do you ransack you work dumpster? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sarepairman2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 03:33:51 pm
content: i was told that it looks like they might not need a e-waste disposal company anymoreI don't understand why you cannot mix inductors with concrete for making stone walls and whatnot

author: max666
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 04:09:43 pm
content: I don't understand what you are trying to say.From the part that I do understand I can say that inductors are wound with copper wire. Copper is a resource that grows more and more expensive, which is why it needs to be recycled and not locked away in concrete walls.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 04:28:01 pm
content: Interesting things can be found in dumpsters, all you need is an empty car just in case something useful comes up. My last score was a reel of CAT 5 cable with about 400m left but I've also found some large sheets of plastic that were used for exhibition stands and countless TV sets. In a previous job I had a handful of 14 inch PC monitors to throw away, all of them were working BUT we were forbidden to give them to staff because a) we would have had to safety test them and b) there could be other liability issues.So..................1) We put the word out that some monitors were being thrown out even though they were working2) Each monitor had a SCRAP label stuck to the screen, this label was easily removable.3) Each monitor was carefully carried to the dumpster and placed inside where, for some reason, a person was always waiting for something interesting to come along.4) The security staff were informed that we were doing this and that removals from the dumpster were OK (this is VERY important).Think of it as a smaller version of Dave's Dumpster Room.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 04:36:25 pm
content: When I was an intern at a computer-ish company I drove there on my moped instead of taking the train every now and then. At some point the people started to wonder: do we throw this piece of electronics away or do we bind it on Nico's moped?'. Even though it's decades later I still have some stuff I hauled away from that company.But nowadays you have to be careful to just take things. Always ask!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 04:38:30 pm
content: Seeing as I am the one who does the waste disposal I do tend to see what comes through. I also go shopping at the local scrappie, got some interesting stuff that way. Just wish he would have given me those 11kV transformers he was cutting up....

author: sarepairman2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 04:50:59 pm
content: Quote from: max666 on August 23, 2015, 04:09:43 pmits a joke, I mean they pay to throw out so much shit that I can probobly use to cut concrete when I am building walls around my home. Lol, I found a peice of electrical transmission line on the side of the road once (aluminum wires around a steel wire core). It ended up being cut, bent into U shapes and used to "reinforce" concrete in a retaining wall lolso long electrolytics are removed I see no reason why old ROHS circuit boards cannot be used as structural elements/cutting agent inside of concrete

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:05:25 pm
content: Last place I worked at (poker machine company) would often 'tidy up' their stores dept. Stock lines they didn't want any more - in the dumpster. Had some amazing finds. For instance, about 100 big linear actuators, several huge packs of new solid state relays, more boxes of 0.1" headers and IDC connectors of all sizes than I can ever use, mounds of new ICs, optocouplers, etc in rails, etc.Never any test gear though, sadly.Most frustrating moments: Originally the company had an active metalworking department. New management decided to outsource all that. One of the office staff managed to pull off having all the equipment given to some relative of theirs - I'd missed out by not hearing what was going on in time.Then they threw out their stock of sheet metal. Hired a big metal recycling dumpster. Dropped maybe 20 full size new uncut sheets of stainless steel into the dumpster, in one stack. When I found it at the end of the day, the sheets were in the bottom of the dumpster, but they were a little bit wider than the dumpster, so they had bowed down in the middle. Forming a kind of spring lock against the dumpster sides. I couldn't figure out any way to get them out. Could have improvised a way to get them on my car's roofracks, and only a short drive home. Making multiple trips as needed. But they were too tightly wedged. Could have cried. Gone to recycling the next day. I think they actually paid to have them taken away.The original management were great guys to work for, but decided to retire. New owners installed some kind of sub-human management creatures, apparently the result of breeding arseholes with morons.

author: TheElectricChicken
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:08:42 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 23, 2015, 05:05:25 pm

author: TheElectricChicken
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:13:53 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 23, 2015, 05:05:25 pmFor the benefit of readers, usually they get those dumpsters for free in exchange for the metal that is dumped into them. (in TerraHertz country)Quote from: TerraHertz on August 23, 2015, 05:05:25 pmWe need a fast-acting rescue rangers network. Plus, a database thing of council cleanups. It will have to be a secret society because corporate and gov trolls are always looking for such things.

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:34:50 pm
content: Quote from: sarepairman2 on August 23, 2015, 04:50:59 pmThe none ferrous metals are a terrible choice for reinforcing concrete, iron and steel are a brilliant choice due to their high thermal compatibility with concrete. Aluminium contracts and expands more due to temperature changes so the "reinforcement" would end up reducing the structures lifespan.The fibreglass is a good match though.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2015, 05:40:51 pm
content: Ransack might be too harsh a word for what I do... I inspect, check if anyone made a mistake and then I get a free misconfigured monitor, a lot of misc electronics... Occasionally a friend invites me to a similar... inspection and we check for stuffSo yeah. I do it, it doesn't hurt anyone and I'm all the happier.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2015, 12:14:31 pm
content: Waste is locked up and an employee always goes with the recycling truck to verify there is no cheating.Since our waste is scrap copper, you understand why.We have a lot of Eastern European visitors at the fence. They all want to take our garbage for free!

