understanding UK copper scrap grading?

[julianf]

I've been putting it off, but its time to sort the scrap here.

I got some prices from a yard -

Copper tube (I assume this is #1 copper?) - has to be clean, no paint, solder, etc.

Then "heavy copper" (I assume #2) - anything with solder, paint, etc.

Now these two I understand, but then I have a number of copper tanks.

They have a special price for those that is less than the other two. Maybe because they may be full of scale?

I asked about cutting out the lead with a grinder (which I would assume would make it #1 then) but they won't even buy them as #2 - but they were not clear why.

Anyone here deal with yards a lot and able to explain?

I think the price difference is about 70pence a kilo, and I have three tanks, so its worth me understanding.

Thank you.

 

[Kayos]

Tanks usually have fittings etc inside them so my place takes them as mixed

Clean copper means no fittings or solder, paint etc is ok

Mixed or brasserie is with brass or copper fittings attached and solder

Copper tube is full lengths of pipe

Lead wash are heat exchangers that are lead coated

DBW is clean copper wire

 

[julianf]

If i cut them open and take out the anode (or cathode, i cant remember) is there any reason why they should not take them as the grade that has solder?

I dont have the quoted prices in front of me at present, but their tanks price was lower than their "pipe with solder" price (which i think is "heavy", or #2?)

Obviously they have entire control over what they buy, so my real question is "is there some proper reason for this, or should i go to another yard"?

 

[Ashley Burton]

Sorry to sort of go off course, But are scrap metal prices any good in recent times?

 

[Kayos]

If it’s clean it’s clean, stick it on the scales and confidently tell them

I never bother but I’ve 10 ish rubble bags of pipe and 3 cylinders to take

 

[julianf]

Sorry to sort of go off course, But are scrap metal prices any good in recent times?

if you go to letsrecycle website it gives you tracking over time.

the different classes perform differently.

take the prices there with some salt - i guess theyre the prices you might expect if you had a 44ton load, but not for what you can fit in the back of your van

 

[rtbcomp]

Yorkshire & other soldered joints weigh in separately. Wiped joints on lead pipes should be removed, they're worth a bit more because of the tin content (or used to be).

Heating elements weigh in so remove them from tanks.

If you strip transformers down make sure you don't mix aluminium windings in with the copper, some microwave transformer primary windings are an example.

 

[julianf]

I never bother but I’ve 10 ish rubble bags of pipe and 3 cylinders to take

This is it - my partner is complaining about the state of our garden. She says the whippets have nowhere to sh#t. Which is a long way from the truth. Im sure theyre not bothered if they dont have "yankee candles" next to their toilet....



I took a cat to the yard last week. I called up before hand (with the part number off the side of the cat) - £70-80. I got to the yard, they typed in the code to the computer - £66. Fair enough, price goes up and down....

They then said something like "we will give you £65 so there's something in it for us".


Im not even sure if the chap understood what happened next, but i left with £66.

 

[julianf]

Yorkshire & other soldered joints weigh in separately. Wiped joints on lead pipes should be removed, they're worth a bit more because of the tin content (or used to be).

Heating elements weigh in so remove them from tanks.

If you strip transformers down make sure you don't mix aluminium windings in with the copper, some microwave transformer primary windings are an example.

Im keeping all my brass for my "one day" casting project. Same with cast alluminium.

I have no real use for the copper though, and its worth good money, so ill get shot of that.

My thing is 2 fold - obviously i want the best price, but, secondly, as per my previous comment, i just dont trust scrap yards very much at all. Its fair enough if the market goes up or down, but if i sort things correctly, i want to get the correct price for them.

 

[rtbcomp]

I've noticed EMR took the odd coppers off the price when paying for scrap.

 

[julianf]

EMR seem the most straight forward yard to deal with around here, but im right between two of them, so have to deal with another national, which seems even more trouble than a small yard.

 

[rtbcomp]

I had a problem with EMR. I opened an account with them and got my plastic barcoded card a couple of years ago. I recently took a load in and when it came to paying up I was asked for photo ID, I don't have any and they wouldn't accept my account card.

It took a few emails with head office before I got paid.

 

[armalites]

I must admit the only thing they've ever queried on copper pipe is brass fittings never mentioned anything about solder or paint

We have a small independant place local who don't seem to be very picky and transfer the money immediately on production of a driving license and bank card. They are very good and even happy weigh/list separate items as my eldest lad always has battery or something that he's found in the charity shop bin

We did have an EMR in Hereford but they didn't last long, they were very picky with strict rules. Hi-viz, kids couldn't even sit in the car and they would sort through stuff. They even refused to pay me before the new rules were law.

 

[julianf]

I had a problem with EMR. I opened an account with them and got my plastic barcoded card a couple of years ago. I recently took a load in and when it came to paying up I was asked for photo ID, I don't have any and they wouldn't accept my account card.

It took a few emails with head office before I got paid.

Ive had that the EMR. I forget how it worked out, but IIRC, the money was logged onto my account, but they would not pay it until i emailed them renewed ID.

That, however, i dont mind at all. If theyre doing it "by the book" with regard to ID, that can only be a good thing for everyone. Its not like i did not get paid, i just had renew the ID.

 

[rtbcomp]

^^ Yes, they gave me the paperwork to say they'd received the metal. It was inconvenient and I've noticed that since the new rules came in the amount of scrap in their yard has diminished considerably. (The number of Pikies nicking the stuff hasn't though )

They told me not to come back again until I had photo ID and since I don't need a photo driving licence, passport or shotgun licence that isn't going to happen. I would have thought that having established my bona-fides they would accept my account card in future.

I now use an independent yard, their prices aren't quite so good as EMR, but they're not so picky about ID. If you take small amounts of ferrous in they say "is a tenner OK" and when you say "yes" it goes straight in a skip. Non ferrous is done properly though.

 

[colnerov]

They told me not to come back again until I had photo ID and since I don't need a photo driving licence, passport or shotgun licence that isn't going to happen. I would have thought that having established my bona-fides they would accept my account card in future.

Hi, I expect they are checking that you're the person named on the account card and you haven't lent it to someone else.

Colin

 

[rtbcomp]

^^ That's a good point, but they could have checked my signature. The irony is they accepted my bus pass to open the account, but they wouldn't accept it as photo ID when I turned up at their yard.

 

[Olderisbetter]

If i come across a cylinder i make planters out of them, the last one was a combi cylinder type, The bead around the edge is old micro bore with a slot cut in and soldered on

 

[Screwdriver]

With copper, I think they will try and get away with paying the lowest possible rate. It is literally worth your time cutting it up into sheet and selling it on eBay for about 4-5 times the scrap value...

If you cut it up and present it as clean copper for scrap, it depends on the mood of the scrappie in my experience. They'll probably say it's still a tank and give you heavy copper.

 

[Kayos]

With copper, I think they will try and get away with paying the lowest possible rate. It is literally worth your time cutting it up into sheet and selling it on eBay for about 4-5 times the scrap value...

If you cut it up and present it as clean copper for scrap, it depends on the mood of the scrappie in my experience. They'll probably say it's still a tank and give you heavy copper.

I’ve been using scrap yards for copper for around 17 years, they know I know what I’m talking about and don’t try it on, even when I go to a new place. I’ve chucked it back in the van before