Scrapping copper. How to grade and sort your bare bright, #1 copper and #2 copper for MORE money.
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Hello scrappers and planet lovers. This video will show you how to identify an sort your bare bright, #1 and #2 copper correctly in order to maximize your profits.
I’ve started scrapping after work and it’s legit making a difference financially for me. I never thought this was possible
Glad that it is helping out financially. It is also helping environmentally as well. Stay well and happy scrapping.
For 6 years, I lived on scrapping. I actually made more money scrapping than having an actual job.
@@Gamer-vn1uk what was the typical day like in earnings and what was your travel radius? Did you have access to contractor scraps?
@@Gamer-vn1ukwhere I get the copper from?
Tin man has his PHD in Scrapology. Always giving that valuable information.
Thanks for the comment. Scrapology…I like that!
Tin man thank you for breaking down the break down. I’ve watched several other videos, followed their instructions and still wouldn’t have my metals in compliance when selling em at the yard. You seemed to have educated me correctly with this thorough and proper lesson. Details and explaining was easy to understand and the visual exhibits supporting the context were helpful as well. Thank you for your help. Your shared knowledge will be significantly profitable for me and my family in a time where it’s definitely needed very badly. Thanks and God bless you sir.
Thank you for that comment and compliment. I am very glad you found the videos informative and engaging. Stay well, happy scrapping and God bless to you and your family as well.
Best explanation I've found so far, Thanks!
Glad it was helpful! I appreciate the comment.
Thanks for the detaiiled explanation. I have 30+ pounds of copper and can now break it up accordingly before going into Cozzi Recycling. Cha-Ching!
Glad I could help
Copper, I just love the stuff......I LOVE it🧡😂 Another great informative video🙂👍
Thank you. Yeah, but getting more scarce in motors.
Dude thank you. I’ve looked up how to sort several times and this is by far the best explanation of it all that I’ve found. Covered every one of my questions. Thanks so much!!
Glad I could help. Stay well and thanks for the support.
Have you guys encountered a copper wire that is shiny but has a silverish color same with the connectors. I tore apart an old welder and this is how all the wire is
@@Scooty_scoob yes, actually found some today. Some wire has a silver coating over the copper. If you scratch it the coating with come off to reveal copper underneath. However, some wire is aluminium….some electronic wire is aluminum. If you scratch it with a file and does not reveal copper underneath then aluminum. I keep it separate. You don’t want to throw in with copper appliances wire if you have a lot, since scrapyard will downgrade huge. I have also thrown it in electronic wire which is separate category. Has a metallic wrap around the copper strands.
@@TinManScrapper interesting this is definitely copper cored wire. It had ring connectors on the end that I cut off. The insulation was a rubber or plastic that Mitsubishi and another Japanese brand its nice wire. If it was longer I would keep if for auto grounding wire. Thanks for the information
Just getting into scrapping, thank you for this video. It was super helpful. 👍👍
Thank you for the information. Its going to help me while taking in my first load of scrap copper later today.
Great video!
Glad I could help. Thanks for watching.
@@TinManScrapper $94 Woohoo!!!
@@foundit6088 nice pay off. Stay well
If I melt my copper what grade would that be. I hope that's not a stupid question. Love your video. Thanks.
Never a stupid question. I think you could get bare bright if it was buffered up. However, it also depends on the yard. Some scrapyards WONT take bullions as they question the purity. Some may put some extra metals to make it heavier.
I work a scrap yard as a scale operator buying material and a guy went in with some bare bright looking stuff but was very thin and his first words were it didn't matter of the thickness and my first words were it actually does matter of the thickness I told him just cause it's bright dosent mean its barebright It has to be a certain thickness but after watching ur viedo iknow I was doing my job correct
Thanks for the comment. You must see all sorts of things come in! People like to argue if they are not sure. Stay safe.
That smaller stuff if it is clean and no grease or coating it's bare bright because the scrap yard will put it all together crush it and get a big ingot which will melt nicely. Some of these scrap yards try to pull wool over our scrappers eyes. I have been well informed of this process as my friend works for a foundry and they give the prices out so as long as it is clean and not like a human hair then it is Bare bright. My scrap yard pays it for Bare bright at £6.50 KG. So great prices.
Glad I watched this i have a little over 200 pounds of copper ive been stacking mixed. Guess I need to do some shorting lol.
