The cooling fans found inside electronic devices have a small copper wound motor underneath all that plastic. I checked my local scrap yards and haven't found any locally to purchase them. Considering boardsort buys whole systems, can the fans be scrapped and would boardsort buy them?

Depending on your area, they can often go as very low end grades motors. Apparently you’re out of luck there.

Boardsort takes them, yes. I believe as motors but I can’t guarantee at the same rate.
One option that’s fairly easy is to buy a 4-12 piece steel coring set from a department store. And here are multi-sized cylinders with a handle on one end. I found that 6 or more sets tend to match up for most electronics fans except the 180mm+
Line the cylinder up with the motor core, and smash it down. Slices/smashes right through the fins. Half a second work for a clean encased motor. Which nearly every yard will buy.

Sets start around $12-$15 for steel. Don’t buy aluminium.

I put a bin at one end of my workbench. And start near that side with a
matched sized pile. Punch a fan and slide it of the edge with the next one.
Drop, punch, slide drop punch slide. Get the hang of it with a rhythm and it literally takes a second per fan.

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I know this is an old post, but any chance you could post a picture or a link to said steel coring set? I searched online and came up with only drill bits or actual apple corers.

You want something like this. They come with and without a central drill bit.
If you can’t find a bit-less cone you can use bolt cutter or saw bit to cut the bit flush to the cone.

You won’t be drilling, just line it up and smack the end with a hammer.

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Perfect! Thank you lostinlodos!

Most yards take them as is or whole. Graded general motors, electric windings, or small copper motor. I'd check around before doing all that tedious work.

Seems like Ohio scrap yards have more classifications or listings to ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

I can name a few yards around the Ohio area, near Boardsort, that are honorable and loyal to customers if anyone is interested bringing both materials up at the same que.

*** if Boardsort doesn't take the required material or needs to be further processed somewhere else***