Metal descriptions
What guidelines do we follow in determining what things are?
Updated 2/9/23
NON-FERROUS (Non-Magnetic)#1 Copper is either: A: Pipe with no paint, no solder, no fittings, very little oxidation (green color), and must be at Least the diameter of a pencil or larger. B: Wire with no insulation, paint, or solder. Must also be larger than a pencil lead (#2 pencil) and have very little oxidation.
#2 Copper is either: A: Pipe with paint, solder, fittings(copper only), oxidation, and is smaller than the diameter of a pencil. B: Wire with no insulation. Can have oxidation, paint, and solder and is smaller than a pencil lead. C: All #1 copper that has paint, solder, fittings(copper only), or a lot of oxidation will be bought as #2.Note: to be considered clean copper no steel or brass can be present or it is considered dirty copper and paid a lower price accordingly.
#1 Insulated Copper:This is #1 Copper that has insulation on it, usually made of plastic or rubber. The size of the wires must be the same qualifications as #1 Copper. The price depends on how much insulation is on the wire. This MUST have all plugs removed or it will be downgraded.
#1 Insulated Copper 75%: This is single insulated #1 copper wire.
#1 Insulated Copper 65%: This is double insulated #1 copper wire.
#2 Insulated Copper:This is #2 Copper that has insulation on it, usually made of plastic or rubber. The size of the wires must be the same qualifications as #2 Copper. The price depends on how much insulation is on the wire. This MUST have all plugs removed or it will be downgraded.
#2 Insulated Copper 65%: This is single insulated #2 copper wire.
#2 Insulated Copper 45%: This is double insulated #2 copper wire. It CANNOT contain communication/computer cables! ALL plugs also must be cut off or it will be downgraded.
#2 Insulated Copper 35%: This is double insulated #2 copper wire. It includes any kind of copper communication cables or computer cables and must have ALL plugs cut off or it will be downgraded.
Christmas Lights/ 25%:Christmas lights and really low grade insulated copper wires go here.
Brass is : a metal that can be yellow or red. Examples are: Many water and gas meters, most water shut offs, some candle holders and decorative things around the house, etc. A lot of things look like brass but are either steel or aluminum that is coated to look like brass. Brass has to be as clean as possible. Very little steel is permitted on clean brass. Steel handles on shutoffs must be taken off, for example.
Brass Shells: These are Brass Bullet casings that have been fired. They MUST be kept seperate from regular brass.
Auto Radiators: These radiators are usually out of older vehicles. They are made of brass end tanks soldered on brass tube/copper fin cores. They must be clean of all steel and plastic or are considered dirty and paid for as such.
Heater Cores: Are the main part of a heating system in a vehicle. Are made of brass/copper with lots of solder. Are about the size of a book on average. Must not have steel or plastic on them to be considered clean. Some heater cores are Aluminum or aluminum finned with plastic tanks. These will be bought as Aluminum Radiators when clean as discussed below.
Aluminum Radiators: Included in this classification are radiators comprised of aluminum cores with the plastic tanks removed. Also included are aluminum air conditioning condensers and aluminum heater cores with all steel and plastic removed. Aluminum intake air coolers for diesels are also included here. If any of the above are not clean, they will be bought as dirty at a lower price.
ALCU (Aluminum Copper Unit):These are like radiators which have copper tubes with aluminum fins. They usually have steel plates on the ends that must be cut off to receive a clean price. If they have the steel ends or plastic on them, they will be considered as dirty.
Aluminum Cans (pop cans):These can be aluminum pop cans/bottles, aluminum pet food cans, aluminum foil that's pretty clean, and aluminum food cans. Pop can tabs also goes here.
MLC (Mixed Low Copper):This is a grade of aluminum that is good and clean and is not painted. It is thicker than what is considered sheet aluminum. Aluminum roofing panels, solid aluminum bars, and thicker sheeting and thicker non-coated pots for example are MLC.
Sheet Aluminum:This is a grade of aluminum that is light and bendy. It can be painted or not painted. It is usually very thin. Must be clean of steel and plastic to receive full price. Examples are most aluminum pots/pans, thin aluminum sheets, other misc. thin pieces of aluminum.
Old Sheet Aluminum:This is sheet aluminum or Painted siding that has a low number of steel screws or nails or can have a small amount of caulking. It pays a lower price than clean aluminum.
Painted Aluminum Siding:This is aluminum siding from houses and mobile homes that is painted on at least one side. It must be clean of steel, plastic, caulking, and wood to be considered clean.
Aluminum Wire:This is aluminum wire with no insulation on it. A lot of braided aluminum wire has a steel wire down the middle for strength. This must be removed to get clean price.
