What is the best way to cut open refrigerator and ac compressors?

Question

What is the best way to cut open sealed refrigerator and ac compressors?

I have some of those sealed refrigerator and ac compressors that I would like to cut open to remove the copper wire from but not sure the best way to cut open the sealed compressors?

Is it even worth it to get the copper out of the sealed compressors or should I sell them as is?

Answer 1

I use both a chop saw and an angle grinder. For the tall round ones the chop saw works best to cut them open.

I can usually cut open around 12 compressors before wearing down a chops saw abrasive disc.

The chop saw abrasive wheel costs me $6.00 each but I get 2 lbs of copper out of each compressor and when copper was at $3.50 lb I made $84.00 by extracting the copper before taking into account the $6.00 for the chop saw wheel.

So with buying and using the $6.00 chop saw wheel I made $78.00 profit from 12 compressors.

With copper prices now you'll make less but I still cut them open and store the copper back until prices improve.