Dumpster Diving For Scrap Copper And Brass At Plumbing Shops! Trash Picking Recycling 009

Рет қаралды 56,169

3 жыл бұрын

Suppose you went dumpster diving at plumbing stores. Would you find an awesome haul of scrap copper and brass? In this trash picking adventure we go out to do exactly that and see what we've been missing all this time! If free copper is what you're after, this may just be the answer.
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Пікірлер: 138

@bfdmanbfd 3 жыл бұрын

You need a pair of stillson (pipe wrench) It will make your life a lot easier

@jadrewscrapper8081 3 жыл бұрын

I have been bottle picking for many years and would find goodies for use and for sale, but @2 years ago I started working for a large plumbing supply company. I bid my time and quickly became a favorite employee so you already know what time it is! Yessssssss!!!! Keep doing the thing. From Sacramento, CA.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Oh you must have a heck of a stash when you hit the scrapyard! Nice work bud, stoked to see you rise 👌

@markallan9050 3 жыл бұрын

As a plumber/gasfitter i can tell you i keep all my copper and brass as a guy who owns my own company. When i worked for other people we used to throw out a fair bit of copper and brass

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Aha, that kinda helps explain what I found! So I should be aiming for the places with big names 😉👍

@eoinwalsh7017 3 жыл бұрын

Make up a small tool bag to have in your truck.Have what you need to hand.$$$$$$$$$$

@benjismith593 3 жыл бұрын

Here in America, there would not be a single ounce of metal left by 9am. I work for an appliance/repair company. People go through our trash nightly. Have even stolen our cameras on the building. I get to take home all the small stuff my boss thinks isn't worth much. I make $50 to $100 a month extra separating all the small stuff.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Nightly? That’s crazy! Stealing the camera off the building is just gross, I’m disappointed to hear that 😕 Good on you for stacking up the good scraps though, that’s some grocery money right there!

@mollynakamori 3 жыл бұрын

Get some muriatic acid from a pool store (dilute HCl.) Zinc will bubble when dipped, aluminum won't. Or- since zinc is about 2.5x as dense as aluminum, you could do a water displacement/weight calculation to determine the weight by volume. Zinc is about 0.26 pounds per cubic inch, while aluminum is about 0.1 pounds per cubic inch.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

You so smart 🥰

@mollynakamori 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint - you know it, babe!

@gracelacerna8608 3 жыл бұрын

Hello thub just watching you're blog keep safe

@williamchamberlin2752 3 жыл бұрын

Fellow Utube scrapper, Okie Scrapper keeps a spray bottle of copper sulfate and water in his shop. He grinds a spot on aluminum looking metal and sprays some of the mixture on it, if it turns dark it is not pure aluminum, probably some kind of pot metal. If it is aluminum it doesn't turn any color at all. Good luck and thanks for the vids!

@leonmincey4392 3 жыл бұрын

I've been running a scrapping LLC for about 10 years... you don't need to do all that work after you get back yea you have to break down your different metals but all scrap yards at least in Georgia it's whatever the majority metal is the price they give you

@holliday72889 3 жыл бұрын

Most scrap yards have grades for clean and dirty metal. You get more per pound for clean brass/copper than brass with steel screws in it or with aluminum attached. Some even separate yellow and chromed brass. Even copper with a small amount of brass attached gets you the brass price instead of copper

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, mine may grade on the majority but I definitely get much worse prices if there’s contaminants left on. I don’t ‘have’ to do the work, but it pays well!

@bfdmanbfd 3 жыл бұрын

That pump your talking about has a good bit of copper inside and they are easy to take apart

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I’ll have to grab all the motors next time, I started out by skipping them but by the end of the day I would have had half a dozen or so

@bfdmanbfd 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint quick video here for you skip it to 15.35 in the video kzfaq.info/get/bejne/odOlpMWBmbyqqas.html

@bfdmanbfd 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprintor this one skip to 13.00 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qs5-p81pvJ7HiIk.html

@gandydancer0465 3 жыл бұрын

I take those heaters apart and they are from a tankless water heater so those pieces are most likely Cast Aluminum

@jdizzle86 2 жыл бұрын

Big square thing is a burner for tankless water heater along with a gas manifold that has the two round ports on it. You can actually separate each of those little things in the burner, just be careful because they are super sharp.

@jackrushmer6636 3 жыл бұрын

ThubPrint you have inspired me with scraping and saving other people trash and either reusing or selling. Coming from the UK. I have seen many others videos and only your one has inspired me .

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, thank you! Just stay out of trouble, and do what you can to keep it moving quickly. It piles up so fast, and a month later you’ve become a hoarder! 😂

@jackrushmer6636 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint Yeah most people don't mind in the UK as long as you ask, there normal fine. I have a system going. Keep up the clips 🙌

@RoeMantic 3 жыл бұрын

Those cast parts went to a tankless water heater along with the steel square that fell apart lol. I love the plumbing dumpster I go to! Keep Scrapping!!!

