Hard Drive Platters

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tyoon21

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
24
Location
orlando
Hi all,

I was going through some old hard drives. I found a couple that had 4 or 5 platters that were connected in the middle by a metal spindle looking thing. I cannot separate any of them off this spindle for some reason. Usually on the ones that have a couple platters the whole spindle assembly will come apart when you unscrew the thing, but for some reason I cannot find a screw on these spindles. Any advice?

Thanks again in advance,
Tom
 
Most drives have 6-8 screws around the top platter which keep all the platters on the spindle motor. If not try peeling away the labels on the outside of the drive looking for hidden screws.


Post some photos of the drive if you don't find the screws. Do you have the make and model of the drive?

Steve
 
Hi Steve!

Here are some pics of the platters I found. I looked for the screws eveyrwhere but I have no idea where they are. It almost seems like the motor is one whole piece.

The first photos come from a mystery drive. I believe it's Maxent? Not sure.

The second two photos come from an IBM. It says Type: DGVS COMP IEC - 950.

Thanks again Steve.

Tom
 

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The center shaft appears to be threaded down the center into the spindle motor. You will need to turn the center shaft while holding the motor steady. These types of units are sometimes reversed threaded (righty loosy, lefty tighty).

Steve
 
About like a disc that goes on an angle grinder. You have to lock the shaft and then screw the threaded disk onto the shaft. Or in this case off.

Is that right ?
 
Thanks Steve. I'll try it tonight when I get home and let you know what happens. I figure worse come worse I could just crack the platters off manually but I figure that could get messy.

Thanks again!
Tom
 
Couldn't you just dissolve the base metals in Sodium hydroxide and filter out the precious metal solids before the aluminum hydroxide begins to self precipitate?

Fix
 
I actually opted for a more barbaric route and drilled the top aluminum ring in half and pryed it out. Put a couple nasty nicks in one of the plates but was able to harvest about 9 platters. Still wish there was an easier way.

Tom
 
Usually what I'd do is I secure the spindle, get my hammer and a small flat screwdriver and hit the top aluminum ring inwards, then a little bit of prying and voila, all plates just fall off the spindle. Drives like this one are usually SCSI of the older type (found in Compaq, IBM and Dell 2nd generation servers. Besides, If you just bend plates, that'll create cracks on the surface, through which HCL could access the aluminum base and dissolve it really fast, leaving you with nice and fluffy skins to process. Cheers.
 
vince33 said:
If you just bend plates, that'll create cracks on the surface, through which HCL could access the aluminum base and dissolve it really fast, leaving you with nice and fluffy skins to process

Vince,

I agree that bending the platter to crack the foil aids in the acid in removing the foil, but I think Nitric acid is the best acid for the job.

Nitric will attack the base metals in the alloy and leave behind the Aluminum platter and the foils with less contamination. Additonally, the reaction is not as violent and uses much less acid to accomplish the same task. You end up with Aluminum platters that can be recycled and your target material in the foil.

The left over solutions doing it this way take up considerablly less volume and the alloy metals in them can be easily recovered with electricity.

I'm working on a post on this subject for later this week. I've got lots of photos, acurate weights, and some surprising results.

Steve
 
Who cares what the platters look like? Center it over the gap in a vice, then, useing a metal dowel, wack it with a small sledgehammer. Punch it right thru. It's worked for me. (If it won't go, WACK it!) -Y-
 
Hello all;
I have been checking out computer repair shops, and radio shacks in my area for their parts that they have replaced in their customers equip. I got a phone messsage the other day asking me too come by and pick up a couple of boxes of items.. Gladly went the next day to pick up.. I recieved about 60 lbs. of items, included in the items are these ( 7 ) seven hard drives. one of them had only two discs inside but are 5 1/16th inches across the others 3 in each are 3.75" across, these and the rest of the items all for free, how about that ?? still reading through posts for probable returns of pmg's."If the rest are the same inside, When all are opened up I should have 18 x 3.75" + 2 x 5 1/16".any ideas on how much = plat. += gold.
Thank's Mark
 
Hi Steve,

I have been using HCl to dissolve the platters and just leave the foil.

I read your post about using Nitric instead and tried a batch of 25 platters.
How long did you leave your platters to soak in the Nitric?
I can't seem to get a reaction of any kind going, even after 24 hrs.

I realise i'm not going to get anything like the reaction you get with HCl but how do you know when the Nitric has done its job?

Appreciate your help with this.

Kind Regards
Buzz
 
Buzz,

The platter needs to be bent before a 24 hour soak in the acid. Be sure you bend it enough to ripple the foil on at least 75% of the surface to allow the nitric to penetrate under the foil layer. Bending the platter in three or four directions will accomplish this.

I use a 1:1 mix of 70% nitirc acid and water. The acid will turn light blue green (cobalt) and the foils will flake off in small pieces.

I've been trying to think of better ways to strip the foils. Another way to remove the foils may be to spin the platter and shave off the foil with a sharp instrument. I haven't tested this, but it may work using an old spindle motor and a sharp chisel. Dust control is a problem with this method and will require a filter mask to prevent the inhalation of hazardous dust particles. Simply performing the stripping in a wet environment may solve this dust problem. I may try it one day.

Steve
 
Steve,

Thanks for the info.

I use a Stanley Knife to score 5 or 6 grooves in both sides of the platter.
I find it easier than having to bend them.

The temperature in my part of the UK is starting to fall close to zero now so maybe this is what's causing the slower reaction. I think i will try heating the Nitric and see if that kicks the reaction off.

Thanks again

Regards
Buzz
 
lazersteve said:
The platter needs to be bent before a 24 hour soak in the acid. Be sure you bend it enough to ripple the foil on at least 75% of the surface to allow the nitric to penetrate under the foil layer. Bending the platter in three or four directions will accomplish this.

How about sending them through that heavy duty paper shredder? Will that work, or are they too hard?

I'm going to borrow a friends jewelers rolling mill and see if I can roll them out. I expect the surface films to crack, while I expect the aluminum should thin out.
 
GeeDub : I have run platters through the roller befor and yes it will spred out the sruface and expose the aluminum interior, however I was just tinkering and just rolled out a smll chunk of one disk. Your idea of through the roller sounds better than hacking them up with tinsnips (blisters) like I did.
I used HCL to get rid of the aluminum first, still got the foils laying around in a bowl someware.
Ray
 
I just done a batch in lye solution and I have all the foils. I put them in nitric and I am not getting any reaction. Can anyone tell me what is left. I herd that the foil contains between 10 and 30 percent platinum. Does that sound right and what is the best way to get out of the foils. Hot AR or is there an easy way.

Thanks all
Randy
 
All the information I've seen indicates the platters contain between 0-20 PPM (20 grams per metric tonne).

They just aren't worth the effort.

Sell them as aluminum and save your time and chemicals for better yielding scrap.

Steve
 

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