Does anyone know how to tell the difference between steel and tin? The only thing I read is that tin doesn't rust and that tin bars make a cracking sound when bent. Is there any other easy way to tell the differnece?
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Does anyone know how to tell the difference between steel and tin? The only thing I read is that tin doesn't rust and that tin bars make a cracking sound when bent. Is there any other easy way to tell the differnece?
I read that tin doesn't give off sparks when grinding and steel does. I guess using a grinding wheel would be the best way to check.
well mad my first trip today and i had the metal panels from a dryer and they classified it as tin? if that helps any
I think in some/most instances "tin" is being used to refer to what should actually be called "light iron" (less than 1/8"). Tin is a chemical usually used to coat another metal such as steel which results in what is called a tin can. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any example of pure tin.
(on edit) - DUH - Tin foil.
Seems like no matter what we take in we get tin prices. Unless we have a full load of cast iron, then we get the cast iron price.
That's usual. A "mixed" load will all get the price of the lowest material in the load applied to the entire load - usually Light Iron (tin). I saw a load come across the scales where I go that I just couldn't believe. There were several batteries (should have been .16/lb) about 8-10 radiators (unprepared) a BUNCH of copper wire (insulated), brake hubs (#1 iron); but it all went as Light Iron (.08 lb) cause of probably 100 lbs. The guys in the pickup didn't want to take the time and effort to unload and weigh the stuff separately. I about croaked.
Ouch, those guys just lost some big money. I have a pile of insulated wire sitting in shed that I strip when I get time. No matter how small the wire is, I cut it and toss it into the pile.
That kills me when people do that. I want to yell at them, "Do you know how much money you're losing that way?!?!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mick
Things that make ya go HHHMMMMM...:confused::confused::confused:
On the topic of the question however, I believe Mick is right. I have never referred to my light stuff as "light Iron" I refer to it as "tin" or "sheet metal".
It does work here that they will eyeball your load however and if you have tin and steel mixed, you will get a "mixed tin" load and it will be called in as a percentage based on the guy in the yards perspective. It is good to be on his good side ;)
So if you take in somewhat of a mixed load you will not just get hammered for the lowest price "tin"
Uh, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't what's commonly referred to as tinfoil (I wear a hat made of it, to keep the men in the black helicopters from reading my mind, but I digress...), anyway, isn't it really aluminum foil?Quote:
(on edit) - DUH - Tin foil.
Touche. Although there technically is "tin foil" which is used to coat other metals. But, yes, the commonly known is aluminum (insert bashing head smilie). So I still need to come up with an example.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ditchdigger
Yeah. Tin and Iron are two different elements completely, and tin is actually quite expensive. If you really want to get scientific, tin is a lead like metal, and therefore is used in lead-free solders.
http://www.futurlec.com/Pictures/Lea...older_05mm.jpg
I think any tin i find gets thrown in with aluminum. I can't tell them apart. Or zinc.
SS seems a little easier to sort out - they have a more 'machined' look with little score lines, and seem heavier for their size then Al.
I should probably get a grinder and try some spark tests.
Yes, spark test. Not all "stainless" with marks is actually stainless...some of it is sheet aluminum. Zinc nets me more at my yard than cast aluminum. And.....the price tin is about 3 or 4 times better than aluminum. It is worth learning the difference. In the scrapping world, knowledge is king. Those who take the time to learn will earn more money. If you don't take the time to learn, someone else will and will laugh all the way to the bank. (I know that is someone's tag line...it definitely applies here!)
Ken
OK, I'm sold, Mudlucky. My Non-Ferrous White Metals bins will have to sit until i can sort it all out.
Jillyenator - an angle grinder will become one of your most used tools. Not only used to separate and clean up metals, but will also help to differentiate stainless from aluminum with a spark test, and also to identify plated metals. Brass and copper are sometimes plated with a white surface, and aluminum is often plated with a brass colored surface. It will pay for itself many times over in time saved and identifying metals that might get misclassified.
I use a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to spark test. Up to this point, I don't have any use for an angle grinder, so no use running out to get one. Just don't buy the Chicago Electric knock-off from Harbor Fright (pun intended), it doesn't have enough "oomph" to use for spark testing. Besides, the one I had died after six months, so instead of getting a free replacement I bought the Dremel at Walmart.
I use a 4 1/2" angle grinder from harbor frieght all the time and I'm sure it has more oomph than a dremel tool.
