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mj74
Penny Sorter Member
USA
35 Posts |
 Posted - 07/15/2010 : 19:31:03
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I know that some are able to extract the platinum from these,but I have looked on Ebay,and have seen lots of auctions for stacks of them,for very little money,and nobody is buying. Yet everytime I take these with me to turn in with my aluminum,they guys look at them like I am handing them gold. Am I missing something here?
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Kurr
1000+ Penny Miser Member
2906 Posts |
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spartan_b88
Penny Sorter Member
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 20:21:10
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| How much do they pay you for them? |
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psi
Penny Collector Member
Canada
399 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 22:05:45
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| Would older or newer ones have more Pt I wonder? I have a few of them around, some broken and some too old to have much space. |
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messymessy
Penny Sorter Member
88 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2010 : 22:29:28
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| A place close to me pays $.60 or $.70 a pound for hard drives. |
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silversaddle1
Penny Pincher Member
USA
103 Posts |
 Posted - 07/16/2010 : 05:50:04
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There is a company on the net that says there is 35% platinum in the newer hard drive disk (HDD). While this statement may indeed be true, what the site does not tell you is that 35% is in the plating on the disk, not the whole disk itself. And remember, we are talking plating in the microns here. So you would need a pick-up truck full of HDD to get any real amount of platinum. Plus your time and chemicals. You are better off just selling the hard drive intact for .70 cents a pound.
We used to take all our hard drives apart. One day we were at a scrap yard with a 55 gallon barrel full of platters. This guy comes up to me freaking out saying how much money I was loosing buy selling the disk to the scrapyard. Sure enough, got home, checked E-bay and seen disk prices thru the roof. I did sell a bunch of real high grade HDD for a while, but it was more hassle than it was worth. So now we just scrap the whole drive. |
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mj74
Penny Sorter Member
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2010 : 19:55:42
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| Thanks for the information. :) |
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Roadrunner
Penny Collector Member
USA
413 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2010 : 20:24:18
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| I have an old one or two lying around. Thanks for the info! |
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PennyPauper
Penny Collector Member
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2010 : 23:38:32
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I thought I was sitting on a goldmine too,but after reading alot came to see they don't contain that much.I thought the discs might contain silver at first,but learned the newer ones have less PM's than older ones.I was collecting them for the magnets at first.
Any figures on what a typical computer you can pick up on the curbside might be worth in scrap prices these days if disassembled and properly scrapped?Just a complete tower 5-10 years old.
I always stop and throw them in my van,just wondering how many I need before its worth the time to tear them down.
Anyone place ads paying for old computers instead of owners just throwing them out? |
Available again! $100 of Copper Lincoln Memorials for $145 shipped. |
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messymessy
Penny Sorter Member
88 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2010 : 14:43:16
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quote:
Originally posted by PennyPauper
I thought I was sitting on a goldmine too,but after reading alot came to see they don't contain that much.I thought the discs might contain silver at first,but learned the newer ones have less PM's than older ones.I was collecting them for the magnets at first.
Any figures on what a typical computer you can pick up on the curbside might be worth in scrap prices these days if disassembled and properly scrapped?Just a complete tower 5-10 years old.
I always stop and throw them in my van,just wondering how many I need before its worth the time to tear them down.
Anyone place ads paying for old computers instead of owners just throwing them out?
Here's the breakdown of the first CPU I dismantled:
Ceramic processor 1.2 oz at $25 per pound = $1.88
Mother board and cards 45 oz at $2.80 per pound = $8.41
Power supply 5.375 pounds at $.30 per pound = $1.61
Floppy and CD drives 3 pounds at $.16 per pound = $.48
Memory 3.2 oz at $9 per pound = $1.80
Hard drive 1 pound at $.70 per pound = $.70
Scrap steel (didn't measure)
Scrap plastic (threw away)
Scrap computer cables and connectors (kept, but don't know what to do with them or how much they are worth)
It took me 27 minutes to completely dismantle the computer. In theory, this stuff should be worth $14.87. I say in theory because I haven't actually sold it. I used the price list of a local place that buys this stuff, but I don't know if I need huge quantities to get these prices.
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silversaddle1
Penny Pincher Member
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2010 : 21:30:57
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quote:
Originally posted by messymessy
quote:
Originally posted by PennyPauper
I thought I was sitting on a goldmine too,but after reading alot came to see they don't contain that much.I thought the discs might contain silver at first,but learned the newer ones have less PM's than older ones.I was collecting them for the magnets at first.
Any figures on what a typical computer you can pick up on the curbside might be worth in scrap prices these days if disassembled and properly scrapped?Just a complete tower 5-10 years old.
