# Does Anyone Recycle Their Chips?



## Joe Pitz (Aug 12, 2015)

Hello all,

What do you do with all of the chips you generate? Do you recycle them? Do you have to separate the chips by type of material?

Just wondering what is the prudent thing to do?

I started keeping my aluminum chips.  

Thanks

Joe


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## Grumpy Gator (Aug 13, 2015)

Yes I do. I made a aluminum  tray to fit the chip pan on my lathe and sort them into 5 gallon buckets. Turned one full of brass chips in to the local scrap guy and got $87.00 . It took two years to fill that bucket but I think it was worth it.
        ***Just Saying**********Gator**********
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
**********


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Thanks Gator,  sounds like a good idea.  I always have left over plastic 5 gallon buckets from my swimming pool chlorine.   

I will start bucket for each material.

Thanks

Joe


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## JPower6210 (Aug 13, 2015)

And then of course there is always the home foundry idea-  I am building a furnace and planning on reclaiming all that swarf for stock-  It's the "economical" thing to do


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## Franko (Aug 13, 2015)

I keep my aluminum chips. I don't don't make enough steel chips to be worth the trouble.

I gave them to a friend who'd put them in his kiln when he was firing pottery and smelt them into billets. He doesn't do that anymore, so they are starting to overly accumulate.


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## Tony Wells (Aug 13, 2015)

Most scrap yards won't mess with small quantities of ordinary steel chips. They turn to valueless rust before they accumulate enough to make  load to the foundry. Volume generators of carbon and alloy steels often have railcar sized loads that are saleable immediately. By contrast, 5 gallon buckets of copper, brass and aluminum, plus some of the more exotic materials such as Ti, and various stainless grades are worth saving if you're patient and keep them scrupulously clean. That's very keen to getting the most money for your scrap. Most yards grade your scrap by the worst sample they look at. For instance, 1 soldered fitting in a bucket of pristine copper will downgrade the entire lot.


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## MozamPete (Aug 13, 2015)

I keep a separate bag I put in the shop vac when I'm cleaning up Aluminium only chips from the lathe or mill.  Steel chip just go out with the household rubbish.


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## MozamPete (Aug 13, 2015)

I keep a separate bag I put in the shop vac when I'm cleaning up Aluminium only chips from the lathe or mill.  Steel chip just go out with the household rubbish.


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## Billh50 (Aug 13, 2015)

I not only recycle my aluminum and brass but also broken and used carbide. The last time I recycled carbide it was over $10 a pound and the weight adds up fast as carbide is heavy.


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## vertcnc (Aug 13, 2015)

I have a 35 garbage can full of alum chips, just wondering about coolant residue.  I think some of the large commercial shops spin the chips to remove coolant.


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## Uglydog (Aug 13, 2015)

I save all my aluminum and brass chips for the backyard foundry.
Steel and cast chips get saved in 5gallon pails. My local steel supplier has a large bin into which he puts his drops (cut off unsalable pieces).
I just don't like sending it to the landfill, and the wife doesn't like me storing the swarf in the living room carpet.

Daryl
MN


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## pineyfolks (Aug 13, 2015)

My steel chips go in a 55gal drum. When it's full they go out with the rest of the scrap. It never adds up to much cash but I get all the cleaning done in one trip to the scrap yard.


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## Bill Gruby (Aug 13, 2015)

I keep mine separated also. I take them to the scrap yard and get paid for them. Also I keep some really sharp ones and use them for packing when sending stuff to people I don't like.

 "Billy G"


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Wow,  Thanks everyone for the good feedback.  Billy G,  that would make for some nice Christmas presents.


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## aametalmaster (Aug 13, 2015)

I have a local "picker" that comes by me and picks them up. I keep my steel and alum separate..Bob


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Thanks Bob,  One of the advantages of having a large volume of chips.

Joe


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## chips&more (Aug 13, 2015)

Tony spoke with words of wisdom and I totally concur with what he said. Recyclers in my neck of the woods could care less about a 5 gal bucket of steel chips or low volume transactions. The other metals, maybe they would want it, but you won’t get rich, you will get frustrated. And when you started to think you are saving the planet from more landfill. You wind up wondering if it was all worth it after the scraper gives you the shaft. I now put the chips in the recycle can…Dave.


