I had a shock today after I called my local scrap yards to ask if I can get some more copper. All 3 that answered phone said that they are NOT INSURED TO SELL TO PUBLIC. 1 quoted me some EU Health & Safety Law that explicitly forbids in selling dangerous items, metals or substances to members of public to ensure their health and safety are well provided for. Tomorrow I call another scrap yard. Got a few more on list, but I think answer be the same. Someone here was from UK? Wasn't it the guy who was mocking me with ''dip p**** into crucible?'' Perhaps instead of mocking you could say how do you solve this problem in your area? Some ebay listings wants as much as £30 per 1kg P.S.Reading your book, Jason very nice one
Not my book, but yes, it's loaded with crucial info and answers tons of question. Should be required reading prior to posting. Now your copper issue comes from the traces of lead that may be on the scrap copper. Not the copper itself. 30pound for 1kg is highway robbery. Remember, ingot is ALWAYS cheaper than something that has to be worked. Expect to pay up for pipe, plate, sheet or rod. For a comparison, I pay $6 a pound for bronze ingot with straight copper costing only pennies more. No one (except the youtube characters) around here really cast pure copper. I know what you are trying to do, but for most things, straight copper sucks to cast and is useless for most stuff unless you are making something for electrical equipment. (like you intend to do) Keep looking, try VISITING smaller scrap yards and lay low, don't tell them what you are doing in too much detail, I bet you can find someone who doesn't give a shit about massive govt over reach and needs to make a few quid to put food on the table. If all you do is call, I'd tell you NO too! They might think you are the health and safety N*zis looking to give them a good fking.
Assuming you have some sort of local internet classifieds for people to buy/sell their unwanted items to one another, I would check there. Plenty of folks who need an extra dollar that are willing to part with some bit of scrap to make ends meet. Many hobby machinists in the UK, many who use copper for various tasks, so it's certainly available for the resourceful.
It is very hard to get some where without car. Hopefully it gets sorted out. I have looked already on the other options. They are all empty. Ebay or scrap yard are all that are left. Aluminum is not a problem on ebay. 1kg for £5. $6.25 for people in USA. But copper and brass I really hope i wouldn't have to go to DIY store to buy brand new plumbing pipes to smelt them after. 1 such pipe weights 600 grams and cost £18 I had 1 which i sawed up in pieces that fit into crucible.
A little resourcefulness is a great asset, are there no metals suppliers, machinists, plumbers, or electricians in your land? No old men who've hoarded metals for future use whom you know? Are the only UK hoarders members here? Buying a finished product for it's raw resouce seems inefficient and expensive. I imagine the dross would be absurd, but around here discarded microwaves are plentiful and while it's time-consuming it is free for the labor. Sure it's a hassle, but really, how much do you need?
Here are 2 metal supplies in the area. They sell only to trade with a valid license. In USA you are responsible for what you buy and if you got hurt that is your problem. Here,in UK the red tape is through a roof . 5 years ago I could buy 80% nitric acid from chemical supplier. Now same supplier only deals with those with license. Scrap yard only buys, but never sells. Sells only to china they said. I tried small scrap yard already. Was my first idea. Guy told me to get lost and don't make him trouble. Someone here said I need to find a small yard who would sell to make extra dollar. Or extra pound in my case. If such exist it is no where near me. Everyone thinks ''would i get sued?'' UK is compensation culture. Our extension of american WALMART called ASDA was selling chocolate pudding in metal can. That product was axed last year. And the reason for it? When I asked for it in store, manager said it was axed because people were getting hurt and suing ASDA. They would cook it without making a hole in lid it explodes and they sued for compensation. Same reason to write on pack of washing powder ''DO NOT EAT'' On bottle of washing up liquid ''DO NOT DRINK'' And recently I seen a text on bottle of liquid gas ''This is not a toy. Do not play with'' Machine shop in the industrial estate. I phoned them too and asked to buy off cuts. They said they sell all off cuts in bulk to scrap yard and will not categorically sell to public. About old hoarding men honestly don't know any. Today I am going to look for things again.