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2015, 12:54:22 pm
content: Quote from: TheElectricChicken on August 23, 2015, 05:13:53 pmIt's possible. Especially considering a Sims metal recyclers was just a couple of blocks away.However, even if that was the usual practice, I'd still not be surprised if those idiots managed to arrange to pay for it. They really were that stupid.God I was glad to leave there. Experiencing that hell was the primary reason I took early retirement. N.E.V.E.R. Again.QuoteWasn't there a case in Queensland or Vic a few years ago, where someone was charged with 'theft' for taking stuff from a kerb council cleanup pile? On the theory that once people put stuff out, it belongs to the council.Not that I care. There's a photocopier sitting behind me now that is a recent kerb pickup. Probably will strip it for bits.Also, I know an old guy who makes a hobby of collecting scrap metal from cleanups, then taking it to Sims metal. Trailer loads at a time. He does it for something to do, rather than the money. And yes, if he sees anything of 'my kind of interest' we have an arrangement. Only recently set up, and already scored a couple of nice things (non electronic.)Quote from: TheElectricChicken on August 23, 2015, 05:08:42 pmStill have a couple of boxes of them. Half like this pic, the others a bit larger (box more deeply buried atm.)I sold most of them on ebay. They have no position feedback, so aren't as useful as you'd hope. Basically a DC motor driving a screw thread.

author: TheElectricChicken
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2015, 01:42:49 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 24, 2015, 12:54:22 pmI didn't hear about it, but they come up with ways to scare people into buying more crap instead of saving the planet we live on, anything for a buck. It may be no more than a wives tale because they need 7 different proofs to prove larceny including intent, which they wouldn't have. Still, this is the country where the appearance of an alledged murder victim at the trial of her alledged murderer and her testifying that the accused didn't murder her, or ever meet her, and she is actually alive, has no bearing on the outcome of said murder trial. The accused was still found guilty of murder. Happened like 5 years ago or so. Australia. what was her name ? natasha ryan i think. No, I don't care either. If we do not save the earth we live on we'll all be dead. Some people can't see that, they can only see their next dollar.QuoteI want more friends like this ! Usually they do it for the money. I should start buying ALL scrap as if I were a scrap place, offer $1 more per whatever than they can get elsewhere and sell what I don't want. The good stuff would be worth it.QuoteWant, will PM, will call swapsies, will trade and barter ! I'll even resort to cashThey'll help along my 'roof-ripping-robot-rampage-100-foot-humanoid' project amongst other things, doesn't require positive feedback or any feedback for that matter because this thing just doesn't care what it wrecks. I want something like this, but without the gun. I dont like weapons.hopefully it will have as much success as my last project.image courtesyhttp://wallpoper.com/wallpaper/futurama-professor-321538and futurama.Quote from: Jeroen3 on August 24, 2015, 12:14:31 pmUnderstandable. I often wonder what it would take to go fishing with some friends, not just for fish, but for some of the tens of thousands of shipping containers (full of stuff) lost at sea every year. Given we can make our own remote control underwater robots, there are opensource ones, then finding and attaching chains would be easy, right ? Hmmmm.....www.google.com.au/search?output=search&q=thousands+of+shipping+containers+lost+at+sea+every+year

author: jhalar
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2015, 11:07:05 am
content: My local council got fed up with people making money from the dumped items that they cancelled the the 5 times a year scheduled cleanups. Now you call the council upto 5 times a year to book a time for them to come and take away your unwanted stuff. Certainly stopped the collectors driving around looking for useful items.

author: klr5205
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2015, 11:34:48 am
content: Quote from: jhalar on August 27, 2015, 11:07:05 amWorking on the important problems as usual...

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2015, 12:15:15 pm
content: My last back alley finds include a 42" Polaroid TV (cracked screen. PSU, mainboard & backlight are fine), 6 x HDR boxes (Sky Sat and Virgin Cable) all with perfectly good 500GB HDD SATA drives, and a Dolby 5.1 Surround sound DVD player thing (no remote, but works).As for work, at the last big corporate place I worked whenever I had my eye on something valuable going for scrap that would be easy to repair it was always a Elfen Safety issue and a Human Remains Employer Liability issue. I pointed out that I am a contractor and could purchase the item through my Limited Company for a nominal fee, VAT invoice and all. But no, they also had a preferred supplier arrangement and so they had to pay some favoured scrap company to take them away. (Wonder how the backhanders work with that one?)It really annoyed me all the £x,000's kit I would see going for scrap, when some pikey git like TopLoser was being PAID to take them away!

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2015, 06:12:23 pm
content: See my earlier post about stuff carefully placed in the dumpster after notifying the interested party that the event was about to take place.

author: Leiothrix
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2015, 11:05:49 pm
content: Quote from: jhalar on August 27, 2015, 11:07:05 amI think it's more that everyone got fed up with everyone leaving shit everywhere over a period of a couple of weeks.