# Value of a complete desktop computer



## Mcnew32(Ag) (Feb 18, 2015)

Hello my fellow refiners,
I am writing this post to get some more information on the value of a complete desktop computer. I have been breaking down desktops and laptops for a while now but never really got a grip on what a tower and laptop actuall can bring completely broken down. If anyone has some figures on what can be made from a tower and laptop once broken down. I have a few contacts through computer repair shops where i get scrap from and am trying to get more information on what i can pay and make from a desktop and laptop.


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## martyn111 (Feb 18, 2015)

The question you have asked is impossible to answer due to the many variables in the make up of desktop or laptop computers. 
Age of the computer, where it was made, its spec can all alter the overall recoverable value contained within it.
Your ability to recover all that is recoverable also impacts on the overall worth of said computer.

By far the best price you can offer the owner is removing it from their property for free, if you can get them to pay your gas money then that's a bonus.


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## g_axelsson (Feb 18, 2015)

It all depends on what you can get for the scrap in the end.

Do an excel sheet with the different scrap categories and what you can get per kg (or pound), then scrap a computer and weigh the different parts. Add it to the sheet and you will know what you can get from that computer.
Do this with enough machines then you can say something about an average value.

Don't forget to add in costs for getting rid of things like plastic, glass or other thing you can't sell and all fuel costs. In the end you will see that there isn't a lot of money in running around picking up single computers. Any money in this game is in quantity, all else is just for fun and hobby.

Göran


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## rickbb (Feb 19, 2015)

A local scrap yard here pays 20 cents a pound for a whole desktop computer. There are places online to get prices on what the parts are worth, boardsort, cashforcomputerscrap, and so forth.

One thing is sure though, you will never make money paying for scrap, get it free or get paid to haul it off is the current business model.


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## Profikiskery (Feb 20, 2015)

rickbb said:


> A local scrap yard here pays 20 cents a pound for a whole desktop computer. There are places online to get prices on what the parts are worth, boardsort, cashforcomputerscrap, and so forth.
> 
> One thing is sure though, you will never make money paying for scrap, get it free or get paid to haul it off is the current business model.



I am new here and upfront will say when it comes to refining, I certainly am not in the know. However there is one thing I know to be true to the buying and selling of any product. The profit is never made in the selling...the profit is made in the buying of that item, with the intent to sell. 

Craig


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## Mcnew32(Ag) (Apr 9, 2015)

I posted this add a little while ago and since then have been logging weights and sorting components. I have experimented with 25 different full size desktops, from dell, compac, hp, prasario, and so fourth. Took me a little while but i have concluded that if you were to scrap out a complete desktop with 1 stick of ram, CPU, heatsinks, HDD, PSU, 1pci card, disk drive, cd drive, wires, MBs and scrap iron you will consistently get 10$ Per unit. Thats just in scrap value mind you meaning no clipped ide ends, no cut gold fingers, no further breakdown than initial breakdown. This is for current scrap prices in my area. This is for just breaking down and selling everything to scrap yard. I personally keep to process ram, cpus, fingers, HDDs, and mother boards for the flat packs and monolithic capasitors. Again this is for normal size desktop towers. I pay anywhere from 5$ per tower or less. When i can break down a desktop in roughly 5-7 minutes im making 40$ an hour roughly


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## Pantherlikher (Apr 9, 2015)

Sorry Mcnew32(Ag) but I gotta call BS... Where in the world are you that you can get $10 per computer just for the "quick scrap"?

Here in Denver, Pennsylvania, USA, there's no way to get more then maybe $4 per computer.

Fill us in a little more please...

B.S.


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## Long Shot (Apr 9, 2015)

Last time I was at the scrap yard with goods they were paying 0.06 cents/lb (CND) for e-waste, they have since stopped buying it.


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## Anonymous (Apr 9, 2015)

Pantherlikher said:


> Sorry Mcnew32(Ag) but I gotta call BS... Where in the world are you that you can get $10 per computer just for the "quick scrap"?
> 
> Here in Denver, Pennsylvania, USA, there's no way to get more then maybe $4 per computer.
> 
> ...



You would do well to know the correct information, prior to calling "BS" on another member. Doing what you did is very rude, when you haven't given him/her a chance to explain first. However doing it, when sufficient facts were posting is just ignorant.That's an easy way to get on the wrong side of someone.
Mcnew CLEARLY stated, that the $10 per computer, was a result of breaking the computer down, and even went as far as to list the components after the "breakdown". And for clarification, if you take a 2 pound motherboard, and sell it for $2.60/lb, that is $5.20 for the motherboard alone.


