Why you should NOT Scrap out a Modern LCD Flat Screen Monitor for Scrap Metal Value!! Ewaste Recycle

Here's a good example of just how little scrap value there is in modern LCD flat screen PC monitors!
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#ewaste
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[@longship789]

Lesson learnt, thanks Chris.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Wow Longship! Many thanks for the Super thanks! It is very much appreciated as is your long-time support of my channel! Hope you have a great Christmas and a sensational new year! 🎄🎄😃

[@rickmoore]

I love it when the notebook comes out!

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Hahaha - it's a thing now! I'm morally obliged to buy notepads for the rest of my life! 🤣 Maybe I should make some from discarded materials.. 🤔🤔

[@rickmoore]

@@TheUltimateRecycler Maybe even get some made with your channel logo and put them up in the store?

[@codiwonkanobi9788]

@@TheUltimateRecycler I get free notepads from doctors offices all the time. They just throw away hundreds of dollars in unused office supplies.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

@@codiwonkanobi9788 Many bigger businesses are so wasteful! Nice work - I'll look into that! 😊

[@powerzx]

It is better to sell monitors whole for the parts. Power supply (which you destroyed) is one of the things which people search for the most.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

They are pretty much impossible to sell complete for parts! They are hard enough to sell when in good working order from my experience. Thanks for watching 😊

[@afineliner740]

Hi Chris, I've actually done a few this week from an earlier pick up. I usually end up scrapping the whole thing to bits. I am a bit concerned that our e-waste recyclers send a lot to landfill, which is why I've started to scrap them more fully. 👍

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

I agree mate, I'm sure the ewaste stream is not as 'green' as it should be! I feel I should do some investigative reporting sometime in the future!

[@SollersScrappingandDiving]

Hi Chris, I haven't been around since my last update so I'm playing catch up with you all, we are still living in hospital but on a new part of our journey so catching up with my favourite people and I love your detailed videos like this, over here the mini board would certainly be worth more than the steel as I don't get pressing steel prices. I adore scrapping the old monitors, even I am not a fan of new ones but of course I have to process them when I get them in an e-waste pick up (which I hope to get back to next year!) I collect the gold edging boards and many have sheet aluminium too. I then use the plastic screen back for lots of things in the garden like mini cold frames etc so I try to utilise them as much as possible. Just want to wish you and Christine (and CoCo of course) a happy Christmas and happy and healthy 2023!

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Hey Sollers! I've been wondering how things are going! I do hope the new part of the journey is a turn for the better! Yeah, looking forward to joining you in your "large" workshop again soon! Best wishes from all of us to all of you lot for a very merry Christmas and an awesome new year! 😃😃

[@stevemoore3713]

Thanks VERY MUCH for the detailed analysis (including documentation about how little you received for this work). I have, because of this, learned something valuable about scrapping that will save me time and money in the future. Well done!!!!

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Excellent Steve, I'm glad you found it helpful! Thanks mate 👍😊

[@RetifsGarage]

« They classify as steampunk » 😂 enjoyed that comment ! Looks good once cleaned and lacked, well done !

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Haha - well, in my book they do! 🤣 Thanks Retif 👍

[@sharkscrapper]

Spot on - not worth the time spent, unless one is a hobby scrapper and doesn't care how much time they spend scrapping. A good, informative video.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Many thanks for popping in Sharkie! 👍😀

[@SilverScorpion]

Great video and break down.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Thanks SS! 😊😊

[@soerenbode]

LCD screens are usually coated with Indium (as far as I know). Indium is listed as one of the "scarce rare materials" in the EU and has a pretty hefty pricetag. I hope that in the future we will find ways to recover this metal on an industrial scale from end of life screens (think also mobile phone etc..) So, there might come a time where screens are actually saleable. Who knows? For now one might want to store just the dark glass panels as they don't take up much space. Just in case. (but the price might be marginal at best, if it ever works out that way..) Anyway, just a thought.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

I would need many more sheds to start speculatively storing things like that Soren, in the hope that one day they'll be worth something. It would be great if this type of recycling can be done sometime soon - I wonder what the ewaste facilities actually do with the screens? 🤔🤔

[@jotdot]

them parts might not have value for scraping but if they are taken of the pcb properly they can be reused as working parts for other projects or replacement parts

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

That is very true jotdot and I have indeed done that from time to time. It's just not viable to save every circuit board on the off chance it contains a part I will need!

[@chuckfinley5206]

Yep. That's why I save old boards.

[@zs1dfr]

The reason why I don't scrap them, is because I can fix most of them, and sell them for about double what I pay for them. Not all of them, true, but most of them. Cracked screens are a curse, and they are definitely not worth working at scrapping. Mine go straight to ewaste!

