Aluminum Alloy?

**Shaman** · 05-15-2011, 06:04 PM

Hello everyone, I am new to scrapping and aside from turning in some aluminum cans as a kid, I don't really have any experience. My step dad and I are planning to start scrapping, because he has a truck and a flatbed trailer so we can haul quite a bit.

I do have a question. I came across an opportunity to buy some bulk (800lb) worth of military surplus cases at an auction. It lists the material as "aluminum alloy." and being new, I am not certain what grade this would be given by a scrap yard. I'm just looking to see if anyone has any insight they could offer me as to the quality and/or general prices scrap yards will pay for aluminum alloy. I want to try to make a nice profit off of this deal if possible since it will be my first attempt.

Thanks for any and all help!

**easyrecycle** · 05-15-2011, 06:21 PM

Most scrap yards will grade it like this. Al is cans, Al sheet/solid, cast Al, extrusion aluminum. Best bet call up a few scrap yards an tell them what it is (not where you are getting or that it is a auction) an try to get a price out of them.

**Mick** · 05-15-2011, 06:23 PM

It will be alloyed with another non-magnetic element, such as copper or magnesium. Aluminum will be the main metal and you will get aluminum price. Usually, the categories will sheet, extrusion or cast. Then there is Irony (Dirty) of each. It's unlikely they will go further by grading.

**Mick** · 05-15-2011, 06:24 PM

You beat me, easyrecycle.

**jLr** · 05-16-2011, 07:15 AM

Can someone give an example of extrusion for me? I have some heatsinks from electronics and am not sure what they would be...either extrusion or sheet, I assume. How about gutter nails?

**KzScrapper** · 05-16-2011, 07:22 AM

I think extrusion is pretty much anything that looks like it was squeezed out of a tube(like Christmas cookies)to get it's shape. IMHO heatsinks fall into that catagory...They squeeze out one long one then cut it down into many useable sizes.

**Mick** · 05-16-2011, 07:50 AM

Yes, heatsinks are considered Extrusion, Although there is a dictionary-type definition of extrusion, most yards will not pay extrusion for thinner manufactured aluminum frames (usually window). Last one I asked, said he didn't have an exact thickness, but knew extrusion when he saw it. Best advise is take several samples to your yard and ask them. Then keep the samples for comparison.

General examples of "Extrusion" are door and window frames.

**Ditchdigger** · 05-16-2011, 07:53 AM

I came across an opportunity to buy some bulk (800lb) worth of military surplus cases at an auction. It lists the material as "aluminum alloy."

Without knowing specifically what you're looking at, this is another one of those things that could be worth more than scrap price. Do some Googling and you'll find lots of military surplus ammo cans, and various sorts of equipment cases, even some that aren't metal, selling for good money.