Stripping Aluminum Wire, Is It Worth It?

[@seyitakpinar]

I'm watching you from Turkey and your work is excellent.

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks

[@thubprint]

Heck yeah buddy! I’ve been wondering exactly this, I’ve never stripped aluminium. Course I don’t have a monster wire stripper either 😆

[@ProjectShopFl]

Don't worry if you have never striped aluminum wire you are not missing much. lol Also I don't think I mentioned it in the video but the plastic insulation is a lot harder than what is on copper wire. 👊

[@terryjohnson4475]

Yes I think it'd be worth stripping it and holding on to it if you have to we're going to prices go back up a little bit because aluminum's worth or saving it's going to go back up for long hopefully I do the same thing you do I scrapped aluminum and copper and brass and stuff but mine ain't that big wired so mine's all these little bitty stuff but I got hold mine sometime but you know what what can he do you got to go for the money

[@ProjectShopFl]

👊

[@mdouglaswray]

THANKS for breaking out the prices and costs - def money to be made here!!!

[@ProjectShopFl]

👊

[@afineliner740]

Worth it, with your set up. 👍

[@ProjectShopFl]

👊

[@CanadianTreasureHunter]

I have a commercial wire stripper like yours with out a clutch, If it cuts too deep I use the next hole down, I don't have to always adjust the machine, Its worth to strip the larger wire adds up fast

[@ProjectShopFl]

Do you know the manufacturer of your machine? I think I need to replace the blades on mine.

[@chrispalmer6336]

@@ProjectShopFl If you cant get replacment blade, see if a local knife sharpening shop can re-edge them. Will be slight smaller diameter, but you can adjust for that though. Always worth a try to see if it can be done.

[@mattprimett7789]

Just found your channel love it. New to scraping any tips

[@SilverScorpion]

My tip is go slow and learn each mettal. Reach out to us and we will help. Scrapping Scorpion is my scrapping channel. I try to teach as I go. Figure out if you are in it for money, to help the environment, or for the relaxation. That's really the first step. That will determine what angel you approach it at. There is a bunch of scrap channels and lots of info on them. Everyone is different

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks! When dealing with scrap being efficient is key. Like Silver Scorpion said there are lots of channels with lots of great info. Good luck

[@mattprimett7789]

@@SilverScorpion just subscribed

[@SilverScorpion]

@@mattprimett7789 thanks

[@Saltyzero1295]

Thank you

[@ProjectShopFl]

👍

[@Suzu92]

I've been wondering this since I've seen some big rolls for sale. Thank you

[@ProjectShopFl]

If you can strip it quick I think its worth it. 👊

[@jayr9810]

Guess it depends on your local prices, mine runs about 5-15 cents lb more for stripped so it always goes to the yard as is. The insulation is tougher than most all copper wire and hard on the sub $500 stripping machines

[@chrispalmer6336]

My $380 Vevor 10 port stripper runs this stuff like nothing. insulation on it weights about 5% os the total, if even that.

[@ProjectShopFl]

That plastic is definitely some tough stuff.

[@rockets4kids]

Have you ever done any videos on the internals of this machine? I'm particularly interested in how the blades are set up, how long they last, and whether you sharpen them or replace them.

[@ProjectShopFl]

I did a full breakdown and rebuild on it. The blades and everything are original, the shifter is something I added.

[@rockets4kids]

@@ProjectShopFl Did you video that? If so, what title should I look for?

[@ProjectShopFl]

@@rockets4kids I have a playlist called building the copper king I think its the 2nd and 3rd video

[@davidbofin2658]

Really interesting stuff all the way from Ireland 🇮🇪 😎🤠🚲✍

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks! 👊

[@robertlivingstone3947]

Good video good job

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks!👊

[@eby6114]

I wonder if it'd be worth putting squeeze rollers on the second machine. I don't know what it smells like but the only other videos I've seen that cmpare to yours the person built a roller the the top and bottom rotating at different speeds. It removes the insulation by friction. No cutting, no blade. I should take apart my go pro. See if there's a good way to keep them cool. I stopped using mine same issue

[@ProjectShopFl]

Titians of CNC machining build a really cool case with cooling fans for their go pro's. you should check it out. I've been wanting to add a 2nd set of rollers to the other machine. The 2nd one is actually made with the rollers rotating at different speeds.

