How To Scrap A Gas Grill, BBQ Grill, or Propane Tank

Welcome to ScrapMetalJunkie.com! If you are interested in Scrap Metal Recycling, and would like to read a breakdown of how to scrap all types of things to make cash, please read though the Scrappers Handbook.

Old gas grills are one of my favorite things to scrap, despite the fact they are often greasy, hard to load into a truck by yourself, and are relatively low density (mass per volume). The reason I love scrapping gas grills is that some can be pretty valuable depending on the materials they are constructed from.

Today, however, I will review scrap disassembly of some average, run-of-the-mill gas grills: A mixed metal grill, and a cast aluminum grill. Grills can also be made from plain steel and non-magnetic stainless steel, which I discuss as well.

One thing that I notice as a #ScrapMetalJunkie is that the quality of the metals used in these appliances has significantly deteriorated in the last 15-20 years. As an example of what I mean, it’s much harder to find 3xx series stainless steel on a scrap grill today than it was even 10 years ago. It is much more common to find the cheaper 4xx series stainless steel on grills today.

How much cheaper is 4xx stainless? If the whole grill is made of 3xx series stainless steel, its scrap value is about $75. If it is partially/mostly 3xx stainless steel, its scrap value is likely close to $45. If the same grill was made entirely of 4xx grade stainless steel, its scrap value is about $10. (Just FYI, 3xx stainless steel does not stick to a magnet, but 4xx series does… If you’re buying a new grill, bring a magnet.)

This article will review the different types of metals used in various gas grills and provide an estimate of their scrap value. I will disassemble the two grills pictured above and give a detailed analysis of their respective scrap values. Disassembling both of these grills took me about 10 minutes total with proper tools.

Safety Note: Can You Scrap Propane Tanks?

Before we get going, I need to make an important note about propane tanks. Do not scrap these. Full/working propane tanks are extremely dangerous and hazardous to scrap operations. Dumping full or partial tanks in the shred pile actually puts peoples’ lives at risk. Everybody deserves to come home safe from work – do not be the reason a child’s parent never comes home again. Never try to scrap a propane tank.

Plus, propane tanks are worth much more as working tanks, and partial/full tanks have valuable propane in them. Leave the recycling of these tanks to the teams of people who test them and/or determine if they can be reused or not.

This is obvious to most of us, but these accidents still happen. Often times accidents occur when somebody mistakenly mixes a propane tank into the shred. To insure this never happens, designate a safe place to put any propane tanks you come across, and put them there immediately upon receiving them. To be safer still, don’t even take propane tanks, just tell your clients you cannot accept them for safety reasons and ask them to please return them to a propane exchange.

BUT, if you absolutely have to recycle an empty tank, there are some important safety requirements. Remember that they are high-strength pressure vessels made for holding explosive gas, and scrap yards have strict requirements before they even consider taking them:

The propane tank must first be completely emptied (and then, and only then…)

(and then, and only then…) The propane tank must have a hole cut in it. (Once the tank is empty, you can twist out the threaded brass valve on the top, the threaded hole that is left over in the tank is good enough for the scrap yard to take it.)

To empty a propane tank properly you need to bleed off all the propane until you can’t hear anything dribbling out of the tank. There are many sources readily available online that show how to safely do this. (A scrap yard may still hesitate to buy them, especially if you are selling a lot. A yard worker will need to check every one for a hole.)

Why Do People Take Only The Grill Lids Or BBQ Tops?

It is not uncommon to see a gas grill on the side of the road with the lid missing/broken off… Especially in the summer months. You may have even passed by one recently and thought nothin’ of it.

What happened? Did the owner get so upset with its cheap modern construction that he “flipped his lid” and broke it in half – shamefully leaving it at the curb for his neighbors to judge?

I hope not.

No, somebody saw the grill near the curb on garbage day and decided to salvage the lid for the scrap value. The lid and the firebox are often the most valuable scrap metals in a BBQ grill, but only the lid can be easily removed and transported. It takes just a few seconds to remove the lid if you have the right tools. Usually, when the faceless scrapper stops for the lid, they will also salvage the gas regulator.

We’re not talking a lot of money here, on the order of a dollar or two, but its better than a sharp stick in the eye.