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## Pantherlikher (Apr 9, 2015)

Forgive me mic and Mcnew32(Ag) for my local dialect. I find it tough to find $10 for a computer. Without fleabaying every part possible.

What Mcnew stated I don't see that happening so in my neck of the woods, you call "BS" indicating more proof or verification needed. 
Nothing Rude or other intended or implied. Just not believing what was stated.

Thoughts anyone?

B.S.


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## Anonymous (Apr 10, 2015)

Pantherlikher said:


> Forgive me mic and Mcnew32(Ag) for my local dialect. I find it tough to find $10 for a computer. Without fleabaying every part possible.
> 
> What Mcnew stated I don't see that happening so in my neck of the woods, you call "BS" indicating more proof or verification needed.
> Nothing Rude or other intended or implied. Just not believing what was stated.
> ...



At this point I am going to assume that you are aware that he/she stated that the computer was "broken down". Going on that principle, I will give you my rough estimate. Now I haven't scrapped out a computer in a couple of years, so these would be rough estimates. As stated before a 2lb motherboard at $2.60/lb would yield $5.20. 1 stick of ram $.50, HDD $2(board, aluminum,steel), cd drive $.50(board) $.30 (steel), CPU $1(or more depending on the type),heatsinks $.70 (1lb aluminum), PCI card $.75, wires $.50, scrap tin $1.80. 
That would be a rough yield of $13.25. Now if someone were to argue that I am 20% too high on my estimations, it would still be over $10.00. Do you understand the potential now? If not I can provide prices and defined weights if it would help.


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## Pantherlikher (Apr 10, 2015)

Mic...
Wish I could get prices like that here.
And what part of a computer is tin?
My scrap yards aren't even close to those prices...so is why I question.

And $2.60/lb for mother boards? Where and how much shipping?
$2. for a hard drive stripped down? huh...
Steel being 6 cents/ lb there's no way there's 5lb is there on average?
Even the aluminum is 48 cents or there abouts.

Maybe yesterday prices but not even close today...This is why I find it tough to believe even $10.
I strip computers all the time but have yet to completely calculate cost per unit but don't par much per batch.

What I get for everything except boards and PM baring stuff barely pays gas. 
The good stuff I'm collecting until I find a good buyer or do it myself. I'd prefer to do it myself but have a long way to go for all of it.

This is why I questioned in such a "rude" manner as I've been told. Not to argue but to see how and maybe figure out where I'm going wrong.

B.S.
... Gold drops? huh...


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## Anonymous (Apr 10, 2015)

Pantherlikher said:


> Not to argue but to see how and maybe figure out where I'm going wrong.


Had you started with that comment, your reception to the post would have been more pleasant, and I would not have gotten involved at all.

All ferrous metal (steel,iron) here is called "tin". 
I looked at 3 sources for prices, boardsort, my old buyer, and my local scrap yard.
If you do not have a personal buyer, I am sure one of the fine members of the forum can assist you in that, or you can look for a category or thread, about buyers.
large socket MOBO's are $2.40/lb (boardsort)
green fiber (no metal) CPU $14.25/lb (boardsort)
aluminum heatsinks, and aluminum HDD cases/HDD platters $.55/lb (scrapyard)
HDD boards are $9.25/lb (my buyer)
gold fingered cards $3.45/lb (boardsort)
cd/dvd drive boards $2.90/lb (boardsort)
power supply's with wires $.25/lb (boardsort)
Tin (steel) $.06/lb 
I only checked Boardsort because they make their price list public, and update it frequently


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## rickbb (Apr 10, 2015)

How much does one of each part in a PC weight?

I've scrapped several hundred desktop PC's in the past year, broken them down and sold them off to the highest paying places I could find. 

And I did not get $10 per unit. I'd say more like $5 to $6 per unit is typical, and that was before the current price drops. The one scrap yard near me that still buys them whole pays $.20 a pound, if a typical, complete PC weights 20 lbs., that's $4 per unit.

Most PC's made in the past 10 years are not large socket CPU's, most are small MOBO's and pin less CPU's that only bring the low end of prices.


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## ssabovic (Apr 10, 2015)

PC WEIGHT FROM 25 TO 28 LBS


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## ssabovic (Apr 10, 2015)

sorry for highcase letters.


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## goldsilverpro (Apr 10, 2015)

I think the term "tin", as used in the scrap metal industry, refers to only thin ferrous based sheet metal.


