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Beginner's guide to scrapping your non-precious metal finds for $$$

Ice Scratcher

Elite Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2012
Messages
18,347
Of the two items I dug in the picture below, one is worth a $1.00, the other just over a pound of solid brass, and worth +/- $2.00. I think a lot of guys might be throwing some good money away..

IMG_2702.jpg


I just came up with this key, to help folks that might not have any ideas as to the types of non jewelry metal they are digging. This key does not include, gold, platinum, silver, or some stainless steel, these are usually easy enough to ID with hallmarks, and or common jewelry testing kits.. This is about as simple as I could make this, I know there are other metals but they are not really common to dig up IMO...

If you follow these questions, you should end up with the right ID on your metal you have dug up..

Tools needed- A strong magnet, and a flat file is best but a roofing nail will work..

1- Highly magnetic? yes= 2, No= 3
2- Throw it away or give it away, it is ferrous (contains iron), it will take a whole truck load to pay for the gas to get it to the scrap yard.
3- Scratch or file it, is it silver colored? Yes= 4, No= 7
4- Is it really light weight? Yes= 5, No= 6
5- Does it scratch easy with a steel nail? Yes= Aluminum No= Titanium
6- Does it scratch easy with a steel nail? Yes= Lead No= Zinc
7- Is it copper colored? Yes= Copper No= 8
8- Is it gold colored and slightly magnetic? Yes= Bronze No= 9
9- Is it gold colored and not magnetic at all? Yes= Brass

Hope this helps out a few!!

If anyone finds anything wrong with the above, or can add anything, feel free to post!!

<*)))>{
 
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Nice post! I have been saving the Aluminum cans I dig for yrs, but just recently began saving the bits of brass and copper... wish I had started a long time ago saving brass and copper.:(
 
Thanks guys!!

Midknight,

Aluminum is ok but, brass and copper is where its at as far as the most money.. You might know that now already...

Here is most of the brass and copper from this year so far... up to 7lbs now (about $14) The shiny marks are where I hit it with a flat file...

0517130033_zpsb2751875.jpg


<*)))>{
 
Thanks guys!!

Midknight,

Aluminum is ok but, brass and copper is where its at as far as the most money.. You might know that now already...

Here is most of the brass and copper from this year so far... up to 7lbs now (about $14) The shiny marks are where I hit it with a flat file...

0517130033_zpsb2751875.jpg


<*)))>{

Aw man. I have been throwing away brass. I will keep from now on though. Thank you
 
I would, and do, clean the dirt off, it adds weight, but could cause your entire stash of metal to get knocked down to a lower grade/price by the scrap yard because of a couple really dirty pieces. Simple as a quick scrubbing with a heavy brush under running water. Also I try to leave as much dirt in the hole as I can before it goes in my pouch...

<*)))>{
 
thanks for the post it helps a lot! I guess i should check to make sure i'm not mixing zinc with lead ,, but then again could i just see the different signal a detector would give each metal if i have one that is questionable for zinc/lead?
 
I scrap all my metal out, last year I got $99 bucks.....I have no idea why people throw this stuff out!
 
I make more money off scrap than i do clad. My next investment is a small cement mixer to tumble it. I even hit the trashcans and get all the aluminum cans. People who drink see you doing it, they unload the ones in their car and hand them to you so they don't get caught with open container. I don't drink. So mines all profit. Depending on scrap price i probably got $200 just in aluminum so far this year. And those cans we dig have dirt in them that you get paid for.
There is also white brass. If you ever see a pipewrench used on oil wells so they don't make sparks, it is a pretty nice looking piece shined up. White brass used to be more expensive than yellow brass.
 
I just came up with this key, to help folks that might not have any ideas as to the types of non jewelry metal they are digging. This key does not include, gold, platinum, silver, or some stainless steel, these are usually easy enough to ID with hallmarks, and or common jewelry testing kits.. This is about as simple as I could make this, I know there are other metals but they are not really common to dig up IMO...

If you follow these questions, you should end up with the right ID on your metal you have dug up..

Tools needed- A strong magnet, and a flat file is best but a roofing nail will work..

1- Highly magnetic? yes= 2, No= 3
2- Throw it away or give it away, it is ferrous (contains iron), it will take a whole truck load to pay for the gas to get it to the scrap yard.
3- Scratch or file it, is it silver colored? Yes= 4, No= 7
4- Is it really light weight? Yes= 5, No= 6
5- Does it scratch easy with a steel nail? Yes= Aluminum No= Titanium
6- Does it scratch easy with a steel nail? Yes= Lead No= Zink
7- Is it copper colored? Yes= Copper No= 8
8- Is it gold colored and slightly magnetic? Yes= Bronze No= 9
9- Is it gold colored and not magnetic at all? Yes= Brass

Hope this helps out a few!!

If anyone finds anything wrong with the above, or can add anything, feel free to post!!

<*)))>{

OK, I really liked this. Thanks for doing it. I figured I would finally make a contribution to this forum, and I converted it to a basic flowchart format. I think it makes it simpler to follow. If I messed anything up, please let me know and I'll fix it and repost!

HH! And scrapping!;)

Rich
 

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Hey Samandnoah,

That flowchart format looks great!

Thanks for helping out, I'm sure folks could use that a little easier, more fun to use and read as well... Nice work! :cool:

:aok:

<*)))>{
 
I scrap steel/cast iron along with aluminum and brass. Cast iron pays $11/100, or over $100 for a thousand pounds. Granted you won't find that much detecting, but all it takes is that old engine your buddy pulled out and is sitting on the side of his garage, and a bit more. That old workout center that someone would gladly give to you if you remove it from their basement, look around, look at what people are putting to the side of the road- old air compressors, lawn mowers, gas grills...(aluminum)
 
If you think about copper in the sense that a copper penny is worth 2-3 cents in copper value... then look at copper pieces you dig and think of the weight/thickness/size vs. a penny, that kind of puts it into perspective.

I wanted to give myself some value perspective the other night so I weighed a little copper pipe fitting I found. It's about a 1" diameter 45° elbow. I weighed it and looked at copper value online, and it's worth about 50 cents. Definitely worth keeping, because I have dug a lot of pipe and other copper bits!

Next time you pull a piece of copper out of the ground like that, think of it as a small pocket spill of a couple clad quarters!!
 
Cast iron pays $11/100, or over $100 for a thousand pounds.

I see your point but...

$11.00/100lbs iron, or $277.00/100lbs for clean copper, see step 2 above, unless you own a fork lift and a flat bed trailer, I guess...

If you lived near me, you would be welcome to have to all my ferrous digs!!

<*)))>{
 
That flowchart format looks great!

Hey Ice--

Glad you liked it. Just restating the valuable info you provided in a different format. I know that your info was very helpful for me. I didn't have a solid framework for discerning "what do I have?" and your post provided that detail.

Thanks!
Rich
 
aluminum price

Got a question. Can any of you guys call your scrapyard and get current pricing. I know tomorrow it will change. But as of today aluminum cans are 50 cent a pound. Aluminum cans are thinner these days. Anybody got a count on cans to make a pound on 12 oz. cans?
 
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