I always stop and throw them in my van,just wondering how many I need before its worth the time to tear them down.
Anyone place ads paying for old computers instead of owners just throwing them out?
Here's the breakdown of the first CPU I dismantled:
Ceramic processor 1.2 oz at $25 per pound = $1.88
Mother board and cards 45 oz at $2.80 per pound = $8.41
Power supply 5.375 pounds at $.30 per pound = $1.61
Floppy and CD drives 3 pounds at $.16 per pound = $.48
Memory 3.2 oz at $9 per pound = $1.80
Hard drive 1 pound at $.70 per pound = $.70
Scrap steel (didn't measure)
Scrap plastic (threw away)
Scrap computer cables and connectors (kept, but don't know what to do with them or how much they are worth)
It took me 27 minutes to completely dismantle the computer. In theory, this stuff should be worth $14.87. I say in theory because I haven't actually sold it. I used the price list of a local place that buys this stuff, but I don't know if I need huge quantities to get these prices.
Those numbers are close, but if you a large amount, they will do better. We can scrap out about 100 desktop units a day if we go right after it. 60-70 per day is about our average. Me, the wife, and 2 kids can really tear up the computers! |
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messymessy
Penny Sorter Member
88 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2010 : 22:28:25
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WOW! That's moving.
So what do you do with all the cables and connectors? |
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mj74
Penny Sorter Member
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 07/17/2010 : 22:40:38
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| I usually toss the connectors in a box,and strip the cables for the copper. |
Edited by - mj74 on 07/19/2010 19:18:28 |
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silversaddle1
Penny Pincher Member
USA
103 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2010 : 07:48:58
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quote:
Originally posted by messymessy
WOW! That's moving.
So what do you do with all the cables and connectors?
Yes it is, but remember, we do this for a living. We have a 36x 60 foot building all set up for computer recycling.
As far as the cables and connectors go here's what we do. Any wire or cable that runs power and has brass pins in it goes right into the scrap wire box. We do not clip these ends off. Any data cables are sorted, ribbon in one pile, cable in the other, then all gold bearing connectors are harvested and tossed into a gaylord box. Once the box is full it is sent to a refiner and the gold is extracted using the cyanyde method.
The wire can bring anywhere from .80 to $1.10 a pound right now, depending on copper prices. |
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PennyPauper
Penny Collector Member
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2010 : 11:21:12
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Thanks for the informed replys.Thats a great breakdown messymessy.
How do you find so many to disassemble? What price would you pay to get a unit on average.
I was thinking to offer $5 to people that would normally just put them out for garbage day.Was looking at some auctions to,but can't really afford to buy or move alot of units at a time.
It's great your family is involved with you silversaddle1,sounds like you have a good thing going. |
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mj74
Penny Sorter Member
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 19:26:04
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quote:
Originally posted by PennyPauper
Thanks for the informed replys.Thats a great breakdown messymessy.
How do you find so many to disassemble? What price would you pay to get a unit on average.
I was thinking to offer $5 to people that would normally just put them out for garbage day.Was looking at some auctions to,but can't really afford to buy or move alot of units at a time.
It's great your family is involved with you silversaddle1,sounds like you have a good thing going.
I never pay for the items that I scrap. If you are looking for stuff to scrap.you might be interested in a site called Freecycle. People list things that they just want to get rid of,so they offer it for free,and people also can post for things that they want. I post on there occasionally,and recently went,and picked up a truck load of computer stuff,and TV's just from one lady. Some people just don't know what to do with it,so if they can find someone that will just come take it off there hands they are happy to offer it up. Here is the site for your area.
You must be logged in to see this link. |
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PennyPauper
Penny Collector Member
USA
395 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 22:41:59
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quote:
Originally posted by mj74
quote:
Originally posted by PennyPauper
Thanks for the informed replys.Thats a great breakdown messymessy.
How do you find so many to disassemble? What price would you pay to get a unit on average.
I was thinking to offer $5 to people that would normally just put them out for garbage day.Was looking at some auctions to,but can't really afford to buy or move alot of units at a time.
It's great your family is involved with you silversaddle1,sounds like you have a good thing going.
Thanks mj74,I remember this site from one of the many home shows my wife is always watching.I can't wait to check it out.
I never pay for the items that I scrap. If you are looking for stuff to scrap.you might be interested in a site called Freecycle. People list things that they just want to get rid of,so they offer it for free,and people also can post for things that they want. I post on there occasionally,and recently went,and picked up a truck load of computer stuff,and TV's just from one lady. Some people just don't know what to do with it,so if they can find someone that will just come take it off there hands they are happy to offer it up. Here is the site for your area.
You must be logged in to see this link.
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Hard Drive Disks
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