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beauanderos
Penny Collector Member
USA
388 Posts |
 Posted - 10/17/2009 : 23:18:05
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I'm taking the night off from sorting after a hellacious day at work. So I've been reading several pages of previous posts and found a subject that interested me. We hand sorters would all like to make the best use of our time. Not sure what company is supplying the boxes I get out here in Central Ca but was wondering (they seem to uniformly weigh 14.5 on the bathroom scale). Has anyone devised (or would they like to construct a rough estimate) of the percentage of potential Cu in unsearched boxes determined by weight? It would be really handy to have something to refer to that specified, for instance, 14.1lbs zilch, 14.5 9%, 14.8 13%, etc, but break it down into smaller increments. Think how much time we could save without having to crack dud boxes? Any math whizzes out there up to the task?
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Hoard now and hold on!
http://coppermillions.blogspot.com/ |
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beauanderos
Penny Collector Member
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 10/17/2009 : 23:56:19
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ok, did it myself. You can interpolate median values by dividing the incremental levels in half:
Coin weight or 50 rolls (disregarding cardboard box):
13.84lbs = 2%
13.91lbs = 4%
13.98lbs = 6%
14.05lbs = 8%
14.11lbs = 10%
14.18lbs = 12%
14.25lbs = 14%
14.32lbs = 16%
14.38lbs = 18%
14.45lbs = 20%
14.53lbs = 22%
14.59lbs = 24%
14.65lbs = 26%
14.72lbs = 28%
14.78lbs = 30%
okay, so this is a fairly accurate approximation (which doesn't account for heavier dirty/tarry coins) which should save anyone with a digital scale from getting skunked. I figure anything with at least a probability of producing a 10% mining return is worth hand-sorting, and those lucky bums with Ryedale's can dump anything in without giving it a second thought. |
Hoard now and hold on!
http://coppermillions.blogspot.com/ |
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HoardCopperByTheTon
Administrator
USA
5239 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2009 : 00:03:27
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A box of 100% zinc weighs 14.1 pounds. A box of 100% copper weighs 17.3 pounds. You could set up a spreadsheet that would tell you within a few pennies how many coppers are in the box based on weight.. but that would take all the fun and surprise out of it. Even us lucky bums with 3 Ryedales don't bother to sort the solid zinc boxes. We have to use whatever tools we can since the copper percentages are a little lower out here in CA.  |
If your percentages are low.. just sort more. If your percentages are high.. just sort more.
Let me see if I understand this? If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get 12 years hard labor; the Iranian border illegally you are detained indefinitely. If you cross the US border illegally, you get a driver’s license, a social security card, welfare, food stamps, free health care!
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WulfgangKreed
Penny Sorter Member
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - 10/18/2009 : 11:38:44
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| Great topic, Does the 17.3 pounds include wrappers and box? |
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jadedragon
Administrator
Canada
2808 Posts |
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HoardCopperByTheTon
Administrator
USA
5239 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2009 : 02:55:12
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| Yes, the 17.3 and the 14.1 include the box and paper. I thought the original question was to determine what amount of copper a box has in it and whether it is worth opening. Not sure how accurate your bathroom scale is at the lower levels.. maybe I should try a few boxes on mine. The scale I use is the same one that vending machine guys use to calculate how much money each machine has generated by weighing the coins. You can put a roll of coins on it and it will tell you if the roll is short or not. It is accurate to 2/100ths of a pound. I use it to verify weight of copper boxes prior to shipment and zinc boxes prior to bank return. |
If your percentages are low.. just sort more. If your percentages are high.. just sort more.
Let me see if I understand this? If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get 12 years hard labor; the Iranian border illegally you are detained indefinitely. If you cross the US border illegally, you get a driver’s license, a social security card, welfare, food stamps, free health care!
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Investin Cents
Penny Sorter Member
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2009 : 11:00:05
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I get $50 bags of cents unwrapped. I weigh each bag to see about what my hit rate should be. Here's my 1st 4 bags' wt. vs. copper % (in wt. order):
29.2 lbs = 25.56%
29.4 = 27.88%
29.8 = 33.52%
30.2 = 40.9%
If you graph this it is pretty linear. I am a numbers "nut" for my work so this hobby is perfect for me!
