Is It Worth Stripping Copper Wire For Scrap? Should You Buy a Stripper?

Today we do our best to answer the question; is it worth stripping copper wire for scrap? Should you buy a wire stripping machine? Of course you get more money if it's clean, but how much are you making for your time? How do you know which ones are a waste of time? Let's go through all the common types and compare the weights to see the real answer. Romex stripping, #1 copper, #2 copper.. the scrap price is the best it's been in years, so let's find out once and for all!

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Music: Pold - Better

[chrisk]

I’ve gotten pretty good at stripping #1 wire. What I get a surplus of it collected, I strip it while watching a movie or something, like my grandma crocheting a scarf.

[RGC-gnnm]

grew up in the 1970s. Dad was an electrician and brought home wire scraps by the bucket. I was his wire stripping machine.

[-ChrisD]

You do an amazingly thorough job on your scrap videos. I've been scrapping a long time and done lots of research as well as self experience on most all parts of scrapping. I must say, your scrap videos are THE MOST thorough, detailed and informative! Well done, Sir. I commend you.

[mfill]

I bought a Stripmeister after debating a while, and it paid for itself the first time I used it!! It does all wire extremely easily even romex.
I've been stripping all wire ever since I bought it.

[kphelps]

I've learned more from your videos than I have in 3 yrs... My local yard has been awesome since it changed hands. I started doing this more often to help our local Cub Scout pack due to this pandemic. It's helps alot. For me the only thing I'm going to get is the STRIPER 😂 (MACHINE.) Wire I can get alot of most don't bother with it here. But the copper/brass I turned in about 1 mo ago brought our Pack almost $500. That was what I collected over last summer. I had over 300 lbs in the brass. Most over look that item here. But that was my gain. It would have been more but 5 foot surgeries was a set back. Now it's game 😂

[synshenron]

As a young college student looking for any sort of extra wages I will do any sort of “time wasteful” thing just to double my dime

[Papalegba]

At my scrap yard they pay me #1 price for all stripped Romex, THHN stranded, basically anything that's not copper - clad. So I do a cheaper motorized copper stripper (180.00) and it does great. I just cashed in my stock pile of copper scrap and I received about $4800.00!! It was about 1300 pounds of completely stripped #1 copper!!! I stripped as a hobby during the winter. Oh and I'm an Electrician so I kinda have a Neverending supply of scrap

[livvyweimar]

The inuendos are layers deep in this video! Gonna need a stripper to get through all those layers! Hahahahaha 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 I can't even! I'm dying laughing!

[supermo]

Thats how all videos should be. Right to the point and informative.

[howardchambers]

I would suggest that unless you're a part time hobby scrapper (like me)
Or a pensioner (almost like me)
Then it's really not worth the time or effort to strip the thin stuff.

[treasureseeker]

I just love your voice. I could listen to you all day. You should definitely do voice overs. Awesome video.

[LifeOfWib]

Hello Thub. First I would like to say as always, (even though it's my 3rd comment ever on your videos) thank you for putting your time, and effort into making these videos. I cannot stress enough at how much the videos you put out keep me from absolutely losing it with everything going on not only in my life, but around the world. So thank you, I'm not sure if you've ever been told this, but you're simple, joy-filled, positive, encouraging, informative, adventurous, absolutely are a necessity in my everyday life. You have unknowingly, and most likely unintentionally, saved my life. Being who you are, and doing what you do, is an absolute inspiration. Keep doing the thing!

~Humbly Human: Jason R.

[johndoe]

Thank you you just talked me out of buying a $160. wire stripper .Very helpful 👍🏻

[ProjectShopFl]

Nice video, a lot of great info. I like the horror movie style knife. lol

[Shanethe_trashkid]

"Life is always better with a stripper" - Thub 2021

[tomkeehn]

As an electrician I get a lot of scrap loomex. It all gets the first layer stripped (super easy and quick with a hook knife) and then the bond wire is seperated and the insulated is shoved in a box. I have an absolute ton if it sitting around so this was quite informative. I think I'll keep hoarding and buy a stripping machine in the future.

[CharDaLuX]

As a former Chippendale from the 80's, I love your humour! 😎 I'm new here, and as I have a lot of things with copper wire within that I could scrap and lighten my life load, I decided to educate myself for profit, thus through a search I found you. I now subscribe and will continue to watch and learn. Thanks! 👍

[DrakeMoney]

Thanks man, I came into some wire and was debating on if it was worth stripping, you saved me a lot if time

[onewheellank]

Thanks for the video!
I just started working at a landfill as a bulldozer operator and I find tones of wire. Really been wondering what's worth stripping and what's not
I cannot believe the things people throw away 😑

[michaelosmon]

It's very easy to make your own wire stripper with a piece of steel, a nail and a set screw. You need a drill and a tap the same size as your set screw. Drill 3 holes, one downward from the top and 2 going through that hole perpendicular to it. Thread the upper hole for the set screw, cut off the head and sharpen the nail in your drill then put it down into the top hole, pull the wire through the lower hole. Put the steel in your vise and pull. It works best if you set the nail into the coating then pull but once it starts its very easy to pull through. Trying to come up with some type of drill mechanism to spool the stripped wire so the drill does the pulling. We'll see