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## Mcnew32(Ag) (Apr 10, 2015)

Mic,
Thank you very much for clearing that up for everyone here on the forum. I thought i had explained the process well enough. Panther, i appreciate your comment and no hard feelings. Yes this was a test of roughly 25 standard size tower desktop units with all of the basic components. Like i said it takes me about 5-7 minutes to completely break down a tower and throw the different components into bins. I did not create a spread sheet which i probably should have for everyone here on the forum to see but it was just scratch paper for each tower. Just wanted to see what the average yield would be for just scraping everything. The 10$ per tower quote does not include the further breaking down of the HDD, clipping of gold fingers, sorting of different grade aluminum or the separating of wire from power supply. If anyone has any questions about anything please let me know. Again Mic thank you very much.


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## Mcnew32(Ag) (Apr 10, 2015)

Rick,
Thank you for your comment. This price is for a 100% complete normal size desktop. And the 10$ is an average price some a little less and some a little more. Current scrap prices are way low right now as well. So there's really only room to move up. Obviously the further you clip, snip and separate the more you will make.


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## Barren Realms 007 (Apr 10, 2015)

Mcnew32(Ag) said:


> Rick,
> Thank you for your comment. This price is for a 100% complete normal size desktop. And the 10$ is an average price some a little less and some a little more. Current scrap prices are way low right now as well. So there's really only room to move up. Obviously the further you clip, snip and separate the more you will make.



Always remember there is room to move down too.


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## acpeacemaker (Apr 10, 2015)

How much are you actually breaking down? 
Kind of a small rundown from my past.
All wires were stripped for clean number 2.
A lot of disk drives have brass. Which a punch set helps on these because a lot of it is mechanically pressed. Some had boards some didn't. The ones that had boards usually held a ring of copper coils behind the magnetic ring.
Most transistors I have found to be copper. Plastic was crushed or incinerated. Not the prettiest copper but still added to the no. 2 pile.
Heat sinks should be counted as extruded aluminum. Usually .05 to .10 cents more than your other aluminum.
Hard drives of course the aluminum body. Tops I usually found to be magnetic. I actually found a place that would buy my magnets. Platters went into the aluminum pile as well.
Breaking the power supply down or selling as is? There is copper, aluminum, and I was still able to sell the board.
Of course you still have the motherboard and components as already stated above. 
It really boils down to how much you actually are stripping down.
The pic is a current price sheet from a yard I used to frequent in the midwest. Their prices have really dropped since I've done anything. They also had an e-cycle sheet but prices were really terrible.
There was a lot of other posts when I was trying to post this so it may be good/no good.

Andrew


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## Mcnew32(Ag) (Apr 10, 2015)

That is for just breaking down the desktop in the simplest form. Not spending any extra time breaking down spacific components. It was just an experiment. Obviously there is more profit there.


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## Goldwasser (Apr 10, 2015)

My experience:

I am asked this question several times a day. It is next to impossible to make a typical price for various reasons.

The age of the computer is the primary factor and those are becoming fewer and far between, so any "average" we generate would be on forever declining scale. We now buy more small sockets than large, and metal sockets are slowly gaining on the majority, soon to surpass the smalls, held back only because of low value and shipping concerns.

But when pressed for an answer I tend to suggest beteen $7 and $16 per pc, again based primarily on age. Obviously a 486 will bring more than a pinless P4.

So I concur with Mcnew32(Ag)'s findings. $10 average (before shipping) is spot on.

I provided the examples, best case scenario, worst case scenario and average scenario. I did not calculate steel or plastic nor did I consider keyboard/mice. This is only a rough estimate so it should not be used or considered as an absolute.

BEST:
1 Ounces of Hard Drive Boards at $7.50 per pound = $0.47
1 Ounces of 386/486 CPUs at $100.00 per pound = $6.25
3 Pounds of CD/Disk/Floppy Drives at $0.15 per pound = $0.45
3 Pounds of Power Supply Box with Wire at $0.25 per pound = $0.75
2 Pounds of Hard Drive without Board at $0.35 per pound = $0.70
8 Ounces of Mixed Wire at $0.50 per pound = $0.25
1 Pounds of Aluminum Heat Sink at $0.40 per pound = $0.40
2 Pounds of Large Socket Motherboard at $2.40 per pound = $4.80
8 Ounces of Gold Finger Cards at $3.45 per pound = $1.73
3 Ounces of Peripheral Board at $1.25 per pound = $0.23
1 Ounces of CD-Rom DVD Drive Boards at $2.90 per pound = $0.18
1 Ounces of Silver Memory at $5.00 per pound = $0.31

