Every year, tens of thousands of appliances across the world reach the end of their lives and cease working. More often than not, these appliances will eventually find their way to landfill but, by removing the non-metal components, did you know that you can actually recycle them? Use the following instructions for getting rid of all this scrap metal from your home.

Step 1: Move all of the appliances and other scrap items to the area where they will be disassembled. A garage or carport is a great place to do this. Make sure that you have a helper on hand in case some of the scrap is overly heavy.

Step 2: Using your toolbox, begin to disassemble all of the appliances in your collection. Throw all non-metal components into a rubbish bin so that they can be taken to landfill.

Step 3: Load all of the scrap metal into the back of your car or into a trailer to transport to the dealer. If the objects will be open to the air, make sure that you cover them with a tarp to prevent them from falling out.

Whilst it is possible to taken broken down appliances directly to scrap metal dealers and let them remove all of the non-metal components for you, this will actually generate less of a profit. This is why it is best to remove anything that cannot be recycled from the appliance before you load it up. Whilst taking apart your appliances, make sure you wear the proper safety gear.

If you have time and tools, you can earn extra money by collecting and selling scrap copper wires. But for that you should know the ways to prepare them for sale. It is not hard to get copper wires around, but they cannot be sold in their original form. They have to be prepared by removing the insulation. Though the task is labor-intensive and time–consuming but can add value to your scrap. Here is a step solution to remove insulation of the scrap wire.

Step 1: If you have long pieces of copper wire, hold its one end in a vice, then using a pocket knife slice the insulation and peel them off. For smaller pieces of wire, use wire stripper to peel off insulation. But make sure when you are doing this, you wear gloves.

Step 2: Keep a watch on price offered in the commodity as they fluctuate broadly. Sometime rate changes within a month. So keep an eye.

Step 3: When you have enough amount of scrap to sell, find a local scrap processing specialist having certified scales.

Step 4: Carry your picture ID while visiting the buyer. These days, buyers ask for IDs to discourage copper theft which have increasingly become common in recent times.

Make sure when you are collecting copper scrap you store them in a safe place. If you are storing them in your garage, ensure you keep it locked all the time. Collect a large amount of scrap copper wire and wait till the price really goes high, so that you get a good return. 

If you are an avid scrap metal collector or you have found that you have mounds of junk lying around your workshop, shed or garage, you may be wondering how to best dispose of it. One way of doing this is to melt it all down into one larger piece of metal, either to sell to a scrap dealer or to make something new out of yourself. If either of these solutions appeals to you, you can use this guide to help you properly melt the scrap down.

Scrap Metal

Step 1: Separate all of your scraps according to type. This is highly important, as different metals will melt at different temperatures and this knowledge will allow you to adjust the heat accordingly.

Step 2: Put all of the scrap metal of one type into a crucible that is large enough to fit all of the pieces in. Pour a layer of baking soda over the pieces.

Step 3: Take a butane torch and adjust the flame according to the type of metal that you are melting. Copper, brass and gold, for example, will melt between about 926 degrees Celsius and 1,100 degrees Celsius.

Step 4: Put on a pair of thick work gloves and direct the torch’s flame towards the crucible. Wait until the scrap metal has melted into a liquid form. You can speed up this process by having a second person hold a second butane torch to the crucible as well.

Step 5: Once the metal has been liquefied, you can pour it into an ingot or other type of mould in order to form whatever shape you want. To avoid burning yourself, use tongs to move and tip the crucible.

You can repeat the same procedure for each of the different scrap metals that you have in your possession. If you are taking the materials to a scrap dealer, it is recommended that you place the liquefied material into ingot forms (as this are easier to weigh and transport).