A beginner's guide to scrapping Brass. How to identify this valuable scrap metal

A beginner's guide to scrapping Brass. How to identify this valuable scrap metal - plus handy tips!

Рет қаралды 68,017

4 жыл бұрын

Here's a basic guide to identifying and sorting scrap brass to make some good dollars at the scrap yard (when the prices pick up!). Following a request from one of my subscribers, I've put together this basic guide and included a few tips and tricks on dealing with non-ferrous scrap metal.
Comment below if you'd like a guide on anything to do with scrap metal and I'll see what I can organise :)
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Пікірлер: 108

@Voiceofwisdom-rc5ef 5 ай бұрын

Thank you , Sir! You answered several of the questions I had , and it was pleasant to hear your narration! I see it has been a couple of years since this was posted, I hope this finds you well!

@TheUltimateRecycler 5 ай бұрын

Yes, all well thanks! Thank you for watching this video - it is a couple of years old but still gets lots of views and is still relevant 👍😊

@nickbryantfyi Жыл бұрын

Ive been getting into diy and feeling drawn to salvaging… feels like treasure hunting! It makes my inner engineer happy

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Awesome! We should all reward our inner engineer! 😁👍

@shellystapleton5611 Жыл бұрын

Great information. Thanks for your help

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Thanks Shelly, glad you got something out of it! 👍😊

@rickyonovitz3214 3 жыл бұрын

Love the term ‘contaminate the load’. So important

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Yes, many have been bitterly disappointed when the scrap yard noticed the only piece of brass where you missed a steel bracket - and then downgrade the whole lot to a much lower price!

@munsters2 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheUltimateRecycler Is it wise to sell smaller loads in case a load gets downgraded or do you get a better price for larger loads?

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

@@munsters2 Generally you can get a better price for a larger load - but it probably needs to be substantially larger! Depends on your relationship with the scrap yard I guess. If you have a good size load and the yard wants to downgrade it because of contamination, you could always refuse to sell it and take it home for better sorting!

@munsters2 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheUltimateRecycler I imagine "relationship" is pretty important at some yards and suspect if they went to the trouble of weighing out everything and then someone refused to sell it, they may get a bit cranky. I used to scrap a little but I haven't done so in a long time. Probably would be safer for me to take in smaller loads but not too small because then you have to figure in your travel time and cost of gas.

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

@@munsters2 I think you are better saving up enough of just one or two types of scrap so you have a reasonable payout without a lot of weighing up all different piles! But yes - build a good relationship and if you are a regular customer and provide a good sample each time, you should be looked after as a valuable client 👍

@I_Rove_Rice 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video! Just what I was looking for. Also, you sound like Korg from Thor Ragnarok 😂 not a bad thing btw

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha, thanks - I'll take that! 👍🤣

@scottrothe5947 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your insight and knowledge!!

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Thanks Scott! 😊👍

@fleshbag7754 4 жыл бұрын

Great info! I think it's important you mentioned 2 things: knowing when to add to a dirty bin instead of spending time, And keeping certain pieces to sell instead of scrap. As I sort through piles of junk, when I find a piece like that 70's door handle, I 'send it to the back of the line'. Something I will try to sell ( even though I don't have a store). Nicer and / or rare pieces are at the very end. This way when getting a load together to scrap, I will only go so far down 'the line' depending on how desperate I am for immediate cash. Looking forward to checking out more of your videos!

@TheUltimateRecycler 4 жыл бұрын

Great comment GF - thanks! 😊 Yeah, I cringe sometimes with what I see some people put in the scrap bins! It isn't always about money either - sometimes historic stuff gets scrapped just for a few dollars.. 😒

@CandSMINING 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing your brass experience. Testing with a file, magnet or angle grinder is the answer to the is it brass question.😎😎⛏⛏🔥🔥

@TheUltimateRecycler 7 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching! 👍😊

@seamusmcelroy8352 4 жыл бұрын

loved the vid good info just found you and looking forward to more vids

@TheUltimateRecycler 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome thanks Seamus! 😊

@deong6289 Ай бұрын

Love the content. Great video. Thank you for sharing.

@TheUltimateRecycler Ай бұрын

Thanks Deon! Appreciate you watching 😊👍

@curtispederson9390 Жыл бұрын

You did a great job Best ive found.THANKS FromMinnesota

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Thanks mate! Appreciate the feedback! 👍👍

@jefferykaighin7039 3 жыл бұрын

Im directly in the center of the USA and i enjoy learning different techniques of Identifying metals from our friends across the Pond!

