My first 500 towers! + Breakdown

This is a (ROUGH) breakdown of my first 500 computers. I kept pretty good records, but some of the numbers may be off still. Everyones experience will be different, I thought I'd share mine. Alot of the computers I got were gutted already, but I counted them all. Enjoy.:)

Motherboards.................... 750 lbs........ X $3.00 = $2250 (Finger cards included)
Assorted CPU.................... 18.5 lbs.
Ram................................. 12.5 lbs.
Shred steel....................... 7000 lbs...... X $0.08 = $560
Fans................................ 150 lbs.
Brass................................ 10 lbs........ X 1.80 = $18
Ext. Aluminum.................... 230 lbs....... X 0.50 = $115
Copper............................. 70 lbs......... X 2.80 = $196
Cu/ Alum Rads.................... 55 lbs........ X 0.55 = $30.25
Power supply...................... 1400 lbs..... X 0.10 = $140
CD drive Boards................... 47 lbs.
Hard Drives........................ X265 (not broken down yet)
MB batteries....................... 4 lbs.
Gold ends........................... 22 lbs.
Ins wire............................. 220 lbs....... X 1.00 = $220
Ribben wire........................ 110 lbs........ X 0.70 = $77
Tant caps.......................... 0.5 lbs.


Total ...............................10090 lbs / 500 = 20.18 lbs. average weight per computer to start.

Total = $3606.25

EDIT: Added totals for items I have sold. I don't have prices for the other items yet. If someone gives me the rest of the prices I will edit it with the grand total. And edited some numbers

Good numbers considering a bunch where already stripped when you got em. Must have been a nice pay day!

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Originally Posted by ParkerFlyer4

This is a (ROUGH) breakdown of my first 500 computers. I kept pretty good records, but some of the numbers may be off still. Everyones experience will be different, I thought I'd share mine. Alot of the computers I got were gutted already, but I counted them all. Enjoy.:)

Motherboards 750 lbs. (Finger cards included)
Assorted CPU 18.5 lbs.
Ram 12.5 lbs.
Shred steel 7000 lbs.
Fans 150 lbs.
Brass 10 lbs.
Ext. Aluminum 230 lbs.
Copper 70 lbs.
Cu/ Alum Rads 55 lbs.
Power supply 1400 lbs.
CD drive Boards 34 lbs.
Hard Drives X265 (not broken down yet)
MB batteries 4 lbs.
Gold ends 22 lbs.
Ins wire 220 lbs.
Ribben wire 110 lbs.
Tant caps 0.5 lbs.


Total = 10090 lbs / 500 = 20.18 lbs. average weight per computer to start.

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Nice work PF4! Any chance you could show an itemized list of what you got paid for all that? I really want to get into ewaste so seeing big totals like that fascinates me. Thanks in advance. If it's to much trouble no prob.

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Originally Posted by pjost

Nice work PF4! Any chance you could show an itemized list of what you got paid for all that? I really want to get into ewaste so seeing big totals like that fascinates me. Thanks in advance. If it's to much trouble no prob.

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I was thinking about doing that, but I haven't sold everything yet. I've only been selling the items that take up the most space in my garage. Shred, Motherboards, wire, alum.
So I don't really have good prices figured out for everything yet. I'm saving up to ship a large load to someone. I'll edit in the prices that I got for some things, and maybe someone can help with the prices on everything else.

very nice. very good post. Congrats. PM me.

sweet breakdown now weekly making money like a boss

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Originally Posted by jord0690

Good numbers considering a bunch where already stripped when you got em. Must have been a nice pay day!

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Lots had missing parts. But every now and then I find one with extra parts crammed inside. Like they were storing them or something. I found a box with 30+ ram sticks in one once, and a few more crammed with finger cards and other goodies. These are nice bonuses!

I am going to the scrap yard next week. I will start fresh with new numbers for my next 500 so I can compare numbers. It took me about 7 months to get my first 500, so give me a few months:).

Why do you include finger boards with your mother boards? Are the mother boards large socket or small socket? I hope you didn't take the tant. caps off the mother boards, if you did you just down graded the boards. All and all nice brake down.

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Originally Posted by happyscraper

Why do you include finger boards with your mother boards? Are the mother boards large socket or small socket? I hope you didn't take the tant. caps off the mother boards, if you did you just down graded the boards. All and all nice brake down.

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My local buyer has 1 price for all motherboards and finger cards. so I trim the gold fingers and pull tant caps. His prices for everything else are horrible. So I am saving up everything else to ship out.

