Free Copper Wire

Stanlie, you can take this a step further too. We used to have a neighbor that would get a bunch of that and burn the plastic off. then take it to the recycle place and rack up!

I have a bunch of copper wire, and have been stripping the wire with a box cutter slash down one side and peeling the plasic off of the wire. Is there a better way (less manual work!) to remove the plastic?

It's so funny, I have been looking for a way to do the very same thing without burning off the plastic coating. I do the same thing with a box cutter. There has to be a better way. I am researching it and will get back to you if I find a way.

If you burn the plastic off the wire, the recycling place
will not give the clean copper price on it. I found out the hard way. By tying the wire to a chain link fence, then take a good sharp knife, hold the wire straight out in front of you.

Is there a machine that will do it for you?

go a head and burn it off.

Afterwards put it in a large stainless steel container with some muratic acid (Home Depot has it cheap) it will take the darkened surface off (only a few atoms thick) leaving a shiny copper surface.

There is a machine that I use , and it works great. It's called the wire zipper. This should help.

prices are down save until demand goes up esp. if finanicancaly strapped