Scrapping a Vacuum Cleaner for Copper and Pouring an Ingot! How Much?

Wire stripper I use: amzn.to/3sirg18
The motorized stripper: amzn.to/3y0JMuQ
The wire cutters I like: amzn.to/2T6j3OW
This is the cheaper version: amzn.to/2SwrYsB
And here are those grips I recommend: amzn.to/2QCJmYl
(If you make a purchase on amazon through the links above, a small amount of what amazon makes on the sale is shared with me. It's a great way to help support my channel, at no additional cost to you. Even if you buy something other than my tool recommendations!)
Please like/share this video if you enjoyed it, and subscribe to thubprint!
/ @thubprint
I love mail! You can send me some here if you like:
Thubprint
PO BOX 99900 RF 764 740
RPO WESTBROOK
CALGARY AB
T3C 1B6
/ thubprint
/ thubprint

[@MikeySmithJones]

As a teacher with access to the dump metal bin in my rural town, I plan to scrap copper this summer with my son. Thanks for the videos! Great to see a lot of what I will be expecting this summer.

[@bentleyalder5492]

Lol, I've scrapped a ton of these and in the motor teardown I wanted to reach a hand through the screen to your shoulder and say on almost all of them the nut is reverse threaded. Also inside the plastic cord spool, there's a pair of nice, circular brass contacts 🥰 thought opening their housing is always a pain lol

[@michaeldenison7339]

Something to know about that nut in the motor . . . usually they are reverse thread. You were probably tightening it, not loosening it.

[@jamespatterson8512]

You had a cool piece of copper art there, for a minute. 😂

[@richavic4520]

Lobster

[@joeluk123]

Love the scrapping out vids. Been watching your channel for a while now and have also though about getting into the smelting aspect. Keep kick ass man, these vids are awesome to watch and entertaing as heck!

[@thubprint]

Thanks so much! They don’t seem to be as popular so I think I’d better dial them back a bit, but I still think it’s a valuable series and I’m really enjoying making them 👍

[@joeluk123]

@@thubprint They are valuable. It's nice to know what you can aquire from these objects that are valuable. Maybe not one or two but after 50 you got a box of decent stuff!

[@wozzajayscrapping9056]

Your pouring skills are improving, keep it up👍♻️✌

[@katrinamathis393]

That's so beautiful. What a great success. Your videos are seriously the most calming thing I watch, lol. I enjoy the simple can runs to estate sales. ❤

[@bobbycalcote]

I save the motors and stuff for a rainy day. I did buy the stripmeister after I seen your review video. That thing is awesome!

[@thatcanada]

Made in Canada quality!

[@Immigrationsituation]

Also love these videos because I side scrap. I don't do it for now. I've got the room so I've been saving whatever I come across for a day when metal prices go crazy. I do come across tons of computer parts and hard drives. So much to learn on that stuff. That's my goal this winter. Figure out all the goodies in a computer so I can make room for more. One of my jobs is for a computer place and they let me take from the recycling bin every week. There is so many hard drives and stuff I just grab 4 to 5 a week and throw them in the pile till I figure it out what's good to keep.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Along with others, I thought the accidental spill may become an abstract art piece! Perhaps when you have finished making bars, you can come up with a coin mold and start pouring & stamping your own Thub currency!

[@zerocool7772]

I love your channel, mate. I've learnt alot from watching your videos. 🍻👍🇦🇺

[@theaussienurseflipper.8113]

Lol Chris.

[@NeverEvil1]

Copper ingots are selling for about 4x scrap price per pound. Is it worth it 🤷‍♂️ depends if you like melting copper and dealing with eBay fees and shipping.

[@mitchelgonzales86]

really appreciate you making these videos, really a big help and enjoyable to watch.

[@scrapman502]

The Nut on the vacuum motor is REVERSE Thread! They always are! I've found the best way to get the copper off the rotor is just to put the thing in a fire for about 10 minutes and burn off all the glues and insulation. , The wire will just fall right off then.

[@afineliner740]

I do enjoy this series of videos, always interesting. 👍

[@thubprint]

Thank you! I’m having fun making them!

[@gravitybear]

Oh, man! I'm glad you were safe from that splash. I would have framed that long splash piece.

[@joshp6061]

Love the take apart plus melt vids

[@unclemeat7310]

When you spilled your pour and pried it off the brick I thought that it looks like art when it's brushed up. I could see something like that in a poured epoxy table top or something similar. I would definately try it if I still had my shop. Love the content, slowly working my way through.

[@apologeticswithvladimir]

interesting process, thank you for sharing

[@jamespatterson8512]

The really small wire will loose some during the melting process. It burns up. I used Bare Brite wire that I stripped out of Romex or #1 wire and didn’t loose anything. Measured out 6.5 lbs and after brushing the ingots it still measured the same. Just FYI.