The rough formula for $50 bags is:
(((Wt. - 27.558)/0.00220462262)/(3.1/2.5))*0.9887
Wt. is cents only - no bag (they weigh ~ 0.4 lbs)
So the rates from beauanderos roughly equal my findings & my formula. Just divide my weights in half of course.
It was sureal to find that 30.2lb bag. That was the best find! So many nice coppers! I just got 4 more bags from a different branch location & all are about 29.4lbs.  Back to more realistic hit rates. Good luck! |
If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one? - A. Lincoln |
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JobIII
Penny Collector Member
USA
464 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2009 : 14:07:13
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This is great. Except that my bathroom scale is not very accurate. Also it's less accurate because i mainly use it on a rug. My boxes of 100% coppers run around 15 - 16 lbs. Though I never complain when i stand on it, the scale is very kind in this respect.
~ JobIII |
Selling Coppers 1.35 + shipping. *800.00* ~sold~ |
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beauanderos
Penny Collector Member
USA
388 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2009 : 18:20:41
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| I would love to get boxes that FAT! All mine are no more than 14.5, grrrhh!!! Like HCBTT says, California percentages are low. I wonder if the Portland Mint is draining the West Coast? |
Hoard now and hold on!
http://coppermillions.blogspot.com/ |
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TXTim
Penny Collector Member
465 Posts |
Posted - 10/19/2009 : 21:04:28
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I have a spread sheet for boxes.
Anyone who wants it can PM me. |
Beer is my currency. |
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HoardCopperByTheTon
Administrator
USA
5239 Posts |
Posted - 10/23/2009 : 01:05:52
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| beauanderos.. the big advantage to sorting is Ca is it costs you almost nothing. Since there are a lot less coppers in the mix, you get most of your money back when you redeem the zincs. You can enjoy the hobby almost unristricted since you won't be compelled to save a bundh of coppers. |
If your percentages are low.. just sort more. If your percentages are high.. just sort more.
Let me see if I understand this? If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get 12 years hard labor; the Iranian border illegally you are detained indefinitely. If you cross the US border illegally, you get a driver’s license, a social security card, welfare, food stamps, free health care!
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beauanderos
Penny Collector Member
USA
388 Posts |
 Posted - 10/25/2009 : 00:31:06
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| HCBTT I'm not sure if that's a tongue-in-cheek comment of not, but taken at face value I want my hobby to be a little more productive than merely inexpensive and time-consuming. I'm listening to the advice you and others have left in other threads and today I made a zinc dump route map for my hometown. Between BOA's and Chase banks I can hit 19 banks for $50 drops each, hopefully within a four hour loop. You think I could get away with that as frequently as once every two weeks? Or would that still be a problem? My supply bank will be a different bank than the dumpsites. |
Hoard now and hold on!
http://coppermillions.blogspot.com/ |
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HoardCopperByTheTon
Administrator
USA
5239 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2009 : 01:42:42
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Tongue planted firmly in cheek. Why do you think I have so much equipment? hehe I think you could probably drop $100 on each branch and maybe stretch it to 3 or 4 weeks between dumps. Some will be more receptive than others. Chase generally requires the zincs to be rolled, while BofA often allows loose precounted bags. 19 bags is kind of heavy.. will your vehicle handle the weight? Now overlay your supply banks and see if you can do pickups and dropoffs on the same run.
For optimum productivity you need to start with a Ryedale. If you have nearly $1000 to dump every 2 weeks, you should not be hand sorting. |
If your percentages are low.. just sort more. If your percentages are high.. just sort more.
Let me see if I understand this? If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get 12 years hard labor; the Iranian border illegally you are detained indefinitely. If you cross the US border illegally, you get a driver’s license, a social security card, welfare, food stamps, free health care!
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Dalsuh
Penny Collector Member
USA
399 Posts |
Posted - 10/25/2009 : 02:39:14
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quote:
Originally posted by HoardCopperByTheTon
For optimum productivity you need to start with a Ryedale. If you have nearly $1000 to dump every 2 weeks, you should not be hand sorting.
It will also prevent strabismus. |
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rough estimate of copper percentage by weight
