Results 1 to 3 of 3

Does the yard you go to have an XRF gun to verify exact composition of metal?

| Scrap Metal Questions and Answers
  1. 06-30-2022, 01:54 PM #1
    Trialbyerror
    Trialbyerror is offline New Guy
    Trialbyerror started this thread.
    SMF Badges of Honor
    Member since
    May 2019
    Location
    PA
    Posts
    1
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Does the yard you go to have an XRF gun to verify exact composition of metal?

    I'm trying to figure out if it is pretty standard for a yard to have one of these. I've found a few yards that will sell some items I'm looking for but I would really like to verify the alloy type and basically the types of metal's and % of them in each thing I'm buying.

    Some of the things like lead that I want to make sure don't have zinc contamination and if there is antimony in it, I'd like to know how much. Other things like brass, bronze and aluminum (especially cast) I've found can have some pretty different compositions than what I expected, so again, I'd like to check first.

    IDK if any of you do metal casting or metal working of any form but I would like to be able to find a place that will scan (with the XRF gun) metals that I buy or metals that I cast (maybe some ingots I will use in the next casting process & I want to be 100% sure of it's composition). So not all the metals will be purchased at the yard (they might not even sell to the public) but I'd be willing to pay a reasonable rate at a time when they aren't too busy. If anyone has any suggestions on how I should approach a yard that has a scanner/gun, I'd appreciate it!
    Register to reply. Register To Reply

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to Trialbyerror for This Post:

    JJinLV
  3. 06-30-2022, 01:54 PM

  4. 06-30-2022, 04:38 PM #2
    CopperMiner
    CopperMiner is offline Metal Recycling Entrepreneur
    CopperMiner's Avatar
    SMF Badges of Honor
    Member since
    Jun 2021
    Location
    Greater Montreal
    Posts
    318
    Thanks
    181
    Thanked 205 Times in 119 Posts
    These things cost an arm and a leg. None of the yards I go have one in daily use, but they don't sell to small buyers or public neither. Moreover, I think that they just work with the common metals (copper, brass, aluminum, s/s..,) only and they don't handle the harder to identify and less common alloys (babbitt, inconel, monel...) and metals (titanium, carbide...). I guess that I need to break down an airplane and ask them to be sure! lol More seriously, I don't mind that they resell metals to individuals, but it needs to be done properly. Selling by the drum or ingot is a good way to do that. One of the yards I go used to sell items by the pound and it was often a nuisance with the random dudes trying to search in the shred piles at the same time others were dumping stuff and machinery worked nearby. The new administration stopped that, but I am surprised that no accident happened.
    NEW TO SCRAPPING? READ THIS: Build up your horde of magnetic and non-magnetic metals in two piles until you have a better understanding of the business. Magnetic material has low value and is mostly always steel / shred / short iron. Read old threads about non-magnetic metals and ewaste (and how to sort them), but don't forget that they generally have absolutely no tolerance for contamination (screw / iron / foreign material).
  5. 06-30-2022, 07:36 PM #3
    JJinLV
    JJinLV is offline
    SMF Badges of Honor
    Member since
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Las Vegas
    Posts
    1,306
    Thanks
    3,232
    Thanked 1,922 Times in 785 Posts
    Hi and welcome to the forum! In my experience the yards big enough to have a gun aren't interested in selling small quantities and some are prohibited by statute and/or internal policy from selling to the public so you'd need a business license. You'd have better luck sourcing material where the scrap is initially produced (machine shops and production facilities) where they can tell you the specific alloy is because they bought the specific alloy.

    Register to reply. Register To Reply

    6. Similar threads on the Scrap Metal Forum

    1. Trust but Verify
      By EcoSafe in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 04-11-2015, 09:32 PM
    2. Scrap Breakdowns - The composition and potential of everyday scrap.
      By admin in forum Scrap Breakdowns
      Replies: 0
      Last Post: 12-28-2014, 10:32 AM
    3. I did my research and I want to verify my results.
      By hosshoss in forum E-Waste Grading and Identification
      Replies: 13
      Last Post: 07-27-2013, 12:08 AM
    4. Exact Change?
      By Gravitar in forum A Day in the Life of a Scrapper
      Replies: 29
      Last Post: 08-12-2012, 04:18 PM
    5. Does your yard take metal gas cans?
      By BurlyGuys in forum Dismantling, Breaking Down & Maximizing Scrap
      Replies: 18
      Last Post: 08-04-2012, 09:46 PM

« Scrap brass question | Bronze Nickel Floor Drains »

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

 
Browse the Most Recent Threads
On SMF In THIS CATEGORY.




OR

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Forum Rules


The Scrap Metal Forum

    The Scrap Metal Forum is the #1 scrap metal recycling community in the world. Here we talk about the scrap metal business, making money, where we connect with other scrappers, scrap yards and more.

SMF Recommended Links

SMF on Facebook and Twitter

Twitter Facebook