[@rjhooper9226]

I learned that the hard way too with my stripmeister. Probably about a year ago I got like 50lb of this super thin wire they use in elevators. I stripped it all not checking and it was all spiky dust. I ended up putting gloves on and just sweeping it off the floor lmao

[@soerenbode]

I love/hate vacuums. Finding the screws is always hilarious. Inside the "cord wind-up thingy" there are some small brass or sometimes copper pieces hidden. Just for the microscrappers out here - but if you bust it open at all, why not go the extra inch? (Oh, beware of the spring!) Nice video. Thx

[@adamdaley8090]

Right after you stripped the fist wire there was a Stripmiester ad👍 i like these breakdown videos. Have a rad weekend broseph.

[@vinnienowhere1015]

Cool vid thub! I never picked up a vacuum to scrap out. Nice to see someone else do it. How long did it take to melt the copper? Tc

[@daves2822]

Cool video, I never saw that steipping machine before. Used to sit and use manpower to remove copper when i was a kid. Im sure the recycling guy will appreciate it in ingot form!!.

[@SaulGoodman926]

that copper spill was pretty cool looking

[@joeybuldo3008]

11:45 I’ve lost to these so manny times I don’t even bother anymore

[@thubprint]

Yup. Even if I could get it cleaned with a torch or something, the value isn’t there

[@davea5150]

Can't beat the good ole 4.5" electric cut-off electric grinder!!!😊

[@Immigrationsituation]

I love your videos. I promise your just a bit ahead of your time. I'm a silver stacker as well. The last half of this decade will be the decade of metals and people a few years from now will be flooding to your videos to figure out how to do this stuff.

[@2ndPortal]

Why do you think there will be no more copper left?

[@onemellofahess]

The nut on the vacuum fan is usually reverse threaded.

[@nathanhornaday3114]

Great job.....live and learn....🇺🇲👍

[@matthewduckworth7563]

Just discovered your channel and love the videos. Is that an oxyacetylene torch you use to melt the metal?

[@mollynakamori]

There is so much I love about this video! Starting with "WHAM WHAM - Found it." I think the hammer tickles me so much because my dad always called these "carpenters' adjustments." It's rather bracing to see how much is completely unusable in these sorts of appliances. Did we say the same thing when it tipped? Thank goodness for voice over, eh? Thanks, Thub.

[@pianochannel100]

Thumb detectors :)

[@its_marc]

Good advert for safety gear there 😳 cheers Thub

[@bigredbullion3883]

Great video

[@PIOWOL1]

Great job my friend have a great day 👍

[@ke8mattj]

I find just taking off the cord and separating the cloth rope and the wires really the only thing worth it. It's what my random wire ham radio HF antenna is made of. It's not the best, but it works. The cloth rope thing I've done a lot of weaving with and made some cool things like water bottle holders and slings.

[@johnwalding9457]

i did wear a respirator and latex gloves when i removed the stuff from the bag.

[@cindyhopkins3989]

Good video

[@mikeanderson1139]

Interesting as usual with your vids. Like you, I will scrap anything. Left hand threads(lefty tighty, righty loosy)

[@steveciarico9824]

Good job!!

[@thubprint]

Ty!

[@FogartyAvenue]

Magnificent.

[@scrapnjunk81]

Cool. Here in Atlantic Canada I get shred price for all my plastic. Thanks for sharing

[@bobcraft1966]

That look like fun, I'm taking my shampooer apart to fix it, I got it apart going to work on motor tomorrow

[@thubprint]

Hopefully you can get it figured! The scrap and melt is fun but obvs kind of a waste compared to fixing something

[@vincedibona4687]

Video #3 asking for @Devil Forge to get this man a proper furnace for melting metal! He doesn’t even need the big 10k model, just a small one would fit his needs.

[@vincedibona4687]

@9:32 - approved

[@thubprint]

I emailed them, no reply lol. I don’t think they see any value in the numbers my vids get

[@vincedibona4687]

@@thubprint Dangit! Well, maybe we Thubprints can help. Email it is!

[@theaussienurseflipper.8113]

I like how U had the right socket ready. Have U ever heard of left-handed threads. Where you undo it by turning clockwise..

[@boblamb8421]

Wondering where you obtained the stuff to melt and form the ingot? I have a torch. I'd like to try your method. Thanks

[@frutzu7295]

These kind of videos are fun

[@thubprint]

Thank you! I have a lot of fun doing them!

[@Ma_Deuce_338]

Nice vid thub. I have given up vacuums as I seem to have more cost in plastic waste disposal than in actual recovery. The spill was unfortunate... no harm no foul but a good live training event. Have you tried to move any poured ingots? I was curious as to your experience and reception with the yard. Thanks man! Looking forward to the next installment.

[@jonglewongle3438]

Nearly all scrappers won't have a bar of vacuum cleaners, but they will lap up the juicy cords.

