[pianotech] Copper recycling of bass strings

[Don Mannino]

Here is a trick someone in our warehouse came up with.  It works for
single-wrapped strings:

1. Cut the tuning pin end of the string just beyond where the core wire is
swedged (flattened) to grip the copper.  You need to cut both the copper and
core wire at the same time, and that 1.5 inches of copper needs to be
unwound by hand.
2. Peel off a few inches of the copper by hand and put that end (the cut
end) down on the floor.  Step on the copper with your foot.
3. Grab the  loop end of the string  with vice grips, or simply bend it to a
right angle to make it easy to hold.
4. Twirl / rotate the loop end while holding the end of the copper wire with
your foot.  Twirl it so that you are loosening the copper from the core - it
goes different directions depending on the string maker.  So this is the
opposite of twisting the wire to eliminate a buzz, twisting it the opposite
direction of the winding.
5. The copper wire will loosen as you twirl the hitch pin end, working up
the length of the wire until the top end comes loose.  Once that happens,
you can slide the copper off of the core wire completely.

This process takes less than a minute per string - very fast, and the copper
ends up in nice tight coils that you can ball up and throw in a box.

For the double-wound strings it isn't so easy.  You have to work harder to
unwind the heavy outer copper by hand.  I think the washer idea is right -
using a board mounted in a vice with a hole in it, start the copper
unwinding by hand, feed the end through the hole in the board and lay the
string on the workbench, then pull hard with vice grips to pull the string
through the hole in the board, letting the core rotate and whip around on
the work bench.  Be careful!

Once the outer covering is off you can then use the previous technique to
remove the core wrap quickly.

Have fun - copper gets pretty good money from the recyclers!  Something like
$3 a pound.

Don Mannino

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Rob McCall
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2011 11:28 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Copper recycling of bass strings

Hi all,

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?

Thanks,

Rob McCall

McCall Piano Service, LLC
www.mccallpiano.com
Murrieta, CA
951-698-1875