Metal Sorting From time to time, we get asked about how to properly sort your metals. We've developed this generic sorting guide to help answer your questions. Always remember that if you have something that you don't know what it is, just keep it seperate from the rest of your items, and we will be able to determine what it is and what it's worth at our facility. Remember this list is pretty generic, and covers only the basic metals, copper, brass, aluminum, and steel. Brite and Shiny Copper - Shall consist of 14 gauge (each individual strand) or bigger wire and have no burnt or oxidized wire. # 1 Copper Wire - Shall consist of 14 gauge (each individual strand) or bigger wire. Wire cannot consist of plated or coated wire and shall have no soldered joints or connectors. ** Please note that burning copper wire is illegal, however for accidental fires that produce burnt wire, we can purchase it with a note from the Fire Dept., proving the fire was accidental. # 1 Copper Solid - Shall consist of solid copper punchings, clips, and/or copper tubing that has no corrosion inside or out, no paint, and no solder. #2 Copper Tube - Shall consist of tubing with or without solder joints, paint, or corrosion. #2 Copper Wire - Shall consist of wire smaller than 14 gauge (each strand) and can be stripped, burnt, varnish coated, and contain solder joints. ** Please note that burning copper wire is illegal, however for accidental fires that produce burnt wire, we can purchase it with a note from the Fire Dept., proving the fire was accidental. #3 Copper (Light Copper) - Shall consist of sheet copper, pots, pans, thin, flat stock and turnings (no excessive oil). Foundry (Refinery Brass) - Shall consist of red brass pieces which contain no plating, paint, or corrosion. Each piece must be either solid or able to be open for inspection. Red Brass - Shall consist of red brass pieces that do not qualify for refinery brass. Yellow Brass - Shall consist of brass castings, rod brass, tubing and miscellaneous yellow brasses to include plated and painted pieces. Radiators - Shall consist of unsweated automobile radiators, to be free of aluminum radiators and iron finned radiators. Sheet Aluminum - Shall consist of clean or painted siding, pots, pans, and miscellaneous pieces to be free of iron, dirt, corrosion, fiber backing, or other contaminates. Cast Aluminum - Shall consist of aluminum castings to be free of iron, dirt, corrosion, fiber backing, or other contaminates. Clips - Shall consist of new, clean, uncoated and unpainted low copper aluminum scrap of two or more alloys and to be free of foil, hair wire, wire screen, dirt, and other foreign substances. 6061 - Shall consist of painted or unpainted heavy extruded structural pieces to be free of iron, dirt, corrosion or other contaminates. 6063 Shall consist of painted or unpainted extruded pieces such as storm door and window frames to be free of iron, dirt, corrosion or other contaminates. EC Wire - Shall consist of clean, bright aluminum electrical wire to be free of iron, dirt, corrosion or other contaminates. Foundry iron - Shall consist of mild steel pieces to be 1/4 inch or thicker, oil free, unpainted and charging box size (Spokane Steel Foundry's spec is 18" or smaller in any direction). Cast iron - Shall consist of clean cast iron scrap such as columns, pipes, plates and castings of a miscellaneous nature, including automobile blocks and cast iron parts of agriculture and other machinery. Heavy Break Cast - Shall consist of cast iron scrap over charging box size or weighing over 500 pounds. #1 Unprepared Steel - Shall consist of mild and hard steel 1/4 inch or thicker, clean, painted, or chromed. Not to include any galvanized pieces. Each piece to be 18" by any length. #l Prepared Steel - Shall consist of mild and hard steel 1/4 inch or thicker, clean, painted, or chromed. Not to include any galvanized pieces. Each piece to be 18" by 3' or less. #2 Unprepared Steel - Shall consist of miscellaneous steel under 1/4 inch thick. Each piece to be 18" by any length. Includes all galvanized material but no thin sheet iron (tin). #l Prepared Steel - Shall consist of miscellaneous steel and small auto parts under 1/4 inch thick. Each piece to be 18" by 3' or less. Includes all galvanized material but no thin sheet iron (tin). Motor Blocks - Shall consist of all complete motor blocks without oil pans and filters.