You can tell as you're pulling if it's cutting the wire, it will have a grinding sensation, whereas cutting on the insulation is smooth. When I was looking for one to buy I was interested in another one that's sold on ebay, but he wants 500 and it only works on solid. This has worked great for me so far.

[Motörhead]

When scrapping car radiators is it best to remove the plastic sides?

[Mick]

When scrapping car radiators is it best to remove the plastic sides?

Yes and the steel from brass radiators. I think "prepared" (plastic and iron removed) is about twice the unprepared price. The aluminum tabs are easily bent with a flat tip screwdriver.

[Motörhead]

Can you get more for wheel weights if u trim off as much lead as possible for 2 seperat buckets?

[Mick]

Probably but it wouldn't be worth it. Where I sell, they have a separate price for wheel weights - more than iron but less than lead. It might make an interesting experiment to weigh a bunch of weights before, then cut the lead from the steel and weigh each to figure what each is worth. Compare this with the "Before" value.

Let me know - I'll leave it to you.

[TheMetalizer]

I've never bothered to cut the lead off of wheel weights. I think the newer ones are actually an alloy of some sort. Anyhow, you may be better off (if you have alot) just cooking them over a fire and letting the lead melt right off of the steel, then while the lead is still liquid using something to scoop out the steel brackets. I've never tried this, but I figured I would throw it out there as a possibility.

[Motörhead]

Il probly just leave them how they are I called the yard they said there worth 45cents lbs sounds pretty good ( a 5 gallon bucket full is back breaking)