[@bread-gz3rl]

I collect vacuums, nice to see the plastic Walmart shit taken care of properly. Although for the older ones I'd check to see if they're worth anything. My favorite method of getting into these cheap junk ones is just cut all the extra crap off with a sawzall and rip the motor out with giant channellocks. I was waiting for the cord rewind to explode lol.

[@andrewcannon587]

how would old vacuums worth anything other than basic metals?

[@bread-gz3rl]

@@andrewcannon587 collectors, like me, I've seen 80s hoovers go for like 250$

[@andrewcannon587]

@@bread-gz3rl dust included? :D :D I see your point. The current made in china craps are really short life disposable products, bad for the environment because they filling up the landfill.

[@peterlachance1333]

Hey are you from Halifax? That maxwells plum plate you were using to weigh in on was from a bar in Halifax

[@theodorelueker5057]

Love your destruction videos. That little spill was super cool. Happy little accidents. I would have left it as art. Love your melt down videos.

[@transamdoctor1040]

The nut on the motor is reverse thread.

[@andrewcannon587]

lol, poor thub

[@joselbazcom4221]

The name for the abstract art piece from the spill can be "The Scrapped Copper Spill". Well, on a serious note, thanks a lot for the demonstration. Vacuum cleaners may have too much plastic to tear apart, but for a fun time, the amount of copper, steel and aluminum is worth doing it.

[@Kreacher1974]

The last dozen of so vacuum cleaners I found had aluminum windings so I don't bother stripping them down and just throw them in the small motors pile.

[@vincedibona4687]

Also, thank you for reminding me why I just toss vacuums in the shred pile. I get $1.50-$2 each that way and it takes no extra time. I know, and I know, and I know, but I’d rather spend that time looking for more scrap!

[@thubprint]

Oh I wouldn’t give you a hard time for that! Taking them apart for that little motor is very much not worth it

[@jakeqwaninne8502]

i think the nut you were trying to remove was probably reverse threaded , so righty loosey, lefty tighty, i do auto body and we get stuff pre-fuckified, and sometimes tightening a nut or bolt first will help to crack it loose, and that's how i first learned of " the reverse thread" ,scrappy day

[@robertdement239]

Can you recycle the plastic from the vacuum or is it destined for the landfill ?

[@richardwarnock2789]

Thub Thumbs up 👍 👌 👏

[@marktallant5825]

I'm in Dublin Ireland I've been watching your videos a b long time now I've learned a lot from you but you no them small things in the motor it has copper in it its very hard to get out you said there the last one you did was easier to get the copper out maybe you could send me video of how the easiest way to get the copper out of them I find it very hard thank you keep up the good work 👍👍👍

[@trench124]

Thought there would be much more hammer action to remove those screws. Watch for the motor brushes as they are often made of brass

[@zoordarim1651]

How much acetylene, gas used ...and time was it worth it?

[@Sean-ws9je]

How Much Time Do You Put Into Doing This ?

[@Hogbellylife]

What are you melting it in?

[@xhydrax5320]

Cool

[@davea5150]

That's nice and healthy breathing in the fumes from heating up and melting the copper. Uwe not good!!!

[@devilish2345]

Damn a make shift chilm that's pretty cool tbh

[@JOEY22445]

Now since the copper that came out of the power cord was stranded yet shiny is that if not bare bright considered #1 copper? I'm trying to separate my copper. I stripped apart a submpum cord yesterday and it had copper wire that thin inside it as well.

[@thubprint]

I had thought the same for years but it’s not about the shininess as much as the recovery percentage. Having contaminants lowers the recovery percentage but really fine strands of copper will also have lower recovery because a larger amount will be burned away and lost when refined. So unfortunately because the strands were super fine rather than solid core it will still be considered #2

[@JOEY22445]

Thank you for the information :)

[@flipperthrifter]

I don't recycle. I do however dumpster dive ar apartments I live at and trash pick at people curbs down the road. I get vacuums, steam cleaners, electronics, and small appliances and take it apart and sell it online. Like sites like ebay and poshmark. I sold vacuum canister yesterday for 25.00 on Poshmark! 😍 I even find other stuff I sell. I found vintage baby doll. Sold it 35.00 on Facebook marketplace.

[@SuperEve75]

I would like to know the name of the tool used to strip the wires and where I can get one, please 😁

[@thubprint]

The Stripmeister? It’s in the video description 👍

[@jefferyakers4496]

That impeller nut was lefthand thread.

[@jimmywest7675]

Hey you can throw that plastic steel vacuum line into your shred! They accept it. It has enough metal

[@familydogg1234]

At 4:46 - what is that " drill driven wire stripper" act ual name and is it on Amazon??

