CRT tv

Been a long time since I messed around with CRTs. Thinking of getting into taking them. I have prices from a company that will take them. Got prices for both whole tvs and bare CRT tubes. Bare tubes are 8 cents a pound more. I'm trying to figure out if it is worth it to break down. My gut is telling me it is a loser. Has anyone broken some down recently and bothered to weigh the various components?

Originally Posted by HipoGear

That's exciting that you found a place that buys them. What price are they offering whole?

You might even be able to make some money picking them up if people have limited options. Charge $10 to take one, strip it and stockpile the copper. Then sell the tubes. But getting paid to take them would make the time for stripping them more worthwhile.

I need to clarify this!

It will cost me $0.20 per pound to get rid of whole tvs. This doesn't include my time or costs to deliver.

They want $0.28 per pound for bare tubes. These need to be in gaylords, so an additional cost.

There are fewer and fewer places to get rid of CRTs, so if I set my prices (charging people) right, I may have some decent money left over after paying the company taking them.


Nobody buys CRTs.

Used to be about 5 bucks in a tube tv. Copper, wire, alum, etc included in that.

Been awhile since I've messed with any in a large amount. Guessing, an based on my experience with them your looking at 3 to 5 a tv. Assuming you pull all the copper an wire. This also assumes you get copper an not alum wire. If you don't have a low grade/brown board buyer, strip the boards of their alum heat sinks and any thing else that looks good. Projection tvs can yield all the above an DPL, DLP feh..whatever their called chips. Stay away from the cabinet/console tvs. Mostly wood an not worth the hassle of moving the sons of *****es.

I say 3 to 5 because as always...YMMV. Your market is different from mine, nor do I have any clue what your yards pay. I'd plan for the lower end of the price spectrum. Your alum and copper prices could be higher then mine. Is it worth it? Only you can decide that. If you have other things you can make more off of, I'd stick to that. If you need busy work an got the time, grab those tv's. Not many people mess with them. An there can be some good stuff in them as they all vary for the most part.

I've done quite a few tvs an got my start with them. Their still a pain in the ass but they do help when your in a down period with other items.

Good luck, an do some an find out if it's worth it for you. Let us know your results if you decide to do a test run. I for one would be interested in the results.

Sirscrapalot - Some people just need a hi-five. ( To the face, with a chair.) - The Internet

Eh, on rereading your post again I see you plan to charge for removal.

Feel free to ignore my prior post in that case. I'd delete it but, maybe someone will find it useful.

I got no clue on what you can charge someone to remove it. I usually only charged for consoles cause of all the wood an weight. Plus I had a way to dispose of the tubes at no cost to me so that's a fee I didn't have to factor in to my bottom line.

Good luck!



Sirscrapalot - You already got one 1 quote in this thread, don't be greedy! - Me.

I wanted to throw one thing in about console (i.e., wood casing) TV's. I've been following some vintage electronics collectors' groups and it seems like there may be a small but dedicated market for some of these things. Of course, older is better and "American" brands seem to have preference. In this case, the fact that no one wants them for donation or recycling has been a boon for the sellers, as they effectively have no competition (you can't just swing into Goodwill and buy one for a quarter of what they want for the same thing on eBay). As always, shipping can be a bear but if you live in an area where there are enough of these collectors, they don't appear to mind coming to you. I believe I saw one sell for $200 but I may be mistaken; it was a three-digit figure, though.

I don't get many and our population density is low so my own pool for these is limited. Thus, I may try this, even though it's unlikely to yield anything valuable except maybe a one-off cash boost. But if you could get your hands on a couple, you could try this out and see if it might provide some balancing revenue for the costs of processing some other units. It's picking the bones but, hey, if you might get into it, anyway, how would it hurt?

So a scrapper out here just had an ad offering to haul away tvs / appliances. she says shes breaking the glass and recycling the glass. I called bull$ hit I'm assuming its still haz mat type stuff..

It is. All CRTs have the lead on the inside of the tube. Inhaling will cause escalating damage to your lungs the more you breathe it in. I break the tip of the tube to re-pressurize the set, but leave the rest un-smashed. I just take what I want, and can't be bothered with the rest over my own personal safety.

The yoke is your main copper source - the rest is mainly junk boards and some small wires. In the state of Pennsylvania, CRTs are classes as hazardous waste.

Copper isn't the only thing.

But who am I to argue with such thoughts?

I wish it was more profitable to deal with CRTs, as I know of a great source of them here by me, but alas...I lack the time, an mainly the desire to deal with them an the issues with them.

Sirscrapalot - Never assume, especially in this industry. Not everything is the same on the inside.

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

Could you enlighten us SIR SCRAPPY.....

I did some poking around - only way to actually make money is charging folks to dispose of the CRTs, and/or live in a state that will pay you for the service.

In my opinion, there no way in ### anyone can make positive cash flow from CRTs ... the cost of legally disposing of the glass is more than the scrap value of the metals !

Originally Posted by RLS0812

I did some poking around - only way to actually make money is charging folks to dispose of the CRTs, and/or live in a state that will pay you for the service.

In my opinion, there no way in ### anyone can make positive cash flow from CRTs ... the cost of legally disposing of the glass is more than the scrap value of the metals !

As most of this statement I agree with you can make some money if you gather say a truckload charge the people to take the TV's then ship them to a approved recycler here in the US for a smaller charge then you are collecting and make some money. Granted you have to take into account storage space and other costs but it could give you a positive cash flow But that is my opinion

Originally Posted by gorven

As most of this statement I agree with you can make some money if you gather say a truckload charge the people to take the TV's then ship them to a approved recycler here in the US for a smaller charge then you are collecting and make some money. Granted you have to take into account storage space and other costs but it could give you a positive cash flow But that is my opinion

that is true. if your just a small time guy you could also hunt out yards that take them at a charge and charge people that want them gone. rag and bone in Easton charges $30 I believe to drop them off. I could pick them up for around $50 each if I didn't break everyone that would ever enter the vicinity of my truck. It gets way too messy back there for me to mess with them though. I would need a dedicated Tv hauler to keep them in tact.

The Coppers mostly in the degaussing cable around the outer edge of the screen, and the yoke around the rear of the tube.
There's a little on the board in coils, maybe some Copper heatsinks, most have a tiny 'Paint drop Tanti ' capactor on the board too. I get the IC chips & quartz crystals & any other 'timing/delay' component.
The Ali heatsinks as well as cutting out all of the wire.

Trinatron CRT TVs have the best degaussing cables. Cut the double layers of tape off the coil, then cut about a inch down the single layer of tape insulation. Then pull out about 3 strands & use this to cut thru the tape right around the coil untill it all falls off.
The yoke coil. If it's got red rubbery silicon stuck to the yoke coils. Put them in the freezer for a day or two & it turns brittle & smashes off ( a bit messy, but quick )

I don't do many CRTs now,
I might get one a month given to me (dumped) & since I can take my time & also get rid of the waste in my rubbish bin for free.
It's really just a service for the odd person ( lol ) that I know, who knows that I did scrap them.

The glass in the TV that the glass blowers want is the coloured strips down the side of the gun in the rear of the tube. It holds all of the little metal bits in place. It's made of glass that does not expand much.

White, green & brown are the most common colours.
I don't think they will pay much for it but if you find someone who will buy it, there's a few $$ in it for you. The people that make handmade smoking 'vases' vessels are your target customer. Just asking at one of the shops that sell them will get you a answer & maybe a contact for a buyer.
Other colours I have seen are red, yellow & pink.