Cutting large quanities of copper bundles

I've acquired a very large industrial chiller unit. Unit weighs 34000lbs and has roughly 5000lbs of copper tubing. I'm wondering what would be the best way to cut the copper out of it. It has 2 round bundles with roughly 300, 30ft long tubes. The last one we did, we used a chop saw with a metal blade. It cut the copper ok but I had a ton of waste at the ends where I couldn't get the saw close enough. Was wondering about a plasma? I had someone suggest a chainsaw but I'm not sure about that. Thanks for any help.

1/8 at most, probably a tad bit smaller. There about 1" in diameter but they are almost touching each other so I would be cutting several at one time. I'll take a look at that oscillating saw. Thanks

I was also thinking about a electric or air powered hammer with a chisel bit.

I have but not with a demolition blade, just a metal blade. The problem with it is the same as the chop saw. The bundles are about 3ft I diameter and you can only cut so far in before the saw gets into the metal end plate. Then you have to move out a couple of inches to get the clearance. By the time I make it through the bundle I have 10" of copper still left in the chiller.

Originally Posted by freonjoe

Have you tried a sawzall with a 16 inch demolition blade?

Joe read my mind.

We do a lot of chillers, the best way we have found is to use a torch, the guides that hold the copper tubing in place have to be removed also,some times they are a hard plastic some times tin.I can not see using a hand held saw of any kind It will just take you too much time.I do not know what size chiller you got but I think you are way off on your copper recovery.chillers are grade by the unit ton not the actual weight of the unit.

Did a chiller couple of weeks ago posted trend, cut two barrels recovered 1500 lbs copper just about,I will try to repost the pic of the barrels

Originally Posted by 1956

Did a chiller couple of weeks ago posted trend, cut two barrels recovered 1500 lbs copper just about,I will try to repost the pic of the barrels

Mine are 2 to 3 times that big. Yeah I was talking total weigh. It showed about 36000lbs on the crane hook.

if you go the chainsaw route please post the video

Originally Posted by travistemple202020

if you go the chainsaw route please post the video

If i could figure out how to post videos i would show you the video i took of me cutting a copper/aluminum coil with my Stihl MS250. It cuts like butter. But i knicked the steel plate near the end of the cut cut and tore the blade up. I would recommend this method to any one. But be advised you better have a good saw and the bars/chains you use will be unable to cut through wood ever again. Also you better hold that thing like your life depends on it. Every time you cut through a tube you will feel the saw bounce just slightly, if it pinches the wrong way or you knick something more solid you better be ready for it.

So we got one side of this thing done today. It has more copper than I originally thought. 11000ft in one side. I'm guessing 7000lbs total. Believe it or not the chainsaw worked great with the standard chain. It actually cut faster than our big stihl chop saw. I'll report back when we get this weighed Monday.

First barrel had 3700lbs of copper in it. Nice little chunk of money for a day's work.

If you could take some pic's and post them of the copper.