I say “bravo” to the person who does this sort of scrapping because the grill was destined for the trash. Scrapping/recycling is always better than landfilling.

(Curbside recycling doesn’t allow for you to easily recycle appliances like gas grills, they are destined for the landfill.)

My only quarrel with the new owner of the lid is, why didn’t they take the whole grill?

I know, I know… “Because it takes up too much room for not enough weight! And it’s hard to load! And the coals/grease trap spills all over!” Etc, etc.

In all honesty, these are just excuses. You could make twice as much money scrapping the whole grill… and keeping a clean truck bed is for the pretty boys in car commercials.

When I see “topless” BBQs, I aways take ’em for a ride. If you see one at the curb in your neighborhood, now you know. Don’t expect it to stay out there for long!

How Much Is A Gas Grill Worth As Scrap Metal?

Barbecues come in so many flavors, this is akin to asking how much a car costs, or how much a catalytic convertor is worth… The answer is it varies dramatically. Could be $75+, could be tree fiddy – it all depends on materials, the poundage, and the scrap prices at your local scrap yard. (At every scrap yard, things are bought by the pound.)

To scrap a gas grill the “right” way, you need to quickly butcher it into piles of all the most valuable types of scrap metal. Brass, aluminum, non-magnetic stainless steel, zinc, etc. Steel is worth very little, keep that in mind.

If you notice a pattern here, all the valuable scrap metals are non-magnetic metals, aka non-ferrous metals. If you want to estimate what your gas grill is worth, you will need a magnet. If everything sticks to a magnet, you should probably just sell the grill mostly “as-is” without doing much dismantling, as a way to save time. Scrap appliances – for example, a scrap gas grill – are worth about $0.04/Lb (December 2019).

Scrap gas grills can be segregated into the following categories. All prices are as of December 2019, and assume that things have been partially or fully dismantled as appropriate:

Completely Steel Scrap Grill, Total Value: $2-$10. Nothing to say here, the value is going to be entirely dependent on weight with most having an average scrap value right around $5. If it is a tiny grill, it will most likely be worth no more than $2. Most economy brand grills make very little use of brass and instead elect to use cheaper aluminum castings for control valves and such. Instead of using nickel-rich, non-magnetic stainless steel, economy brand gas grills use the nickel-free, magnetic stainless steel. If you have a grill like this, remove the zinc gas regulator and then sell it “as-is.”

Nothing to say here, the value is going to be entirely dependent on weight with most having an average scrap value right around $5. If it is a tiny grill, it will most likely be worth no more than $2. Most economy brand grills make very little use of brass and instead elect to use cheaper aluminum castings for control valves and such. Instead of using nickel-rich, non-magnetic stainless steel, economy brand gas grills use the nickel-free, magnetic stainless steel. If you have a grill like this, remove the zinc gas regulator and then sell it “as-is.” Cast Aluminum Scrap Grill, Total Value: $3-$30. Most cast aluminum grills are made with a steel frame with just the firebox/lid made out of cast aluminum These types of grills are worth about $8-$10. Some cast aluminum grills are made entirely of cast aluminum, frame and side tables and everything. These grills are often worth over $30 in scrap. If the grill’s firebox/lid is made of cast aluminum, it will be very obvious. The lid won’t stick to a magnet, and you can easily pick the whole grill up without much effort (~50-75 Lbs total). The actual cast aluminum, though, weighs at least 10 Lbs, usually closer to 20 Lbs. There is often a brass gas control manifold(s), which weigh(s) at least 0.5 Lbs. There may/may-not be non-magnetic, stainless steel burners (usually not). These are incredibly easy to move around/dismantle because of their weight and construction. All it takes is a few smacks with the hammer, and you can break the aluminum casting from the frame.