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jeffery, glad you enjoy it! 👍😊

@lisevivier1878 2 жыл бұрын

This is very educative. Thank you.

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😊

@ShyamAndBillie 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I recently got into Brass trade and this will help.

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent! Thanks for watching! 😀

@WordsleyBaggies 3 жыл бұрын

Very informative. Thank you very much 🙂

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

My pleasure Baggies 😊

@dr.a006 3 жыл бұрын

Brass. Not to be confused with die cast that has a brass color. My scrapyards helped me with that at first. Always have file handy if it’s nickel plated or a different color, etc. Also, my yard runs through stuff with a magnet to catch anything I missed or a hidden screw in a plumbing fixture for example.

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Dr. A. Most scrap yards are very helpful and happy to teach as it improves the quality of the product! 😊

@supersparks9466 3 жыл бұрын

Nice well explained video, thank you from London

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Supersparks! 😊

@MidnightLight. 4 ай бұрын

Great video, thank you.

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 ай бұрын

Excellent! Thanks for watching 😊👍

@irishgoldstacker8018 3 жыл бұрын

Even newer taps will sell on Facebook. Great video, learned some new stuff.

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks CS.. I sell taps more quickly than I can find them in my shop!

@worldview730 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for this tutorial 👍👍

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Many thanks Crown Prince 👍😊

@Freeisbetter86 4 жыл бұрын

We Just Went to Scrap Yard today got 1.95$ Per Pound Canadian :)

@TheUltimateRecycler 4 жыл бұрын

I think at the moment, that's equivelent to about $4.50 per kg in Aussie terms - that's pretty good! How much weight did you have?

@Freeisbetter86 4 жыл бұрын

@@TheUltimateRecycler 25 Pounds :) You Can Check the Video out on Our Channel if you get a chance :) do you do scrap yard video's at all ?? Love the Worm farm watching the one were you give them coke lol

@TheUltimateRecycler 4 жыл бұрын

Ok cool. I haven't sold scrap for a looong time, but am planning some trips soon to cash in if the price holds. I've been stockpiling for years! I'll certainly do videos! I will check out your channel when I get a moment 👍🙂

@barotmohit280 3 жыл бұрын

Nice information🙌🙌🙌i m thinking to start scrap metel business .....someone asked me for honey brass i started to check internet i found your video now i have usefull information about brass metel😊thank you...its very useful information for begginers who want to start metal business🙌

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm pleased to be of help and glad you liked the info! I've got a few other videos on scrap metals as well. Have a look under the scrapping playlist.. 👍😊

@haveyoulostyourcircusmitch248 4 жыл бұрын

Great information for a noob like me.

@TheUltimateRecycler 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks mate - everyone is a noob at many things!

@dufus7396 Жыл бұрын

A big sharp pipe wrench and adjustable spanner vise and grinder.....

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Indeed, a suitable scrappers tool kit Dufus! 👍

@MarkStoneLimited 3 жыл бұрын

fantastic

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Mark! 😊

@b.deadwood Жыл бұрын

thanks for the video.. 🌻

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Many thanks for watching! 🌼😊

@Freeisbetter86 4 жыл бұрын

Great Info :) New Sub Here !! We Love Collecting Brass And Copper !!

@TheUltimateRecycler 4 жыл бұрын

Welcome to my channel Freeisbetter and thanks for your comments! 😊

@samcampbell637 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome Sam! 👍😊

@108CAM Жыл бұрын

On the topic of trickery involving scrap metal, I once had some chrome plated copper pipes that I thought were brass. After doing the file test, I saw the brown copper colour underneath and got quite the surprise because I was expecting it to be brass. I was able to fully verify that the pipes were copper because of how easily they bent. This ruled out the possibility of the pipes being red brass.

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

There's trickery everywhere with scrap metal! Thanks for your comments! 😊👍

@Findmylimit 2 ай бұрын

thank you

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching 😊👍

@maxxforce334 3 жыл бұрын

I've been a scrap buyer for years now and you wouldn't believe the people the will argue with me on whether or not it's brass when I tell them it's zinc (die cast). I wish I could make them watch this before they sell their scrap.