Insulated Aluminum Wire:This is aluminum wire that contains insulation and/or the steel middle wire.
Cast Aluminum:This is a grade of aluminum that is kind of porous and breaks rather easily. Aluminum cylinder heads from engines are an example as well as aluminum grill lids and some push mower decks. This must be clean of steel or plastic. It can have a few screws or bolts, but they must be broken off or cut off flush.
Extrusion:This is a grade of aluminum that is "extruded". The most common example is one piece pipes with no joint and aluminum window frames. The window frames must have the die cast insert at the corners removed. Pipes cannot be very thin or they are bought as MLC. Extrusion must be perfectly clean of steel or plastic. It may be painted or not. Dirty extrusion will be paid a lesser price depending on how dirty.
Thermo Extrusion:This is a grade of Extrusion that has a plastic strip down the middle holding two pieces of extrusion together. It should be clean of steel.
Aluminum Breakage:This is the dirtiest grade of aluminum. It can contain steel, plastic, wood, etc. Examples are: complete piston/rod assemblies, complete aluminum small and car engines, complete aluminum lawn chairs, etc. Aluminum Turnings: These are turnings of aluminum that are clean of steel or plastic. They should have as much liquid drained from them as possible or a lower price might occur.
Die Cast: This is a metal that is like cast aluminum, but heavier. It is fairly brittle, but isn't worth much. Examples are: Fake brass looking pretties, car hood ornaments, "cast aluminum" bezels and trim from old vehicles, etc.
Aluminum Auto Wheels:This is a classification for aluminum wheels that are cast grade and from cars and pickups. They must have the lead wheel weights removed and the valve stem removed.
Aluminum Truck Wheels:This is the same as auto wheels, but these are usually off of a Large truck such as a semi tractor. The wheel weights and valve stems must be removed.
Chrome Auto Wheels: This is aluminum auto/truck wheels that are chromed. They must have the wheel weights and valve stems removed.
Whole Transmissions:This includes aluminum cased automatic and manual transmissions as well as aluminum cased transfer cases. The price depends on the size/weight.
Batteries:The price depends on the size of the battery. These are lead acid batteries only.
Electric Motors: This grade includes all bare electric motors including starters, alternators, generators, all electric motors of all sizes, etc. There is a wide range of what is included. These cannot have a lot of extra steel or plastic on them i.e. fans & shrouds must be removed. Pretty much just the motor and the case it is in is accepted. Due to stricter buying standards overseas with electric motors now, complete power tools now have to be bought as breakage and any other electric motor with a larger case around it or pump on it has to be bought as breakage also. Transformers are also bought at a lower price. In order for refrigerant compressors to be bought as electric motors, they Must be COMPLETELY out of their cases.
Transformers:These must not have excess metal on them or be in any kind of enclosure. There are copper wound transformers and also aluminum wound transformers. Each has it's own price.
Compressors/ Sealed Units: These are the compressors off of refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, etc. They must be drained of oil. Usually the easiest way is to take the cover off of the side where the plug goes and knock a hole in there. It's pretty thin metal at that area and then let it drain.
Stainless Steel (NONMagnetic):This class of steel is silvery in appearance, can't rust, is near impossible to cut with a torch and is non-magnetic. It also sparks when it is ground on. There is a cheaper grade that is magnetic, but that cannot be bought as non-magnetic stainless. It is usually just bought as steel. It must be clean of any plastic, steel, foam, etc that would result in a lower price. Lead: This heavy metal is very soft and malleable. It must be clean of steel and plastic.
E-Scrap:
Circuitboards/Motherboards: These are the circuit boards, motherboards, and other misc. video, audio, etc cards and also ram chips that are in computers. We do not buy Brown Boards in this category because they are low quality. But they can include green, blue, or red, etc.
Processors: These are the Processing chips on computer motherboards. In order to get the high processor pricing, they must be removed from the motherboard and must also have the heat sink and fan removed from them.
Hard Drives: These are the hard Drives from computers. They don't have to have anything special done to them prior to purchasing.
Don't forget we also purchase the now empty computer cases as steel. We DO NOT purchase or accept monitors or tv's!
FERROUS (Magnetic) METALS:
Prepared #1 Steel: This grade of steel has to be at least 1/4" thick and must be 2'x5' or smaller. If larger than that, it will go as unprepared. Some examples include:
Beams
Lchannel
Axles and axle housing
Gears
Flat Iron
Front Truck Axles
Frames
Machinery Arms
nuts and bolts if thick enough
Prepared #2 Steel: This grade of steel must be at least 1/8" thick and must be 3'x18” or smaller. If larger than that, it will go as unprepared. Some examples include:
Flat steel
Motor Parts
Angle Iron
Channel Iron
I-Beams
Small air tanks with 4” Hole
1/2 tanks (propane)
Any metal that meets size and thickness
#1 Cast Iron: This classification of Cast Iron has recently changed and now only includes brake drums & brake rotors. ALL other cast iron items Must go as #2 Cast Iron.
brake rotors
brake drums (if large truck drums, must be the one piece smooth drum, if it is the ribbed drum then it is steel.
