Stripping Cable

[roukel01]

Found loads of SWA in the corner of my garage, and decided to start stripping it for scrap. Phoned local Scrap Merchants up and they quoted £5 a kilo. Upto about £200 at the moment, but getting rather bored with stripping it! Any good tips on how to get through it quickly? Almost tempted to buy a cable stripping jobby... but looking at the websites, they look quite easy to make at home. Anyone had a go at making one, or any good places to buy one from?

 

[Penance]

Kill it with fire!

 

[robsparky1975]

im gonna start keeping off cuts and doing the same,missing out on free pennies,but is it a myth that if you burn it the value drops?

 

[Phil]

http://www.copperwirestripper.co.uk/

one of the Sponsors. seem quite cheap compared to one i seen at the shows

 

[Phil]

im gonna start keeping off cuts and doing the same,missing out on free pennies,but is it a myth that if you burn it the value drops?

i got told it does, also the fumes are not too good either

 

[edrobbo8]

I think burnt copper is worth less, but apparently (I read somewhere) it can be cleaned up using brick acid, may be a myth a may be worth a try!

 

[johnboy6083]

doesnt the brick acid stain it after a few days though? so you will drop it at the scrappy and then in a few days, theyll be gunning for you?

 

[malcolmsanford]

doesnt the brick acid stain it after a few days though? so you will drop it at the scrappy and then in a few days, theyll be gunning for you?

And the last people in the world you want to upset is a scrappy ...............they are not known for being pleasent when upset and have rather large dogs as well

 

[RogertheBodger]

im gonna start keeping off cuts and doing the same,missing out on free pennies,but is it a myth that if you burn it the value drops?

Haven't weighed any in for a long time, but there used to be a price for "bright" copper and a lower price for copper with the insulation burnt off, and an even lower price for cable with the insulation on, so its better to strip it if you have the patience.
Don't know if you have ever tried burning PVC insulation, those of you who have will know that it gives off dense clouds of dense, toxic smoke, need to do it away from civilization or the fire service will be after you.

 

[rocker]

I think you can be prosecuted for burning it, but worse than that, a lot of the stuff gives off hydrogen cyanide when burned, which will kill instantly if breathed in.

I guess you just have to decide whether stripping it is worth your time. It's OK in the garden on a sunny day I suppose, but a lot of the time I'd rather the scrappy undertake that task to get his money's worth!

Remember that while you get less for it with it's sheathing on, it also weighs more. I'd say that possibly with smaller T+E sizes, the weight of the insulation will be nearly equal to that of the copper, so you're not really losing a lot on it! Bigger stuff is worth doing if you've got nothing else to do, I spose.