I don't know why a lot of the scrap yards refer to light iron/steel as "tin". I doubt there is much tin in that classification at all? I have been giving my light iron/steel buyer a hard time with this. Couple of weeks ago I intently collected all the tin cans from my house, had two trash cans full carefully cleaned and labels all removed. I put two trash cans of tin cans on top of my 900+ pounds of light iron/steel. Told the forklift driver go put it on the scale, (driver says boss be mad). Three minutes or less, the boss (Eddie) "Burt are you messy with my head" over the PA. I get to office to get paid, the girl gives me my receipt and cash for the load. She says now Eddie says for me to give you a "bonus", both hands please! Dumping a pile of the oldest, dirtiest, pennies in my hands, that's for the tin cans. Tell him I want to see him, (he wants to see you too!). What's with the food cans? he says. Me to him "You want to call light Iron/steel (#2 tin) I'm going to bring you tin (cans)". Take them home with you he said. I told him I will, if you sell me your computer towers. I asked what do you pay for them? Get this board price #2 tin ($.03 to $.04 a pound). At lease they have tin in them (solder)!
It seems like using a magnet to identify iron / steel would be easier and a lot faster than grinding it with a grinder.
Aluminum, tin and most other metals are not magnetic.
True Tin is really expensive. I think it is currently running around $10 a pound.
yeah Tin is an element, I remember that from high school chemistry
but where is it used in a mostly pure form?
did a quick google before submitting this reply, I guess you won't really find pure tin too much outside of science labs... its all alloys now What Are Tin Cans Made Of? | eHow
About Tin
While tin is technically considered a "common" metal instead of a precious metal like gold, tin is still rare. It may be the least available of all common metals. This means that making anything out of pure tin---especially common objects---would be difficult and very expensive. Indeed, only a certain number of tin mines exist throughout the world, and scientists are already pinpointing dates when they will be mined dry. So most tin cans are combined with other types of metals to form alloys.
Tin Plate
You will usually only see pure tin as tinfoil (not aluminum foil), which is used for scientific projects or to wrap other objects, such as candy bars. Because tin can be flattened to such a thin sheet, a small amount goes a long way. One pound of tin can produce as much as 130 square feet of tinfoil. Tin does not interact with oxygen and lose its molecular structure (meaning that it cannot rust); it is highly resistant to corrosion by acidic substances and does not tarnish.
Most tin is used to make tin-plate. This tin-plate is mostly steel (or iron, depending on the use and expense involved) and only 1 to 2 percent tin, which forms a coating over the metal to protect it from the elements. This allows tin to be used for a vast number of commercial objects, such as tin cans. Originally and even to this day, the main purpose of tin cans is to preserve food. Ordinary metals would react to the acids that foods naturally produce and begin to corrode, releasing molecules that both destroyed the can and contaminated food. In the past, this was a significant problem with lead, which would leach out dangerous toxins into the food packaged in lead cans. Tin, on the other hand, since it's resistant to acidic combinations, is able to safely hold food for a long period of time without corroding.
Modern Cans
Of course, tin is only the traditional way to make cans. Many cans today are made of aluminum or different types of treat metal, as long as that metal can be formed into the can shape and is resistant to corrosion and rust. Both older tin cans and newer versions are recyclable, which allows manufacturers to strip away the tin and other valuable parts of the can and use the steel or iron for scrap metal.
Read more : What Are Tin Cans Made Of? | eHow
The scrap yard here just counts any very thin steel as tin. It don't matter if it actually is or not, sheet metal that is not aluminum and not thick enough to get classified as #1 or #2 gets counted as tin. Appliances, car bodies, steel tools, all get counted as tin. Car frames and things like that get counted as #2 long iron and pay more, and the really thick stuff like car rotors, I beams, etc. get labeled #1 long iron and pay even more.
For that reason I usually just keep a magnet with me. If the magnet sticks, it's steel, if it doesn't, it's aluminum. Copper and things are easy to tell apart visually, and I usually do the heavy steel loads (#2 or #1) as separate trips to avoid confusion, unless it's just a little bit, in which case I just unload the bulk of the load first, weigh empty, and then hand carry the items over to the scale where they weigh pop cans and stuff.
One of the yards I deal with has a separate price for "clean tin". I sell all computer shells, shelving units, and any other sheet or stamped steel that is clean of plastic or anything else as this. Everything else is considered "shredder" price. Clean tin pays $.02 more than shredder. Another yard classifies almost everything irony as tin. Different yards, different buyers, different ways of doing things.
Tin is currently going for $8.50 ish per pound LINK , so why do yards not pay anything for it ? ( In my area no one buys "tin" ) .
On a slightly off topic question: Were do you find (pure) zinc ? Only thing I can think of is sacrificial anodes .
One thing missing from this equation. Need to spark test to differentiate between aluminum and non-magnetic stainless steel. Maybe not always, but often enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by mbodiford