Scrapping Copper From A Microwave And Smelting A Copper Bar - How Much?

How much can you make scrapping a microwave? I scrapped one and did the math to find out once and for all! And just to help visualize the results, we smelted the copper down into copper bars for easy reference. Okay, it was mostly for fun, but still worth it! How worth it? Watch and find out!
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[@ScrapPalletMan]

Thub! Great microwave disassembly scrap video! Might be the best one on the interwebs.

[@thubprint]

That means a lot coming from you, thanks S&P! 💙

[@BushDogScrapper]

Agreed 100% Paul 👌

[@easton_F350]

Don’t know why I didn’t expect you here lol thanks for getting me into scrapping paul

[@MattsAwesomeStuff]

Few notes/inaccuracies: 1 - Common microwaves don't have beryllium oxide. I've repeated this myth in the past, but it's not correct. If they did, they'd be spattered with warning labels. Magnetrons that do have beryllium oxide are like, military grade equipment when you need to push the magnetron to its absolute heat limit. It's also very expensive, no one would use it in a commercial cooking appliance. Don't go grinding it up and snorting whatever it is, but you can hacksaw around it. It's just a ceramic. 2 - Underneath those aluminum fins on the magnetron is about a half pound of copper. The cross section of that round slug is at least 1/8" thick copper with copper fins inside, looks like a spaceship engine in cross section. 3 - The square black component you pointed to that is attached to the capacitor is not a resistor. That's a high voltage diode, which, combined with the capacitor, boosts the voltage from 2000vac to 4000vdc. The resistor is internal to the capacitor (or sometimes across the terminals, little rainbow thing half the size of a ticktac). You can't know if it's discharged. Hard to discharge with a screwdriver, easier with a pair of pliers. 4 - The ferrite beads wrapped in copper are either small transformers or inductors (coils). ... I actually have a tutorial series on re-using microwave parts on my channel that I made, oh... 11 years ago now.

[@bond1j89]

You forgot to add that breaking the boards up like that is hazardous as well, and also that if the microwave has sat a few days then there is very little chance of the capacitors having a charge.

[@DanielCordone73]

4 - these components are called toroids. Great explanation about the diode 🙂

[@MattsAwesomeStuff]

@@DanielCordone73 - No. A Toroid is the shape (technical name for a donut). They're inductors (if single-wound) or transformers (if 2+ wound).

[@VelserHerrie]

Good to know. I will take them out and throw them in electric motors from now on. (Still not messing with them...)

[@Geenalee1]

Just went to your You-Tube Channel Subbed and then Looked at your Vids..... and there are only 8 vids up? and the newest was 11 Years ago ?? Why ??where are Your New Vids???

[@gravitybear]

@4:33 That discharge component is a diode, not a resistor. I laughed at "gently persuaded." Thanks for another good video. I actually had a really old microwave not long ago where both sides of the transformer were copper.

[@thubprint]

Oh, diode, that makes way more sense 😆 I get a bit lost in electronic components. I got one of those double copper ones a long time ago too! Not very common these days

[@GastonsGuitarCovers]

Scraped for years, never used the sledgehammer method. I was very meticulous. 😎

[@grandcheetah]

the center of the magnatron itself beneath the aluminum is often made of copper too

[@andrewcannon587]

i haven't figure out how to extract the copper inside the magnatron

[@mr.zardoz3344]

Haha! The very first video of yours I saw, was of you dismantling a Microwave in your backyard. I've been subscribed ever since. Cheers 👍

[@killjoy987987]

I’ve given up on scrapping microwaves, i just clip the cords and throw them in my scrap pile

[@paulcoenen7918]

Understandable for the guys that find a lot of scrap and must keep it moving. Me personally I break them down more than ever with the low shred prices. To me shred is not even earning its cost of transport to the yard lately so I have to maximize to justify. 😊

[@thubprint]

After the number I’ve opened in the past couple years only to find double aluminium wound transformers, I definitely get that! I was so surprised that both of those had copper, it’s become a rarity for sure

[@scotthoward4836]

Can't agree that it might be the best microwave scrapping video when he started cutting wires straight up. Many people have died doing the same thing. The aluminium fins around the magnatron are easy to remove. You left the most valuable part of the magnatron attached which when removed looks like a tiny mag wheel and can be clean up to number 1 copper and the weight its worth removing

[@ryantimmins9479]

Great video Thub. It brought back memories. I was introduced to your channel by your scrapping a microwave a while back.