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

I do fix some monitors - but generally have trouble selling the smaller ones. Yep - straight to ewaste 👍

[@richardtyndall9311]

do the screens have a plastic linear fresnel lens in the sandwich ? they may be useful on solar panels perhaps or sellable on ebay to hobbyists ?

[@jedimasternoob]

LCD monitors do not have any sort of lens assembly. You would find those in plasma monitors.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Just diffuser screens in these LCD monitors and TVs. I have a large fresnel screen to play with at some stage from a rear projection TV!

[@ShadowMoonFarms]

Thank you

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Thanks Cynthia 😊

[@ScrapMetalTV.]

Great break down mate. Definitely not worth it unless you enjoy do it.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Exactly! And you'd have to enjoy it a lot! 🤣

[@j377yb33n]

What I can suggest as another step - if the front screen is scratched or scuffed to be unsellable or unusable, you can make a diffuse work light by taking the light box out behind it and running led's in behind it. it's a fresnel lens, so if you need a light box overhead or for an artist friend, they're a handy bit of kit if you don't mind some upcycling/DIY. Sadly the LCD itself is a right bollocks to recycle fully, even with the companies that take it away.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Great suggestion - I did once make a light box from the diffuser of an LCD TV 👍

[@j377yb33n]

@@TheUltimateRecycler plus if you luck out and the back panelling has a vesa mount, you easily have options to stick it on a wall or on an arm

[@chuckfinley5206]

I have a bunch that I save the guts if they still light up. Have 17 Dells that are all the same that I want to make some kind of drop in light fixture out of them. Took all the plastic off them. Don't see these old monitors as scrap but what I may be able to make from them. Have picked up over 100 from a place that gives me free electronics.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

That's awesome Chuck, well done! Always better to re-use first before scrapping! 👌😊

[@chuckfinley5206]

@@TheUltimateRecycler I always tell folks this, it's not what it is but what it can be.

[@qwertykeyboard5901]

I should really buy these things when I find them at yard sales.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

I'd only take them if they were good enough to resell as going units..

[@silver_salvage_savage]

Id take them....some steel and for precious metals recovery. It takes a ton but it all adds up. The heat sinks have 3 legged transistors on them, those contain silver, those blue coated capacitors have silver also. To each their own tho

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Yes, to each their own - for sure. I don't think it's viable to save any of those parts in an economic sense, but some do it just for the pure enjoyment! Thanks for watching! 😊👍

[@silver_salvage_savage]

@TheUltimateRecycler funny, came across one just today. This video came in handy fast! Lol, even less in mine, but still a good gold finger board. Didn't even have good heat sinks on the transistors...... I one of those types tho. I target this stuff, at least until I do a recovery.

[@cptrikester2671]

Great video. Agreed not worth it. I have scrapped out A LOT of those. Wanted to make a false skylight type thing. Nope. Wanted as much extruded aluminum and copper for melting. I keep the plastic sheets from the screen (future projects?) and the finger boards for experimental gold recovery. Mental disassembly therapy. 🙂

[@paulwilliams2080]

There is a foot square sheet of polaroid in that screen. It is the most valuable part and UR is throwing it away. 🤥

[@cptrikester2671]

@@paulwilliams2080 what is the polaroid? I thought that was an instant camera / picture film. How is the value extracted? Processed or just sold?

[@martincowie4520]

@@cptrikester2671 I think he meant the polarizer filter, you can do some fun things with that, such as making 007 glasses to see a display on an otherwise white screen... kind of cool, but not really profitable...

[@paulwilliams2080]

@@cptrikester2671 Polariser if you want to be pedantic. In some early ones it was a sheet like the material used in polaroid sunglasses more modern ones use a polarising film which is admittedly not so easy to utilise. It is vital to the functioning of an LCD screen. For fun many people remove them which makes the picture blank unless you are wearing polaroid glasses. Plenty of videos about it. kzbin.infojzY-N7V__fU?feature=share

[@cptrikester2671]

@@martincowie4520 yes, thanks. I'm aware of that and that makes sense. I have seen those videos. He did respond with an insulting 'pedantic' comment, but it appears to be deleted. Assumed, out of embarrassment, but I shouldn't assume.

[@noddynoodle7060]

Great advice Chris, no money in those. At least it will be recycled at the transfer station so good for the planet in the end.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Thanks NN! Yeah - hopefully they are recycled properly! I have a suspicion that ewaste isn't as efficiently recycled as it could or should be!

[@colemanblocker4723]

In the little blue orange and red Capacitors have silver in them and the black box on the side with the connectors will have ether silver or gold pins figured I'd educate soanyone seeing this don't throw money away

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Well yes, some components can contain minute amounts of silver & gold but it's not viable to recover in my opinion. Thanks for watching 👍

[@donie5780]

Where's the circuit board with all the gold and the fingers?