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## Bill Gruby (Aug 13, 2015)

When the chips are down, chances are the Buffalo is empty. Come on, you know you were thinkin about it.

"Billy G"


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Thanks Dave,  Has you trash pickup folks ever complained about the chip?  Here is California,  they put nasty little red notes on your recycle bin if you put things in the recycle bin you are not suppose to.

Billy G,  It sounds like you need a new project to work on?  

Joe


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## Bill Gruby (Aug 13, 2015)

Nah, need to get back to the old ones not completed. See you at the Radial Thread. I can hear Gator coming. LOL

 "Billy G"


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## chips&more (Aug 13, 2015)

No, have not gotten a red note yet. However, I did try and give them about 5 gal of used motor oil the other day and they didn’t take it? I had it in the orginal oil containers. Instead, The guy left me a one gal jug with a generic recycle flyer attached to it. I guess it’s 1 gal at a time and in there special jug?


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Interesting, I did not think they would take motor oil.  I will have to check with our waste management co.

Thanks

Joe


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## mike837go (Aug 13, 2015)

All my metal scraps:
- Replaced Car parts
- Chips
- Unusable leftovers from plumbing projects
- Nails from the bottom of the wood stove
- No longer serviceable bolts, nuts, screws, washers...
- Obsolete computer cases
- Cut off pieces of stock that are too small for something else (under 1.5" in all 3 dimensions).  (Any one else have a standard for "usable salvage" vs. "scrap for reclamation"?)
- etc. ad nausium.

Get accumulated for a year or two and go to the local scrap yard as "white metal". I usually deliver around a ton and walk away with US$150 to US$200.

No sorting. Lots of overflowing buckets and quite a few hand-carried pieces.


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## JPigg55 (Aug 13, 2015)

JPower6210 said:


> And then of course there is always the home foundry idea-  I am building a furnace and planning on reclaiming all that swarf for stock-  It's the "economical" thing to do


 
I've bee considering this route as well. Co-worker, who's a hobby machinist as well, turned me on to this site: https://www.abana.org/ronreil/design1.shtml#Half
He built the "Minimongo" burner for his home foundry. Says it works great. He'd also told me about "Sand Casting" for rough casting. Basically, carving a form out of styrofoam with a pour spout with top, burying it in regular sand, and pouring the molten aluminum in. Said the metal burns off the styrofoam displacing it, but fills in the void keeping the form.
Anyone tried this ? and are there any issues with affects to the metal changing the properties for reuse ?


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Thanks mike and JPigg, I doubt the wife will allow foundry operations,  she rolls her eyes at the lathe and mill as it is. 

But a guy has to have his man cave.

Joe


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## Micke S (Aug 13, 2015)

I hide them in with the burn-waste and leave them at the deposit station.


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Thanks Micke,  I thought Sweden had very strict laws about that.?  

Joe


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## Bill C. (Aug 13, 2015)

Will the commercial recycle places buy chips and shavings?  Around here they buy almost every form of scrap.


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## mike837go (Aug 13, 2015)

Bill C. said:


> Will the commercial recycle places buy chips and shavings?  Around here they buy almost every form of scrap.



The place I use makes sure that you aren't bringing in anything radioactive. After that, they pay based on the difference in the weight of your truck coming in minus going out.

I get waved over to a 10' tall mound of scrap and told to dump it near the base. Used fire extinguishers and disposable propane bottles are put back on the truck.


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Aug 13, 2015)

Joe Pitz said:


> Interesting, I did not think they would take motor oil.  I will have to check with our waste management co.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Joe


Check at local auto parts suppliers- there are laws in many places obliging them to
Take at least the oil they sell in original containers - no mixing, etc. Ask locally......
BLJHB.


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## The Liberal Arts Garage (Aug 13, 2015)

Joe Pitz said:


> Interesting, I did not think they would take motor oil.  I will have to check with our waste management co.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Joe


Check at local auto parts suppliers- there are laws in many places obliging them to
Take at least the oil they sell in original containers - no mixing, etc. Ask locally......
BLJHB.


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 13, 2015)

Yes I am aware of the local auto supply taking oil, but never heard of the waste management companies taking oil.

Thanks

Joe


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## Micke S (Aug 13, 2015)

Joe Pitz said:


> Thanks Micke,  I thought Sweden had very strict laws about that.?
> 
> Joe



Good point ! 