[@gussuperman7565]

M8 I just recycled a microwave dated 1983 . It was fun to get all cut in the transformer. I enjoyed watching you using the speed wrench on all that scrap metal . Keep up the good work . God bless y'all.

[@JustAskDave88]

Thanks for keeping the video interesting. Cant wait for more dude! Cheers

[@scrapitall200]

Fun video buddy! I always enjoy it when you melt some copper!

[@BushDogScrapper]

CheeRs

[@scrapitall200]

@@BushDogScrapper hey buddy!

[@ADDabbling]

I love to watch me a good smelt! This is exactly how we recycle products for the bars on our channel! Great demonstration and happy scraping! :)

[@BlueRaven16]

Love your content. I've started to get into scrapping because of you. Still a lot for me to learn. Keep up the good work.

[@gargalash9191]

do you do this as a side hustle?

[@vincedibona4687]

“Side hustle”. 🤦🏻‍♂️ I remember when that was just called a part-time job.

[@gargalash9191]

@@vincedibona4687 there is a difference between the two. scrapping on free time would be considered a side hustle not a part time job

[@NeverEvil1]

Always grab the keypad button plastics for silver recovery. Every little bit adds up.

[@Kenthis15]

After watching a lot of videos on making ingots and realizing how tricky it is Ive really come to see how beautiful they are in real life and those perfect ones in video games.

[@adamdaley8090]

Nice melting buddy! Remeber 2 things. Fail with style. And put a square of cardboard under the crucible when melting copper. Have a good weekend Thub!

[@chrisjudd8576]

I like this new kind of videos you been doing. "Professor Thubs Scrap Tutorials"

[@danielmusumeci661]

Awesome video

[@rickmoore]

This is my favorite style of Thub content, it's my form of mental therapy 🙂

[@nachostuff]

FYI the core of the magnatron is copper. Very through and fun video

[@paulcoenen7918]

Ah classic Thub break down and calculate video. Just like the good old days.😊

[@DanielCordone73]

Loved this one! Great video 🙂

[@rockin_coalmangaming6206]

Great video, love watching your dumpster diving content.

[@Home_Run_Kid72]

Great video! I would love to see more videos like this for other pieces you scrap. Much love from Winnipeg!

[@thubprint]

Thanks, and big gratitude from Calgary! I’ve got a couple other items on hand to do the same with, I’m just gonna space them out a bit for the sake of people who skip these vids

[@colloidalsilver5274]

That was definitely your best video ever.

[@joshmallon]

I am now using your hammer method to bust up welded transformers, I always figured the welds would be stronger than that. Thanks!

[@thubprint]

Glad to share a good tip! ProjectShopFl pointed me to the cross-peen hammer (the wedge) and it’s a great choice. That guy has some awesome equipment for transformer cracking 👍

[@medicbabe2ID]

Subbed. Top shelf content. You have a voice for Audible, if no one has ever told you. Looks like I have some binge-watching to do 🍿🥓🍕

[@adey88splace]

"Gently persuaded..." Takes out the hammer...good one! Nice video.

[@PonziZombieKiller]

Fine example 👍

[@dr.a006]

I’ve used an old axe or hatchet (both found in dumpsters) are good for breaking welds on those type of transformers. Hatchet more control. Axe, well, heavy hitter when more persuasion is needed.😅

[@gazs7237]

Hey thub! Can we git a follow up to the silver extraction please. I have a large jar of silver contacts and i really want to extract them

[@thubprint]

I still haven’t figured out how I’m going to do that myself 😞 it’s in the back of my mind and I’m just keeping an eye out for a method that doesn’t need nitric acid because that stuff is really restricted here in Canada, not to mention pretty expensive

[@devilish2345]

I like that I'm learning the different weight systems too

[@marcelwinkelman47]

Like your videos a lot. Blessings from the Netherlands

[@dianeblanchette4891]

Very interesting thanks !

[@DianaRea-nv8zc]

Really enjoyed watching this.

[@thubprint]

Thank you! I really enjoyed making it!

[@bigcountryscrapper6885]

Great video

[@markdukeshire4812]

Great vid!

[@rayl3177]

Great video buddy.