Most cast aluminum grills are made with a steel frame with just the firebox/lid made out of cast aluminum These types of grills are worth about $8-$10. Some cast aluminum grills are made entirely of cast aluminum, frame and side tables and everything. These grills are often worth over $30 in scrap. If the grill’s firebox/lid is made of cast aluminum, it will be very obvious. The lid won’t stick to a magnet, and you can easily pick the whole grill up without much effort (~50-75 Lbs total). The actual cast aluminum, though, weighs at least 10 Lbs, usually closer to 20 Lbs. There is often a brass gas control manifold(s), which weigh(s) at least 0.5 Lbs. There may/may-not be non-magnetic, stainless steel burners (usually not). These are incredibly easy to move around/dismantle because of their weight and construction. All it takes is a few smacks with the hammer, and you can break the aluminum casting from the frame. Non-Magnetic Stainless Steel Scrap Grill, Total Value: $35-$75. In my experience, these grills are always 304 grade stainless steel. (That is to say, I have never seen one made of marine-grade, 316 stainless steel… Although those grills do exist on boats and things. 316 grade grills would be worth ~50% more than 304 grade.) The good thing about mostly stainless steel grills is that they are heavy and can be sold “as-is” to a scrap yard for contaminated stainless steel price without any dismantling on your part. Many scrap yards have very generous contaminated stainless steel prices, meaning they pay you one price for all of the metal in one go, without any disassembly. Every scrap yard is different, but disassembling these heavy stainless grills is a pain; If the scrap yard pays well for contaminated stainless, you may be better off selling “as-is.”

In my experience, these grills are always 304 grade stainless steel. (That is to say, I have never seen one made of marine-grade, 316 stainless steel… Although those grills do exist on boats and things. 316 grade grills would be worth ~50% more than 304 grade.) The good thing about mostly stainless steel grills is that they are heavy and can be sold “as-is” to a scrap yard for contaminated stainless steel price without any dismantling on your part. Many scrap yards have very generous contaminated stainless steel prices, meaning they pay you one price for all of the metal in one go, without any disassembly. Every scrap yard is different, but disassembling these heavy stainless grills is a pain; If the scrap yard pays well for contaminated stainless, you may be better off selling “as-is.” Mixed Metal Scrap Grill, Total Value: $5-$15. This is just my catch-all category, as a way to say “you-never-know” what the scrap grill will be made from. You need to quickly check the handles for stainless steel, all the burners for stainless steel/brass, all the valves for brass, break down the tank regulator into clean zinc and brass, etc. With a little experience, you will learn what is worth disassembling just by looking at a picture of grill.

What Types of Scrap Metal Can You Find In A Scrap Gas Grill?

Obviously you can find steel, but listed below are the more valuable metals you can find. All prices are as of December 2019.

Clean/Dirty Yellow Brass

Average Price (Clean/Dirty): $1.25/$0.65 per pound

Yellow Brass can be found in the burner control valve(s) and manifolds. The gas regulator that attaches to the tank will be made primarily of zinc, with a piece of yellow brass attached. These are easy to clean up, but can be sold as-is. The side burner on bigger grills is sometimes made of brass. Frequently, the grill will have many fittings or connectors used to pipe propane around to different burners which are made from yellow brass.

Zinc (Diecast)

Average Price: from $0.25 to $0.50 per pound



The price of scrap zinc is very different depending on the yard. (I think some yards may not even pay extra for cast zinc, so check with your local yard.) Many yards prefer to call this scrap material diecast because most die castings are made of a high zinc alloy.

In scrap grills, zinc is primarily found in the gas regulator that attaches to the propane tank. Some grills have a metal emblem decorating the lid, which can be made of zinc or aluminum. If the control knobs are made of metal, 99% of the time they are cast zinc.

Cast Aluminum

Average Price: $0.25 per pound

Cast aluminum is sometimes found in a few places on a gas grill, most notably the lid/firebox and the control valves. The cast aluminum in the lid/firebox can usually be broken out of the frame very quickly with a hammer. (No need to try removing screws corroded from years of fire.)

If the control valves aren’t made from brass, they are usually made from cast aluminum. These cast aluminum valves can be a real pain to clean up/remove for what amounts to very little scrap value. Proceed with consideration for your time. Even if you remove the valve quickly, you will need to spend a lot of time cleaning the steel from the cast aluminum, otherwise it goes as breakage. I prefer to skip disassembling cast aluminum valves, and I choose to leave them on the grill frame, which I sell for shred/light iron.

Non-Magnetic Stainless Steel (NMSS)

Average Price: $0.25 per pound

NMSS needs to be tested with a magnet. If it sticks, that means it contains significant nickel content, and is worth more than regular steel.

The NMSS you find on a gas grill is almost always 304 stainless steel. The value of this metal adds up quickly, because – unlike aluminum – stainless steel is dense. It just takes a little bit of volume to add up to a pound.

