What really grinds my gears sometimes is when scrap yards aren’t clear about how you should prepare you scrap before bringing it in. So in this continuation article about 4 Myths About Scrapping, I go over some specific items that are worth asking your yard about. Keep in mind all yards are different in the way they prepare and accept material so always be sure to check with them. Below are some items that you should be clear about because the difference can be a large chunk of change.
CPU Chips Are Equal
If you have several CPU chips (20+) you may want to take a closer look at them. Some of them are worth more money than others when you are bringing to yards that take a large quantity of e-scrap. They will most likely have a variety of price ranges for CPU’s because some chips have a plastic, copper, or ceramic back. Each of these are worth different prices because of the content of the board and the amount of gold on them, so if you have a large quantity of them, be sure to contact your yard and ask them about their prices.
Christmas Lights: With or Without Bulbs?
Around the winter season, often times people are stringing up those lights and notice that they have broken during storage so they are ready to be scrapped. Many times people assume that they tiny bulbs down the wiring have to be removed in order to scrap them for the insulated wire. This isn’t always the case. Often times scrap yards will accept the Christmas Lights for a lower insulated wire price and you don’t have to worry about removing all of those pesky bulbs. But it is worth it to call and ask, because some yards may pay a higher price if the bulbs are removed.
Microwaves: Scrap Whole or Take Apart?
Microwaves like other appliances are easy to find on the side of the road or are often picked up in residential areas, but before tossing it in your Light Iron pile, think twice. Some scrap yards may not accept microwaves as a whole unit and may require you to take out the materials to recycle it. The other side of the spectrum is that some scrap yards just tell you to throw it in your ferrous pile. Before you make a decision, think about how much time you have and if you want to spend it taking out the copper wire, electric motor, and computer boards from the inside. It could be worth your time.
Whatever you decide to do with your materials, be sure to check the materials you have, there can be different ways to prepare your scrap metal to make some more money at the scale.