Nice pile. I have been saving for a little. I do think the price will still go up especially now with construction back to normal and push for electric vehicles
You’re a legend! Thank you for this video.
Thank you for watching! Glad it helped. Stay well and happy scrapping!
Very helpful, thank you Tinman
Heres what i know from my years in smelting metals
Fresh copper is the best to work with and gets the most value
Oxide/green copper is inherently the same as the shiny copper as it all melts the same, and the oxide becomes copper metal, but scrap yards pay less because they can due to its color somehow making a difference to the metal
Now tin/solder contaminated copper is a given for lower price as its contaminated and not pure but depending on the level of contamination it may not affect the metal at all but its generally the lowest prices
You’re Spot on 🎉
Thank you! Thanks for watching.
Man your scrap yard is proper fussy that small cable is bare bright if it is clean its bare bright. The other stuff you mentioned pretty on the ball but I would shop around if I was you on that bare bright. Good video tho cheers keep on scrapping 👍
Different rules at different yards,countries, regions
Thanks Tin Man. New to sorting. This vid made the most sense out of all the one's I've watched. Stay safe out there good sir.
Glad you found it useful. Stay well and happy scrapping.
Very knowledgable!!
Thank you for the comment. Stay well and happy scrapping
Thx for the info. Barely started scrapping on the side!
It is a good side hustle. Happy scrapping
I normally just been doing trash pi king but now ive ventured into trash picking and scrapping!
I'm assuming all scrap yards must do things a little differently. My scrapyard that I go to consider all of the solid wire lto be bare bright ike the wire you showed here in the white wrapping as long as it is stripped and cleaned as you mentioned, where my scrap yard seems to be different from yours is the wire that comes out of things like extension cords or pretty much any type of cord that has been cut off a small appliance as long as it's stripped they count it as number one along with all clean tube copper.
Yes, it is amazing the different rules and even prices some scrapyards are willing to give for the same materials. Thanks for the comment. Stay well and happy scrapping
Thanks again for a great informative video.😎😎🔥🔥⛏⛏
very informative. i plan on doing scrapping content too but i do not have a licence yet. i do projects from the working components of broken electronics.
Looking forward to checking out your channel. Thanks for the comment and support.
Hey, great video! Would copper fluff/hair that comes off of small spools go into no.2 bin as well?
Yes, all wire thinner than 16gauge ( small spools, motors etc. #2 copper.
@@TinManScrapper thanks for the reply!
Well covered.
Glad you found it informative. Thanks for the comment. Stay well and happy scrapping.
Everything you said is mostly right but unless you're selling directly to a refinery, most yard won't be that strict. I buy and sell corroded and tarnished copper as #1 daily and as far as bare bright, I tell people to do a quick bend test. If it's thick enough to hold an angle it will probably pass, so up to about a 20. But hey people like you make my job alot easier.
I do the same nd I throw some not so bright wire in nd it blends right in
Thanks, great info for newbies.
Thank you for the kind words. Glad I could help. Stay well.
Best grading video I’ve seen on RUclips so far! Great video thank you for the info. Do you have a brass grading video? I have a lot of brass and not exactly sure about the grades. If not I’d love to see you make one!!
Actually with brass you have yellow brass, coated brass and red brass (don’t get a lot of this one). Depending on your scrap yard, you can put nickel coated brass with yellow brass. If there is a little copper in the brass, like a faucet, I put in one category and get a little more since it has copper.
Thank you for the kind words, stay well and hope the brass comment helped, I separate the yellow from coated, but as stated, some don’t and some yards don’t care.
@@TinManScrapper "Red Brass"? Are you referring to the alloy that has always been called BRONZE?
@@BTW... at a scrapyard there is yellow brass and red brass (which is worth more since it has more copper)
Thanks for the info, exactly what all I was wanting to know about. BTW, nice toenails😊
my first time loving it so far love the shirt
Thanks Jeff. Stay well
Thank you great info keep making videos
Thanks for the comment and support.
Does the plastic need to come off of the motor windings to maintain a number 2 classification?
I do not remove the little string that goes around the windings. I figure it is already downgraded to #2 so should not make a difference.
So informative. Learnt a lot. Would give 2 thumbs up if available
Thank you. The kind words and support and good enough! Stay well and thanks for watching.