NMSS can be found most often in the burners and handles. Sometimes a grill is made with a NMSS firebox, or a NMSS lid. Very rarely the whole grill will be made of NMSS, in which case, I suggest you keep that grill for yourself cause it will last you a long time.

How To Scrap A Gas Grill or Outdoor Barbecue

I’ll just briefly explain that disassembling your average gas grill for scrap shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes, probably closer to 5 minutes. This is assuming you have the proper tools to get the job done, which may include:

Hammer

Electric Drill w/ assortment of bits (including the occasional Torx)

Side Cutter (For cutting gas regulator tube)

Crescent Wrench Set

Sawzall (just incase something is stubborn)

You may choose to use the sawzall to cut all sorts of things off of a grill, but I prefer to use traditional disassembly. In my opinion, everything you could hope to harvest from a gas grill can be disassembled normally, so I don’t like adding wear-and-tear to my sawzall unless the job calls for it. (Stripped screws, frozen or locked in details, etc.) Most times if something is being stubborn, you can break it off by hitting it with a hammer. Only if something is really stubborn does it get treated to the sawzall.

The two grills I will disassemble for scrap today are mixed metal grills and an aluminum grill.

Scrapping A Mixed Metal Grill

The example I have of a mixed metal grill is a simple Kenmore brand 4 burner grill. It weighs nearly 100 Lbs, and is worth about $4.00 if we sold it “as-is.”

I tested everything with a magnet. (I mistakenly left the magnet sitting on the left side table of the grill in the photo above.)

The results of the magnet test showed that nearly everything in the grill was regular steel. A few things visible on the grill were non-magnetic: the control knobs, the main burners, the control knob bezels, and the lid/cabinet handles.

Disappointingly, the control knobs were made from chrome plated plastic, which is very common. Sometimes these control knobs are made of pot metal (aka diecast zinc), in which case they are definitely worth scrapping.

It’s hard to see from the photo I took, but the bottom of the grill has completely rusted out. The burners, however, are still in the grill. They are just very corroded. Removing them was very easy, and required no tools, just maneuvering them out of the slotted hole where they were slipped over the output of the control valves.

I wanted to include a good picture of the burners so you could see how corroded they can get, even though they are high quality 304 stainless steel.

Burners are subjected to intense heat and frequent temperature fluctuations, so they are often made of high quality materials. Unfortunately for the previous owner, the salt from the food being cooked, mixed with some occasional exposure to rain, meant these burners corroded to the point they literally rusted through at the ends. Obviously, this grill experienced frequent use for many years. The good thing, though, is that a scrap yard doesn’t care if they are corroded, they pay the same price either way.

These burners have a very small piece of regular steel (seen at the bottom of the picture), but are otherwise completely non-magnetic. This small piece of regular steel doesn’t need to be removed — a scrap yard will buy the complete burner as clean stainless steel.

When conducting the magnet test, I almost skipped over the control knob bezel, which actually had a noticeable draw on the magnet. The problem was, the magnet’s behavior was not consistent. The strength of the pull depended on how I held it. I thought, it may be regular steel, but it may be something else… I decided to remove one bezel to investigate. I used an electric drill to unscrew the two screws seen above, and the bezel fell off.

The magnet was responding inconsistently to the bezel. It was noticeably magnetic towards the outside of the bezel, but was nearly completely non-magnetic at the center of the bezel.

If you don’t know what you’re seeing, then this sort of thing appears extremely bizarre. In reality, it is not unusual at all. This is a piece of magnetic, non-magnetic stainless steel (magnetic NMSS). This is the most paradoxical sounding thing, but magnetic NMSS is real. It happens when NMSS is cold worked, changing the magnetic properties of the alloy. Let me explain:

To put it very simply, all steels are magnetic. The only exception is stainless steel that has chromium (Cr) AND nickel (Ni) alloy content. This type of valuable stainless steel is known to metallurgists as austenitic stainless steel, and it is very well known to be non-magnetic because of its microscopic crystal structure. Bending austenitic stainless steel changes its special crystal structure enough that the steel becomes magnetic again. (You can anneal a magnetic NMSS part to return it to being non-magnetic, but that is rarely needed, so it is usually not done.)

