Just a little picture of how I’m processing these discarded transformers.
After crushing you separate the copper windings similar to getting the peanut out of the shell to eat – while drinking beer of course!
The end result of 28 transformers in about 3 hours. The steel weight is 45lbs. The copper 9lbs. Using today’s unusually high prices here is the result:
| Before Value | After Processing |
|---|---|
| Steel: 45lbs x $0.12/lbs = $5.72 | |
| Copper: 9.0 lbs x $4.43/lbs = $39.87 | |
| 55 lbs x $0.25/lbs = $13.75 | Net gain: $45.59 – $13.75 =$31.84 |
| Time spent = 2hrs |
The last line represents the question: What is your time worth?
You have to recognize that I was “working” for minimum wage – or worse. (Scrap metal prices are quite high in 2nd Q 2022, inflated almost 50% over averages ). I would call it working in the loosest terms since I was doing it my own way [beer / no beer, music loud / music soft ]. I was listening to my favourite show from Twit Networks and having fun. Work? No.
If you plan on doing this for a living, there are much faster ways to process scrap transformers, and these transformers are some of the smallest I have ever broken down. Too small for a full time scrapper to bother with.