[TheForge] Refrigerator compressor/motors

[Dave Brown]

I have access to quite a few refrigerator motor compressor units that work, 
only they have been cut out of the refrigerators.  There are at least 100 
of them and they are mine for the taking.  What I'm wondering is:

1.  Is there enough copper inside the sealed units to make it worth my 
while to cut them open and strip the copper out before taking them to the 
scrap yard?

2.  Can these units be used successfully for low volume pressurized air 
such as an air brush or filling a small portable pressure tank or inflating 
car tires?

3.  Any other thoughts on useful applications for these rather than scrap?

4.  I know these have oil in the gas lines, it's clear and I assume it may 
be mineral oil?  What needs to be done so that the oil stays down or 
recycles in the compressor area and doesn't travel up line to point of use?

Start brainstorming, guys.  Start thinking.

Dave Brown
Heritage Smithing
Green Bay, WI