copper AL

I have yet to separate

http://ts4.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...r_radiator.jpg

Is it worth going for - I saw on utube some one use a razor to cut AL looked a little time consuming - at this time i can get $1.10 per LB as is

I did it once I won't be doing it again. I suggest you do it once and then you will know what's best for you, Mike.

sell as is. Cut off copper loops and remove all steel, other than that sell as is!

I was surprised how easy the AL did cut , so to me it's easy money getting $16 compared to $5 for a decent size CU AL , even AL is hitting .54 lb.
i sold off 36 lb yesterday @ $37 but not today.
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came down to simple math each pipe was 2 oz X 47 of them 5.9 LB and still have AL weight . I feel the fool for all that i sold off in the past , honestly it cuts like Butter (warm butter at that)

I have done the math several times.

With the prices that are paid around here it is not worth the effort. In fact in some cases you lose money.
Some coils are so loaded up with mineral deposits the aluminum ends up weighing more then the copper.
Do a test on a few coils and not just one or two. Even when there is profit it is minimal at best from what I found.

You say it is worth $16.00 instead of $5.00

At $1.10 a pound that coil would have been $4.545 pounds, even if the coil was almost all copper it would still not be worth $16.00
I think you may want to recalculate you figures!

If I'm wrong please show the math you used.

Terrible math and a waste of time there is a reason everyone turns them in as is because its not worth the time to strip them. If you want to play around all day and make less then minimum wage for a hard hard days work go ahead. Me I would say screw it and start working at mcdonalds flipping burgers is easier then cutting up a radiator any day.

I've done the math too and for me it's a money loser. I've got a 1000 pounds of coils if you want something to practice on!

I am looking at 47 tubes as of now @ almost 6lb

My math was ok but i expressed it wrong / as i did fast math before i went to the yard, not on paper so this what i get on paper
FIRST - I realize it may not be always the best choice if the AL is very old , but the ones i have the AL very fresh so it really cuts easy and when done you have very acceptable AL to sell . True if one has some really old mineral stuffed fin's , your getting a bit of money for patina so to speak.
---------------my test subject------------------
was 9 lb = 9.90 as is
trimmed clean turned in to $15.75 copper
AL then was $1.67
in 1/2 hr I made $7.50 extra I don't mind
because now as of late i find less at the curb so i have to pull a bit more out of what i have .
also the touch of CU and Steel from the ends i don't mention cause they play into that situation regardless
Now on the subject of 1000 pounds I can practice on . Look if they are copper tubes (truly) I'll pay you $1.10 per LB and be happy for $412 profit or more sure be hard work some of them .

Being in the trade I have yet to run into a fresh clean coil. By the time the system needs replaced the coil is anything but fresh.

If it works for you well then great!

With Joe having a 1000 pounds instead of say 25 he will get a much better price per pound! I was offered $1.35 a few months ago when the spot price was about $0 .35 lower then it is now.

The price's price a yard pays determines much, at $1.35 thats a good deal. copper is at around $ 2.68 here so i bet you get $ 3.00 lb copper

My yard is at 1.52 on clean coils, most of the coils are older so there is a lot of corrosion on the aluminum along with a fair amout of dirt and grime. Any aluminum I did recover would go as old sheet (currently .50 a pound). If the copper went as #1 (doubtful because of the corrosion) it would bring 2.85 a pound. If they yeilded 50/50 on the cu/al then it would average 1.67 a pound for a difference of .15 a pound. Since I only recycle part time cleaning a 1000 pounds of coils a month wouldn't be an efficient use of time for me.