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

I didn't bother removing the strip board from the edge of the LCD - I don't think they are worth the effort to retrieve.

[@Man-in-da-shed]

I kind of agree, I do get useful stuff out of them for other projects, but on the whole yes when a scrapper says there not worth scrapping you just know there a waste of time n effort.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

After the first half a dozen Ian, stores of "useful stuff" are pretty much full and there's no incentive to take another apart at all!

[@DavidTipton101]

e-waste seems the best option, at least it gets recycled... hopefully.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Yes, hopefully Dave! I suspect that the ewaste stream is pretty inefficient and much still ends up in landfill! Maybe I should do some investigative reporting..

[@eWhizz]

How much do you get for the driver board?

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Only about 8 cents at current prices!! It is very small and light!

[@eWhizz]

@@TheUltimateRecycler Is that as scrap? I'd imagine it could be sold as a driver board? I know many people that have projects to drive LCD displays now for integration into other projects.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

@@eWhizz Yeah, just as scrap. I doubt I'd be able to retail it in a reasonable amount of time for a price to make it worthwhile. Good thought though!

[@tomgilbert3959]

Anything you add to the stock pile is worth it. Yes obviously these don't carry as much value as other things. I scrap hundreds of these and other monitors yearly and it adds money in my pocket.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Yes Tom things do add up - absolutely! But it does very much depend on how much available time you have and your reasons for scrapping in the first place. Thanks for watching 😀👍

[@chuckfinley5206]

I have seen folks making jewelry from old circuit boards.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Yep, I've seen a few do that too - and it looks good! 😊

[@chuckfinley5206]

@@TheUltimateRecycler I spend a lot of time recycling scrap wood and old window sashes too. Nothing goes to waste in my neck of the woods. Neighbors wave at me to see if I want something before they toss it.

[@quintonharvey1501]

I grab all I can find

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

If there's nothing better around you may as well! 😊

[@Onemanstrash1]

new sub here

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Welcome Wade, thanks for joining in! 😊👍

[@martincowie4520]

With those massive margins, your youtube video revenue might not be the smallest profit line on your sheet!

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Hahaha - they are quite a way off video revenue, but pretty close to bank interest!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@southofhollywood4199]

So if you scrap 100 monitors you'll get less than 30 dollars! 🤔

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Pretty much, yeah. Depressing isn't it?!

[@thetreasurehuntingboomer]

I should send you link to the guy on insta that uses these innards to create animals .

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

I know a few who create art from ewaste parts - but generally they have no problems getting supplies of their own. It is cool what they do though!! 😊

[@ralph5450]

All I can say is this doesn't make much cents. But I'll give you a penny for your thoughts.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Given the lowly return from the monitor, I'll happily take the penny! Thanks Ralph! 😀👍

[@jbone877]

Sell the boards, hoard the gold finger pieces

[@jbone877]

The metal frame you put back into the plastic frame, in the video, contains boards which are heavy in gold

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Thanks for watching and the suggestions Jeremy 👍 Yes, I know people save the boards for gold recovery but I don't think there's enough value in the boards to warranty scrapping these monitors.

[@kursluzz]

Did you hear about desoldering? Guess not...

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

What was I supposed to desolder Oleg?

[@markandash2009]

You missed the best bit in it!?

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Which was?

[@brianuccellini9152]

The finger board is 3 screws and is the only board showing gold. Not sure why you wouldn't just take it while you are there. Literally, 3 philips head screws after your take the steel backing

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Fair point Brian, but we are only talking a few cents extra. So it still doesn't make these things economical to scrap in my view. Thanks for watching 👍

[@brianuccellini9152]

@@TheUltimateRecycler I agree the monsters are not worth the time but if you do recycle them might as well hit the finger board. In Florida my company is now getting charged per monitor they place in the scrap bin. If you can get money selling them do it

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

@@brianuccellini9152 Ah, well if it costs you to get rid of them and you can avoid that by scrapping them out - then that makes a difference. What do you do with the screen then?

[@brianuccellini9152]

@@TheUltimateRecycler I just scrap the monitor out and get all I can from them. It is a pain but worth it so I don't pay the fee. I just continually collect the finger boards until there is enough to precipitate the gold

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

@@brianuccellini9152 Once scrapped out, what happens to the rest? Are you able to get rid of the plastic casing and LCD screen without cost?

[@lesallison9047]

👍✌♥️🇬🇧

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Thanks Les! 👍👍

[@bens3767]

Not worth my time.

[@TheUltimateRecycler]

Totally agree Ben! 👍😊