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Same to you buddy, thanks for saying hi!

@acat6209 3 жыл бұрын

I love your vids thub

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Well thank you ☺️ I love making em!

@dovem9601 3 жыл бұрын

I so enjoy your Videos. I like learning about scrap. You do a great job of explaining it all. Happy hunting for treasure.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I aim to keep things straight to the point, though I still get carried away sometimes lol. All the best to you and yours!

@alexmurphy9025 3 жыл бұрын

Probably die-cast aluminum. The same stuff hard drive casings are made from. Usually looks a lot smoother and brighter than regular cast aluminum

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Hm.. I think chemical testing is the next step, until I get the hang of it

@phillipbrewster969 3 жыл бұрын

Not alot of but some of the short fat waterheaters if there older than 2006 will have giant copper barrel liners inside them if it is its worth taking the whole heater and cleaning it...

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Really??? Wow, that’s worth looking for. What kind exactly? Not like the propane bottle sized ones that I found here but similar to the “regular” water heaters only smaller?

@missylongbottom2064 2 жыл бұрын

For the fittings that you were having difficulty getting started sometimes the application of a bit of heat from a mapp gas or propane torch will help loosen those, especially if they have red locktite on them.

@user-cd1hs2vw2x Жыл бұрын

What a well-mannered scrapper!

@docink6175 3 жыл бұрын

I think you need to carry bigger pliers and maybe a hacksaw or battery saws all.. another place that usually has a scrap guy are auto repair shops but sometimes the guys don't show up for a while and you can still grab a bunch of stuff they have laying around

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I couldn’t find my bigger grips when I packed up in the morning lol

@LordPadriac 3 жыл бұрын

I know this is months old but if the scrapyards in your area have a different price there is a simple way that doesn't depend on your subjective opinion about the grain structure of the metal, color weight, etc. Just grind through a secion of paint if it's painted - you need bare metal - and take some concentrated crystal draino crystals and pile them on the bare spot. You have to leave it for a few minutes but if it's aluminum it will turn black and if it's zinc it won't do anything. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse the crystal off after. This works 100% of the time.

@ebikescrapper3925 3 жыл бұрын

Cycle shops for steel and aluminium (bike rims, frames).

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Hey, there’s an idea!

@Kreacher1974 8 ай бұрын

If you haven't yet figured out how to tell if its zinc, mix a teaspoon of copper sulfate with 16 ounces of water. Scratch the metal and spray the mixture on it. If it turns dark then it is zinc. If it does not turn dark then it is aluminum.

@slythdreams 3 жыл бұрын

Good vid! Looking forward to the next one. 👍🏻

@thankgoodness9937 3 жыл бұрын

Nice!👍

@CoogeeMedia 3 жыл бұрын

Cool!

@gussuperman7565 3 жыл бұрын

M8 zink mixed with aluminum makes die-cast , so you can sell it as cast aluminum ; and a pipe wrench can be really helpful to remove those pesky pieces of copper and brass. The valves off the water heaters 90% of them will be red brass or bronze ( as other people refer to it ) making your payday a bit larger. Keep up the good work. God bless y'all.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Ahh, so in reality it’s not zinc OR aluminium, but both. That makes it so difficult to make a video on lol! My yards only do 2-3c more on red brass so at my volume it doesn’t change much. But good to know which is which nonetheless!

@gussuperman7565 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint M8 here in the USA it is about 20 cts more for red brass , since, it has more copper in it . Continue doing your great videos M8.

@justinb6393 3 жыл бұрын

awesome! hit up some electricians shops on the next one.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

😉😆

@anthonytillery8423 10 ай бұрын

Use water and dawn dish washing fluid to test for cast zinc. I work at a scrap yard and thats what we use. 👍

@anthonytillery8423 10 ай бұрын

Itll turn black if it is zinc and remain the same if it is cast.

@andrewcannon587 3 жыл бұрын

u sure showed that guy how a pro does it

@pickupmandan 3 жыл бұрын

Hacksaw works, battery. Powered saw all so much easier.

@erikjohnson9965 3 жыл бұрын

Another simple way to tell if it is aluminum is to put some caustic cleaner on it. Alkaline liquids will react with aluminum.

@josephverri618 9 ай бұрын

I've found good stuff in neighborhood dumpsters but industrial dumpsters are usually locked here.

