tungsten scrap

I can't speak for what's happening in the scrap market these days, but I recall when tungsten carbide was fetching around $7/lb, although that was some time ago.

I don't think the US is known for its tungsten production, so it is likely an import product. Considering its usefulness in industry, I can't imagine we treat it as if it has so little value. If you price tungsten electrodes, it doesn't take much to figure out they're selling the tungsten for one hell of a lot more than 80 cents/lb. I think I'd do a little exploring before I sold it at that price. If that's all it's worth, I'd like to know the reason why. If you do explore, how about telling us what you learn?

Harold

Yeah, I thought it was kind of low myself. I'll let the group know what I finally get. Jim

The problem is likely that those electrodes will require a lot of labor and energy intensive input in order to be useful again. I spend most of my time working for a moly and tungsten processor and fabricator. This plant is unusual in that it is highly integrated. The tungsten and moly come in as oxide powders, the powder is reduced in electrically heated hydrogen atmosphere furnaces, pressed into ingots, then sintered at enormous temperatures by passing current thru the bars (ever see a 5/8" dia light bulb filament?). The ingots are then subjected to some combination of hot swaging, rolling, and/or drawing to get the material into a useful shape. All of this requires very high temps and controlled atmospheres, and results in a relatively small amount of product.

Despite all the processes that go on in this plant, they don't process their own scrap. I did ask one time how much they sell the scrap for. I don't recall exactly, but don't think it was more than 2-3 dollars/pound.

Ned Simmons

On Wed, 9 Jun 2004 16:13:56 -0700, "Harold & Susan Vordos" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Dunno. But the scrap guys around here pay $100/tonne, and sell at $1/kilo if you want to buy a piece of stuff, even if it's some rusty old welded up box that you are tearing apart for sheet etc.

Sometimes in a workplace you find snot on the wall of the toilet cubicles. You feel "What sort of twisted child would do this?"....the internet seems full of them. It's very sad

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 22:48:28 GMT, "Jim" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!: remove ns from my header address to reply via email

errrrrrrr "local" where?

Sometimes in a workplace you find snot on the wall of the toilet cubicles. You feel "What sort of twisted child would do this?"....the internet seems full of them. It's very sad

Northeast Mass.

You might do a whole lot better selling them on ebay in fairly small lots.

Are these pure tungsten TIG electrodes?

Dan

No, these are electrodes use in a machine that make artificial hips and knees. They are discarded after they get a certain size. The boss use to save them, then cash them in at the end of the year to contribute to the Christmas party. The place he used to scrap them went out of business and he stopped saving them. Said I could have them if I wanted. Been saving them for a few years now. Don't know if it was worth it! Jim

I would still try selling a few on ebay. My guess is that someone will figure out how they can use them. Maybe for spark gaps for telsa coils.

You might alse contact General Electric or Sylvania and see what they will pay for scrap.

Dan

Jim you should deal with carbiderecycling.com. The number of bucks could be better.