# Getting copper from electric motors



## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

Just wondering if anyone had a method for getting the copper from electric motors. I have some weighing anywhere form 5 to 50 lbs I can cut both ends off but hate to leave all the copper in the steal part. Any ideas greatly appreciated.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

I have observed removing copper from car starters and motors and the man had a cold chisel and he only cut the loops off the copper on one end. He then had another tool somewhat like a dull chisel that he fastened (beat) into the loop of remaining copper. With a large hammer he drove the loop and the copper that was in the field windings from the motor. He got all the copper. This was in a large salvage yard where they had a barge loaded with starters and motors and the man was paid based on yield. Actually there was about 50 plus people doing this.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

I Will try that. Ive had em hook between trailer hitches and trees with a come along today trying to get em. They will come that way but feels like they wll give all at once. Like a cable snapping. What is a cold chisel?


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## coup (Feb 28, 2007)

my way is take motor apart..then cut down one side with a hacksaw,sometimes an electric hacksaw,,then drice them out with a punch,,figure i might make ten cents an hour.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

When Moopups was alive, he posted a couple of ways of stripping an old motor. If you do a search, it might pop up.

Moopups was a serious scrapper. From his posts, it really sounded like he knew what he was talking about!!!

Clove


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Cold chisel
Bull Point & Cold Chisel
Bull Point & Cold Chisel

A cold chisel is a tool made of tempered steel used for cutting 'cold' metals, meaning that they are not used in conjunction with heating torches, forges, etc. Cold chisels are used to remove waste metal when a very smooth finish is not required or when the work cannot be done easily with other tools, such as a hacksaw, file, bench shears or power tools.

The name cold chisel comes from its use by blacksmiths to cut metal while it was cold as compared to other tools they used to cut hot metal. This tool is also commonly referred to by the misnomer 'coal chisel'. Because cold chisels are used to form metal, they have a less-acute angle to the sharp portion of the blade than a woodworking chisel. This gives the cutting edge greater strength at the expense of sharpness.

Cold chisels come in a variety of sizes, from fine engraving tools that are tapped with very light hammers, to massive tools that are driven with sledgehammers. Cold chisles are forged to shape and hardened and tempered (to a brown colour) at the cutting edge.

The head of the chisel is chamfered to slow down the formation of the mushroom shape caused by hammering and is left soft to withstand hammer blows.

The are four common types of cold chisel. These are the flat chisel, the most widely known type, which is used to cut bars and rods to reduce surfaces and to cut sheet metal which is too thick or difficult to cut with snips. The cross cut chisel is used for cutting grooves and slots. The blade narrows behind the cutting edge to provide clearance. The round nose chisel is used for cutting semi-circular grooves for oil ways in bearings. The diamond point chisel is used for cleaning out corners or difficult places and pulling over centre punch marks wrongly placed for drilling. Although the vast majority of cold chisels are made of steel, a few are manufactured from beryllium copper, for use in special situations where non-sparking tools are required.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

Hey thanks for the input everybody.


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