How To Scrap Apart A Computer

This post describes the ways one can scrap a computer to make the MOST MONEY! Computers can be found in bulk at school actions, business closings, and even on craigslist for free. This explains how to scrap the computer, check here for more info on how to scrap the monitors! When scrapping computers, VOLUME is very important. Before selling any of the gold bearing components, wait until you have accumulated over 5-10 pounds of the stuff. This will assure you have interested buyers and therefore a very good price when selling on Ebay.

Firstly, before scrapping a computer, make sure it is actually worthless. The truth is, any working component of a computer is worth more as a used part than as scrap. That being said, lets look at the scrap value...

The inside of a computer is full of different types of materials, including, copper, aluminum, gold, silver, palladium, and all types of wire and transformers. Computers can be broken apart into several different components:

• The Case: This is the outside of the computer, this is made of steel.
• Disk Drives: including DVD/CD/Floppy disk players and high grade board.
• Hard Drives: milled aluminum, stainless steel, and high grade board.
• Motherboards: The main board that hold the CPU, the RAM and the PCIs.
• CPUs: This is the most gold concentrated part of most computers. It is under a heat sink.
• RAM: These are the "sticks" that can be pulled from the motherboard.
• PCIs: these are the "mini boards" that can get pulled out of the motherboard.
• PowerSupply: This is the box that has a big chunk of wire coming out of it.

For More info on identifying electronic scrap check out Identifying E-Scrap. 

To pull these different components out of the computer, the first thing you need to do is open up the side of the computer case. This can be done by unscrewing some screws or pulling in the right places. Newer model computers are usually very easy to get into, and the older they are, the harder it is to open up. However, it is never harder than pulling out a few screws.

The first thing I do to a computer when scrapping it, it cut out all the wires.


Once I have the wires cleaned out, I will pull out the CPU and the RAM, both of which are pictured below. The CPU is almost alway covered with a heat sink, also pictured below. The CPU has a little throw switch lever that needs to be UP to allow it to come out, as well as a strap that holds it to the heat sink. The RAM is usually secured with little plastic tabs on their ends.

How To Remove a CPU from a motherboard

These are, arguably, the two most expensive components of the computer (by price per weight).

The next thing I pull out of the computer is the PCIs. These can usually just get ripped right out of the motherboard. If I just give it a nice strong pull, the whole thing will get ripped out in one go. If that doesn't work for you, there is a single screw holding it onto the case that you need to take out.

PCI boards have gold fingers. The gold fingers can be cut off and sold separately for a premium! Always cut very close to the gold and leave very little green board connected to the fingers, and you will get the best prices. A single PCI aka daughterboard, is pictured below, along with some gold fingers:

















The next thing I pull from the computer is usually the Motherboard, aka the big board screwed into the case. To liberate the Motherboard, grab a trusty screw driver or power drill and take out the screws. Its pretty simple. A Motherboard is pictured below:

Now that the motherboard is out, I usually pull out the Hard Drive and the disk drives. A hard drive is shown below. There is a very small board on the bottom of all the disk drives that can be sold along with the PCIs and the motherboards. For more info on the hard drives, check out my page on How To Scrap A Hard Drive

But How Do You Sell These Components?

Everything you separated COULD be sold to a scrap yard. Hard drives, steel computer cases, and disk drives, can all be sold to a scrap yard.

But the CPUs, RAM, Motherboards, PCIs, Gold Fingers, and other gold bearing components should all get sold on Ebay! They will undoubtedly pay you more. To sell these gold components, you will need to be patient. The goal is to hold onto everything you have, until you get a large enough quantity/volume to sell them on Ebay.

Sell whatever you have once you are comfortable doing so. But you need to weight until you have the right quantity before selling.

Be aware! Don't take chances with other places online! Ebay will always get you the best prices!

Now, your scrap should generally get grouped into four main categories of E-Scrap. Remember, the more you have, the better prices you will receive. You should be selling these components in four separate lots, and do not mix the separate categories as you will get payed much less even if it seems easier.  The four components are:

• Gold Fingers (right now worth at least $15/lbs)
• PCI boards and Motherboards* (worth $3/lbs)
• CPUs (worth many different prices depending on what type they are)
• RAM (worth over $9/lbs)

*PCI boards can have the Gold fingers cut off, and what is left is still as valuable as the motherboards, so they can be mixed together. Also you can mix together the boards that you pulled off of hard drives and disk drives along with these.

MORE ON SCRAPPING MONITORS FOR SCRAP COPPER