# New here. I LOVE THIS PLACE!



## Anonymous (Sep 11, 2009)

If I only new...ugh...

I've been a PC tech for ages. Made the shift to Networking. Now made yet another shift to recycling. I've seen more scrap components in my time than I care to discuss...The shear magnitude of scrap makes me shiver. I have always known that the internal value of precious metal in these devices is massive and always was curious as to the process of reclamation. I applaud you all for the time and dedication you have shown to this process and will continue to read and read and read. If information has true tangible value, which I do believe, you people must be wealthy beyond measure.

I am now attempting to understand the best possible avenue for profit in a warehouse of scrap. I've got 40,000 lbs. of old machines, ie: computers, printers, monitors, etc., on the way here in the next week and I am stymied to truly grasp the best possible way to maximize profit. I currently have piles of old CPU's, ram sticks, finger boards, you name it, at my disposal. From what I have been able to acertain from this website, the most profitable way to make the most out of this scrap, without running out and starting my own reclamation station, is to sell via Ebay or some other online auction site. I've read quite a bit of data with regards to the various chips, ie:cpu's, finger boards, ram chips etc. The general consensus is very simply, "It all depends." with regards to gold content etc. 

I understand the very basic principle of "You get out of it what you put into it" which to me means that the more experience you have doing it the larger yield you will get back. My actual desire is to start doing the reclamation process on my own but I intend to start generating money via the Ebay method until I can actually afford to set up a proper refining station.

So...my question is very simply this. Is there any advice that this community can pass on to me so I can finally get started doing this with as little informatio filtering as possible? What would be my best most profitable items to start with? (please don't start in with the Intel 4004 info, I know about that already...lol) I know Intel PPro chips seem to fly off like hotcakes, but I've got 5 gallon buckets full of old 386,486,pentiums, P2's, P3's, compaq server ram chips...you get the idea.

I'm absolutely dying to get started so pretty pretty please advise me, you great big brained people you


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## butcher (Sep 11, 2009)

this is only my thinking so take with grain of salt.
don't start with the High yield stuff, untill you get the Hang of it, learning with the low value stuff, and saving the high value till expierience is under yer belt.


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## markqf1 (Sep 11, 2009)

Welcome to the forum Gromer.
Check Lazersteve's website.
That will get you going on e scrap.
Also, Hoke is a must for beginners wanting to learn some of the basics of refining.

Mark


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## Anonymous (Sep 11, 2009)

You guy's rock! 

I've been to Lazersteve's website. A veritable cornucopia of important info. I can't wait to get started processing!

The more direct info I'm in DIRE need of is simply this. Which items stand to provide the most rapid returns, ie: PPro's, 486 chips, 386's finger boards etc. regariding selling the actual components via an auction site like fleabay. 

I have a fairly good comprehension of how to follow the directions I have been reading, and a good understanding that quality process equals quality product. My mantra is this "It's better to do something right than fast." Now if both right and fast are possible then fantastic, however since I am a noob to this I would rather err on the side of caution. The more capital I have in my coffers the better quality refinement tools I can afford.

So...should I offer "product" on here, via the "for sale" forum and if so what would draw the most capital?


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## markqf1 (Sep 11, 2009)

Wouldn't hurt.
Post some photos and I'll bet somebody will comment.

Mark


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## glorycloud (Sep 11, 2009)

You will get better margins by selling your items on ebay. Just be sure that you
post good pictures, accurate weights and be fair with your shipping costs.
Keep like things together when doing auctions. Put 386's and 486's together
and perhaps with other ceramic CPU's. Put gold pins by themselves perhaps.
Some folks like to process certain types of things as they are set up with
electrolytic cells or can handle nitric acids and aqua regia safely and effectively.

Just start out doing the AP method you watched on Steve's website for gold 
fingers off of cards, slot 1 processors, some motherboards, riser cards, etc.
Take your time and enjoy learning. Then progress up to doing some CPU's or 
pins after you see how the process works and you perfect doing things like 
filtering and precipitating.

Friend, you will find as I did that this is VERY time consuming and you need to
account for the time involved in trial and error, and all the other things you
will discover like dealing with the waste acids responsibly and being sure that
you do this with great awareness of hazardous fumes and how quickly an eye
can be ruined by splashing acids. Think! Think! Think! Study and then
responsibly do! Ask lots of questions as the members of this forum are very 
generous and WISE!!!

Have fun and good luck!! 8)


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## Anonymous (Sep 12, 2009)

This is exactly the info I have been pursuing. Attempting to guess is neither intelligent nor profitable. I thank you for the direction and look forward to the adventure ahead.

May all your chips yield greater gold than could possibly be imagined.