Thank you. I just took down a motor from a vacuum. The copper coil has a red tinge. Is that a coating?
yes, scratch, if copper underneath still #2 copper because of the coating.
can I have some help I am stripping electrical wire. some wire is a shiny pink. and other wire is like a red/orange colour but still shiny. is it still classed as bare bright
Great help 👍
Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching
I have about 80 pounds of bare bright wire and 20 pounds of oxidized 6 Guage do I need to separate them or will they do it at the scrap place?
I think it depends on your yard, but I would say most won’t take the time to separate, but will downgrade you to #2. So do it yourself, just in case.
What state do you live in? Im in Tennessee and been working at a scrap dealer for 14 years and it seems every state the price and rules and regulations are always different
Nice vid. What about copper wire left with the insulation on it?
wire with coating is either 40% or 60% depending on how many layers of coating.
If you melt it into some thick ingots would you get number 1 at least ?
Some scrapyards will not take ingots because they may question the purity. Call the yard first. If yes, then yeas #1 or bare right.
Tin Man greetings from Australia. I'm confused. Is there number 1 bare bright wire. And number 1 wire but less than 14 gauge?
Hi Scott, bare bright is the highest, then #1. To be either bare bright or #1 the wire has to be clean and thicker than 16 gauge, but 14 gauge is thicker than 16 gauge so would count as #1 or bare bright.
Where can i get number 1 copper at better price in uk.
Ur explanation was very clear .
Great job
I live in Canada so not sure of prices in Uk. Only thing I would suggest is you could hold onto it if prices are low and wait for them to go up. Thanks for watching.
You are absolutely right!
Great videos keep up the good work
Thank you for the comment. Glad you liked it. Stay well.
I called all the scrap yards within a 25 mile radius of me and none of them said theyre paying more then 2.50 a pound when its going for over 4.50 a pound. Is it legal for them to lowball scrap prices no matter the grade?
I know, copper is copper, just like a donut is still a donut if I cut it up. The can put prices to whatever price they want unfortunately
@@TinManScrapper yea thats unfortunate but thanks for responding so quick!
Hey tin man just to clarify If I have clean wire that would be considered bare bright but is less than 16gage it goes all the way down to #2? and thanks
Yes, that is correct. However, I would check with your yard. I think some times it depends on the person working the scale.
Are pro press fittings consider copper 1? Also is a Corroded copper line consider copper 2?
Doesnt it all just melt down to the same thing though?
Dude your awesome amigo thank you from Juan from Houston Texas 🍻
Thanks Juan. Glad I could help. Go Astros!
What if I smelted all my copper together into small ingots. Do the scrappers take in ingots?
Scrapyards may not take the, because they question the purity of the metal in the ingot. I would check with the scrapyard. Problem is some people have tried putting steel ods etc. in their ingot to try and make them heavier
@@TinManScrapper 10-4
Great video now I understand 😁
Thanks Joel for the comment, I am glad I could help. Stay well.
Great informative video !
I'm assuming someone looks though your copper to make sure you graded it correctly? Or for example do they look at your bright clean and if they see a piece of 1 in there put all of it into 1?
Yup, they look, but you can tell pretty quickly. That is why I have it in bins, so when they dump it they can see it.
You are Awesome 👌 👏 👍
At my crap yard “if it’s green it’s clean” basically meaning it doesn’t matter how much corrosion is on it.
Great video. The price difference between #1 and #2 now is not great, so don't bother cleaning up #2 into #1. Here in Australia, #1 has to be ultra clean. If its from an aircon that's had oil in it, they say #2. I even had some brand new pipe with the label sticker on it...#2 cos of the label! I just leave it all as #2.
Also, we're not allowed to leave lumps of brass connected because brass is heavy. I mean, you could leave a brass attached but it would add so much weight there's no way a yard is gonna say #2 - they'll say clean brass mate.
Thanks for the comment. It is amazing the different rules and regulations between countries. Stay well.
Does cleaning with distilled vinegar work?
I used regular vinegar from the grocery store and it will clean the copper . I do have videos on the experiment and results. “can soaking your copper in vinegar clean it and upgrade”
so anything that is lower than 16 gauge is number 2
Isn't the degaussing coil number two? Doesn't it have a coating like transformers and motors?
Great information and great video 👍
Thanks again for the kind words and support.
your welcome m8.ive just sorted out all my number 2 copper after watching your video earlier 👍
I brought really green pipe and they gave me #1 for it as long as there was no solder/fittings etc also I can’t leave any brass attached or I get brass price
it is amazing the rules at different yards. I think a huge reason as well is who is working the scales and what kind of mood they are in.
