How do I reclaim copper wire?

How do I reclaim copper wire? (Full Version)

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pahunkboy -> How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 10:48:13 AM)
Allright. This is MY PROPERTY, lets get that said. I been putting stray wires into a box. Say I throw out a toaster, I snip the wire. So wires of all types are in a box. Phone wire, cords, electronic wire. If I recycle it do I have to remove the plastic? [for money, (greedy bastard, me, glunk)] I googled to no avail. Burning it all up might be the only way? Any idea how to proceed?

Raechard -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 11:14:51 AM)
How much energy will it cost you to "Burn it up."? This is an example of how it is only economical if you have a certain amount of the stuff. The people you sell it to will not take it if there is no profit in it for them no matter how much you have spent yourself on purifying it. In India people sell their paper to collectors on the street who sell it on to recycling plants. Everyone has to make a profit in the chain or no one will do it obviously.

Raechard -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 11:52:03 AM)
You have to work out what your margins are I suppose and start recycling other peoples copper too. The major recycling companies probably pay for bulk loads.

Raechard -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 11:56:13 AM)
http://www.co.lawrence.pa.us/recycling/Alphabetical%20Listing%20of%20Recyclers_Dir.html There are a few on this list that do buy back for non ferrous metals and some which specifically refer to copper.

Aneirin -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 12:14:42 PM)
If you don't want to burn the insulation off, the easiest way, you are going to have to strip the insulation off with a knife, and believe me, that is nasty and hard work. If you go the way of burning the stuff, and don't want to expend the materials in doing so, wait until you have something to incinerate, a yard fire perhaps, then just chuck the cable in. When everything is died down, you will find your copper, less insulation.

Raechard -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 12:23:51 PM)
There is always the chemical stripping approach. Someone must be able to recommend some corrosive chemical that will do the same as fire. You also have to consider than many wires are insulated with flame retardant materials or materials that can withstand certain temperatures.

SageFemmexx -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 12:39:24 PM)
There is alot of copper recycling around here. Look for places like Metal Check in the phonebook and be aware they are now asking for IDs when you come in because of copper thievery. It is hard work--as much plastic coating must be stripped off the wire as possible and then it's burned. Stinky, nasty black smoke burn--I always know when a neighbor is recycling. Be careful, don't slip with the knife when you are stripping, don't get in the smoke when you are burning and, the copper gets good and hot. Prices vary from day to day but either way, you will find it's a huge amount of work for what isn't alot of money in the end. The really desperate steal catalytic convertors from parked cars and get more money for less work. No joke. Sage.

OneMoreWaste -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 12:40:07 PM)
Your best bet is to just haul them to a metal recycler and see what they pay. They're used to dealing with coated wire, you do not have to strip it. Put the more copper-heavy wire on the top of the box [;)] They might way you to break it out, though- stuff like 12ga indoor Romex, for example, has a lot of copper by weight. Stuff like Cat5 cable and computer power cords have very little. A lot of places give you a different price for copper wire 1 vs. 2. Burning it will release some very noxious smoke, illegal in some areas. BTW, copper is down at the moment, i would hold on to it a little longer.

MasterG2kTR -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 12:48:48 PM)
Burning off the insulation in a backyard fire pit is the easiest way to remove the insulation. After it cool enough to handle it you smack it a few times with a rod or something similar and the insulation will fall off. I did this process myself as a young teenager to get spending money. I don't remember how long to let it cook in the fire, but it wasn't too long. Just a guess, but I think you would get more for stripped wire, as opposed to coated.

Aneirin -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 1:04:41 PM)
Scrap materials are sold by weight, if something is coated in another material, the metal reclaimers will do an estimate of what the scrap is worth. Often it is one can get more money for clean materials, that being cable, stripped of insulation than just coils of electrical cable. The other thing is if you take in electrical cable that looks newish, you generally get asked where it came from, as there is a lot of theft about. Even now, where I live, we had a spate of people going into disused houses and ripping out the copper piping and hot water cisterns. Old copper is good stuff, as it is possibly pure copper. Newer stuff tends to be an alloy, it having other metals in it.

