E-Scrap (salvage+refining question)

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R

Rookie Recycling

Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
5
First of all I would like to Introduce myself (and, apologise if this is on the wrong forum.)
Hi I'm a Rookie from the Netherlands, my father (and other relatives) buy and sell scrap metals.so i have access to a near constant supply (free/cheap) of E-scrap.
I'm planning to spend the next few months reading about Salvaging and refining (CM Hokes, Harold V, and the rest of this forum look like the best place to start)
and while educating myself with the theory I'll take my time to clean the E-scrap pieces, and sort them pins by pins, same Karat level etc. in small plastic containers before refining

Thanks for reading so far through my gibberish, time for my questions.
What are you supposed to do with all the stripped print-plates? (are they worth something when partially damaged, in proper condition? or just plain worthless to anything non government funded)
I'm geussing its best to buy only a small amount of acid's at start? (Incase i am a utter twat at it and only salvage and let someone else do the refining part)


Thanks again for reading :) sorry if I'm in the wrong forum.
PS Is there any Myth thread? While I realise this forum is reliable there are a ton of myth's going around over this subject and it would make my life a tad more easy if i could just dismiss those with out a migraine..sorry if I sound needy, think I'm getting sick.
 
PS Is there any Myth thread? While I realise this forum is reliable there are a ton of myth's going around over this subject and it would make my life a tad more easy if i could just dismiss those with out a migraine
Click to expand...

Myths get called out here promptly, experimental proceedures are described as such, and total BS is sent packing.

Read the forum rules and abide by them and your stay may be long and rewarding. Do your homework (recommended reading) and help is easy to find.

Welcome to the GRF.
 
Greetings and hope you find what you seek.

Guess I'm outa here as I'm BS. Billy Scott
I wish I could dig into a scrap yard. Oh, wait, I'll have to post some pics of my garage.
1st and foremost, instead of the TV, READ, READ, READ...
When you feel like it's too deep and confusing and need a break, Goto the main index and look at "Where to find". You'll be supprised what you find where.
Like the key pad on a microwave oven having silver.

Good Luck and happy hunting

BS.
Looking for the "any key" on my burried keyboard...
 
Ah quick question, in the "how to find scrap" part of the forum, is it ok for me to post pictures of various Electronic/plated materials? a sort of catalogue (Since I haven't started yet and my family hasn't done anything with gold, silver, platinum etc in years , so hoping to make a easier to track list of worth while scrap. For myself and other Rookies who are better of with cherry picking rather then plunge into the deep part.)

Sincerely yours a Rookie
 
Rookie Recycling said:
Ah quick question, in the "how to find scrap" part of the forum, is it ok for me to post pictures of various Electronic/plated materials? a sort of catalogue (Since I haven't started yet and my family hasn't done anything with gold, silver, platinum etc in years , so hoping to make a easier to track list of worth while scrap. For myself and other Rookies who are better of with cherry picking rather then plunge into the deep part.)

Sincerely yours a Rookie
Click to expand...
Posting your pics may get a response, but as you have stated, you haven't started yet...... The more 'correct' thing to do (at least, through my experience in being a 'rookie' not long ago) is go researching and learning what SHOULD be done to/with each piece.

A 'catalog' would be a great thing, if it were possible to make. The problem with trying to document each piece is that there are just soooooooo many pieces out there (thousands of manufacturers with hundreds of boards each [at least] - now, that's a big catalog!)! If you have "a near constant supply (free/cheap) of E-scrap" you should be able to see that pretty quickly.

What might be best to learn is how to categorize into 'piles' - start with high, medium and low grade if nothing else - and as you learn more about further processing, you can separate more. At least, before you start posting tons of pictures, go through your scrap and separate each different board into its own pile. You will start to see that there are boards that at first look similar, but have distinct differences that really qualify them for a different grouping. That's when you will see how having a catalog becomes an exercise in futility.

There is no one perfect method, as there are just too many different parts out there, and until you know what you are going to do with them, they could end up in different piles altogether.

That makes your first 'decision' more directed to
- refine it myself
- sell it as parts
- sell the complete board
- something altogether different

The answer to that is found not in the gathering, but in the SELLING part of your business plan. Just what will you do with all the material? You have a lot of material coming in, and you are just starting to learn about refining. You may find it more beneficial to simply break down the material somewhat (removing metal and plastic cases, for example) and then sell off the 'better bits' to someone that would do the refining themselves. Many people on this forum (and I am one of them) do not actually get into the chemical side of things (at least, not as a major part of the business) because of various factors, one of them being that there is simply too much material coming in to scale up that far, that fast (and the waste issues involved with such quantities, etc.). Something for you to think about.

Once you know how you will get rid of the stuff (to me, the #1 question when starting any business!), then as you go through each piece, you will know exactly what to do with each piece! Remember, your process can (and most likely will) change as you progress in the business. The best thing to do is start!

Best of success to you and should you get stuck along the way (after you do a bit more reading, etc.), post some pics and ask some questions - you will find some of the best help in the world, right here on this forum.
 
I would wait for a web site moderator to answer as it will take up space...
But, that would be a great idea to have pics of the most common stuff that is worth the effort.
Maybe a list going from the most gold baring material to the least. As well as other PMs. but as you'd imagine, there'd be alot.

BS.
Wondering where the line is as to what to save and what to TOSS...
 
As you get further into your reading you'll find that several other members have already started threads documenting, with pictures, some of the common gold bearing scrap we encounter.

Rather than clutter the board further you could simply add to their threads with your finds.
 
MMFJ: thanks for the advice, that sounds like a rather good plan. (Since It would be easier to just buy and salvage scrap,and sell the pieces later on in a larger quantity. Then it would be to learn the entire process from the start.) I'll also buy one of those chemical set's to test the gold's quality to help with the separating process (The only thing stopping me from properly getting started is that I am in the middle of having my home built. And I'm pretty sure this homes owner won't appreciate me turning half the place into a PM yard haha.
Still I'll get some parts this weekend, rather intrigued with the salvaging and separating process by worth. (also a glint of gold in my eye..Not surprising since when I was young they called me a crow haha)


PantherLikher: I never planned to upload to this site directly, but hosting the pieces and such on a free website, also not planning to sell any-time soon, will have one very big cabinet that I will use to hold the salvaged stuff in smaller containers, and when said containers are full up the attic with em. (might sell the less worthy containers etc. Once per year but keep the rest for a rainy day. IF I can find a good place to sell , I might just sell all and then buy gold or exchange the worth for it. Sorry for planning to skin this bear before I even loaded my rifle haha )


Gold4Mike Ok will do, thanks for your time.

PS, Panther, thanks also ;)
 
Rookie, I don't think that a gold test set is much help when dealing with e-scrap. All gold plate is done close to 24 karat but the surface area and thickness is one of the differences between high and low grade scrap.

/Göran
 

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