Quick Question On Finger Removal

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starzfan0211

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 19, 2008
Messages
68
Location
Arlington, Tx
Hi everyone. I have to say that I just found the forum yesterday and have already learned a great deal. My son and I just recently started collecting e-scrap for PM recycling and have already collected quite a bit. My question is, what is the easiest way to cut the fingers from cards and memory sticks?

I have some sticks that are plated quite a bit, but majority are just on the fingers. I do have a Dremel tool, but was thinking there had to be an easier and less messy way. Does a large paper cutter (the swing arm type) work? Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Also, just to throw out, are there any reputable companies that process the e-scrap especially in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area? I haven't read a lot of positive things about companies on the forum so far.

Thanks for your feedback and have a great day.
 
Starzfan,

I have a video on my website http://www.goldrecovery.us demonstrating several ways to harvest the fingers. I like using a set of metal cutters.

Welcome to the forum,

Steve
 
Welcome to the forum.

First I will say check out one of the members websites.

http://www.goldrecovery.us/

There are lots of great video tutorials there.
A large paper cutter works well. Avaition snips work as well. You have to have strong hands for this method though. A band or scroll saw works to but stinks and creates a lot of dust. I use large metal shears. They are like huge scissors. I am sure there are others that have other methods.
 
I use a tin-snips to remove fingers from cards and memory. They can be cut very close this way. It's slow but if I'm getting over 1 pound of fingers per hour I feel like it is worth the effort. Be sure not to include any components or silver parts. Just get the gold fingers and nothing else. Some people do well cutting fingers with a bandsaw, wear a dust mask, the particles are bad to breathe.

I'm not sure if there are any honest e-recyclers. I'd sure like to find one.
 
I guess it depends on your definition of honest. I like to consider my self honest. Although I am not a large scale e-recycler, and very selective about the materials I accept. I only put to land fill what is absolutely garbage.
 
Banjags,

I am sure you are but I think Manitoba is little far from Dallas :).

Thanks for all the info everyone. We are really looking forward to getting into this for a lot of reason (money being a top one). Luckily we have access to a lot of scrap computers and cell phones. I hate spending money that I don't have to.
 
If money is your main goal. I recommend selling scrap on ebay.
1. The prices payed on ebay are often higher than the actual value of the metal content
2. It takes less time, equipment and materials versus refining yourself
3. You get full value of the metal, rather than ending up with gold that may be very pure but is difficult to verify. (assuming you know what it's worth and you can get top price!)

I strike a balance. I refine for fun and a little bit of money. The most profitable part I have found is in selling useful parts and scrap. Don't let the gold fever cloud your judgement!
 
Appreciate the advice. I have looked at selling some of the more "high grade" on ebay and tried to see what some have been selling for.

Since we are new to all of this, we have been looking at different options. We know we won't get rich, but would like to make enough in a year to buy a car for him and his sister hopefully.

We have thought about just doing our "processes" of separating the scrap (motherboards, cards, ram, wires, power supplies, heat sinks) and selling some of the stuff to local scrap yards and maybe collecting about a 1,000 pounds or so and send it off to be reclaimed. Time is not one of our luxuries right now so a lot of the actual processing is looking kind of difficult. Additionally, neither one of us even come close to being chemists :).

I figure we will give it a shot and see what happens. I think it will be fun just to see what we can get together.

Thanks everyone.
 
starzfan0211 said:
Hi everyone. I have to say that I just found the forum yesterday and have already learned a great deal. My son and I just recently started collecting e-scrap for PM recycling and have already collected quite a bit. My question is, what is the easiest way to cut the fingers from cards and memory sticks?

I have some sticks that are plated quite a bit, but majority are just on the fingers. I do have a Dremel tool, but was thinking there had to be an easier and less messy way. Does a large paper cutter (the swing arm type) work? Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Also, just to throw out, are there any reputable companies that process the e-scrap especially in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area? I haven't read a lot of positive things about companies on the forum so far.

Thanks for your feedback and have a great day.
Click to expand...



For memory sticks I was also going to recommend sheet metal cutters. A method I've used on circuit boards that have a line of plated-through holes right above the edge fingers is to grip across the line of holes with a large pair of end cutters and you can break the board off pretty cleanly. This works even if there is no line of holes to weaken the board but is a little more work. If you have access to a band saw that seemed to work well in Steve's video.

macfixer01
 
starzfan0211 said:
Hi everyone. I have to say that I just found the forum yesterday and have already learned a great deal. My son and I just recently started collecting e-scrap for PM recycling and have already collected quite a bit. My question is, what is the easiest way to cut the fingers from cards and memory sticks?

I have some sticks that are plated quite a bit, but majority are just on the fingers. I do have a Dremel tool, but was thinking there had to be an easier and less messy way. Does a large paper cutter (the swing arm type) work? Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Also, just to throw out, are there any reputable companies that process the e-scrap especially in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area? I haven't read a lot of positive things about companies on the forum so far..
Click to expand...




try to use grass cutter scissors, regardless the quantity of your cards to be cut, quick, easy, less efforts and force, the longer handle the more powerfull.

hope this will help.
Thanks for your feedback and have a great day.
 
Hi steve
I don't remember which thread you had posted your harvesting video but I did watch it. My question is: In the video you said after chipping off the pins and plastic you would just throw them in your AP to dissolve, but later date in this forum you said the sulpheric acid cell is what you would use. Which is your choice? I tried the pins in AP ( usual recipe) and they have been in there for 3 weeks with only 1/2 the foils that came off. Does it take this long to get floating foils?

Well I cleaned up my garage and opened the lid on this bucket to still find the pins still sitting pretty, threw some peroxide in it and 3 days later most of the pins dissolved. Washed the foils and dissolved in mauriaticl+bleach (I only used 1/2 a tablespoon of bleach and 1/2 a cup of mauriatic) and made a nice deep yellow/orange AUCl. I will add this to my aucl batches being processed later.
 

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I have put some of the more stubborn ones in with the next batch
when I get impatient and want to see the gold button faster.You will
get that gold in the next batch.

Jim
 
I'm not worried I have lots of time. I would like to see comments about it so others (newbies like me) who may have the same issue get some info.
 

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