recycling for projects

themadhacker · Post by **themadhacker** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:24 pm

Just wondering how many of you recycle stuff for your projects.
I use old playstation AV cables for wires, save old resistors and capacitors from dead electronics, as well as LEDs. Also, if I see something repairable lying next to trash cans on gargage night, I swipe it to fix up. (found a working lamp last week) Or, if they're completely destroyed,I save the copper from old fan motors to make some extra cash.

Aguiluz · Post by **Aguiluz** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:36 pm

I smashed open car stereos for 7805s.

I try to pick up scrap around. I got a PIII and a PI. I was tempted to get some speakers but something in me said no. I tried getting 2 TVs but I got burned. I did win a working monitor!

I keep a lot of scrap for future use.

My room has a scrap corner full of scrap.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:43 pm

I've just recently invested in a heat gun for many uses, one of which is salvaging old components! I have a pile of PCB's from an old Stereo Amp and equalizer, tons of caps, resistors, diodes, tact switches, and LEDs. Seriously, If you see old electronics in the trash, their components are worth a lot! Throwing them away will (literally) cost you later.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:51 pm

totokan wrote:I've just recently invested in a heat gun for many uses, one of which is salvaging old components!

What is the procedure for using a heat gun to desolder? I have tons of broken stuff, but it takes too long to desolder it all with an iron, so I just save the boards and desolder the parts when I need them. If I could desolder them quickly that would be great.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:55 pm

Clamp the board perpendicular to desk, (move quickly now!) heat gun a small part of board, use needle-nose pliars to pull out components. The heat gun on its lowest setting (the one I have, I assume most are similar...) is hot enough to melt the solder, thus the components come lose. Sometimes caps are affixed with a glue-like material, just pull and they come loose. Don't stay in one place too long, because, although there's less risk then the direct heat of an iron, the components still can be damaged by the heat!

Valium · Post by **Valium** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:58 pm

I reuse everything. I desolder all the components off of every board, use em when needed, and then use the boards for mounting more components. I'm currently using the female and male power plugs from a psone with my portable in the works, gotta say they're nice to work with. Then I gutted open my clock radio and used the audio portion to make a small amp, and stuffed the rest of it inside the psone's case.

mothatrucka · Post by **mothatrucka** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:53 pm

I get a lot of my parts from old computers. The HDDs and disk drives usually get swapped out to other computers with broken drives. Old computers are a literal gold mine for parts. I can't recall the last time I had to buy wire. I've got boxes of it. The components I don't use for electronics projects often get used for recycled art jewelry. Very little is wasted.

themadhacker · Post by **themadhacker** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:48 pm

mothatrucka wrote: The components I don't use for electronics projects often get used for recycled art jewelry. Very little is wasted.

jewelry from broken electronics? sounds interesting, can you post pics?

timmeh87 · Post by **timmeh87** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:09 pm

Ive been collecting since I was like 14. 'The graveyard' has most of the parts youd ever need.

Also, a hair dryer is a heat gun in disguise. Just block the air intake with something. (Warning: will eventually break your hair dryer)

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 3:23 pm

I got a heat gun at a car boot sale for Â£2 recently, not used it yet.

I tend to keep old electronics for "bits and bobs" where I can. Handy for resistors and capacitors, etc.

I have recycled some parts, like an amp from old speakers to make a new MP3 stereo system, a working PDA from a dead one (if you recall). I have a stack of cut controllers and parts as they come in useful sometimes.

themadhacker · Post by **themadhacker** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:39 pm

well, an hour ago I was riding my bike when I saw a perfect condition fan( the kind that rotates back and forth so everyone gets to feel the breeze). Nothing was missing, so I carried it on my bike back home and it completely works. The fact that some people are so wasteful that they throw out good, functional stuff just baffles me.

BTW I am using the fan as I post this.

timmeh87, what is "the Graveyard"?

Quetzalcoatlus · Post by **Quetzalcoatlus** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:57 pm

themadhacker wrote: The fact that some people are so wasteful that they throw out good, functional stuff just baffles me.

I agree. I found two perfectly working Atari 2600's and about 40 games for them just laying at the curb being thrown out one day, so I took them.

themadhacker · Post by **themadhacker** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 5:19 pm

Ataris?!! wow you got a good find. The people I salvage stuff from live in a really nice expensive town. They always seem to be throwing out nice stuff, so maybe I could find an old game system.

kasar · Post by **kasar** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:47 pm

like Allways IÂ´m low money

low of money = not good for build a portable

so I also recicled Lot of stuff for my project.
like one gc official composite video/audio cable for get the circuit from inside.
I also opened several laptops for batteries,speakers and some small tact switches.
also stoled some wood from my fatherÂ´s garage to make case

and lot of other stuff I donÂ´t remember now.

I didnÂ´t set yet a serius name to my project, but like it has been made majority of recicled stuff shouldnÂ´t it be recognized as a ecologic system

?

made of natural mats like wood,Lol an ecologic gc

nah,seriusly it isnÂ´t really, got lof of toxic stuff inside like li-ons and something.if my portable has something of ecologic is same those recicled crappy yellow papers that kids make in school

SonyPortableizer · Post by **SonyPortableizer** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 7:59 pm

I never throw-out anything
Either I take away the valuable, useful parts, or I add it to my beautiful piece of art work called the Junk Bin

I have also found a TV, a NES, and 2 computers