Stripping scrap wire
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I've been selling my old scrap wire with insulation on but I'd like to find a decent, quick way to strip it and get the clean copper price. What's the best way? I'm planning on drilling a hole through a wood block and an intersecting slot for a razor, then pulling each wire through. Seems like it could work.
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When all is said and done, how much do you figure you'll make an hour doing it that way? I'd rather do something productive, like trimming my grass with nail clips.
Pro scrappers burn it off, if they can get away with producing all those noxious fumes.
Pro scrappers burn it off, if they can get away with producing all those noxious fumes.
Pro scrappers who burn off insulation = homeless who burglarize buildings for copper
How do you suppose the pro recycling places remove the insulation? :whistling
Typically scrap metal dealers will not take burnt wire because they do not want to be accused of encouraging their customers to poison the air. Also, when you burn wire, you lose nearly half of it unless it's #14 or thicker.
I am a member over at scrapmetalforum.com where they come up with all kinds of ideas for stripping the wire. There are actual wire stripping machines that you can get for a few hundred dollars. It's probably worth it if you scrap enough wire in a month to pay for it. Also, I've seen a technique where somoene stacked an empty oil barrel on top of another that was burning wood. The barrel on top had a hole on both sides and the person demonstrating the technique pulled the wire through both holes allowing it to heat up warm enough to soften the jacket where it could easily be pulled off by hand while wearing gloves.
I am a member over at scrapmetalforum.com where they come up with all kinds of ideas for stripping the wire. There are actual wire stripping machines that you can get for a few hundred dollars. It's probably worth it if you scrap enough wire in a month to pay for it. Also, I've seen a technique where somoene stacked an empty oil barrel on top of another that was burning wood. The barrel on top had a hole on both sides and the person demonstrating the technique pulled the wire through both holes allowing it to heat up warm enough to soften the jacket where it could easily be pulled off by hand while wearing gloves.
A quick check of the net will produce quite a few devices that you can purchase to strip different types and gauges or check Youtube for tutorials on how to build your own...:thumbsup:
A friend used to run the wire through three cast iron wheels that were very tight together basically squishing the plastic off of the wire .He is no longer with us or I would get you some pictures .It worked like an English wheel I guess if that helps .
Logic is now not present.......
It has moved elsewhere ......
Just saying.....
It's not worth the effort IMO.
Nothing personal...
It has moved elsewhere ......
Just saying.....
It's not worth the effort IMO.
Nothing personal...
I hear you. I've always been really frugal and tried to max out my resources so I'm up to try something and when I realize it isn't worth it, I'll quit. In down time, when I'm just hanging out at home, why not strip it? That's how I feel.
PrestigeR&D said:
that's what she said...
sorry, I've been dying to squeeze that into something all week. :laughing:
sorry, I've been dying to squeeze that into something all week. :laughing:
Scrap yards around here have no problem taking burnt copper but they pay less for it versus good clean copper. I used to lay the wire out and scrape a flooring knife down the side of it and rip off the sheathing in long pieces, now i just give it to my helper and he takes it like a reward.
That's what HE said.
m1911 said:
People on crack around here doing that... you got nothing better to do with your time?
With that said, scrap with insulation together, because like Tin said, the margin in price between stripped and none stripped cannot come close to what you lose by wasting your time on striping it.
With that said, scrap with insulation together, because like Tin said, the margin in price between stripped and none stripped cannot come close to what you lose by wasting your time on striping it.
I also saw a homeade machine for stripping. Personally I don't think it is worth it. On the other hand, I save my aluminum. On December 1st, I load it up and turn it all in. Christmas is paid for.
I call it my Christmas club.
I call it my Christmas club.
Just toss it. It's the American way.
Ship it to China, where women burn it off in woks without regard to rules, themselves or the environment.
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