In this case, our bezel has been made out of 304 stainless steel, a type of NMSS that contains the valuable Nickel (Ni) content that scrap yards desire. When the part was punched and stamped, it was cold worked around all of the places it was bent. This changed the crystal structure which turned the NMSS into magnetic NMSS.

If I threw the bezel into my kiln, I could anneal it so it went back to being completely non-magnetic… But who has time for that? The scrap yard should just buy it as-is for NMSS.

A lot of scrap yards will fight you on details like this. It’s not so much the owners of the yards, who really don’t care much about your average scrapper’s problems, but rather the guys who work the scales. These yard workers get beat-up on constantly for things outside of their control, and they very often are learning on the job with little-to-no training. There is no union to protect them. All they know is that non-magnetic means non-magnetic, and if you don’t like it you can pound sand… Also, don’t bother calling something “Magnetic NMSS,” they will laugh in your face. Just tell them you want them to test it with an XRF analyzer.

An XRF analyzer can be very handy for situations like this. Scrap yards are not overwhelmed with people these days – if you want them to test something with the xrf analyzer, don’t hesitate for even one second. It just takes a second, and that is what it is there for. A reputable yard will have an analyzer and will do the test with no questions asked, especially if you are an honest person.

NMSS was used on all of the handles as well, which I chose to unscrew from the grill using my electric drill. I could have broken these off with a hammer, but I chose to use power tools, which was just as quick if not quicker. All of the handles were assembled with Phillips head screws, which I normally find to be the case.

The gas regulator was removed by cutting the hose with side cutters. I did not further disassemble this gas regulator, although in the next section on cast aluminum grills, I did further disassemble the gas regulator on the cast aluminum.

This picture above shows the final results of scrapping the mixed metal gas grill. I was able to very quickly remove the ignitor button’s transformer, which is sitting at the front of that little pile of metal on the left. It is housed in a weatherproof, black-plastic shell.

Notice that I did not try to remove the control valves, which you can see sticking out of the front of the grill. That is because they were not made from brass, but rather steel with cast aluminum. In my experience, this disassembly is just not worth the effort. To all the scrap metal junkies who do otherwise, I truly commend your spirit!

The Results

Our scrap grill weighed 100 Lbs at the beginning, and since we removed 3 pounds of non-ferrous metal, the remaining scrap weighs 97 Lbs. With an average price of $0.04 / Lb, it is worth about $3.88.

Our scrap stainless steel weighs 2.38 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $0.25 / Lb, is worth about $0.60.

Our scrap diecast weighs in at 0.52 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $.35 / Lb, is worth about $0.18. This gas regulator can be disassembled further into clean scrap brass and clean scrap zinc. I show this process in the next section on cast aluminum scrap.

Our scrap transformer weighs in at 0.18 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $0.10 / Lb, is worth about $0.02. Transformers like this (sheathed in plastic) may be rejected at the scrap yard unless they can be broken open and inspected. If you have a large quantity of small copper transformers, you can get better pricing than copper wound motors in most cases at most scrap yards.

The Total

Scrap Shred: 97 Lbs * $0.04 / Lb = $3.88.

Scrap Stainless Steel: 2.38 Lbs * $0.25 / Lb = $0.60.

Scrap Diecast: 0.52 Lbs * $.35 / Lb = $0.18.

Scrap Transformer: 0.18 Lbs * $0.10 / Lb = $0.02

TOTAL: $4.68

Our scrap mixed metal gas grill was worth $4.00, and with <5 minutes of disassembly is now worth $4.68. If we did nothing but disassemble grills like this, we would make >$13/Hr. Not a great wage, but something to consider when you drop these grills off at the scrap yard. Most grills that look like this are not worth taking apart at all because all the “stainless steel” is cheap/magnetic and is not worth removing.

Whether you mechanically disassemble the valuable scrap metals from a grill or not, it will get shipped to a refiner who will shred it in a large shredder. The shredded metal is then sorted electromechanically. In most cases, all the non-ferrous metals will be properly recycled to maximize value for the refiner. By doing this disassembly by hand, you are making more money for yourself, and slightly reducing the value realized by the refiner.