[@tryingtolearnthis]

It’s funny the video you reference at the end is the first video I watched first and this is the second video.

[@ProjectShopFl]

😂

[@triforcewielder8500]

Hey brother I wanted to ask you a question. I have 297 lbs of copper panels,I can use my orbital sander to get off the patina or green looking age on them. If I make em all shiny again will it be considered number 1 or can I take them as is and will that be considered number 1 copper?

[@ProjectShopFl]

Some yards are funny about the grading of the copper. As long as it does not have any solder, metal, or tin/silver coating it should be #1. I'd take one pice in and see what they say. you also have to look at the time involved with sanding it. I'd call them and see what they say and call around to if possible.

[@triforcewielder8500]

@@ProjectShopFl thank you sir,I just seen your channel a few weeks ago and I'm Lead Carpenter in my company so I always get some good stuff!

[@jbarbatano]

The price difference between #1 and #2 copper may not justify all the extra hassle and expense of sanding. If you have 300 lbs and the price difference is 20 cents/lb, you're talking about $60 difference, right. Idk what copper is going for where you are, say it's $3 for #1 and $2.80 for #2, that's $900 vs $840. Worth it?

[@triforcewielder8500]

@@jbarbatano i spent 3-4 hours prepping the copper and made almost 8 hundred bucks, I prepped it whilst I was at work making 32.10 an hour. The difference in price was about 60 cents so I figured I'd do it for some extra cash for Xmas presents.

[@joecoelho7030]

Hell ya I strip all of those heaver gage aluminum wire! I was getting. 80 cents a pound in Phoenix in the summer don't know now. It's classified in my yard as EC wire and a very pure grade of aluminum! Scrap on!

[@ProjectShopFl]

👊 Thanks!

[@SilverScorpion]

Great video

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks

[@pauljackson5482]

If you could make the copper kings head free so that it rides over the wire, you could put a wieght on the top of it to provide slitting pressure, that would eliminate the need for so many holes and the need to dial in the thickness?

[@ProjectShopFl]

The problem I see with that is I would have to use different weights because not all insulation is the same. Some is thicker or thiner and would still need adjusting. Also my rollers are round and not a v shape witch would allow smaller wire to get off the blade. I will be making some mods to the machine that will be addressing a lot of the issues.

[@ScrapFatherScrapSon]

So the 500 mcm wire is called EC wire and it does being a premium. Last time I brought some I had 220 pounds 750 mcm EC wire and got .75 a pound . I think it was used for power lines on the big boy power poles

[@ScrapFatherScrapSon]

Pretty sure it has to be a certain girth to get that grade . All smaller aluminum wire is like 0.30-.40 a pound

[@ProjectShopFl]

I've never heard that. I get the same price regardless of size. I will be asking my yard about that.

[@harryverboom4032]

In holland its worth it i get a higher grade aluminum price thats twice as much as old sheet and most times we have a little bit of copper on the outside as a ground wire

[@ProjectShopFl]

Nice! I wish we had copper grounds in the aluminum wire. lol

[@maxmacdonald7174]

If the wire free and nothing to do, I do it just to stay busy. Taken on jobs just to keep people working and made almost nothing. It a real pain to replace good help.

[@ProjectShopFl]

That is so true.

[@joshp6061]

8:17 12:04 That’s what she said

[@ProjectShopFl]

😂😂😂

[@johnangelo5567]

I have been watching for quite some time is the king getting tired? Rebuild?

[@ProjectShopFl]

I don't think so, but I have a few upgrades I will be doing soon.

[@stevenschmidt110]

I've been hearing about upgrades for the past year when are you going to just do it

[@ProjectShopFl]

Soon I hope. lol

[@joshp6061]

Dude you did your math wrong. You did 30/105 = 28% which is pounds of insulation out of pounds of aluminum, that’s not your yield. The right way is 105/135 = 78% (Lbs of aluminum out of total weight) and 30/135 = 22% (Lbs of insulation out of total weight)

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks for checking the math. lol This is what happens when you work too many hours. I will have to make a vide to correct this.

