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CONTACT US:
937 Highway 80
San Marcos, TX 78666
HOURS OF OPERATION:
Monday: 8:00a - 5:00p
Tuesday: 8:00a - 5:00p
Wednesday: 8:00a - 5:00p
Thursday: 8:00a - 5:00p
Friday: 8:00a - 5:00p
Saturday: 8:00a - 12:00p
Sunday: CLOSED
We will be closed Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 for Labor Day!
Sort Your Metal
To maintain the value of your material, keep metal grades separated. Material can be purchased as a mixed load, but the price will be lower.
Non-Ferrous vs. Ferrous Metals - Magnet Test
A magnet is your best tool for sorting metals. If the magnet sticks to your material, it is ferrous, which means it contains iron. All ferrous metals are purchased across the truck scale, in the yard.
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If it does not stick, your material is non-ferrous. All non-ferrous metals are purchased on the floor scale, inside the warehouse.
Stainless Steel vs. Aluminum - Spark Test
Stainless steel and aluminum are very similar in appearance. The best way to tell them apart is to test them with an angle grinder or bench grinder. Stainless steel will throw sparks, aluminum will not. Stainless steel may also have a slight magnetic pull, aluminum will not.
Copper vs. Brass
Pure copper will appear pink. If it is tarnished, it will look red or brown. If it is oxidized, it will be green. The color of brass is more yellow. Running the material across a grinder will reveal the true color for identification.
Yellow Brass vs. Die Cast Aluminum
Die Cast aluminum is often painted to look like yellow brass. The best way to identify the metal is to run it across a grinder. Yellow brass will be yellow and die cast will have a silver color.
Pre-Process Your Metal
Cleaning up material is often a quick way to increase the value of your metal. Here are some common examples:
Sheet Aluminum
Copper Wire
80% - 90% to Bare Bright
Insulated copper wire that recovers at least 80% copper can be stripped to increase the grade from 80/90% Insulated Cu Wire to Bare Bright Copper.
Irony-Sheet to Clean Sheet
Remove all screws, caulking and other contaminants from sheet aluminum. This increased the grade from Irony-Sheet to Clean-Sheet.
Window Frames
Shreddable to Clean Extruded Aluminum
Removing the glass from a window frame increases the grade from Shreddable Steel to Dirty Extrusion.
Radiators
Dirty to Clean Al. / Cu. Core Radiator
Cutting the steel end off of an aluminum copper core increased the grade from Dirty Al/Cu Core to Clean Al/ Cu Core and Cu. Core Ends.