@ebikescrapper3925 3 жыл бұрын

Cordless multitool, the trouble with cordless jigsaws and saws is the body stops you getting in close.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

True. I really like the look of that short body Milwaukee reciprocating saw, just hard to justify buying it when mine is pretty much fine. Never used the multitool tho

@muriaticacid7004 3 жыл бұрын

Thumbs Up

@ChrisRalph 3 жыл бұрын

Zinc is FAR denser than aluminum. Aluminum has a density of 2.7 Gr. /CC, while Zinc is 7.1 Gr. / CC. When you've handled enough of it, its obvious the heavier and the lighter cast materials.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Huh.. maybe this stuff is aluminium after all. It’s just the level of detail in the casting and how thin the walls are, I have a hard time believing alu could be cast in such a fine shape 🤔

@stevesrt8 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint break off a small piece. zinc will melt pretty quickly with a propane tourch

@johnchristie1423 3 жыл бұрын

weight to water displacement for Al=Zn best easy method to use

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I like it!

@timmyzsixx62 2 жыл бұрын

PIPE WRENCH GOES ALONG WAY

@islandgardener158 2 жыл бұрын

I needed a pipe wrench to keep at my garden space, to manage water collection. I went to a pawn shop and got a Ridgid, for 20 bucks. Looks like hell works great

@thubprint 2 жыл бұрын

I got my pipe wrench now and I don’t know how I ever went so long without it, such a useful tool

@david.perrip4316 3 жыл бұрын

I do copper and brass, and everything else! But I save up for months before I cash in ! All the little tid bits a d such add up!! Thanks for the vid man!!

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I save all mine up too, and just brought it all in yesterday 😎 I don’t find a lot of it though so it piles up kinda slow for me

@Ikillzomehs 3 жыл бұрын

Lmao that dude at the first shop seemed cool but him falling out of the box and playing it off was hilarious Ive definitely done that once or twice...

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

😂 I wasn’t sure how I felt about including it but it was just so... cartoony? Lol. I couldn’t help it, it made me giggle

@eagleeyes5638 3 жыл бұрын

Greetings Thubprint. GOD BLESS you and your family always. Happy Thanksgiving. Be safe,healthy &blessed always family

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, blessings to yours as well! Hope you still get to see some loved ones at the table with everything lately 👍

@mr.zardoz3344 3 жыл бұрын

You can use Gallium to test for aluminum. Not sure about zinc.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I hadn’t thought about chemical testing, but that sounds cool as heck. Great idea!!

@MrScrappity 3 жыл бұрын

It can be tough finding a shop , be it a plumber , mechanic or whatever. That doesn't already have someone who scoops their scoops.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Oh absolutely. Scrap metal is no secret these days

@harveylong5878 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint alot anymore are taking their own or selling it off to someone

@davidk8699 3 жыл бұрын

Zinc has > 2 1/2 times the density of aluminium. If its "heavy" for its size, it could be zinc. In my experience (limited) Ive only found zinc where weight is imporatnt, like in a hanging light, where zinc's weight will make it harder for the wind or a breeze to sway the light.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Ohhh, that makes sense. That’s generally my first consideration to determine what the metal is, the application it’s used in.

@paparisling 3 жыл бұрын

Good tip!

@holliday72889 3 жыл бұрын

Use a small hand held torch to test for zinc. It melts really quick and easy compared to aluminum

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Really? That’s pretty easy! Thanks for the tip 😉

@kevink.2719 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome stuff

@locknload9143 2 жыл бұрын

You really need a pipe wrench. This is the third video I've watched where you could have used one. 😆

@thubprint 2 жыл бұрын

And this was the last time I fought through not having one! It was this same week I went out and got one and WOW I can’t believe I let myself struggle for so long. Such a game changer

@rawmilk905 3 жыл бұрын

Glad to see you are still at it!

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

HEY buddy! I am of course, still at it haha. Was quarantined to the garage for a little while there, starting to look like it may happen again 😅 Hope you’ve been well through all this? Pm me with an addy, I need to send you something

@rawmilk905 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint I'm doing well enough, thanks. My family on the other side of the continent were ill for a bit but recovered. I'll use Instagram, as I think KZfaq discontinued that feature? In any case I don't see how to do it through here.

@vthelastrun3290 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks mate for your videos im new to this scrap thing your videos help a lot

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Heck yeah brother! Lmk if there’s anything I can help with, and all the best on your adventures 👌

@E-BikingAdventures Ай бұрын

To answer your question, you should watch future Thub's video "Idengifying Zinc VS Aluminum..." . It should be out in about 3 months.

@randystone6781 3 жыл бұрын

Good stuff, Thub! No chance, here, every shop is spoken for. Some even have employees who are scrappers, and get the best stuff first...

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

The batteries were the lower value stuff??? Some people are just on another level 😂

@benhumphregys3087 2 жыл бұрын

Wow amazing video !

@thubprint 2 жыл бұрын

Ty 😊

@dietarychef2212 9 ай бұрын

U should carry a pair of vice grips. Clamp and hammer

@julieb.2868 3 жыл бұрын

Great vids

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@ScienceFoundation 3 жыл бұрын

The little tab on the toner cartridge has two gold contacts on one side and one gold point on the other under the black little resin insulation dot.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

True. Not sure if it’s worth hunting down though, but a fella could grab the ink carts and fill a bin to pick them off later.