[@joshp6061]

@@ProjectShopFl nbd, not a huge difference, not necessary but you can just mention it next time you make a stripping video

[@thescrapmeister]

I'm thinking, buying the Aluminum wire from contractors may be a foot in the door to getting their copper too :-) Maybe use it as kind of a loss leader as they say in the grocery business!

[@ProjectShopFl]

Usually if you can give them a better price or match the local yards with free pickup is a good start. Good luck.

[@aaronhoyes1781]

I sripped a 10 foot section of that thick stuff, by hand, with a paring knife. Darn near took me an hour!

[@ProjectShopFl]

Wow. lol

[@Donutkommando]

My shop throws away aluminum ser and seu cable. Like 4/0 and whatnot. Nobody wants it because its not worth their time but i found out how to strip it with a razor with the greatest of ease. I dont even bother using my strip meister on the big cables. Razor is much faster with those

[@ProjectShopFl]

If stripping by hand if faster than a stripping machine I think you have the wrong machine. lol

[@Donutkommando]

​@@ProjectShopFl with the big wires it's just easier to pull the wire across a blade resting on my leg. I have the stripmeister machine and it works really good but it is not an industrial one like in the video. I use the techniques from your video handstripping like a pro that you posted

[@ProjectShopFl]

@@Donutkommando Nice! Glad you like the technique. 👊

[@Blackmagic42222]

Nice

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks! 👊

[@cditzler6313]

its worth it and I wouldnt sell it to the scrapyard I would sell it on ebay to them anthill casters you dont even have to refine it just cut it and ship it in a flat rate box

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thats a great suggestion

[@SuperRashead]

Why don't you have two drums pushing too each other. Then you getting the plasting cracked and you don't have to have the holes for each size. My father worked at such a place. They had it so easy job but also heavy by weight of the material.

[@ProjectShopFl]

I'm not sure what you are suggesting

[@SuperRashead]

@@ProjectShopFl Get 2 drums, that turning each way, to open the wires. Like this mixer; kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHi1laiCitqFmdE But not this big. Let them role as far as possible. Then the rubber willl open so you can get the copper out. Just a suggest. My father did this rubber mix, and he did also turn the copper out. 😀

[@patrickfluet6328]

Can't wait to see your granulator running

[@ProjectShopFl]

Me too! lol

[@Come_take_em]

That was not the right hole! 🤣 after you jammed it in there

[@ProjectShopFl]

😂😂😂

[@alyssacatanese7222]

I love stripping aluminum ,it’s so easy just don’t pay much about 50 cents a pound here

[@ProjectShopFl]

👊

[@silverlicious2086]

$57/hour? If you can buy it for penny's on the dollar or get it free, I would take it in between the copper jobs. Your monster stripper will make up for it in quick processing and getting a decent ROI.

[@ProjectShopFl]

I don't get it often but it comes with the copper sometimes.

[@silverlicious2086]

More money for Project Frankenstein. 🤣 Lets F'n Gooooooo

[@greekgods3399]

love it

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks! 👊

[@elcajoia619]

We're you really going 154?

[@ProjectShopFl]

Haha, Only in Mexico

[@ALABOTTLES]

That’s what she said

[@ProjectShopFl]

😂😂😂

[@y.lelivelt2619]

The camera was a bit too far away from the action.

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks for the feed back

[@josephd8395]

Hell ya

[@ProjectShopFl]

👊

[@Trophy9869]

“That was not the right hole” thats what she said.

[@ProjectShopFl]

😂😂😂

[@elainerussell924]

Like watching paint dry 😨

[@ProjectShopFl]

Then don't watch

[@elainerussell924]

@@ProjectShopFl actually that was the last time no u tube bucks here 😠

[@andrewhowe7398]

U start to many different projects but never seem to ever get round to finishing them

[@ProjectShopFl]

I know I am a scatter brain. lol

[@bigcountryscrapper6885]

Great video

[@ProjectShopFl]

Thanks! 👊