Scrapping A Cast Aluminum Gas Grill

The example I have of a cast aluminum grill is made by Thermos, and features 2 brass control valves and a glass viewing window. While this is a little smaller than your typical cast aluminum gas grill, it pretty accurately depicts the type of construction you will typically see: value engineered to be foolproof to assemble and inexpensive to produce. The first thing I did was break and dispose of the glass.

This grill weighs 45 Lbs total, and when sold “as-is” is worth about $1.80. (December 2019, $0.04 / Lb.) Let’s see if we can improve that scrap value by disassembling. (Spoiler: We can.)

This is a picture of the underside of the grill, looking from the back towards the rear of the control panel. In this picture you can clearly see the rusty stems of the burner assembly extending through the bottom of the firebox all the way to the output of the brass control valves. This rusty burner is clearly not made from non-magnetic stainless steel (which I confirmed with a magnet test).

The first step to scrapping a grill like this is to remove the burners, which can be done by snipping the spring clips that hold the burner assembly to the control valves. To do this, I used a pair of side cutters. You could probably remove the clips without snipping them, but snipping them is very quick and hassle free.

This is a picture looking into the grill, which has already had the burner assembly removed.

Next, you can choose to disassemble the firebox and/or the lid in which ever order suits you. I prefer to remove the firebox first. The next picture is a close up of the screw heads you need to strike.

It may be hard to see, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking at. But this is a close up on the bottom left side of the firebox, and that arrow is pointing to the top of the screw that holds it to the frame. It is corroded and full of grease/char.

By striking the screw head with a hammer, you can break the firebox away from the frame very quickly, in a matter of seconds. This is great because the the screw heads are often too corroded/greasy to remove. I don’t even try to unscrew the hardware, I just break it every time.

The cast aluminum lid is usually attached to the firebox with a pair of clevis pins – aka rimmed dowel pins with spring wire “cotter” clips. You may be able to hit the pin with a hammer, and break the corroded spring wire all in one go. I usually pull the spring wire out of the clevis pin and then knock it out of the casting from the inside.

This step of removing the lid doesn’t even need to be done in most cases. Most scrap yards don’t care about the small amount of steel contamination of the pins, and will buy it as clean cast aluminum either way. Unfortunately, some scrap yards are more particular about this sort of thing.

Either way, I prefer to remove the lid because it reduces the volume of the assembly, and makes it the scrap easier to carry and move around.

The last thing we need to do to clean the lid is remove the wood contamination (the handle). This can be done by removing the screws from the inside, but wood handles can usually be broken off very easily. (I didn’t even use a hammer to break this handle off, I think I just kicked it a few times with my boot.)

The next step is to remove the screws that hold the control valve assembly to the control panel. If you recall from the photo of the underside of the grill, this entire control valve assembly is made from brass. Even the stems visible in this picture are made from brass. Unlike the grill we disassembled earlier, it is worthwhile to spend 15 seconds to remove the screws and harvest the valves. (In the case of the mixed metal grill, it would have taken much longer than 15 seconds to remove the valves.)

The screws you see in the above photo are Phillips head screws, but it is not uncommon to find Torx head screws aka star head screws. (If you haven’t already, I suggest you invest in a quality set of Torx bits.)

Once you unscrew the brass control valve assembly, you need to cut the tubing. You can leave the small amount of tubing attached to the assembly, it will still be bought as clean yellow brass.

Not pictured in the photo above is the regular steel burner that I already threw into the shred pile.

I want to make an important note that this is a pretty dinky grill. A normal cast aluminum gas grill will nine-times-out-of-ten yield this much scrap or more. Some gas grills are constructed entirely out of cast aluminum – from the wheels to the shelves, entirely cast aluminum. A grill like that would easily weigh over 75 Lbs, and as far as scrap grills are concerned, is a very good find.

The Results

(All pricing as of December 2019)

At the beginning, our scrap, cast aluminum, gas grill weighed in at 45 Lbs. After disassembly, there is 33 Lbs of shred, which at a price of $0.04 / Lb, is worth $1.32. The fact there is wood attached to the steel frame is not a problem at most scrap yards; this whole thing can be sold without further disassembly.

Our scrap cast aluminum weighs in at 10.92 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $0.25 / Lb, is worth a total of $2.73.