[@vinnienowhere1015]

Great vid thub!

[@jrae6608]

Loved this Great video

[@theodorelueker5057]

Yes love to see you hard at work. Super cool bars of copper. Sign those baby's and put them up for sale.

[@KayleeKerin]

Shirts purchased! I love the designs

[@thubprint]

Thank you so much! I spent probably way too long on putting all those together 😅 but I love how they turned out!

[@Comatose_Era]

Got a question. When you melt the copper down into bars and bring those into the scrap yard do the pay you for bare bright price or something different?

[@thubprint]

I’m going to explore that in the future when I have a few more stacked up! My understanding is you’ll have a hard time getting better than #2 because they can’t easily verify the purity

[@TinManScrapper]

You could put a few drill holes in to show the yard that it is pure. I saw it done with silver, not sure if it would work at a scrapyard unless you showed them this video. Stay well scrapper brother.@@thubprint

[@Mezox13]

I love how you just chuck it

[@mikefuhrman458]

The popping that you hear is backfire in the tip which can be caused by air getting in the tip. Make sure you have a anti-backfire valve on your torches. Failure to have them could be very dangerous if the backfire flame would travel through the heses to the tanks. Take off your tip and make sure the sealing surfaces are clean and not distorted and properly tightened.

[@BushDogScrapper]

This was absolutely awesome Brother! I can imagine it can be tricky to get that right angle for the pour and with tong it might be even more tricky... hmmm It's always a pleasure watching your videos you always got something awesome going on! CheeRs Thub

[@thubprint]

Always nice to see you BushDog! I definitely have a lot to learn still about melting metal but I think I’m getting better lol

[@BushDogScrapper]

@@thubprint it will be my new adventure to here before long I’ve been saving up to get a devil forge!

[@ccartershecticlife]

The centre piece of the magnetron that the aluminium fins are sat around is heavy copper just gotta cut the middle out between the toxic pink ceramic ends

[@daleh645]

Interesting! 👍 🙏🏼🇺🇸🇨🇦

[@NackDSP]

Turned a $960 microwave / convection oven into $9 of copper. It likely had a broken door switch. The microwave broke in mine so we put it on a cart out on the deck so we can bake outside in the summer without heating up the house. It is awesome.

[@cocopufer5667]

Got my sweet sweet black hoodie!! Looks great! That little racoon guy is super cool. It will be worn around the capitol complex of washington state many times this fall/winter.

[@thubprint]

Nice!! Glad to hear you’re happy with it. How is the black fill in the graphic? Is it hidden well, or is the black tone kind of off and more grey? (I obvs need to order the updated version myself lol)

[@cocopufer5667]

@@thubprint The black fill is black not grey at all logo is sharp

[@mollynakamori]

Ooh. I am going to try getting those cool magnets out of the dead one I have in the garage! Who knew that running a microwave empty for a half hour . .. . . . . sigh. But at least there's a couple cool magnets in there.

[@thubprint]

I thought we’d already been down this road! 😆

[@mollynakamori]

@@thubprint - LOL - Oh, Thubbie - who says I go down a road only once!

[@grahamheath3799]

At 4.42 the component described as bleed resistor is in fact a diode part of a voltage doubling circuit. Capacitor will self discharge in at most days.

[@spangdeez498]

The copper - where I live - is roughly $10 .. at around $3/lb right now- and 3.5 lbs, it might be just a tad over $10

[@KevinEllisGuitars]

Cool!

[@MikeySmithJones]

Have a microwave waiting at home for me. Hoping it has copper windings and not aluminum. Thanks as always for the great video!

[@devdecker7812]

I love scrapping . What I find the most of is old computers like used to be in schools , I’ve taken a least 100 of those apart and I get good money for the motherboards , they build up QUICK . A van load can fetch you 1,000+

[@thubprint]

I wish o had a scrapyard that paid for high grade boards! The recycling practice for Ewaste is completely different in Canada

[@iWillSlipKnot]

Thub: “But it’s not my job to tell you what’s worth it and what’s not” Me: “When do you guys think we should tell him…”

[@BinneReitsma]

The thing about stainless steel sorts is the nickel and molybdenum percentage. 'chrome steel' (which is also stainless steel) has no nickel. If you can get enough of the 'magnetic stainless steel' it's still worth around 10-20 cents more then steel.

