How to identify,classify and sort scrap metal
METAL
| CLASSIFICATION
| EXAMPLES
|
|---|---|---|
COPPER
| BARE BRITE (pays the most)
| shiny new looking copper with no corrosion ($3.30-$4.14 a pound)
|
COPPER
| #1
| newer looking copper pipe with no welds ( $3.00-3.30 a pound)
|
COPPER
| #2
| dirty looking older copper wire or pipe ( $0.90-$1.20 a pound)
|
COPPER
| INSULATED COPPER WIRE
| wire that still has plastic insulation (insulation must be removed to make it more valuble) $ 1.10 a pound
|
BRASS
| MIXED BRASS
| brass that has any other attached ( if other metal is not cut off price difference in pay will be around $1
|
BRASS
| CLEAN BRASS
| brass that has no other type of metal attached to it
|
BRASS
| RED BRASS
| is a reddish color and is somewhat rare
|
STEEL
| SHREDS
| "shreds" is the junk of the junk, thin peices of tin and any other rusty old looking metal
|
STEEL
| #1 (pays more than shreds)
| angle iron, nice thick peices of steel
|
ALUMINUM
| ALUMINUM CANS
| soda, beer, and other beer cans...usually pays 50-60 cent a pound
|
ALUMINUM
| CAST ALUMINUM
| pots and pans, many lawn mower decks, used in many many household items. It is a dull silver color and light weight
|
ALUMINUM
| FOIL & PIE PANS
| usually around 2-5 cent a pound
|
ZINC
| often mistaken for brass...if you scratch it and it looks silver then its zinc
| |
CAR BATTERIES
| usually around 20-40 cent a pound...but very profitable because of the weight
| |
LITHIUM ION BATERIES
| FROM LAPTOPS
| not as big and bulky but very profitable
|
ELECTRIC MOTORS
| APPLIANCES
| anything that can be plugged into an electrical outlet is going to have an electric motor. usually pays 20-40 cent a pound, remove the copper to maximize profit
|
Why scrap metal?
recycling is an awesome way to protect the environment and make some cash in the process, It keeps the land fills from being lined with unnecessary and often valuable material that can be used to make other things. So why not profit from it?
The first thing that pops up in peoples mind when they hear the term "scrap metal" is aluminum cans and copper, but what they fail to realize is ALL METAL IS RECYCLABLE! I'll be willing to bet that they don't know that each type of metal is broken down into different classifications and each classification varies in price! There are tons of people out there that also associate scrap metal with criminals and criminal activity, but that is far from the truth, it can be a very lucrative business if done properly.
Non-ferrous and Ferrous metals
The first and most important tool you will need to start identify metal is a magnet. There are non ferrous and ferrous metals, a magnet will not stick to non- ferrous metal generally making non-ferrous metals more expensive due to weight,higher conductivity and corrosion resistance. Non-ferrous metals include: aluminum, copper, brass, zinc, nickel and some forms of stainless steel these are just a few common metals you may see. Common ferrous metals are: steel, iron, anything a magnet will stick to.
Classifying and sorting metal
Separating your metal will definitely increase your profits. Please refer to the table to classify metal.
WHERE TO BUY SCRAP METAL
I buy a lot of scrap copper from Ebay, i use ebay because I can get it cheap but most importantly the price of metal fluctuates and when the price goes up I sell it.
Auctions are another great source to pick up scrap metal and make huge profits from it.
Identifying metal seem complicated, but with a little practice you will see amazing profits.
HOW TO SCRAP A COMPUTER
- How to scrap an old computer
This article will show you the valuable parts of a computer that you can remove to make money. This hub describes the componets and how and whereto sell them.