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

I probably would believe it Ricky! Feel free to give them a link to this video 👍😊

@scotthoward4836 Жыл бұрын

Does zinc cast turn a greenish colour? How does it compare in weight to say ali copper and brass. It almost looks like a die cast painted an algae greenI. I know copper can have a green tinge . I haven't done the file test as yet. I have an old alabaster ceiling light i was told its brass. Non magnetic and very heavy even without the stone even the tubing looks like copper but feels heavier and the other parts are really heavy. Some parts are obvious yellow brass when looking at the threads. I had 2 of these and the really shiny yellow was fake and lighter. Looks like I'll be doing the file test.

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Definitely a file, or even a grinder test Scott. It's possible that the item was copper plated and the plating has corroded (greenish) and the base metal is a zinc alloy (which wouldn't show any green). Being heavy, it's certainly not aluminium - but can be almost as heavy as brass, depends on the alloy.

@BWcapture Жыл бұрын

I ran across some solid heavy pieces of what I believe to be aluminum. The issue is when I scratched them I saw the pink-reddish color that could be brass but when I scratched deeper it became silver colored. I believe this goes in with aluminum. I have yet to see a yellow brass looking layer like this, so scratch deep if you see the reddish color on something that otherwise seems like aluminum.

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Yep, many metals are plated and you do need to scratch deep enough to get to the base metal. Aluminium is noticeably lighter than brass which should have given the first clue.

@curtispederson9390 Жыл бұрын

I use a bench grinder its much quicker and a wire wheel to clean dirtier brass or copper

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Yep, certainly a good option Curtis! 👍 Thanks for watching 😊

@GlobalSouth543 2 жыл бұрын

Hy good video for learning about scrap metal. Thanks 👍👍. I am your new subscriber from Pakistan. I started learning from your videos about scraping. Can you tell me which playlist I have to watch to do learning

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Ataal TV and welcome!! I have a playlist just on scrapping 😊

@Macky1101 Жыл бұрын

10:10 I also have cast brass from a fireplace fender that is tinted black because certain pieces are made to be decorative and look like shields/insignias. But when filed, it does appear to be real brass. Does being tinted black make it "dirty brass" or would it still be "yellow brass"?

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

I think most yards will take plated or painted brass as clean brass. For example, I include all chrome brass taps with my clean brass and have never had a problem at the yard. Dirty brass more relates to metal impurities like steel bolts etc.

@rossyco195 2 жыл бұрын

Do you know the name/brand/style of flat file you are using this video? I'm looking into getting a file, since I'm tired of using the threads on a roofing nail, but not quite sure which kind of file to get. Thanks

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 жыл бұрын

The file I used in this video was a small size flat file - I'm not sure on the brand. An easy and pretty cheap option is to buy a round chainsaw sharpening file. They do a great job 👍

@rossyco195 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, I ended up buying a cheap 8-inch flat file at Harbor Freight here in the US. Might be the best $4 I have spent in a while!

@prayinggrandmothers734 2 жыл бұрын

👍🏻 new subscribe

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks and welcome 😊

@TheRazinblade 2 жыл бұрын

I know you aren't in the states just going by your accent but where can you suggest looking for this kind of stuff?

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 жыл бұрын

Dumpster diving can yield brass at times - especially if you find someone renovating an old house! I get most of mine from buying shed lots for my secondhand business. Thanks for watching 😊

@ericwazner6521 3 жыл бұрын

👍💰👊

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

💲💲😁👍

@brucestuart466 3 жыл бұрын

Do you talk about white brass found in electric plugs on any of your videos?

@TheUltimateRecycler 3 жыл бұрын

No Bruce. Most electric plug pins that some scrappers call "white brass" are simply plated brass (usually nickel but sometimes silver). A quick touch with a file shows normal yellow brass underneath. Same with chromed brass. The true class of white brass (an alloy with much more zinc or tin) isn't very common at all.

@ekotoke Жыл бұрын

Hi dude..is Brass stick to neodimium magnet?

@TheUltimateRecycler Жыл бұрын

Nope, brass is non-magnetic!

@othername1000 2 ай бұрын

Aluminium is an alloy of aluminum and British English.

@TheUltimateRecycler 2 ай бұрын

Haha, nicely done! 🤣

@mikehawk8984 11 ай бұрын

Goddamn, thank you my guy. These videos on how to identify metals for scrap (specifically) are either nonexistent, or not super helpful. So it's a real lifesaver to find good guides like this. ✌️💜

@TheUltimateRecycler 11 ай бұрын

That's great Mike, glad you found it helpful! 😊👍