What's the typical price gap between aluminium sheet and aluminium turnings or shavings?
Short answer: Sheet aluminium typically pays more than turnings or shavings of the same alloy, because turnings have far more surface area relative to volume — meaning more oxidation loss on remelt — and are usually contaminated with cutting oil from machining. Clean, dry, well-sorted turnings can still be worth selling, but expect a noticeably lower rate than solid sheet or plate.
Skip the phone calls. List your aluminium scrap once and let verified buyers on ScrapTrade come to you with real offers.
List Free →Surface area is the core issue again
Just like foil, turnings and shavings have a huge surface-to-volume ratio compared to solid sheet. That means a much higher percentage of the material oxidises into dross when remelted, which is real yield loss the buyer prices into what they pay you.
Oil contamination compounds it
Machine shop turnings are almost always coated in cutting fluid or oil, which burns off during remelt and can affect emissions and processing at the smelter — another reason turnings are discounted relative to clean sheet.
How to improve the price
Draining and, where possible, spinning or degreasing turnings before selling measurably improves what you are offered. Keeping different alloys separate, rather than mixing turnings from different jobs, also helps, since mixed-alloy turnings are harder for a buyer to place with a specific remelter.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
For a machine shop generating turnings regularly, listing degreased, alloy-sorted turnings as their own lot on ScrapTrade helps you reach buyers who specifically handle turnings at volume, rather than a generalist yard pricing them as an afterthought.
Ready to sell or source aluminium scrap without the guesswork? ScrapTrade connects verified buyers and sellers with escrow-protected payments and transparent weighing.
List or Find Aluminium Scrap on ScrapTrade →