Welcome to 2020. Wish I was born 60years earlier. Trouble is, those growing up today will never realize how good they could have had it. You DO NOT know what's best for you anymore, therefore we will decide for you! You're opinion is not wanted, warranted or worth a damn. ~ your leadership.
I think everyone that saw that movie years and years ago, needs to re-watch it right now. I saw it again last year and it's a real eye opener. Sorry buddy, no FB for this guy.. Not now, not ever. Science fiction crap seems to always turn into reality. Strange how that works. There was a man back in 1969 named G. Edward Griffin, He did a piece back then that if it doesn't chill you to the bone today, your dead from the neck up. Of course Lord master Google calls him a conspiracy theorist. I beg to differ after 51years, that conversation has turned into fact. I'll save you the search and PM you the youtube link.
You would be lucky to find a scrap yard that will sell you metals, mostly because of liability but also it isn't worth their time. Forget getting any further on a site than the office, it's a dangerous place and they will go nuts if you just wander onto it. Your best plan would be a machinist shop that will sell you their drops but copper is quite specific. This is where pub visits come in, get to know a few locals and over time drop in that you are looking for copper scrap for casting as a hobby. If they point you towards 'shady Joe' with a half ton of cable walk away quietly! Scrap clean copper is around £4/Kg on the general market, online you can pick up ingots of unknown origin for around £15 a kilo but be prepared to wind up with a shoddy alloy. Next would be make friends with tradesmen and offer above the scrap rate for their junked electrical gear, pipe etc.
In my area, only conversation in a pub is football and sex. I do not fit with locals. at all. All the ways you have kindly suggested were tried and spent last year. Even before corona. Some here think that I am wasting their time with asking questions they were thinking as stupid. Someone started to mock me even. I do not ask questions unless it is absolutely necessary. I ask other people only as very last resort. In pub i tried and people basically just asked what i need it for. I said for a hobby. So, he asks ''what kind of hobby? spit it out man'' I said ''for smelting hobby'' he laughed and said ''lol haha get some proper hobby. Get a girl and go do bed hobby'' I went to a small market town on the coast and here i was told ''who are you? not local? we don't know you get lost'' And local scrapper who collects scrap. Tried with him. He didn't even wanted to talk. When i politely insisted he politely said if I get insisting he might get violent and copper will be least of my problems. He said ''i do my thing you do yours if you put your nose into my things i give you a new hobby. your new hobby would be fit new teeth''
ALL of my scrap came from friends, associates, and my working trades over the years and pulling junk to pieces. Most of which I traded in or gave away when I recently moved. (Several tonnes of non-ferrous) I can't offer any more advice other than socialise with the right people. Good luck.
OMG. Several tonnes One way or another I will get. Thank you all for the tips here. Even of I will have to buy new pipes.
On the business of the safe wx melting. A few pages back someone showed a page with a safe wax melting pot. Since I am not 1005 sure my method will work, I have DIYed something quick just for the testing. This is made of Steel kitchen utensils can, a steel pan for 14 litres, 2 threaded rods and some fixings. Tomorrow I tweak it a bit more so it be fixed more sturdy. Can is slightly bend, yes. But for test it would do. Most of the candles fit in. I know it doesn't look pretty, but it should be practical to a degree. ========================= Now something unrelated, but what I think you might find funny. This is a cherry tree. What you see on it is ab old curtain and a green plastic net. It is a small tree that only has 10 cherries this year. This is how far you need to go over here to keep the cherries If you don't the black birds and magpies will have them I don't know how it is in USA. May be birds in USA got other taste
Lot of cherry trees in my area, I used to have a few, here birds are only a minor nuisance, we have noise making cannons to frighten away the birds. The bigger problem is insects, without appropriate protection, 75% of the ripe cherries will have worms in them.