Total Weight: 12.4375 lbs
Total Payout: $16.52

WORST:
1 Ounces of Hard Drive Boards at $7.50 per pound = $0.47
1 Ounces of No Pin Processors at $3.75 per pound = $0.23
2 Pounds of CD/Disk/Floppy Drives at $0.15 per pound = $0.30
3 Pounds of Power Supply Box with Wire at $0.25 per pound = $0.75
2 Pounds of Hard Drive without Board at $0.35 per pound = $0.70
8 Ounces of Mixed Wire at $0.50 per pound = $0.25
1 Pounds of Aluminum Heat Sink at $0.40 per pound = $0.40
1.5 Pounds of Metal Socket Motherboard at $1.05 per pound = $1.58
8 Ounces of Gold Finger Cards at $3.45 per pound = $1.73
3 Ounces of Peripheral Board at $1.25 per pound = $0.23
1 Ounces of CD-Rom DVD Drive Boards at $2.90 per pound = $0.18
0.6 Ounces of Gold Memory at $13.25 per pound = $0.50

Total Weight: 10.9125 lbs
Total Payout: $7.32

AVERAGE:
1 Ounces of Hard Drive Boards at $7.50 per pound = $0.47
1 Ounces of Pentium/Mac Ceramic at $30.00 per pound = $1.88
2 Pounds of CD/Disk/Floppy Drives at $0.15 per pound = $0.30
3 Pounds of Power Supply Box with Wire at $0.25 per pound = $0.75
2 Pounds of Hard Drive without Board at $0.35 per pound = $0.70
8 Ounces of Mixed Wire at $0.50 per pound = $0.25
1 Pounds of Aluminum Heat Sink at $0.40 per pound = $0.40
1.5 Pounds of Large Socket Motherboard at $2.40 per pound = $3.60
8 Ounces of Gold Finger Cards at $3.45 per pound = $1.73
3 Ounces of Peripheral Board at $1.25 per pound = $0.23
1 Ounces of CD-Rom DVD Drive Boards at $2.90 per pound = $0.18
0.6 Ounces of Gold Memory at $13.25 per pound = $0.50

Total Weight: 10.9125 lbs
Total Payout: $10.98

Hope this helps those who are trying to pin down a price.


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## Goldwasser (Apr 10, 2015)

Mcnew32(Ag) said:


> That is for just breaking down the desktop in the simplest form. Not spending any extra time breaking down spacific components. It was just an experiment. Obviously there is more profit there.



Be careful how far you breakdown. At a certain point you are actually losing money. Case in point: Trimming Fingers

Unless you are refining (and even then it is a push) you are better to leave the fingers on the cards/memory than trim them.


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## Barren Realms 007 (Apr 10, 2015)

Goldwasser said:


> Mcnew32(Ag) said:
> 
> 
> > That is for just breaking down the desktop in the simplest form. Not spending any extra time breaking down spacific components. It was just an experiment. Obviously there is more profit there.
> ...



I don't see anything in there on the metal and plastic for the cases and such, or am I missing that?


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## Mcnew32(Ag) (Apr 10, 2015)

I'll tell you guys what here is what I'll do for you all. Because i scrap a couple nights a weeks for a couple hours i will donate that time to you guys. I have roughly 300 various desktops, around 100 various servers, 25+ switches, 500+ HDDs. Well you get it. I have started tonight with a dell Poweredge 2650. Ill take a couple pictures of each unit and i will log the weights of scrap metals, boards, plastics and precious parts such as cpus and ram. I will log exact amounts and weights and convert them to actual scrap values so everyone can see exactly to date what a certain unit will bring from scrap. If anyone has any requests on values ( besides pm values) please ask. I will eventually get to the pm processing but just do not have the time with everything that still needs to be broken down for scrap. Like i said above if anyone has a spacific value they want to know please ask. I may be starting a youtube channel as well showing each component i break down weights and actual current scrap values.


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## Pantherlikher (Apr 10, 2015)

Mcnew32(Ag)
It's not so much as what each piece brings...good to know though when deciding what to pay for them, but more of what's included in figuring your payout.

Now knowing you have so much you process gives a better idea the volume you have and can get better prices for.
That much volume coming you can't possibly keep anything for self processing, like fingers and memory. 

Also, I don't know about your area but around here, I might get about 30% of Pcs with the basics inside. Most don't have a hard drive as the owner is so paranoid that something might be worth hacking into. Some are stripped of the better pieces like Hds, Ram, Processors, etc

That aside, I'm guessing you can ship high volumes out to get better prices. Heat sinks for instance are taken as clip around here but all AL only pays less then 48 cents/ lb. but really? there's a pound of AL inside with out taking more out or power supplies?
insulated wire with ends cut are under 50 cents right now which is bad for here even... 

It's probably my neck of the woods, less densely populated so small scrap yard = bigger costs for them.