#2 Cast Iron: This grade of cast iron is cheaper quality and is easier to break and must be 3'x5' or smaller and includes things like:
Fire Hydrants
Man hole covers
Bathtubs, Heavy metal (cast iron)
sinks, Heavy metal (cast iron)
Old Wood Stoves (cast iron ones with no ashes or firebrick)
Clean Tractor Parts
Steam Radiators
Some heavy machinery cast iron
Bare Cast Iron Engine blocks & heads
ALL other Cast Iron Items
Dirty Auto Motors:These are car and truck engines that are complete and have been removed from the vehicles.
White Goods:
White goods are usually considered appliances. We take these white goods as followsPlease keep White Goods seperate from rest of the load. They must be examined and unloaded in a different place. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!
Washers-Tear down top, front, and sides as much as possible from the drum -Remove any metal capacitors
Dryers-Tear down top, front, and sides as much as possible from the drum -Remove any metal capacitors and if gas, remove any thermocouple
Dishwashers-Remove door and any metal capacitors
Ranges-Remove door and if gas, remove thermocouple
Furnaces-Remove any metal capacitors and thermocouples
Water Heaters-Drain and if gas, remove thermocouple
Microwaves-Tear down sides, top, and door. Remove any metal capacitors
We are no longer accepting complete refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers, and air conditioners!!! Unprepared Steel/Farm Equipment: This would include steel and farm equipment that is too large to be considered prepared steel. It includes things like:
Long pipes
Long Channel Iron
Long or Large flat Iron
Discs
Plows
Frames
Axles
I Beams
H Beams
Any heavier metal that has to be cut or sheared!
Combines/Oversize Equipment: This is for combines or anything else oversize like buses or Large farm equipment (large heads, etc). Here are some of our guidelines:
2 ton trucks or larger (like grain trucks or anything larger than a 3500) dock 100 lbs per tire.
Semi Tractors, Dock 100 lbs per tire.
Combines, Dock 300 pounds per tire
Farm Tractor, Dock 300 pounds per tire
Industrial Equipment: This is for Heavy equipment and machinery like:
Forklifts -Counterweights
Dozers
Excavators
Shred:This includes all light metal including:
any metal that is flat, round, oval and any pieces that are mostly body tin
Metal Roofing
Metal Siding
Metal Gutters
Round Feeders
Square Feeders
lawn mowers (with batteries removed)
Whole Car Bodies:These include any and all automobiles and trucks no larger than a 1 ton(3500) chassis. Trucks that are larger than a 1 ton rating (i.e. 4500, 5500 etc) will be bought as oversize!Vehicles should be as followed:
Each vehicle can have a maximum of 5 tires a piece.
Fuel tanks Must be removed and drained. They can be thrown in the vehicle after they are drained.
They should also have the refrigerant from the air conditioner removed prior to purchase.
Vehicles cannot be filled with scrap metal like in the past. We allow a few auto parts in the vehicle, but not much. Not acceptable in vehicles are: garbage, uncut propane bottles, excess plastics, ballasts, or capacitors. In accordance with Iowa law, in order to accept a vehicle, we MUST receive either a legal signed title, junk certificate, Or "authority to demolish" from the county sheriff at the time the vehicle enters our premises for shred. Depending on the age of the vehicle, we may be able to purchase without the listed paperwork as we can look it up online. We can no longer wait for proof of ownership. A new DOT law forces auto recyclers to turn in proper paperwork at which time that a vehicle is processed (shredded, crushed). At that time, the VIN # from the vehicle is marked as such so that it makes things a lot cleaner on the computer system with the state and federal. It also lets them know approximately how many vehicles and which ones that are being destroyed. So because of that new law, EVERYONE has to abide by it. Just having a recyclers license is not good enough anymore! We will withhold payment for a vehicle until we receive proper paperwork for it. But usually if there isn't any paperwork, a friendly call to our local sheriff's office can get things going like they should. If it's from out of county, you might have to contact the one in your county. Thank you for all of your cooperation with this.
Things We Do NOT Accept:-Capacitors- PCB Ballasts-Any type of refrigerant in a closed container or system-Compressors still attached to white goods-Mercury switches-Pane (house window) glass or excess glass in general-Trash-Any kind of computer monitor or tv