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Scrap metal Adventure

by Ian Begg Marketer, Engineer

I've been interested in scrap metal / recycling since I was young.

I remember collecting the scrap metal from around the farm, cutting up the old car bodies with the oxy/acetelene and filling scrap bins from the local scrapmetal Merchant

Now I want to share the knowledge I?ve gained to help others with similar interests, and for those who are curious.

For those who are cleaning out their sheds, wanting to make some extra drinking money or for the more serious, there will be some useful tips.

The Full Articles start at http://beggsy.webs.com/scrapmetalintro.htm

The big boys, ( like Simsmetal here in Australia) have a miriad of different grades of ferrous and non ferrous materials. I will be dealing with the general every day stuff you?ll pick up around the place.

Basic Introduction To Scrap metal Collecting:

First thing, Get hold of a decent magnet and a file.

A file is the quickest way to expose fresh metal and determine what it is. A lot of plumbing fittings for example look like crome but are in fact plated and usually Brass or Bronze underneath the plating.

FERROUS = Magnetic

Examples are car bodies, corrugated iron, old bathtubs, dog food cans

NON-FERROUS = Non Magnetic

Examples are aluminium cans, copper pipe, plumbing fittings

Most people stick to collecting the Non ferrous metals as the value of this is a lot higher than for Ferrous materials

Basic Plastic Recycling and the recycling of electronics and the like I will go into in other pages

If you have any comments or suggestions feel free to leave comments ? thanks.

Or visit my main site http://beggsy.webs.com

Types of Non Ferrous

(this is not an exhausting list but indicative of whats generally available)

Copper

Freshly exposed copper has a pinkish/peachy colour

Common sources:

Plumbing pipes and fittings

Old hot water tanks

Refridgerators and airconditioners

Some Car Radiators

Copper Wire

Sorting tips:

Copper is usually classed as bright, burnt, copper wire, insulated wire high and low grade.

Bright copper is the pure copper, without any screws or solder from joining. Copper that has solder should be cut off to separate bright from burnt

Burnt copper is any copper that has been soldered or in the case of copper wire ? burnt to remove the insulation (often found enmass in burnt out car bodies) or copper that has Brass or bronze fittings attached.

Brass

Bright gold like appearance

Common Sources:

Plumbing fittings

Electrical contacts

Ornaments and decorative fixtures

Pipes

Refridgerators and airconditioners

Bronze

Also known as Gun metal ? honey coloured (half way between brass and copper)

Common Sources

Plumbing fittings (stop valve ) (Pressure release valves on hot water systems)

Plaques and statues

Bearings and bushes

Aluminium

Silvery white to dull grey, very light metal

Common Sources

Window and door frames

Aluminium cans

Pots and pans

Engine parts (ie inlet manifolds / heads etc)

Mag Wheels

Aluminium Wire

Mowers and stationary engines

Sheds and roofing / caravans

The bars in fridge doors

Zinc

A Dull silvery grey colour, quite Brittle

Common Sources

Bearings and ship propellers

Lead

Bluish-white colour when cut, tarnishes to a dull grey, very heavy

Common Sources

Lead Flashing on roofs

Lead Pipes

Batteries

Bullets and shot

Radiation shields

Stainless Steel

Shiney silvery/crome

Kitchen sinks

Pots and pans

Dishwashers

Pipes and plumbing

Nuts and bolts

A lot of ?stainless steel? sinks and pots are actually ferrous, so the magnet really needs to be used when sorting stainless steel.

Mixed Non Ferrous materials

Copper Brass Radiators

The older types have a copper core and brass tanks on eother end

Copper Aluminium radiators

The heat exchangers used in airconditioning and refridgeration equipment

Insulated Copper Wire

High Grade

Heavy cables such as car battery cables and large power cables

Low grade

Power cords

Computer and stereo / video cables

Patch leads and phone cords

Any type of small size wire.

Irony Aluminium

Typically things like carburettors and engine heads. Any aluminium with steel bolts or fittings.

Mag wheels usually have an Iron ring where the studs pass through and these should be knocked out of the rim.

Melted aluminium after a fire is classed as irony as well as it has impurities.

Electric Motors and transformers

Not strictly Non Ferrous, but have a higher value to the scrap dealers due to the copper content in the windings and should be separated from the steel if you have a number of them

Types of ferrous metal

Iron and steel

Fresh Iron is silvery Grey but oxidizes to form a red or brown colour (rust)

Iron is generally the heavier more brittle substance ? like engine blocks and brake drums

Steel is a stronger metal, railway iron, colourbond, car panels and white goods

Nickel

White silvery shiney metal with a golden tinge ? actually a ferrous metal

Common sources

Cutlery and utensils

Ornaments

Parts of old printers and typewriters etc