14 Nov
2010
14 Nov
'10
1:35 p.m.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pontus Pihlgren" <pontus at Update.UU.SE>
To: "General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts"
<cctalk at classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2010 3:55 PM
Subject: Re: Ugh, I think I am going to be sick...
People on ebay tend to pay more then going rate for many things. Refineries
don't like dealing with small lots. I also think that many gold hoarders who
think that gold is going to hit $4000 or some high number are buying up
those CPUs looking for a long term gain, or they might be having issues
getting real gold locally. Could also be chip colletors saving them before
they get melted down if they see something rare in the lot.
When I junked a bunch of bad circuit boards I dealt with a local scrapper
who gave me around $1.50 a pound, that guy would get huge boxes full (that
sat on a skid) before a truck came and picked up his lot and that might have
gone to another guy before the refinery. Everything was seperated and old
CPUs were worth the most.
Don't forget that gold goes up and down quite a bit in a short time period
and a few people have to make a profit before the refinery does its work so
the farther down the chain you are (and the smaller the quantity of
material) the less you will make.
I do not think
you understood the first time I said this.
Most guys buying chips and boards today use refineries, and have
stopped doing the refining at home. There are still a fair number of
independents doing the chemistry in their basement, but most have
figured out that using the commercial refineries is better in many
ways.
The refineries are actually quite clean, considering the toxic nature
of the business.
Why to people sell them on ebay? instead of taking them directly to the
refineries.
/P