Just seems to me that you should be shipping out the mother boards and finger cards along with the prossesors and memery.

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Originally Posted by happyscraper

Just seems to me that you should be shipping out the mother boards and finger cards along with the prossesors and memery.

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I think he's doing alright there as he's getting 3.00 a lb for MB's and cards without fingers, that's a win, win with no shipping them.

I've considered this. But my main issue is space. Motherboards take up a large area, and I figure I'm not doing to bad getting 3.00#. Its close to home too.

I'm also worried about shipping. The small items can fit in a flat rate box. I haven't done enough homework on shipping large loads. I thought about getting ahold of a trucking outfit, and shipping a couple gaylords of motherboards. With all the small stuff inside in a separate box. Doing this, do you think it would still be more profitable than my $3# and close to home? Only if I had a huge load right?
Some advice here would be appreciated.

I'd say you have about another $650 worth not including gold ends and tantalum.

I'd say about 12 lbs of HD boards off that 265, 12 lbs X $10/lb = $120
47 lbs CD/DVD boards X $3.2/lb = $`150
12.5 lbs of ram X $13/lb = $162.50
150 lbs of fans X $.20/lb electric motors = $30
Assorted CPU's 18.5 lbs X $7/lb = $129 (thats the low price. Thought I'd average. At $12/lb, its $222)

Not bad I'd say. Not bad. :D

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Originally Posted by CCRcameron

I'd say you have about another $650 worth not including gold ends and tantalum.

I'd say about 12 lbs of HD boards off that 265, 12 lbs X $10/lb = $120
47 lbs CD/DVD boards X $3.2/lb = $`150
12.5 lbs of ram X $13/lb = $162.50
150 lbs of fans X $.20/lb electric motors = $30
Assorted CPU's 18.5 lbs X $7/lb = $129 (thats the low price. Thought I'd average. At $12/lb, its $222)

Not bad I'd say. Not bad. :D

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Thanks! Numbers look good. I can't edit my first post, otherwise I'd Add them in.

And (Hard drives) roughly 1 lbs. each, 265 lbs. of aluminum X .40 = $106
And if you prefered to break them down further........... I probably wont though.

Who said your downgrading boards taking the tantalum caps off? I've NEVER heard that. So far as I know the buyers here by and large do not bother with them because the labor cost and material quantity make it not feasible. It's fine for those of us who sit at the TV doing it. Also, they cannot be processed by the same methods they use to get the gold/palladium and platinum. Tantalum is a refractory metal, like tungsten it's best alloyed, or powdered and sintered for reuse. Not exactly the same as a peroxide strip and nitric acid recovery...neither of which it would respond to.

Little less than $2/lb for magnets and platters, clean aluminum price for hard drives with everything out too, if you did decide to break them down further. Got kids? ;)

Thanks for the nice breakdown. It's good to see one for a large number of computers.

You might consider breaking down the hard drives or just pulling off the boards at least. CCR is right about the weight and value of the boards. Depending on the age, they may weigh a good bit more. They are easy to remove. It will probably take you a couple of hours to get all the boards off.

Check out my hard drive breakdown before selling them whole.

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http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/general-electronics-recycling/12686-hard-drive-breakdown.html

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Originally Posted by ParkerFlyer4

I've considered this. But my main issue is space. Motherboards take up a large area, and I figure I'm not doing to bad getting 3.00#. Its close to home too.

I'm also worried about shipping. The small items can fit in a flat rate box. I haven't done enough homework on shipping large loads. I thought about getting ahold of a trucking outfit, and shipping a couple gaylords of motherboards. With all the small stuff inside in a separate box. Doing this, do you think it would still be more profitable than my $3# and close to home? Only if I had a huge load right?
Some advice here would be appreciated.

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I've done it both ways. If you sell for $3/lb locally, I think you do well. For me shipping a couple of gaylords cross county cost about $0.28-0.30 per lb. With my buyer I also put the higher grade stuff inside in separate boxes, and email them a list of what is inside. Never had any problems.
For my last load of about 1000 lbs motherboards and finger cards I also sold locally. I also got $3/lb. Came out slightly better than shipping them. Plus no hassle with shipping, no sorting (one price for all motherboards, finger cards, peripheral boards), and only a 10 minute drive from my shop. The local buyer pays $1.50 per lb for small quantities, but I was able to negotiate double the price because of the larger quantity.

This time I will only ship one Gaylord of the higher grade stuff (RAM, CPU, cell phones, etc).