@@TinManScrapper you are probably right about that lol
Great sorting of copper
Thank you very much.
is #2 insulated copper wire the same price as #2 bare? just wondering if its worth stripping
Same price. #2 is number 2 regardless if bare bright or not.
if you don't strip the wire, you'll get 1/4 the price, like 80 cents a lb, strip it and get $3 or more
That's crazy with that stranded. Here in the USA they take my THHN stranded wire as bare bright and any gauge too.
Yeah, amazing the different rules and categories. In my mind copper is copper. They melted it down anyway to make new products. Thanks for the comment. Stay well and happy scrapping
Muchas grasias por tu video siempre uno aprende mas mirando tus video 👍
Gracias for watching! Stay well.
Great video
Thank you. Stay well
ones again superman great video and info ;)
Thank you Johnny. Stay well.
@@TinManScrapper working on it ;) new video will be upp to day ;)
So if I melt everything down it could go for number one?
Yes, BUT be careful, because some scrapyards will not accept copper bullions because they are not sure of purity. Sometimes people will put other items inside to give more weight, etc.
Can you do the same type of post regarding yellow brass & the silver type brass?
Sure, will do for video on next Friday.
Good day No school today Ya> I sometimes put copper into vinegar to clean for small amounts. I did not know shiny pipe is condsiered as # 1. Thanks
Vinegar is a great and safe way to clean. Yeah, did a little research and discovered pipe not bb. Thanks again and stay well
Can you scrap the copper wool and what would it go with
Copper wool, if copper strands would be #2 copper. Anything less than 16 gauge strands is #2…like motor windings.
Good vid, thanks!
Hey buddy... good info 👍.. I've just subscribed to your channel😁..
Thank you for the kind words and support. Stay well.
Speaking as someone who knows physics and chemistry, from the smelting perspective, all of these smelt the same, no significant difference in energy or processing cost, oxidized or not, skinny wire or not. The grading system is totally designed to rip the copper seller off. Period.
I believe it.
The different classes represent different expected yields. Bare bright is 99%, #1 is copper with an expect yield of 96% and #2 is copper with an expected yield of 92%. If those yields are not met when the scrap is processed at the mill the scrap yard is penalized. You can understand that 1000lbs of #2 copper will have traces of oil, lacquer, hair and crap in pipes that burn off when they smelt it resulting in only ~920lbs of final product.
Bare bright can also be bought by manufacturers that don't need 99.9% purity. The reason yards say anything smaller than 16awg is #2 is because it will have lacquer on it even if it looks clean.
That helps a lot!
Glad I could help. Stay well and thanks for watching.
Is sheet copper considered #3?
Yes, thin sheet copper and heavily soldered, but usually soldered will go in #2. It does depend on where you live. I have got all soldered pieces as #2 price
@@TinManScrapper we are $2.86 per lb for #2 copper. Our non ferrous is ridiculously high right now. $2 a lb for clean brass too
There are two many categories. Most of that crap is going to burn away in the smelter anyway.
Great vid. Clear. i think i am getting ripped off. I got paid copper #1 price for what is bare bright (bright and shiny with a gauge equal to or larger than 16). oh well, live and learn. i was also told that all copper pipe goes as #2 unless it is straight from a shop or never used!
The bare bright I had as well went with #1 bright, although I was not sure. The copper pipe however, yes should have been #1 unless it had soldering on it. If you were getting #2 price than ripped off for that. With price so high, some yards will try to rip off. Next time if you have a lot, tell them you will bring to another yard for better price.
@@TinManScrapper I'll do that. Thanks
Why would a pound of #2 be worse than a pound of bare bright? They are the same weight & composition.
different price at a scrapyard. #2 copper going for $4.30 Cdn and bare bright $4.50 Cdn a pound. Usually #2 has a coating, glue, paint or less than 16 gauge.
@@TinManScrapper Any idea how to find a scrap dealer in a rural area? I've asked around and no luck. 😞
Unfortunately you may have to take a drive to a local yard. I will drive an hour to London for my good items because it is worth way more than my other yard 25 mins. away. I would just make sure that when I went I loaded up as much as I could to maximize profit. How far are we talking to the nearest yard? Google search closest and as mentioned I giant load of copper can be worth in the 1000s and well worth the time driving to get it to the yard@@aCycloneSteve
An easy way to clean your copper instead of sanding every single piece is simply cut off any non copper parts then put them in a tray with CLR.
