What to do will all the short pieces of electrical wire?

[John from Indiana]

After consolidating my wiring into busses (No, I'm not done yet); I find I have a LOT of short pieces of wire (around mostly 12 inches or less. What do you do with all the small pieces of electrical wire? Keep the in a couple of boxes and put them away our of sight, put them in the recycling bin, throw them away or what? Due to the making of electrical wire, the wire itself varies from tin to brass to copper to nickel silver, etc. I'm kind of thinking of just put them in the recycling bin and setting them out at the curb. This is mostly farm land; and it seems are latest crop is data centers, so there isn't really any metal buyers around near....An other question, anyone else having a data center being built near them? Our mayor is an SOB and sold us out by OKing one about a mile from our house. I have heard nothing but nightmares about them...humming 24-7, needing vast amounts of water and tons of electricity. Only person I know that wants one is the mayor and he's laughing all the way to the bank with pockets full of corrupt money

 

[RhB Michael]

I don't save scrap wire from projects less than 3'. If it's cut off the spool and doesn't get used it goes in the trash.

 

[santafewillie]

I sort mine by type, copper etc.; and throw them with other recyclables when I go to the scrap metal place. There's one 13 miles away. Not worth the trip to take individual stuff there, but about once a year I get enough wire, pipe, aluminum cans and steel stuff to get about $40-$50 per trip. Heck, they even take my metal beer caps that I keep in an old plastic trash can out in the storage shed.

 

[2Tracks]

I keep a few pieces and toss the rest. I live in the country, and recycling options are limited, and I don't mind doing that, but for that kind of an item, the reward is not there for the effort.....

 

[NVSrr1500]

Anything under 4 inch I recycle bin. the rest I sort by size for use. Always seam to need a short piece. Especially wiring buildings for lights and such. Not that all buildings, turnouts, signals and such are wired to have a plug for ease of removal to the workbench for repair. So those short pieces come in handy.

 

[TLOC]

Depending on gauge it may become a tree or a bush.

I put all styrene shavings, cutoffs and pieces into a drawer next to my bench. Wire not used in tree making like #12 or 14 ga wire for buss and #18 for feeders go into the drawer stripped. A couple times a year I will make scrap loads for gondola cars.

 

[shortwrench]

I keep them to lengthen short circuits.

 

[Iron Horseman]

After consolidating my wiring into busses (No, I'm not done yet); I find I have a LOT of short pieces of wire (around mostly 12 inches or less. What do you do with all the small pieces of electrical wire?

Never throw away wire. Make trees.

 

[Colorado Midland Modeler]

Couldn't resist