If you want more information on the CRT, check out HOW TO SCRAP CRTs. I explain how I can make over $20 per hour just pulling these things apart, and where to get the most recycling scrap copper.
CRTs, or cathode ray tubes, are commonly used in TV or Computer Monitors. TVs and computer monitors are so heavy because of the thick leaded glass of the "tube" part of a CRT. All CRTs are made of leaded glass and (none the less) often thrown in the garbage. One way people make money from these material rich products is to rip them apart to harvest their insides. The glass tube is not going to get touched by any scrap yard, but if you cut out the wires, the copper windings, and the degaussing coils, you will make a decent amount of money for not very much work. Surprisingly enough, it just takes a few screws, some side cutters, and about 5 minutes to get yourself a big chunk of copper....
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CRTs, or cathode ray tubes, are commonly used in TV or Computer Monitors. TVs and computer monitors are so heavy because of the thick leaded glass of the "tube" part of a CRT. All CRTs are made of leaded glass and (none the less) often thrown in the garbage. One way people make money from these material rich products is to rip them apart to harvest their insides. The glass tube is not going to get touched by any scrap yard, but if you cut out the wires, the copper windings, and the degaussing coils, you will make a decent amount of money for not very much work. Surprisingly enough, it just takes a few screws, some side cutters, and about 5 minutes to get yourself a big chunk of copper....
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| Above: An artist depicts a CRT. Below: A computer monitor has been stripped of its plastic shell and backing. |
In the artists interpretation at the above-top, you can see the CRT has copper windings at arrows 3 and 4. The degaussing coil, a thick copper cable that is used to "neutralize" outside magnetic fields, is also a necessary component of every CRT. In the above photo, the degaussing coil is the thick black cable wrapped around the monitor, closest to that metal band at the top. On most CRTs its a decent amount of copper you will definitely take out.
For many of you, this isn't the first time you've heard about taking copper out of monitors (Well that's because it's a good idea). What many of you don't know is that the plastic shell on the outside of the monitors is also recyclable. It sells for 10 cents a pound at a plastics recycling company near me. (They do, however, want to have at least a hundred pounds per transaction.) So if you already take these things apart and are looking for another way to make even more income, go ahead and start stacking the shells and the bases like I have. It doesn't take that long for it to add up!
Also I have this video showing a German company that specializes in CRT recycling:
The Government of Australia has a nice web page on e-scrap that break a computer monitor and all other types of electronics into further detail.
If you have questions, comment! (You can comment anonymously you know.) Please subscribe to Scrapping Metal by following our RSS feed!
They now recycle this type of plastic by me in the household blue bin recycling program
ReplyDeleteWhat is the name of the place buying the plastic. Would love to sale it.
ReplyDeleteWell just like finding a scrap yard, to find someplace that recycles plastics near you, just search in google maps!
ReplyDeleteI heard that there is a nasty capacitor in there that holds quite the charge. Any advice on how to discharge it?
ReplyDeleteI don't really need to worry about it be cause my CRTs are at least a month old. You are right, however, that they could hold a charge. To discharge it, you need to pry the suction-cup-like wire coming out of the glass with a screw driver, and then touch it to a ground. Hope that helps. Again, I never do this, but i probably should. I do work with rubber handled tools however. Good luck scrapping!
ReplyDeleteShort that capacitor out with an insulated screwdriver. If you don't then you will quickly find out why that transformer with the big red cable is called a "Fly-back Transformer"
ReplyDeleteive heard of people saying don't take this part, youll get hurt if you don't know what im doing- is the fly back and the leaded glass really the only 2 things to worry about or no.
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your scrapblog and decided to try it out on a large TV up the street. I got all my tools and went to check it out someone had removed all the copper and boards from it and put the cover back on with one screw. Thanks for the advice on discharging the capacitor. I also wear eye protection and gloves when scrapping.
ReplyDeleteAfter scrapping a TV or monitor, how do you get rid of the leaded glass and other stuff you can't throw away?
ReplyDelete@AdamS-Maybe your local dump/recycling center, I think mine takes crts for free. I don't know if they would except only the glass because you took the copper out.
ReplyDeleteHere in nj it's now almost impossible to get rid of CRT's, unless you can leave the glass where you found it, it's not even worth going after the monitors anymore.
ReplyDeleteI just tried harvesting the copper from a monitor, the degausing cable was easy enough, but how do you get the copper windings out. The ones I have are not very accessible and I can't figure out how to get them off the plastic.
ReplyDelete