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Take insulation off?

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  1. #1
    82cj7 started this thread.
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    Take insulation off?

    I know the subect of taking insulation off or leaving it on has been covered several times before, but I've got another question.

    I've got at least 100# of wiring that was taken out of a 1940's house. It has the steel flexible conduit on the outside and cloth insulated copper wire with a silverlike coating on the inside. I took a sample to the yard to ask what price they would give me and the lady said $0.05/lb because of the steel outer layer. I thanked her and moved on with unloading my other scrap. Even if I dropped it off in the ferrous pile I would get $0.13/lb. So, I'm going to strip the steel - which leads me to the question -
    Is it worth stripping off the insulation or not? What kind of price does coated copper wire bring?

    Thanks


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  3. #2
    Mick's Avatar
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    Yes. Should go as #1 copper. Ask your yard about pricing. Last time I checked, mine was $3.25/lb.

    (edit) Insulated copper wire is $1.40. Bare copper (stripped) is $3.25.
    Last edited by Mick; 05-05-2011 at 07:43 PM.
    People may laugh at me, but that's ok. I laugh all the way to the bank.

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  5. #3
    Mechanic688's Avatar
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    Here in northern Indiana #1clean 3.50 #2 3.25 #1-1.65 insulated #2 -1.30 insulated cha-ching

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  7. #4
    82cj7 started this thread.
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    Thanks for the responses -
    Just to verify - even though it has the silvery coating it will still go for #1 or #2 copper?
    If so, it looks like I have a lot of stripping to do

  8. #5
    sjones99's Avatar
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    Silver coated means #2

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  10. #6
    82cj7 started this thread.
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    Thanks!
    Time to strip

  11. #7
    CodyT's Avatar
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    Man i am doing the same thing 82cj7 got several pounds of the stuff out of a house we gutted. Is the insulated wire coming out of the armor easily for you? this stuff does not pull out i was thinking of just cutting it in to short sections and pulling it out that way or possibly heating it up and hoping that loosens the insulation some and then the copper will pull out.

  12. #8
    Dumpster-Dee's Avatar
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    Cody,

    There are several threads about how to strip wire on here...but to summarize...put your wire in your vise and pull it taunt, then shave the insulation off with a sharp utility knife. If it is old and hard, heating may help. Good luck.

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  14. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dumpster Dee View Post
    Cody,

    There are several threads about how to strip wire on here...but to summarize...put your wire in your vise and pull it taunt, then shave the insulation off with a sharp utility knife. If it is old and hard, heating may help. Good luck.
    Shave it off! Of course! How did I miss that before? All this time I thought I had to slice it. *doh*
    Faith x Needs = Motivation


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