Its cleans of all tarnish and gives you max dollar at the scrap yards.
Good method as well. Thanks for the tip. Vinegar is another suggestion made from someone else. Thanks and stay well.
Would chem-dip carburator cleaner work?
@@MrsBuddevil Not sure as i have never tested that method but its worth a try and see the results :)
Do you get the cleaning agents like solvents and acids for free?
No.. so how cost and time effective is it try polishing a turd, especially when the scrap yards are out to debase everything to maximise their profit and rip you off?
What about burnt wire?
Some places won’t take it if it has little bits of wire wrap still on it. It would probably be #2 because discoloured
@@TinManScrapper thanks. I’ve got a lot of speaker wire.
Thanks for all the great info! Needed a refresher on scraping and your video helped a ton! Also another way if you dont got a cut off tool for things that have been soddered together, like that elbow is you can put it in a vice and apply some heat (I use MAP gas, it's in a yellow cylinder). Soldering will liquefy and you can usually twist it apart. If not I like to use channel locks.
Thanks for the tip and kind words. Glad you found the video useful. Stay well
just bend it back n forth a little and boom, it snaps
My local scrapyard just dropped $.35 a pound this week on copper
I would hold on to it then, I am sure the prices will eventually go up again. Nice thing about stockpiling, play the market.
Shoulda worn a Captain Planet shirt lol
Second time watching and I’m still learning great job buddy
I scrap the copper in old phone charger and old computer charger and wires I don’t use anymore because that’s all I have access to right now
Hey, anything is better than nothing. Get what you can. Thanks for the comment.
@@TinManScrapper no problem
My local scrap yards employees are all instructed... "Do not educate the customer."
Man, I've just been throwing my bare bright in with the #1🤦
How about a shiny thick copper plate
Count as #1. Only wire is classified as bare bright. There is copper sheeting style but it’s own category
@@TinManScrapper Thank you Tin Man - Really enjoy your videos
@@johnb2654 I appreciate the support and glad you enjoy them
I’m too lazy I put all my scrap through as brasiery ( clean .brass .copper cylinders .taps .everything) I’m a plumber
You and electricians get tons of scrap, in fact so much, some yards if they know you are in a trade they will still give you top dollar even without cleaning and separating the metals because they are Hopi g you keep coming back with more
Crazy my yard if it's stripped bare bright wire it's bear bright wire doesn't matter the gauge size
GAUGE SWG DIAMETER (Inches) AWG DIAMETER (Millimeters)
12 Gauge Wire 0.1040 in 2.052 mm
14 Gauge Wire 0.0800 in 1.626 mm
16 Gauge Wire 0.0640 in 1.290 mm
Yup, higher the gauge number, the thinner the wire
U forgot #3 wire!!! Some places will take it , some wont!!!
That is why I did not include it.
Good info, just hard to take a grown man in a superman t-shirt seriously lol
Bit of a shallow take there sir, yes good info, but clothing doesn't matter.
they should change the name for bare bright....u could have bare and bright copper, but if it isn't thick enough, you're kicked to the curb
Yesh, funny the different rules. Thickness of wire…..copper is copper.
with a price difference of around 30c I wonder if id be worth it to melt it into a bar and get bare bright prices
@@_Xyte be careful, some yards won’t take melted bars because they question the purity of the metal. You could also separate the bare bright copper that is less than 16 gauge from the rest of the wire. The people at the yard may give you bare bright price for it now given the demand. I think some time it depends on who is working the scale on the particular day.
@@TinManScrapper DEFINITELY depends on the scale guy & his prejudice that day... can prove that here in Vegas but filming different trips with same crap lol
You paint your big toenail? Kind of freaky
No, my daughter asked if she could. Hard to say no to my little girl!!
@@TinManScrapper laugh out loud you should have insisted for her to paint all of them and your fingernails too haha
Soo intrested.. Up until that manbun! Popped out..😳😳🤡
Found the bald guy:p
Stop listening when I seen blue toenail wtf
Lol. I dropped a frozen roast on my toe and the nail was all purple and gross. My daughter loves to paint nails and asked to paint it, because it grossed her out. Daddy’s girl gets what she wants! I just said no pink.
Not anymore!!! Sucks!!!
Painted toe nails and a man bun. 🤡
Well explained 👍
Thank you. Thinking of all my Uk friends right now. You should see all the snow here. You guys would be shut down for sure.