Granted, I still have any and all boards I've touched so without those $$$ I can see less then $10 each. This seems like my problem with your figures. 

If you're going to take pictures and come up with per piece price, I'd say you don't need to show the process, maybe just a pic with what you do get today. Maybe even how you sell. Like gay-lord boxes shipped somewhere. Local yard, Add something like how you see to give a better understanding of how you get what you get.

Just food for thought and thanks for what ever you add to the forum.

B.S.


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## FrugalRefiner (Apr 13, 2015)

This thread was locked because several members started discussing some old baggage here. I have split the thread and moved the off topic discussion to the Debates and Discussions section.

I've unlocked this thread so that the on topic discussion can continue.

Dave


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## rickbb (Apr 13, 2015)

Since it's now been unlocked I'll post my typical desktop.

HP DX2400 model, fits more in line with Goldwasser's "worst" PC.

I do not break down the HDD's to separate the board from the drive. I sell them whole, I don't think the extra pennies I might gain is worth the time to fiddle with those tiny star screws.

I also keep the pin less CPU and trim the fingers on RAM and PCI cards to process myself, then sell the trimmed RAM and cards.

Total desktop weight = 18 lbs. $3.60 if sold whole to local scrap yard.

power supply with wire = 4 lbs. $ 1.08
HDD whole = 1 lb. $.70
CD/DVD whole = 1.4 lbs. $.22
Metal small socket motherboard = 1 lb. (all heat sinks and steel brackets removed) $1.55
1 RAM stick trimmed = 0.5 oz. $.05
PCI card trimmed = 3 oz. $.30
Empty steel case = 9.5 lbs. $.57

Value scrapped this way = $4.40, based on prices posted online today my usual buyers site. (I have not added the value of gold that I get from processing my own fingers and CPU.)


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## Goldwasser (Apr 13, 2015)

rickbb said:


> I do not break down the HDD's to separate the board from the drive. I sell them whole, I don't think the extra pennies I might gain is worth the time to fiddle with those tiny star screws.



Those star screws are a pain for sure. But did you know that it is not necessary to remove them?

The hard drive board can be easily and quickly removed using a robust flat head screw driver forced strategically under the IDE socket. With a combination of pushing and prying you can pop that board off in a matter of seconds. 

If it damages the board somewhat, no big deal, these are never going to be put into service. 

With practice it is possible to de-board 5 drives a minute.


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## Mcnew32(Ag) (Apr 13, 2015)

I started posting my scrap values on another thread. I will be posting periodically random units with pictures. I will post a desktop picked at random from my pile.


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## Anonymous (Apr 13, 2015)

rickbb said:


> I do not break down the HDD's to separate the board from the drive. I sell them whole, I don't think the extra pennies I might gain is worth the time to fiddle with those tiny star screws.
> 
> I also keep the pin less CPU and trim the fingers on RAM and PCI cards to process myself, then sell the trimmed RAM and cards.



It's truly interesting to see what prices you guys get over in the US for your e-waste. 

Rick I can add a different perspective to a couple of your points. Since the drop in base metals pricing in many it is now worth removing the HDD boards. The price difference between complete HDD and drives without boards used to be £220 per Kg (sorry but I'm speaking in European) and now it is merely £20, downwards.

HDD board should realise up to £12 per Kg or $7.97 per lb. Separated they are worth far more than left whole. I would agree though that this difference is more marked with older drives than the new drives with partial boards.

Pinless CPU are truly terrible yields and are better off being sold as working procs or by weight, but I'd be interested to see how much the card and ram fingers are really costing you when you compare the trimmed and untrimmed price? 


Cheers

Jon


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## edsikes (Apr 14, 2015)

wow. i havent tracked my yields or losses/gains in the ways you guys have i have several local guys around that i buy all scrap pc towers from for 2 bucks each i get a few that the best parts have been yanked but 90+ percent are majority complete, but at two bucks each i feel that i have been doing pretty good... and have made a good rapport with these guys, i pay my standard prices to them .25 a stick gold tipped ram, .10 a stick silver tipped .25 each for various finger cards and .50 each for motherboards and a quarter each for hard drives, that they disabled. im currently sitting on about 80 hard drives and at an average weight of 510 grams thats 90 lbs at .70 a lb. and as for the ram, hell i get an average of 55 to 60 cents each on fleabay for them ive got some guys that im buying two and three hundred sticks at a time for 75 bucks.... been doing pretty good so far... now if i could ever get that pesky gold filled business to pick up better here....


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## Mcnew32(Ag) (Apr 16, 2015)

Anyone live close to canton ohio?


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