breaking down electric motors

In case you don't know(and for others who don't know) on that type of motor cut the side with a metal cutting wheel on a hand grinder. The outer shell when then spring open and you can then move on to recovering the copper.

You can then cut the cooper loops on one end with the same grinder. After the cuts are made you can pull the cooper loops out the other end. This is time consuming but I used to do it when I had more time. I am guessing that you removed the end caps from the motor so you can sell them as Al. Mike

Originally Posted by dev

I can't tell how big the motor is in OP's picture, but this didn't work for me with large motors. The copper is real stiff and the entire thing has a coat of some kind of glue or lacquer or something.

The motor appears to be very similar to the ones I used to break down. Those motors came from the residential a/c units and weigh about 10 lbs. You are correct that the cooper wire is coated in a lacquer coating and can be very difficult to deal with. I have a large enough vise that I could hold the motor while I pushed and or pried the copper out.

Its been suggested by many on the forum that the larger motors should be sold whole because of the lack of return breaking them down yourself. Personally I did break down one motor that weighed about 90 lbs and I would not waste my time doing it again.

I broke down motors and striped wire before I got into other things. Mike


http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/disma...0lb-motor.html