ideas for a computer shredder

[idacal]

My grandpa passed a few years ago and the county is finally threatening action unless the property is cleaned up. There is a 120 X60 shop a 40x60 shop and 8 or 9 semi trailers and then 10 acres all full of garbage. he has at least 200 tons of old electronics equipment with the gold and silver circuitry in them. I say scrap it all and let someone else get rich (not) But The uncles are determined to separate it out. and im trying to get some ideas on how to grind or shred the whole computer unit without having to spend hours dissembling to get a few dollars worth of contacts. the biggest problem I see is how to clean off the circuit boards off of the tin. do you guys think something like a chain mill in a tub would do it or do I need something like a rock crusher with the double rollers?

[MikeGyver]

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[ironmangq]

you may be in over your head for pulling the copper and gold from the boards, They use some pretty heavy duty chemicals (cyanide) to strip that stuff out, The wires and aluminum are the easiest to salvage, just open up the box and start pulling on stuff.

[farmall]

I'd manually scrap the stuff since the venture won't buy a shredder. It's about money, not playing with yourself dreaming gold smelter dreams.

I wouldn't argue with the uncles. They need to find things out on their own, but shredding may pay LESS than separation! Find out first.

If someone dropped that much stuff in my lap I'd get a scrap dealer to drop off a container, and fill it with the steel from the cases etc.

Old vans make nice dumpsters you can crush. If you have automobile dealer buddies they may leave one for you to fill.

One common technique to get rid of e-leftovers is to layer them in a van then layer the top with scrap iron, cylinder heads, etc. Automobile shredders separate this stuff just fine, cars have hundreds of lbs of plastic, and there is no _logical_ reason not to throw monitors etc into the process. I can't endorse this but I can certainly MENTION it!

I'd pile the aluminium separately and of course the copper. Get specific info from your scrapper on what grades of scrap LOOK LIKE and how much they pay for them.

Pneumatic and electric tools make gutting electronic equipment rapid.

I'd pile the electronic scrap in one spot. It will be a smaller pile than the assembled units by far and shows cleanup progress.

Check these forums:

http://www.scrapmetalforum.com/showt...E-scrap-prices

[idacal]

thanks guys. I just want the problem dealt with before they tip over and leave me with the mess, if they could leave it sit for another 20 years they would, there is already 3 generations of hording piles out there. the plan was to chip it up and then process it, and figure out the chemicals if needed, more of an excuse to not do anything though.

[Canoe2fish]

some charities take old electronics for recycling

[dbotos]

If you were going to shred used electronics (computers, test equipment, etc.) whole without any disassembly, I think you'd probably want a hammermill style shredder like is used for automobiles. The problem with doing that though, is you'd end up with a mixed waste stream that would most likely be difficult to separate efficiently or thoroughly. And if the price of buying or buidling such a shredder didn't kill you financially, the power bill certainly would.

Like farmall said, you be much better to dismantle everything using power tools (a good corded drill with a bit holder and various bits does 90% of what you need and the other 10% is wire cutters, pliers, wrenches, and the occasional judiciously-placed hammer or sledge hammer).

You could divy up the pile of stuff to be dismantled among yourself and your uncles. Pile it in your driveway in the shape of a car and throw a car cover over it so the city/town/county doesn't get on you about it. Of course, it will be odd as the car starts disappearing little by little from underneath the cover...

I'd separate it into the following streams:

-steel panels, brackets, hardware
-aluminum panels, heatsinks, etc.
-wires, cables, and cords (for the copper)
-plastic panels, bezels, etc.
-other copper-containing items such as transformers and motors
-circuit boards, capacitors, and other components

Each of these streams could then be sold to an appropriate recycler.

[ThorsHammer]

I'm sorry, but there is no chance of you getting enough cleaned up in time for the county to be happy if you're doing it by hand and trying to scrap the components. 200 tons is just the electronics. I'd bet you wouldn't get through half a ton with five guys working an eight hour shift for a day. and again, that's just the electronics. that kind of tonage requires several dumpsters and heavy equipement to load them. If you can find a scrapper who's buying you'll make more money there than separating it all out, And save yourself a very large amount of work.

Hoarding is a hereditary disfunction. though most people don't get past the packrat stages. it's still passed down from one generation to the next. if your grandpa had it, I'm sure "the uncles" have it in some form, thus the desire to try and get as much out of it as possible.

I say either bring in a scrapper willing to take it all or prepare for a very large dump fee. More than likely both.

[idacal]

I dont know if someone could clean enough with hand powertools to pay for a 10.00 dollar an hour dummy to do the work. the scrappers would give little better than tin price for most of it thats what aught to be done. Some of this stuff is 40s and 50s and on up military surplus electronics most of it is industrial type stuff old wall sized cabinets full of goodys who knows what kind of nasty stuff is in some of those components and glass tubes. of course there is pallets and pallets of moniters also.
just saw your post thorshammer I know about hoarding being inherited I have 4 uncles and most of thier places you cant walk thru without tripping over junk. houses are basicly a path. my yard gets bad but I go thru and throw valuable stuff away a couple times a year just to clean up and make sure I am not addicted just afflicted.

[farmall]

the plan was to chip it up and then process it, and figure out the chemicals if needed, more of an excuse to not do anything though.

