The January Flood
Takedown season brings bags to gaylords of dead strings. Volume is the whole game.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS • SEASONAL VOLUME • NO MINIMUMS
WE BUYCHRISTMAS LIGHT WIRE
Every January the same thing happens: millions of dead light strings come down and pile up. Christmas-light wire is very fine copper in light plastic: low grade per pound, but it arrives by the truckload. If you collect it, haul it, or manage the takedown, that pile has a buyer.
Light StringsSeasonal FloodBags to GaylordsNo Minimums
WHAT IT IS, PLAINLY SAID
Holiday lights, honestly graded.
A Christmas light string is very fine copper wire strung with tiny bulbs and plugs in light plastic insulation. Per pound it is one of the lowest copper grades: more plastic than metal. The economics work on volume, and the volume is enormous every January. Municipal takedowns, landscapers, and property managers generate bags to gaylords. We buy it by weight like any other insulated wire, graded honestly for what it is.
Fine Wire, Light Plastic
Very fine copper in thin insulation: low grade per pound, graded honestly.
Bulbs and Plugs Stay On
No need to strip anything. Send strings as they are.
WHO GENERATES IT
Where the January pile comes from
- Homeowners: dead strings from the attic cleanout, by the bag
- Municipalities: downtown and park decoration takedowns by the truckload
- Landscapers: commercial holiday installs come down in January
- Property managers: apartment and retail displays retire strings yearly
- Scrappers and collectors: curbside season is the biggest free source there is
- Recycling events: municipal e-waste and holiday recycling drives
NO MINIMUMSEvery bag counts
One bag or a gaylord: the seasonal stream welcomes all of it.
VOLUMEJanuary flood
Takedown season concentrates a year of wire into weeks.
BIG LOTSFreight handled
On bigger lots, we handle the freight so you do not lift a finger.
WHAT TO SEND
What to send for a light-wire quote
Light-wire quotes are fast with a photo and a quantity.
- PHOTOS — The pile: bags, boxes, or gaylords of strings.
- QUANTITY — Bag counts or estimated pounds. Rough guesses are fine.
- MIX — Strings only, or mixed with extension cords: all normal.
- LOCATION — City and state, so bigger lots can be routed for freight.
Prefer email? [email protected]
FROM PILE TO PAYMENT
How a light-wire deal works.
Send Photos & Quantity
Photos of the pile, how much you have, and your location. One bag or a gaylord: every lot starts the same way.
Get a Fast Quote
A real number based on weight and current market levels. Compare it with confidence.
Ship or Schedule
Small lots ship with simple instructions. On bigger lots, we handle the freight so you do not lift a finger.
Weigh, Settle & Get Paid
Your wire is weighed in the open and priced by grade. Then quick payment by check, wire, or cash.
WHY IRONCREST
Why collectors sell their strings to Ironcrest
- No minimums: a single bag gets the same straight answer as a municipal takedown
- Honest grading: light wire priced for what it is, weighed in the open
- Fast quotes from photos: know what the pile is worth before you haul it
- Quick payment once your lot is weighed and settled: check, wire, or cash
- One direct contact: Sonny Johns at 312-880-8174, not a department
- Your material never leaves the United States
ONE DIRECT CONTACT
Talk to Sonny, not a department
Every quote and payment runs through one person who answers the phone: Sonny Johns at 312-880-8174. No portals, no ticket queues, no waiting on a committee.
- FAST QUOTES — Call or send photos for a fast quote on your material.
- QUICK PAYMENT — Quick payment once your lot is weighed and settled.
- NO MINIMUMS — One bucket or a truckload: every seller gets the same straight answer.
- US ONLY — Your material never leaves the United States.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Asked by people holding this material.
Is Christmas-light wire really worth anything?
Yes, on volume. Per pound it is a low copper grade because the wire is very fine and the plastic is light. But it arrives by the bag and the gaylord every January, and weight is weight.
Do I need to remove the bulbs?
No. Send the strings as they are: bulbs, plugs, and all. Nothing needs to be stripped.
I only have a few bags from my own takedown. Is it worth calling?
Yes. There are no minimums and every bag counts. A few bags still get a fast quote.
Do you buy them year-round or only in January?
Year-round. January is the flood, but strings come in all year from cleanouts and collectors.
Can I mix in old extension cords?
Yes. Extension cords and drop cords ride along with any light-wire lot and grade with the insulated wire stream.
We run a municipal takedown. Can you take the whole truckload?
Yes. On bigger lots, we handle the freight so you do not lift a finger. Send photos of the collection point and the quote covers the whole takedown.
NO MINIMUMS
That January pile has a buyer.
Send photos of the pile, a quantity, and your location. You will get a fast quote and a clear breakdown before you commit to anything.
Call 312-880-8174 or email [email protected].