[pianotech] Copper recycling of bass strings

[John Delacour]

At 23:28 -0700 30/06/2011, Rob McCall wrote:

>I have a set of bass strings I removed from an old grand. My 13 year 
>old wants to know if she can have the money from recycling the 
>copper.  The recycling place won't take it if it's still wrapped on 
>the steel core.
>
>I've tried to find an easy way to have my daughter remove the copper 
>but the effortless method has eluded me to date. :-)
>
>Anyone have any ideas?

I wish I had.  I get £4 per kilo for "bright" copper scrap but they 
give very little for what they call "brassy iron" and I have 
hundredweights of it waiting for the right idea to light up.

I think the answer for a large quantity is to hire or build a 
furnace, but for the 5 pounds of copper you're going to get from one 
set there's no cost-effective answer unless your children are good 
with an oxy-acetylene torch!

JD