Retail Recycling
The following are categories in which we purchase material. Prices are subject to change daily and are based on the midwest commodity markets. Please call our phone number for updated pricing at 574-267-6781. We have a 24 hour automated system with a list of a few of the items we purchase.
We have the right to refuse or change any specs at any time for any reason
All metal items that conform to our environmental rules fall into the following pricing categories.
Copper
#1 Copper - Clean tubing, bars, and solid pieces or 16 gauge or greater wire, no paint, solder, or brass fittings. Absolutely no steel or magnetics Free and clean of excessive foreign material. No tin coating which will appear silver in color.
#2 Copper – copper tubing with solder remaining, less than 16 gauge thin wire, painted tubing. Minimum of non-copper material, including brass. No steel or magnetics.
Insulated #1 Copper - house wiring, high voltage cable, extension cords.. No tin coating, no plug ends, no steel, no communication cable, no jelly or no excessive insulation, no barn or cloth wire. Minimum 60% recovery.
Insulated #2 Copper - Communication cable, computer cables, extension cords, sound equipment cable, harness wire. Plug ends may remain, tin coated wire, no barn or no cloth wire, no heavy steel or no excessive plastic.
Insulated #2 Bare Wire - cloth coated wire or old barn wire. Usually is tin coated - purchased at the same price as #2 ins but must be separated.
Lite Copper – Thin copper sheets, copper gutters, flashing, screens.
Tin Plated Copper -buss bar or wire (will be silver in appearance, than when top layer is removed clean copper color will appear). Coating may be tin or nickel.
Electric Motors - copper wiring present, comes from washers/dryers, air conditioners. No attachments, must be motor housings only. Deductions may be taken for excessive attachments - fan blades etc.
Electric motors or transformers with aluminum windings will be purchased as irony aluminum (breakage)
Compressors/Sealed Units - pumps from air conditions and fridges. Large compressors from industrial applications will be purchased as unclean motors.
Brass
Red Brass - water meters, heavy ball valves, copper tint must be apparent. 85% Copper.
Yellow Brass - brass fittings, home decor, light fixtures, deductions taken for unclean material. No shell casings.
Auto Radiators - old car, truck, farm, and heavy equipment. Must be removed of steel or deduction will be taken.
EDM Brass wire - wire or chop form. Must be free of moisture. Deductions may be taken for moisture content.
Heater Cores – Small brass radiators
Shell Casings - must be free of lead of foreign materials, no steel cases, no plastic, we absolutely do not accept live ammunition or unused ammunition.
Aluminum
Old Sheet- Painted thick siding, pots/pans, screen doors, window frames, lawn chairs, steel screws may remain. No foil or other light paper like aluminums.
Cast Aluminum - grill tops, small engine parts, some lawn mower decks, some large engine parts. Less than 5% steel allowed. Carburetors contain too much steel, however piston sleeves in blocks are okay.
New Painted Siding - must be completely free of foreign material, no steal, no plastic or no insulation, house siding, gutters, soffit.
All Aluminum Radiators - all aluminum new car radiators. Must be completely free of steel and drained of fluids. Deduction will be taken for steel and plastic housings or mounts.
Aluminum Extrusions - no steel screws, plastic, or lead, must be completely free of non aluminum. Paint may remain. Aluminum manufactured through a die. "I" beams, square tubing.
1100, 3003, 3004, 5052,- must have verification of alloy or can be tested by Lewis Salvage. Please call for more info.
6061 - solid aluminum no steel no paint. Must be less than four feet in size. Must have verification of alloy or can be tested by Lewis Salvage. Please call for price.
6061 Truck Wheels - all truck wheels.
Aluminum Turnings - machined chips or shavings. Must be free of moisture or cutting fluids or magnetics. Will be tested for other contaminants. Deductions may be taken for excessive fluids.
Lithograph - news paper transfer aluminum.
MLC or bare aluminum solids - no steel, no paint. No thin aluminum items.
Alum Wheels - no lead weights or stems. No plastic or steel hub caps.
Alum/Copper Radiators - small/ large air conditioner. Must be able to verify source in which the customer received the radiator.
Magnesium - lawn boy mower decks stamped magnesium, some old ladders grayish in color.
ACSR – Insulated Alum wire twisted with steel strand, if it does not have steel it can be stripped and sold as MLC
Stainless Steel
304 - Non Magnetic Stainless Steel – sinks, industrial kitchen equipment, diary tanks. Must contain 8% nickel.
17-4 Solids - must have verification.
17-4, 303, 304, 316, or higher nickel turnings must be clean and segregated.
316, or other high nickel stainless solids - must have verification of alloy or can be tested by Lewis Salvage. Please call for more info.
Other Metals
Cupra Nickle - copper/nickel peels, or solids.
Lead Batteries - car, truck, boat, power back up batteries.
Steel Case Batteries - large machine batteries
Lead – no steal or tar.
Lead Wheel Weights - the steel/ lead piece that balance car and truck rims.
Lead Covered Cable - copper covered lead cable.
Carbide Bits/Tips - please call.
Cobalt Solids - please call for pricing.
Cobalt Turnings - must be clean and free of other metal contaminants.
Titanium Solids - please call for pricing.
Titanium Turnings - must be clean and free of other metal contaminants. Please call for pricing.
Steel
2' Cut Steel - must be 1/4 inch or greater in thickness, can be up to 24 inch by 18 inch wide. Rims must be cut in half. No cast, rubber, plastic, or chrome.
5' Cut Steel - must 1/4 inch or greater in thickness, must be smaller than five feet in length. No lead, copper or aluminum attachments.
Unprepared Steel- clean steel, heavy gauge material to be sheared only, no plastic, no wire.
Sheet Iron - steel sheets, fence wire.
Unclean steel - rubber, wood, foam, appliances, fridges,
Cars - must have title with no lean.
Torching - large machines too big to shear and must be broken or torched. Presses, Forklifts, Tractor Weights.
Break Drums - Hubs and Rotors - car or truck made of cast iron, no attachments. Must be clean.
Auto cast - clean motor, no pistons, semi hubs and rotors, cam heads, manifolds, water pumps, blocks must be see through.
Unclean Motors - small car and truck engines. Aluminum and steel.
Big Block Motors- diesel and big block engines
Busheling - no painted, may be galvanized and small in size. Sizes must be consistent. Multiple grades. Please call and send pictures.
For on-going scrap removal or a one time project, Lewis Salvage can provide you or your business with a container that you can fill up at your convenience. Once it is filled, call our office to schedule a pick up. For more details about commercial scrap removal please call todayElectronic Recycling
Lewis Salvage now accepts e-scrap! Please see our Electronic Recycling page for more details.