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 Post subject: To trim or not to trim?
PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:30 am 

Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:58 am
Posts: 15
I have over 30 lbs of gold fingered Memory and about another 25lbs of PCI and ISA cards. Is it worth to trim the fingers off them? And if so what is the best method to trim from memory. thank you


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 12:03 pm 
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Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 6:57 pm
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It's a matter of if the value is worth the time.
Isa and pcxt cards tend to have much heavier fingers worth the effort. PCIe not so much.


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 8:25 pm 

Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 12:53 pm
Posts: 467
well, from my refining numbers:

average gold finger card has: 2-3 grams of fingers
a pound of fingers has roughly 1.8 grams of gold
453 grams per pound
current price of gold: ~$38.00

for 2 grams of finger:
(2g of fingers/453g/lb)*(1.8g of Au/lb)*($38) = $0.302 worth of gold

so depending on your card, you get $0.30 - $0.45 worth of gold if you trim the fingers off.

now, all cards weigh different amounts, but 'most' cards in a common desktop average around 125 grams or so. GF cards are currently $3.15/lb and if you trim them, $1.20/lb. So:

(125/453)*$3.15= $0.87 for that card with fingers
(123/543)*1.20= $0.34 for that same card 'without' 2 grams of fingers

so depending on the card, you would get between $0.64 - $0.79 for that card if you recovered the gold yourself.... as opposed to the $0.87 for that card if you just send it in.

Now I realize that there are different types of cards and different amounts of fingers and all that, but the above are just guidelines. The ARE cases where you would come out ahead by trimming the fingers... but when you consider the time and effort that goes into it, generally its a losing proposition.

HOWEVER.... if you are trying to refine the the gold yourself and are more interested in the experience/education, I think it is definitely worth it... just consider your loss the 'price of tuition'!


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PostPosted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 8:53 pm 
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mls26cwru wrote:
... card, you would get between $0.64 - $0.79 for that card if you recovered the gold yourself.... as opposed to the $0.87 for that card if you just send it in'!

Great writeup.
Basically i only trim isa/xt cards and video game cartridges.
Because:
There's considerably more weight selling them to boardsort as clean fingers
There's much more gold in these if refining yourself
All isa/xt boards and many game cartridges are still worth atleast peripheral rate without fingers.


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