[@THEATREGOD3]

FUN tip motors are good for holiday FX!! And yes the magnotrons to me i only take the magnets. Also i had my scrap place take those hazardas bits. What does everyone else do with them??

[@billymontbriand1400]

You spent more on melting your copper than you made ! Glad You Tube is paying you !

[@whatarewedoing0]

the center of magnatrons are solid copper..., the part in between the beryllium

[@Treebronx]

I try to use the wire skin to tie up recycling boxes. Also put a little cut into old jeans rip them into thin strips to tie up recycling boxes. Reduce reuse recycle

[@carpentryfirst3048]

What do you do with the capacitor and the pink hazardous ceramic thingy?

[@user-py5qk8uv7q]

As I watched you melt copper in dish, I couldn't help notice the substantial amount of heat loss escaping the bowl. Could a guy not utilize a single brick from wall to set atop the dish off-center, thereby leaving smaller opening, large enough for torch to pump heat in but 75% more efficient at trapping the heat inside where you wish it work on the business at hand. You are a goof, but a good goof at that. Best Wishes, Dan

[@spoon-6914]

I found 3, 2 inch 20 foot copper pipes in my dads shop would It be better to chop it up and scrap it or sell it as whole pipes? Value wise what would it be worth scrapping

[@blackwizardarts]

Nowadays Microwaves have Aluminum wiring... you were lucky to get Copper

[@matt2244]

Wish I had a way to contact you a company in a office tower I work in moved out and the floor got demo'ed last few days has been huge bins of metal being tossed away they're all done now. Enjoyed the video always good to learn.

[@thubprint]

Oh that’s a missed opportunity for sure! Well if you ever want to dm me for something there’s links in the description 👍

[@matt2244]

@@thubprint Ok will do that next time.

[@stephencrockett1277]

Nice bars

[@iffy9776]

The pink in magnetron is not beryllium oxide. It is way too expensive to use beryllium oxide. The microwave ovens in the early 80s had beryllium. They use aluminium oxide..i took apart two microwave ovens they use in professional kitchens and they had two transformers with both the primary and secondary copper windings. Very cool.

[@thubprint]

Ohhh that sounds like a spectacular microwave! I’ve been told they don’t use beryllium anymore but I can’t verify that so I’d rather err on the side of overly cautious. Don’t want to be caught giving folks dangerous advice!

[@larsatkinson6491]

I always bridge the positive end of the capacitor to the metal frame of the microwave. I always thought that bridging the terminals could make it explode like a battery. Have I been wrong this whole time?

[@aureliaa723]

The center core between the berrilium and the opposite end of the magnetron is a chunk of copper and the fins are aluminum

[@thubprint]

You mean inside the steel tube thing? Not sure I want to get that deep in the ceramic! 😆

[@shaystern2453]

most efficient way to do a video

[@trench124]

Magnotrons... between those two bits of dodgy stuff there's usually a big chunk of copper if you're willing to dig it out

[@leehardy367]

the middle of the magnatron is copper bud run your grinder long ways down the center tube then peel away bud

[@user-pl3jq2mc8g]

What brand wire stripper would you recommend. I bought one and it's already useless

[@BinneReitsma]

How much do they pay in Canada/your area for those kind of low grade circuit boards?

[@mitchgingras3899]

With a very small investment, ebay a couple dozen 10amp cherry switches and 10amp fuses. The main reason microwaves break down is because impatient people pull open the door to stop the microwave instead if using the Stop button. By pulling the door open, we're breaking the entire load through the door cherry switch safety interlocks, and destroying them. If the switches stop deactuating on time, the main fuse blows. Just replace all cherry switches and the fuse, and put the darn microwave to good use. And no...I'm not from Vietnam.

[@paulrogers5844]

Do you ever find old minie bike frames I have a motor want to fix one up for a neighbor kid

[@linmal2242]

How much time and consumables did it cost you?

[@Supercheeseburger666]

The middle of the magnetron assembly is copper and well worth getting out....

[@FlawlessFairways]

My scrap yard won’t take bars of any thing do you know where to take them to?