Not much else to say here. I guess I should mention, if you are not experienced with scrapping, you should know that the cast aluminum should be sold as greasy and dusty, etc. It will still get bought as “clean” cast aluminum at the scrap yard. The word “clean” just means it is not contaminated with an excessive amount of steel or other metals. If something is not “clean” then it will be graded as “contaminated,” which in most cases means a very substantial deduction in its price per pound, as well as its overall scrap value.

Our scrap clean yellow brass weighs in at 0.58 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $1.25 / Lb, is worth about $0.73.

This is an example of the word “clean” being used liberally. There are still small pieces of steel and some rubber from the hose attached to this yellow brass. Luckily, this is not an excessive amount, so it will still be bought as clean yellow brass at most scrap yards.

Our scrap diecast weighs in at 0.54 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $0.35 / Lb, is worth about $0.19. But like I mentioned, these are worth disassembling, because they are made of both clean zinc and clean yellow brass. So let’s take it apart.

I used a hammer and smashed the plastic until it broke. I used a crescent wrench and unscrewed the brass piece from the zinc piece.

Our clean scrap zinc weighs in at 0.32 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $0.35 / Lb, is worth about $0.11. You may be able to get a better price for this type of zinc because it is so “clean.” In most circumstances, however, this really makes no difference in the price you get.

Our scrap yellow brass weighs in at 0.14 Lbs, and with an average scrap value of $1.25 / Lb, is worth about $0.18.

The takeaway here is that disassembling a typical propane regulator will increase its scrap value from $0.19 to $0.29. It takes between 2 – 3 minutes to disassemble though, so it is not a high value way to spend your time. File it under “less than minimum wage activity,” and maybe save these up to take apart when things are slow.

The Total

(As of December 2019.)

Scrap shred: 33 Lbs * $0.04 / Lb = $1.32

Scrap cast aluminum: 10.92 Lbs * $0.25 / Lb = $2.73

Scrap clean yellow brass: 0.72 Lbs * $1.25 / Lb = $0.90

Scrap clean zinc: 0.32 Lbs * $0.35 / Lb = $0.11



TOTAL = $5.06

Disassembling this grill increased its value from $1.80 to $5.06, for a total increase of $3.26. This disassembly, including the teardown of the gas regulator took about 7 minutes. (7 minutes includes the time it took to break and dispose of the glass, which most grills don’t have.) That means this was a valuable activity, worth about $28/Hr.

If we skipped out on disassembling the gas regulator (the most time consuming thing we did), we could reduce disassembly time to 4 minutes, and increasing the activity to over $47/Hr.

If we didn’t need to dispose of the glass (much more common to have a solid aluminum casting), then our disassembly time would be ~3 minutes, and would take the activity to over $60/Hr.

This is a lower end grill, so you can think of this as a worst case scenario for a cast aluminum grill. In many instances, a scrap, cast aluminum, gas grill will have about 30% more scrap cast aluminum. This would put the activity at about $80/Hr.

The heavier the aluminum castings, the more valuable the disassembly is.

Final Thoughts

When I started this write up, I actually didn’t realize how valuable it is to disassemble a cast aluminum gas grill. I was genuinely surprised it is worth $47/Hr or more, closer to $80/Hr in many instances.

I’ll leave you with an idea I have been considering lately:

Wouldn’t it be great if, when you wanted to buy a new gas grill, you could return the old one to Home Depot to get an immediate cash discount on your new grill? (In a way, you can get a cash discount already – you can sell the old grill to a scrap yard.) I’m imagining it working similar to a soda bottle deposit. You could do this with all appliances/electronic waste/etc.

Manufacturers call this type of thing a Takeback Program, and the only takeback programs I know of that pay you (or offer you a discount upon purchase) for your old stuff are those offered by automobile companies and car part suppliers.

This is a dangerous idea many scrappers don’t want to catch on: If people started recycling their own scrap metal there would be less left for them!

I, however, think takeback-conditional discount programs are a great idea. Scrap your old appliance, and you get 1% off! Home Depot could even pick up the old one when they deliver the new one. Hold on a second here… Have they been pocketing that sweet, sweet scrap cash this whole time?!? I knew they didn’t do that out of the kindness of their heart.

But I digress…

Please share your questions, insights, ideas, and tips in the comments. Happy Scrapping.