It is regulated, waste must be sorted, since about a decade. I produce very small amounts of chips, like a gallon per month, so it is not a measurable quantity of what goes into the burn-container and it is not harmful for the environment.  But it would be better to put the chips in a box and empty it in the metal scrap container. This is what I'll do if it is not the usual negligible amount.


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## savarin (Aug 13, 2015)

I dont recycle any of my swarf now.
I tried re-melting the brass and aluminium swarf in my furnace but the amount of dross it produced climbed exponentially so I stopped.
I dont think I do anywhere enough work to save it in separate containers for the scrap man.


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## Round in circles (Aug 14, 2015)

When you want to melt the chippings /turnings get a pot of bigger stuff in a good molten state then add the smaller parts & swarf .  Trying to flame melt the turnings/swarf  will see them mostly  burn up  .

Don't forget to add the dross cleanser /flux  ( usually borax ) & pour the molten metal into a clean dry steel food can or a similar mould  .
Once it is cold you simply turn the can & the dross off the slug of metal with your lathe , retaining the waste material produced for cleansing at the next melting session .

 Damp sand moulding can give you lots of sand in the metal ... that means you have to take a fair bit off the mould to get down to decent metal .

Years ago I had a large heavy cast iron saucepan that I melted the low heat metals in &, had to make collar &  swinging gimble on over head chains to move it from the heat to pour in to tins.
 Once or twice I've  poured the gungy bits through a small grid of steel to let the molten metal run out into a cans  which made collecting the unwanted lumps of things easy .


 Our local waste disposal system is operated by contractors under licence to the local authority .

 At the site where they sort the domestic and trade waste they have magnetic ejectors that throw out the various non ferrous metals and magnets under thin alloy sheeting that conveyor belts pass over to retain the steel stuff till it reaches the end of the upside down elevator belting  where it drops off on to another elevator that takes it to a massive ferrous pile .


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## aametalmaster (Aug 15, 2015)

I also keep a small bucket of them in my trunk during the winter just in case I get stuck on an ice patch. Used them many times...Bob


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 15, 2015)

Thanks Bob,  that is a very creative use of chips.

Joe


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## astjp2 (Aug 15, 2015)

We do about 5 tons of chips a month at work.  I work on our puck maker, takes loose chips and makes them into a 3" round puck about the size of a tuna can.  8 barrels of chips makes 1 barrel of pucks.  The good thing is it squeezes off the coolant so we can recycle it too.  Tim


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 15, 2015)

Tim,  wow what a ratio,  What do you guys to with the pucks?

Joe


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## astjp2 (Aug 15, 2015)

They go to scrap, we have a company that picks up 10 yard dumpsters that are full a couple of times a week that are a mix of pucks and chips that don't get squished.


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 15, 2015)

Thanks Tim,

You guys must machine a tremendous amount of parts per week.

Joe


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## astjp2 (Aug 16, 2015)

2500 parts a week, we have 8 mazaks, 12 miltronics, 3 Daewoo's and a host of other mills like trak DPMs and bridgeports.  Tim


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## vertcnc (Aug 16, 2015)

astjp2 said:


> We do about 5 tons of chips a month at work.  I work on our puck maker, takes loose chips and makes them into a 3" round puck about the size of a tuna can.  8 barrels of chips makes 1 barrel of pucks.  The good thing is it squeezes off the coolant so we can recycle it too.  Tim


That sounds like a good project. I have seen a compactor for alum. cans, but chips would be a great idea.  Picture would be handy.


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## astjp2 (Aug 16, 2015)




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## cjtoombs (Aug 16, 2015)

I tried to take some aluminum swarf into the local recycling yard, they wouldn't take them.  They go to the landfill, now.


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## Joe Pitz (Aug 16, 2015)

Nice Video, thanks Tim.

Joe


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## mcostello (Aug 16, 2015)

Every last chip of everything is sorted and sold. Every last nickle helps the bottom line.


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## astjp2 (Aug 16, 2015)

cjtoombs said:


> I tried to take some aluminum swarf into the local recycling yard, they wouldn't take them.  They go to the landfill, now.



Losse chips is only worth 10%  of puck by weight.  If you are only talking about a bucket or 2 I would not worry about it, if you are talking about drums full, that is serious money.


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