Got it. Show them this post:

"Dear well-intentioned hoarders I haven't met, but have known your type for many decades:

The fact you have zero idea what to do means you shouldn't be doing it. You expose yourself to MASSIVE fines, will require a complete HazMat plan including waste stream disposal, and this will be stunningly expensive. If you can't pay the fine, the government is quite capable of seizing your property. Don't be stupid.

Do you want to make money or just fvck around?

Take my word for NOTHING, look it up. That will set you straight. Don't guess. Read the laws and regulations. "What you think" carries zero weight in court after you acid vat contaminates the local ground water.

It's junk. Scrap it and get paid quick, then enjoy the money instead of screwing around being silly. The LAND under the scrap is the reward for getting rid of the scrap. Scrapping is FUN. SMASH, get money, smash again. If you are tool old to do this (I'm old too and know whereof I speak!), hand it off and just collect the money. I'm old too, and part of being OLD is knowing what you shouldn't screw with!

[Billdacat]

Old electronic junk (circa 1960's) contained some nasty stuff. Many components were filled with PCB's (polychlorinated biphenyl). PCB's were used in capacitors and some transformers. If this stuff has leaked out, you may be in for a EPA sponsered clean-up. (Ka-ching). Mercury as used in accoustic delay lines and switch tubes would be a real find; but an enviromental nightmare if spilled.
It a crime, but I bet there is some really cool stuff in that pile, if you know what to look for. But right now, you have a 200 ton pain in the a$$.

[ThorsHammer]

Who has the legal rights to the property? You or your uncles? or both? That's who's on the hook. If it's you, Do what you want with it. If it's your uncles... well I'd probably ask to not be a beneficiary.

[brucer]

You might look for a computer recycler around you, From what I see of them locally though, they just want to take it off your hands for nothing so they make all the money...


I seen a show on Discovery about a place in California that was a global company that recycled computers and monitors.. They had several piles laid out.. motherboards/circuit boards in one pile, wire in another pile, processors in another pile, aluminum parts in another pile, steel in another pile.. They could completely dismantle a computer by hand in like 15 seconds..


scrap steel pays pretty good though, the van idea mentioned above doesnt sound to bad, plus it would be fairly easy.

do a search for computer dismantler, or electronic waste recycler in your area see if you come up with anything..

[soutthpaw]

I think you need one of these.


Oh, the sledge hammer would be useful too....

[ThorsHammer]

I'll take two of those minus the sledge hammers, wouldn't want them getting any ideas because got two of them.

[bhardy501]

In the long run I think this would end up being more expensive than anything else. That "piece" of equipment has huge dollar signs all over her, I mean it.

[ThorsHammer]

Originally Posted by bhardy501

In the long run I think this would end up being more expensive than anything else. That "piece" of equipment has huge dollar signs all over her, I mean it.

no, no, no. Those are disposable tools. You never keep them long because they just end up costing you more money in other broken tools, and consumables. Keep them for a date... day or two and then send them on to the next guy.

[idacal]

Im sure she has some higher value skills than running a sledge, she seems dangerously over dressed, that shirt is going to mess up her tan lines
As for dealing with the junk. Im going to keep my mouth shut and let them do as they wish. I appreciate all the and it helped me get my thoughts straight. Im going to wash my hands of the deal just help out when they want it . In 20 years if its still a mess and we are still putting off the county, been doing it for 8 already, we will deal with it then.
farmall Its seems like you have dealt with hording behavior before. What is the best rout to keep the peace? its not my business or problem right now, normally, I just keep my mouth shut. but when people start moaning about how big a job it is I react and then have pissy family relations again. thats why was asking about a crusher/shredder.

[Boostinjdm]

How does the county have any say in the matter? Can they prove problems with run off or something?

[Sandy]

You mention computers but also "electronics equipment". The description of "old" is a good when you have high hopes of gold and silver, but could be very bad if some of this old electronics has mercury relays attached. And then there are the old monitors, hopefully you don't have any old monitors.

Just food for thought. Wouldn't want you to start a crushing process that could end up turning your property into a hazardous waste site.

[Strangedex]

How does someone accumulate 400,000 lbs of electrical equipment? I'd love to know his secret. Any time you put two zeros in a tonnage number you have some serious stuff. Some scrap guys will damn near kill each other over the priveledge to pay you for that stuff. Have an auction, pop some popcorn and enjoy the circus. I would love to hear more about this. If you care for some advice on this I'd love to tell what I know in exchange for pics of the scrap porn.

[idacal]

a lifetime of accumulation, loving what he did, 50 years of being in radio communications, before cell phones became popular, and loving a good auction, those sealed bid surplus auctions would get him every time it can happen to anyone. when i said 200 tons that also included old batterys obsolete medical equipment,old tred mills there is a couple of obsolete electric motors as tall as man basicly if it had switches and motors he would buy it.I didnt mean to give the impression its all circuit boards. though there is tons of those to

[Strangedex]

That is intense.
Where did you get the 200 ton number? Cause that is a lot of scrap. To put it in perspective, if we figure a car weighs 4000 lbs it would take 100 cars to equal that amount of weight. Or you could load 10 semi trailers full with what you have.

I understand you not wanting to post pictures with the county being involved and whatnot. I wouldn't either. Especially not in a public place like a forum.

Everything you put up in your last post is scrap metal. Sounds like he was getting a retirement plan together. Good luck.

[AngleWold]

They need to find things out on their own, but shredding may pay LESS than separation! Find out first

[dbotos]

Lead acid batteries are very recyclable as well...

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