Termyn8or -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 1:35:08 PM)
Yes and the lower quote will reflect the cost of seperating the copper. Don't burn wire, I could not care less if it is legal, just don't do it. Do it once and watch the black plume of smoke you are putting into our air, anyone with any sense of environmentalism will not do it again. Phone wires, speaker wires (unless you have an Ampzilla), cords from appliances, they are not worth it. Most of their bulk is insulation. I have heard of people doing stooopid shit in this field as well. A guy burns a 500' roll of copper 6-3 plus ground and gets fifty bucks. Go price that in a store. He could've easily gotten twice that off of any electrician who does side work, or just about anyone building or remodeling something big. Perhaps even four times that. Recycling is more than just melting everything down. T

mistoferin -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 1:36:39 PM)
I thought that one of the main reasons behind recycling is to cut down the impact we have on the environment. Somehow I don't think that burning plastic and rubber in an open fire in your backyard would be considered environmentally friendly.

Politesub53 -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 1:48:52 PM)
Cables usually give off a blue/black smoke when burnt. The copper is discoloured and not worth as much as when stripped with a knife. This takes ages when working with anything but the heavier guage cables and isnt really worth the effort. Ironically a pound worth of copper change, in the UK, is worth more in scrap than in money.

Aneirin -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 1:57:15 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Politesub53 Cables usually give off a blue/black smoke when burnt. The copper is discoloured and not worth as much as when stripped with a knife. This takes ages when working with anything but the heavier guage cables and isnt really worth the effort. Ironically a pound worth of copper change, in the UK, is worth more in scrap than in money. Interesting, perhaps the last coinage that is actually worth something, but if you are going to weigh in copper coinage, just make sure it is copper, as the more modern copper coins, are in fact steel, with a copper coating. Try running a magnet over a hand ful of copper coins.

Raechard -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 2:03:12 PM)
They do say coinage is going missing, they also say 1 in 50 pound coins in circulation is fake.

Politesub53 -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 2:07:13 PM)
I knew they had started using steel in copper coins here. What amazed me is the date, they started the process in 1992. I thought it was way later than that.

pahunkboy -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 2:07:53 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Termyn8or Yes and the lower quote will reflect the cost of seperating the copper. Don't burn wire, I could not care less if it is legal, just don't do it. Do it once and watch the black plume of smoke you are putting into our air, anyone with any sense of environmentalism will not do it again. Phone wires, speaker wires (unless you have an Ampzilla), cords from appliances, they are not worth it. Most of their bulk is insulation. I have heard of people doing stooopid shit in this field as well. A guy burns a 500' roll of copper 6-3 plus ground and gets fifty bucks. Go price that in a store. He could've easily gotten twice that off of any electrician who does side work, or just about anyone building or remodeling something big. Perhaps even four times that. Recycling is more than just melting everything down. T Trust me, I dont like bad air. So no plans to burn it. But if I sell to a re-cycler, wont they burn it? We are starting up on heating season, where house fires occur. Some of the house wires in my cellar look -- well- I hope they dont go to anything.... All right- the 6-3 wire... lets take my batch- what other use might I have for it?? Im sure there is something. One idea is to put it in a large box that there is no escape. Then add hungry rats. The rats eat the plastic and I am good to go. Can I borrow about 10 rats?

Raechard -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 2:11:20 PM)
The rat idea will not work unless the rats have become immune to the rat poison that a lot of electrical wires are laced with. Genius idea though.

Politesub53 -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 2:19:56 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Raechard The rat idea will not work unless the rats have become immune to the rat poison that a lot of electrical wires are laced with. Genius idea though. Copper cable doesnt contain rat poison as far as i know.

Raechard -> RE: How do I reclaim copper wire? (10/12/2008 2:24:00 PM)
They do make electrical wire that has a powdery substance between the insulation and the copper. If you've ever stripped back one you may have noticed this, it's not in all electrical wires but used to be in the majority of them. I thought this was a well known fact? Anyway the advantage of it is probably negligible since rats have become immune to such things as I mentioned.

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