Wire striping experiment-not worth it

[NoMoreScrapLeft]

So me and one of my scrapper buddies were having coffee this morning. We were arguing over if wire was worth stripping, here's our findings:

We took 3 stove cords and weighed them...3.5 lbs total

Our yard pays $1.10 per pound un-stripped(insulated)

3.5 lbs x $1.10 per pound =$3.85



We then striped them and got 1.3 lbs

Our yard pays $2.58 per pound stripped

1.3 lbs x $2.58 per pound =$3.35

That's a loss of $0.50 by stripping it down not counting the fact that it took 20 minutes to do. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!!!

I did trade the 1.3 lbs of clean copper for a 4ft "WORKING" emergancy light bar for the top of my work truck to him. It was the only time in my life i actually felt good about losing $0.50 and 20 minutes of my time

[Hemi22!]

20min is a long time in my eyes. I was using a pretty dull knife for the past week cause I couldn't find my box cutter in the garage and I did all 3 I had in that time or under. I just cut it about 1/4 or maybe 1/3 of the way down, put gloves on, wrap the copper around my hand, step on the plastic and pull. Copper comes through the plastic a lot easier than cutting the whole thing. I also do it just cause I would rather see my copper bucket fill up rather than my thick unstriped wire bucket which doesn't nor has ever existed cause I can't bare to not strip atleast them cords. It takes a time or 2 to get it down but very worth it in the end.

[NoMoreScrapLeft]

It took 20 minutes because we were having coffee and putting it on the scale and running the numbers.

20min is a long time in my eyes. I was using a pretty dull knife for the past week cause I couldn't find my box cutter in the garage and I did all 3 I had in that time or under. I just cut it about 1/4 or maybe 1/3 of the way down, put gloves on, wrap the copper around my hand, step on the plastic and pull. Copper comes through the plastic a lot easier than cutting the whole thing. I also do it just cause I would rather see my copper bucket fill up rather than my thick unstriped wire bucket which doesn't nor has ever existed cause I can't bare to not strip atleast them cords. It takes a time or 2 to get it down but very worth it in the end.

LOL...that's funny. He(my friend) too said he would continue to strip it down knowing it's not worth it because he "can't stand to not strip it" and that "it looks better when it's bright and shiney". Is that a hardcore scrapper or just delussional?

[Hemi22!]

I do it for a hobby and here in Washington there's so many scrappers from where I came from in Georgia that it makes it worth it to me cause you might not get anything for a week or so. Lol. That's a big reason also. I just like seeing the copper rather than the cord you know.

[goldfinger]

its all relative to the price ratios.

i get R10/KG (south africa) insulated and R55/KG stripped = ratio of 5.5
you get $1.10 insulated and $2.58 per pound stripped = ratio of 2.45

i get 5 times the value of my wire if i strip it versus 2.45

its all relative

[NoMoreScrapLeft]

Is the way we get paid here the morn? Insulated vs. stripper pricing or the ratio pricing?

[DumbD]

...Is that a hardcore scrapper or just delussional? ...

I'd have to say dillusional.
But I am the same way about brass. I'll pull out a monkey wrench, work and work, remove the steel ball from ball valves, burn a $2 angle grinder disc to obtain 1.70 worth or less etc., etc. ...so don't feel bad.

Been wondering exactly the same thing about electric motors.
I tryed once to extract the copper, didn't work.
And it's only a little copper.

Well the big yards the stuff gets sent or processed, use other means like strange cutting presses, chemicals, huge machines that mulch stuff into metal mulch then seperate it with strange processes involving magnets, water, filters etc. etc.

I mentioned to my electrician buddy the old foreman who told me he saves his copper,
puts it in 55 gallon drum, adds gasoline,(EDIT:Ignites), then cleaned it back somehow...
He said another electrician used to put an old sofa in his truck, fill the insides with copper, once full he used a similar method, but also scrapped the steel from the sofa.:eek:

I have no "love" for copper, but I do "love" brass (hurts me to sell it) so it's understandable.
But For me I scrap copper for highest $$$.

[Mechanic688]

Clean your copper then sit on it till in the spring the clean price will go back up to 3.50 lb, my .02 Then your -.50 will be in the + category.

[EcoSafe]

I used the vinegar/salt method to clean some copper, the next morning it had already grown green, what am I doing wrong. ?

[Dumpster-Dee]

left it in too long...I did the same thing...then I sanded it. Just held the paper in my hand and ran it thru. Hope someone else has a better solution.

[CMHN]

After you pull it out of the vinegar, you need to rinse it with clean water. If you don't it will turn green. But if you rinse it will stay clean.

Here is an explanation from another website.

When the vinegar and salt dissolve the copper-oxide layer, they make it easier for the copper atoms to join oxygen from the air and chlorine from the salt to make a blue-green compound called malachite.

[Dumpster-Dee]

CHMN, how long do you leave it in the vinegar ?

[Mechanic688]

The only reason I could see you doing all that is if your selling it as bare bright, our yard takes dull/off colors as #1 but time vs money; is it worth it???

[CMHN]

I think we are getting off the topic of this thread, we can continue the subject in my vinegar/salt copper cleaning thread if you all want.

As for cleaning wire, I believe Mechanic688 meant stripping the insulation off, not actually cleaning it in a solution.

[injunjoe]

Clean your copper then sit on it till in the spring the clean price will go back up to 3.50 lb, my .02 Then your -.50 will be in the + category.

That is my theory Mike. Every day I strip a little bit and put it in my copper stash, soon the prices will climb again.

I figure the numbers for current market and then the numbers for what I expect the market to be in the near future.

Some may say,"But what if the price stays this way for a longer time ?" It will just work in my favor! The longer it takes for the market to get to where I want I will have had that much more time to save it up! But then again I am looking at my copper a like a savings account !

[imyourgirl]

My father and I argue a lot about this subject. I tear down the electric motors and safe the copper but with the insulated wire I would rather sale as is. Just can not justify the time in it. Electric motors I can tear down in 10 min. and there is lot more copper there.

[goldfinger]

stripping wire wont always be worth your time, but in most cases it is worth some more money striped . so if your time is worth nothing like mine, strip away buddy.

[CMHN]

I agree with saving the copper until the price gets higher.

I strip wire while watching TV at night. Some people knit or crochet, I strip wire. It keeps my hands busy and its not that hard to do.

[ginj25]

I have a random question about the copper that is in the back of a tv. Will the scrap yard still take it as #2 if it has black on it? As if the tv was burnt out or something. I haven't tried to scrub it off yet, so i was just wondering.

Thanks!

[Mick]

I have a random question about the copper that is in the back of a tv. Will the scrap yard still take it as #2 if it has black on it? As if the tv was burnt out or something. I haven't tried to scrub it off yet, so i was just wondering.

Thanks!

I think most would call it "Insulated".