G


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## Anonymous (Sep 13, 2009)

Not to hijack your thread here, but is there any tutorial or thread already started about what should be saved on all computer scrap and what can be tossed? I've been searching around for a while now, but have yet to find much other than how to remove the flatpacks and things of that nature. After these things are removed from the boards/cards, what is saved or tossed?

Thanks for any advice.


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## glorycloud (Sep 13, 2009)

First, don't miss out on resale value of what you are considering as scrap!
If it works, it may have more value than if you turn it into a stream
of metals to be recycled/refined. Search around by part number and
you may be surprised by what system boards, some cards, hard drives
and memory will sell for to maintenance companies and self maintainers.
If it won't work, then off to the bone yard with it for processing. :lol: 

There are many threads here dealing with what to keep for processing
and refining. Search them out and remember to enjoy the process.

Have fun!! 8)


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## Anonymous (Sep 14, 2009)

glorycloud said:


> First, don't miss out on resale value of what you are considering as scrap!
> If it works, it may have more value than if you turn it into a stream
> of metals to be recycled/refined. Search around by part number and
> you may be surprised by what system boards, some cards, hard drives
> ...




Fortunately I have extensive experience with old machines and technology so I can identify older tech that has more value working than for scrap/refining. We have just secured a store front to resell older systems that most certainly have much more value as running equipment than scrap :mrgreen:. 

The recycling side is another beast all together. I've never seen so many people crushing and shredding old PC equipment in my life! It's almost kind of sad to see these antiques being processed...but...the internal value sure makes my head spin since I have started to grasp the precious metal content. It's one heck of an adventure!


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## netseeker (Sep 15, 2009)

I can relate to your predicament. I've just came out of large tech company environment and I'm still trying to get my feet under me and I'm working on both computers for sake and computers for scrap.

I think you need to decide what you want to refine yourself(if at all) and what you are willing to sell on ebay or to a scrap dealer or even take what you have to a refiner and keep the precious metals yourself or the take the spot prices that day for what precious metals your scrap contained - this can be iffy sometimes just read some of the experiences from other members here.

It's the sorting out of different components that will get you at first. I'm a computer/electronics technician myself and I am currently spending a lot of time sorting through all the electronic scrap that I've accumulated in the 20 years as a technician. I gathered a lot e-scrap from many sources and mostly just put it in boxes which was a mistake since NOW I've got to sort it out to see what I've got.

I'm sorting my e-scrap not only by type of board but also by whether I'm going to refine the scrap myself. I'm keeping all the CPU's, memory sticks, etc. with good values to refine myself and sorting the rest to take to a refiner or taking to a recycler/scrap dealer for cash.....decision, decisions.... :roll: 

Everybody on this site has a different attitude on how they value their time so it's to you on how much time you spend sorting, dismantling and just working your scrap. I admit that I tear down most everything I get for scrap but I've the tools and the time and can tear things apart rather quickly :lol: so this works for me. 

I also test any parts I acquire that I may use in repairing computers that I refurbish and sell. 

I'm still trying to figure everything myself but the experts on this site are very knowledgeable and are more than willing to assist when asked....I just need to start asking  .


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## Anonymous (Sep 17, 2009)

netseeker said:


> I can relate to your predicament. I've just came out of large tech company environment and I'm still trying to get my feet under me and I'm working on both computers for sake and computers for scrap.
> 
> I think you need to decide what you want to refine yourself(if at all) and what you are willing to sell on ebay or to a scrap dealer or even take what you have to a refiner and keep the precious metals yourself or the take the spot prices that day for what precious metals your scrap contained - this can be iffy sometimes just read some of the experiences from other members here.
> 
> ...



:mrgreen: 
This is very important data to me. I thank you very much for the direction and moral support.

I've begun with the most obvious...pentium pro cpu's...and the older 386 and 486 proc's. I have a 5 gallon bucket of old Compaq EDO memory...man...I remember when just 1 of these babies cost $1000.00...lol...

I've also started dismantling older Madge switch's too. There is some very interesting gold laced parts in these babies. I have a coffee can that is slowly filling up with gold pins from Cat5 network jacks. Quite a few in the old 24 port switches. :lol: 

I'm planning on dismantling the suff I KNOW is basically worthless and piling up the parts for processing. I'm not currently ready to actually do this myself. I understand the danger's involved and I'm really quite attached to my body parts, so for now, until I have a MUCH better grasp of the process, I'm going with the scrapping route. My mantra for life is, "It's better to do something RIGHT than FAST."


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## Strider (Sep 29, 2009)

I also like this stuff, although I don't have a clue how to make anything yet...I'm just reading all the good info...one day it'll pay off for sure!!


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