@ScienceFoundation 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint I work in an office, I get at least a couple of tabs and foils off of smaller cartridges a week. Been doing it for three years and have a half gallon container crammed full

@ScienceFoundation 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint Apparently the foils are 1/17th gold by weight if the E-scrap facebook group I'm in is to be believed.

@wnytrashtrucks 3 жыл бұрын

I know On my route there is a plumbing shop and if I hit the one section there is a HVAC place. The plumb place is decent most of the time. The HVAC place is pretty hit or miss. The plumber place I have no idea what they do with their scrap. I never see hot water tanks or anything, but there will be other random scrap on the side of the dumpster. The HVAC place and the one next to it have someone pick up the big stuff.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Sounds like it’s worth checking when you’re in the area at least. I had a plumbing shop I’d stop by all the time, but they moved locations

@davidk8699 3 жыл бұрын

I think the tubing was likely to be aly (3:47)

@JOEY22445 3 жыл бұрын

That's funny I just found a toner at work. I didn't know what it was just tore it apart for fun to see if anything was in it.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

😂 hope you weren’t wearing nice clothes!

@JOEY22445 3 жыл бұрын

@@thubprint Its a good thing it was a work uniform. Next thing I know that black dust stuff blows up all over me.

@dennishinkle5010 3 жыл бұрын

Carry a pipe wrench always

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I’ve never had one in my everyday carry, but at this point I’m gonna start lol. I see hot water heaters all the time and those bits of brass and copper could be all mine if I had the extra leverage!

@frankm8533 3 жыл бұрын

I scrapped since the late 90s but these days I was getting metal I was filling up a 16foot open trailer high!! With my 8ft truck bed and totes of junk for maybe 250$ not worth it anymore to me. But I like ur channel

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, the prices aren’t what they used to be that’s for sure. But it’s still fun to take stuff apart!

@williamgronbach4538 7 ай бұрын

I got some play school plyers for you to have. Plastic hammer to.

@harveylong5878 3 жыл бұрын

the big operation plumbers, HVAC etc tend to just toss heaters, AC condensers whatever as they are. not worth their time or money to strip stuff down. their techs toss the smaller items in regular trash just to get out of their trucks

@majesticbuffaloman4327 3 жыл бұрын

hmm very interesting video, there are alot of cool things that I learned in this video. Keep them coming I look forward to each video. :D Leave it better than you found it.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

You got it Buffalo!

@Clarkson350 3 жыл бұрын

safety glasses!!!! you cant do anything without sight

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I’ve always got some kind of eye protection around, but sometimes something surprises me when I’m not wearing them. Should really just have them on all the time

@thecopperbuckrecycling9798 3 жыл бұрын

18" pipe wrench would have been awesome to have with you

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I’m thinking I should keep one in the truck from now on

@geofft3214 3 жыл бұрын

Nice one Thub! What about auto shop dumpsters for car parts? Probably similar situation.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I was thinkin the same thing 😉😉 Truthfully though, I’d be surprised if they toss much, they definitely stack up batteries and rims for themselves and most have a bin from a scrapyard out back. In the same fashion though, smaller ones might be less dialed in and larger ones could be more careless.. I guess there’s only one way to find out!

@billycupstid2391 3 жыл бұрын

You need a small pipe wrinch

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I’m gonna go buy one this week. I was hoping to find one eventually but I need it sooner than that lol

@jveronica812 Жыл бұрын

Dude you need a freaking trailer with a dump on it Drive around on garbage night and collect all the good stuff Then anything that's resemble that's still good you grear bad and sell it on Facebook

@johnmessersmith8488 3 жыл бұрын

Thub get a big pair of pipe wrench 15 inch and every one of thous stupid fittings will bag you to be nice not other way around 20 bucks at harberfriaght or yardsale

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

I actually picked one up and I was blown away, it makes a lot of things SO much easier. Power of leverage

@user-gs7bl7pt7r 3 ай бұрын

Pot metal.

@bryangrondzi8863 Жыл бұрын

Each of those big cylinder ls have a 15kg copper coil and your just walking past it 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

@thubprint Жыл бұрын

Which cylinders?

@alexhimelblau9252 2 жыл бұрын

how and why do you not have a monkey wrench or anything better than channel locks

@thubprint 2 жыл бұрын

I have a pipe wrench now! Certainly should’ve gotten one years ago

@iffy9776 3 жыл бұрын

I can't believe you go scrapping with baby wrench plus you don't have a magnet. I see you more of a bottle and can Collector. That pump is very easy to open and take the copper out. Zinc is dull while aluminium is shiner.

@thubprint 3 жыл бұрын

You can see me however you like, that’s not up to me 😊