Some General Questions

[Jeremiah]

I’ve searched for the answers to these questions but couldn’t come up with anything. Hopefully, you don’t mind answering them or posting a link.
1) When you scrap the copper/Al off a circuit board of a TV, motherboard, etc, do you desolder it or try to snap it off?
2) What do you do with TV, Radio or non-computer/cell phone circuit boards once you take the good metal off? Will anyone purchase these?

[CanIScrapIt]

1) Personally, I just snap them off. If there is crud stuck to them, a few hits of the sledge will clean them off. Back in the day, I desoldered them off, but it was not time efficient. If the board is still in decent shape, I sell them as breakage to my yard for .18/lb, if they are destroyed, I throw them in with my shred. My yard, fortunately, buys ALL boards as breakage, which works out well because the board from a TV is low grade and is worth, if I'm correct, like .10/lb sold online to an escrap buyer. I sell only low grade boards this way. As far as mother boards go, LEAVE EVERYTHING ON THEM except for the processor, and removable heat sink. Why? Escrap buyers pay per lb, and mixed motherboards are worth around $4/lb. The processor chip itself is worth up to $130/lb.

2) Most TV, radio, and some non-computer boards are low grade, and are worth more as shred once the 'good stuff' is removed. Med grade and high grade (boards with gold, platinum, and other precious metals), will be worth something if sold to an escrap buyer. Brown boards are usually low grade, but if they are green then they are likely worth something. If you don't know how to grade a board, post a picture of it on this site and someone will ID it for you. Cell phone boards are worth a lot and can be sold to escrap buyers, as well.

[miked]

There are lots of threads on the electronics recycling section, much to learn there. Below are links to two buyers threads. These guys do buy cell phones and cell phone boards.


http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/showt...te-Buyer-in-NJ

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/showt...us-metal-scrap!


Here is a great thread on identifying computer parts. Mike.

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/showt...identification

[rbrooks715]

As far as mother boards go, LEAVE EVERYTHING ON THEM except for the processor, and removable heat sink. Why? Escrap buyers pay per lb, and mixed motherboards are worth around $4/lb.<<

you can expect that to continue to change. processors require the batteries to be removed. more buyers are starting to require clean boards. even the dumb board buyers will eventually figure out that sheet metal and aluminum are not worth $4/lb. and should be removed.

[Scrap man]

Some yards will pay more than shred for the boards. Mine is paying about $.25/lb

[Mechanic688]

Some yards will pay more than shred for the boards. Mine is paying about $.25/lb

He's referring to the low grade boards, tv, vcr, stereo, etc.

[eesakiwi]

The Ali heatsinks are either screwed on, or they have a little flat steel tag or metal pin pressed into the side of the ali heatsink.
That tag or pin is soldered on under the board

I break the heatsink off the board, unscrew the screws holding the transister or pop off the wee metal tag they use.
Then go thru them with a pair of pliers & pull the tags out by hand.

If its a pin.
Often they break when you pull it out, so sort 'pins' from 'tags' & place the heatsink on a metal item, like a steel vise, with the pin on the underside, flat, & smack the top side of the heatsink with a hammer.
This will open the ali heatsink around the pin, loosening the grip on the pin.
Then just pull the pin out like normal.

I think I found that 66 TV heatsinks equals 1 Kg of Ali.
Thats the flat sheetmetal folded heatsinks, not the extruded heatsinks.

[Scrap man]

He's referring to the low grade boards, tv, vcr, stereo, etc.

I know. So was I

[imyourgirl]

I called this place the other day. They have a 25 lb min. weight. If your not sure what you have list it as med grade and low grade. get a weight on it and fill out the form. They will send you a pre printed label and you send it off. Then they will process your stuff and pay you for what it is worth.

Personaly I have not done this yet cuz I am still collecting materal ( working on 25lbs). I like this place cuz I was able to get a person on the phone and talk me through the process. I like that! The other places I tried wanted pictures and in depth descriptions and since I am new to e-scrapping it is a process for me to learn right now and will take time. They are willing to help.
If anyone does try this place before me, please let me know how you liked them =)

http://cjenvironmental.com/services/...crap-refining/

[Jeremiah]

@ imyourgirl. That seems like a great resource! When you asked them, they said you could list TV, radio and other circuit boards as low grade?

[PartTimeScrapper]

I called this place the other day. They have a 25 lb min. weight. If your not sure what you have list it as med grade and low grade. get a weight on it and fill out the form. They will send you a pre printed label and you send it off. Then they will process your stuff and pay you for what it is worth.

Personaly I have not done this yet cuz I am still collecting materal ( working on 25lbs). I like this place cuz I was able to get a person on the phone and talk me through the process. I like that! The other places I tried wanted pictures and in depth descriptions and since I am new to e-scrapping it is a process for me to learn right now and will take time. They are willing to help.
If anyone does try this place before me, please let me know how you liked them =)

http://cjenvironmental.com/services/...crap-refining/

I would not send your boards to them. Look at the sponsored sites. Its the cash for gold rip off place. If your going to mail your boards send them to a buyer here on the forum. Heck Ewasted will even grade them for you and send you the money. His min is only a pound Allthough I wouldnt ship less than 30 pounds in a box to make it worth shipping.

[imyourgirl]

@ imyourgirl. That seems like a great resource! When you asked them, they said you could list TV, radio and other circuit boards as low grade?

yes brown boards and mid grade green boards. I have mostly green boards

[rbrooks715]

http://www.bbb.org/boston/Business-R...41/Complaints/