[@thubprint]

It’s a “stripmeister”, and there’s a link to it on Amazon in the description 👍

[@johnwalding9457]

i have panned the dust from my old vacuum cleaners and found flour gold and one nice picker. where the gold came from beside my work boots i dont know

[@Bloxy.Builds]

What happend with it, was it just old?

[@thescrapmeister]

Doing all that is going to be for fun or hobby... Not a money maker :-) But interesting to know how much value is actually in stuff!

[@stephengreen6338]

nice breakdown of start to finish, and weights, now if you could melt that plastic down back to fuel, you will have cracked it

[@mikeanderson1139]

oh yeah, in the States we call those Canadian threads (lefty)😀

[@cuetTimmonz]

5.06 a lb for copper today. Ontario Canada. About 3.00 for brass. Get done! Is there copper in a carpet Bissell cleaner, anyone know. The motor? Thx😊

[@tinathompson2877]

What do you do with the copper after you melt it? I know you carve in it, but are you planning on selling it to the scrap yard after you get so much or what? I've wondered what your wife thinks about all the stuff you bring home? Thanks for the video!! Loved it

[@thubprint]

I have no plans on selling it as scrap, I’m really just aiming to build a collection of bars to show how much is available in each appliance. I live in my own space though so I don’t get any feedback on my pile of “treasures” haha

[@tinathompson2877]

That's cool. I wasn't sure what you was going to do with the bars once you have a lot gathered up. Thanks for replying

[@indelibledom5654]

I know it's probably frowned upon but I have burnt alot of copper wire to clean it of its insulation

[@amethystwinter8231]

You were very subdued today🧐

[@thubprint]

It was late and I’ve been emo hah

[@scrappirateroberts]

Maybe the thread on the shaft for the fan was left hand......

[@marcluther65]

Would it be easier to take apart with a 5 pound hammer perhaps. Why waste time on delicate screws and 30 minutes goes by and its not done yet. 2 big hits with the big hammer and its apart, I'm thinking

[@darinberend2103]

That nut is reverse thread. Righty loosen lefty tighten

[@christopherzweerink176]

You could have used the torch to burn off the varnish on the armature and freed the copper easily .try it you may like it . You could have also melted it out in to your crusabull.

[@thubprint]

I thought about that, and for the sake of the video I probably should’ve. Now that I’ve got a cracked and dirty crucible I can go ahead and try it on the next one!

[@davea5150]

Cheapo Harbor Freight Vise??

[@parkerkorb9714]

Personally I’m not a big fan of this new quite dark format you’ve been doing but I’m a big fan keep it up

[@roadiez1]

Hey Thub…. How do you like the gloves you’re wearing? I had to search & pause the video to see what brand & style they were but seemed to fit & wear pretty good. Also could you please hit the pound/ounce tab on the scale? Lot’s of USA viewers here! Keep up the great work! Glad to see you make it a family affair & teaching a way to make $$ & knowledge.

[@thubprint]

I can try fit in the lbs/oz button but it’s a bit of a silly system and it forces a lot of extra math 😅 I know my yards buy in pounds but I find grams to pounds much easier than oz to pounds.. as for the gloves, the white “roper” ones are okay but they’re really sweaty and porous so I don’t really like them. The leather welding ones and my polishing ones are great though!

[@familydogg1234]

Notice- gentlemen removing aluminum plate- Threads are Left threaded! No idea why that is....I would have taken apart the ARMATURE from the Electric Motor . Ive been saving them for a rainy day

[@sphereitis2433]

i stripped an upright shark hoover today, apart from the power cord. pure pain in the rear. never again

[@user-wo2zr2yn2m]

8:07 Probably reverse thread, unscrew clockwise.

[@wyliecoyotee4x4adventures]

@thubprint NEW SUBCRIBER here. I got a easy way for you to finish off those induction motor spools.. The outside fins are shaped like a T use grinder dont cut off grind down the top of T to make it just columns then just pull out copper. Easy pezy

[@thubprint]

That’s a *great* tip, thank you!

[@bobcraft1966]

Work on my shampooer and it is dead. Motors fried. I tried to fix no way.

[@sydneyfizzy4559]

Nooo my vacuum! 😱

[@thubprint]

We can find you another one 😆

[@lawrencejelsma8118]

That's it $1.58 USD for all that work! 🥵 Copper being 3/4 of $1.58 USD would be better to just turn in for #2 copper price at a scrapyard unless you are a sculpturer and doing a copper art design for way more than copper value.

[@CMAenergy]

Other than the accident, The cost of using oxygen and accetiline, cost maore than the copper,

[@benjaminarmstrong7047]

Vacuum companies must have lots of stock in screw companies.

[@benjaminarmstrong7047]

Righty loosie?

[@thubprint]

😆

[@joselbazcom4221]

Some seemed to have been lost in the spill.

[@jamespatterson8512]

Turn it clockwise.

[@stevebox3103]

Your wife know you’re doing that?😂