[@shermantripp5246]

Ya if the microwave has security screws I just take a hammer to it even tho I do have a security bit set nd what's in the component that has vegi oil in it I got quit a few but wanna know if it's worth taking apart or just tossing

[@thubprint]

I’m not sure which component had oil in it, sorry 😅

[@modifyman6977]

I do believe that the value in copper is not scrap yard prices. What would it cost to go buy copper? Well, that depends on shape/form and purity. But roughly...your ingots...$10 a pound depending on the stock market. Yup. You would get more on ebay than the scrap yard. Make them look really cool and you can get more $$$. With your overhead in tools...

[@georgefleming5725]

Where did you find that wire stripper

[@awesomedee5421]

Is there something special about that crucible that you are melting the Copper windings or can it just be a steel pan?

[@thubprint]

It is a ceramic crucible and not a steel pan so I assume it’s special somehow! 😆 without having tried it I would assume it’s because steel oxidizes with heat (like a grate on a fire pit rusting away rapidly) so your copper would end up stuck to it at best, or it would crack and spill at worst.

[@awesomedee5421]

@@thubprint thanks. you are a scrapping god. can you provide a link somewhere to where you bought this so we can be your little mini-me and copy you? or can I just google for "ceramic crucible" and anything there would work? I wasn't sure if you were purifying or cupelling the copper with it, or just using it to hold the molten copper. I didn't really see what happened to the coatings on the #2 transformer wires so I didn't know if the crucible was soaking it up, and what kind of flux you put into it. I saw you threw something in, but you didn't say what it was. and is your torch an oxy-acetylene torch, propane, or MAPP gas you use with the torch? I melt aluminum in steel pots and it works just fine, but I haven't been able to get the temps up high enough for copper so I like your approach to just use a torch and heat the copper direct. I'm just not sure what kind of torch you are using.

[@erikjohnson9965]

I enjoy your "voice over" videos. Have you ever considered doing an audiobook or something?

[@mrMacGoover]

Have you seen videos on how to turn a older copper microwave transformer into a spot welding machine?

[@PoFolks_Capital]

Where can i find that video?

[@mrMacGoover]

@@PoFolks_Capital There's tons of videos out there on how to make a spot welder from a microwave transformer, just type in microwave transformer spot welder.

[@Eivindvond]

Do not forget to save the mother boards. There are plenty of gold and silver om them.

[@marcoschouten908]

Where to get that stripping machine

[@michaelbebb4868]

can you send me a link of the scales you used and foundry please and thank you

[@thubprint]

The scale is nothing special but I don’t know where to buy it, I was given it. The melting furnace should be in a link in the description 👍 I think they even have a stainless steel one now!

[@itayedry1234]

Very nice video. I think that the pooping sound from the torch are happening because your oxygen/fuel ratio was too high towards the oxygen. Try opening the fuel valve more

[@thubprint]

Right on, thanks for the suggestion! I thought it was just dirty but I haven’t really used it that much so I wasn’t satisfied with that explanation

[@JohnDisque]

Sorry Mr. Thub but that shaft with the Berrylium rings has a big fat center-piece which is a big, fat hunk of copper. Put it on a wire-wheel and you'll see.

[@Alex-ib6tm]

Where do I get that wire stripper drill setup?

[@thubprint]

It’s the drill powered Stripmeister, I’ve got an affiliate link to it in the video description but you can find it on google if you search “Stripmeister”

[@soonersciencenerd383]

there are silver contacts on the switches on the electronics circuit board.

[@user-zx1wd3tj3v]

Hello, it has good capacitors I need them, can you please send them to me?

[@THEATREGOD3]

just wondering why you would smelt indoors?

[@thubprint]

With the torch? I had the doors open and my garage is extremely drafty anyway, you can see right through the roof

[@timbrubeck4212]

If I’m not mistaken I think you want a little blue cone in your flame

[@rossmoniz5032]

Your videos haven’t been recommended even tho I’m subbed for like 7 months and I was thinking what the hell haven’t seen a video in awhile , well plenty to catch up on

[@thubprint]

I’ve been confused about that too, half my views took the summer off! 🤣 I’ve got a huge calendar of video ideas already planned out though, so don’t be a stranger!

[@ricilgrosjean675]

Salut pourquoi pas fini démonter micro ondes, séparé plastique de l'acier , ??c'est pas bien juste s'intéresser au cuivre,où tu fais tout le boulot de recyclage ou laisser faire ce qui Revalorise les différentes matières