12 INCH TROMMEL BUILD

[Justbent]

As for powder coating I am just thinking back when I took my boys BMX frames to be powder coated by Tucson Spray Technologies. They screwed up and did not cover the openings where the bearings press in for the cranks and it was a ***** to clear the coating to seat the bearings. I remember how thick the coating was. The cylinder was rolled from mild steel.

Mild steel you can't heat treat.

 

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[jair]

The bucket would slide into a three sided bracket made of 2" wide steel strap that has a pivot point on each side with the handle facing the user. Once the bucket is in place a spring would stretch around the back side of the bucket securing the bucket in this bracket. The spring would be a quick connect / disconnect allowing the empty bucket to be removed and a new bucket installed quickly. There are other methods of securing the bucket by placing a turn tab that applies pressure to the top of the bucket but I believe the spring will work very easily and quickly. As for the sludge the biggest part of the sludge will be retained in buckets within the trough that will need to be change out as they fill. Now in regards to keeping the water clean the use of a small scale Lamella Clarifier made from old Master Cool pads will be used. These pads when properly position will trap solid particles that begins to settle onto the pads due to the angle where the solids will not travel uphill. A conveyor system can easily be made with a hopper. Rubber conveyor belts can be picked up on eBay rather cheaply. To drive the conveyor belt a hydraulic water driven motor could be used. Many options are available just finding what works best is what counts. If I had to do it again I would differently look at rotating the trommel from a hydraulic water driven motor due to having a pump already on site. One less gas powered motor...

I added a vibrator to my hop prat to help feed it and cut it apart so the top and bottom seep rate the haul easier . I use it dry mostly for classifying my best machine .

 

[jair]

I added a vibrator to my hop prat to help feed it and cut it apart so the top and bottom seep rate the haul easier . I use it dry mostly for classifying my best machine .

hoper and separate . Fingers seem to be a little bigger then the keys .

 

[AzViper]

I added a vibrator to my hop prat to help feed it and cut it apart so the top and bottom seep rate the haul easier . I use it dry mostly for classifying my best machine .

Are you feeding a drywasher?

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Mild steel you can't heat treat.

Case hardening. Would work well in this application I think. Since sheet metal is low in carbon, hardening the outside surface would make it tougher than just a coating. The following is a very basic explanation. There are companies out there that are equipped to handle something this size.


http://www.technologystudent.com/equip1/heat2.htm

 

[mxer47]

I powder-coated for several years and it won't hold up on the interior. It would on the exterior. I don't think anything is going to last inside. For the money a rattle can exterior may be the best IMO. It looks good and thick so surface rust would take longer to eat through than the abrasive nature of the material during use. Don't make it so pretty that you are scared to scratch it.

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

I have my own powder coater and I am going to coat all of mine when I am done. Just not the inside of the hopper or the cylinder. I will be looking into case hardening once I am done with the welding of the cylinder but that must be cost effective. The way I figure it, if it doesn't cost half of what building a new cylinder does (New cylinder is around $200) it won't be worth it. Powder coat should be excellent protection for the rest of the steel that will be constantly placed into a wet environment. I will make sure that all ends are capped and all openings are sealed to prevent moisture from getting inside. I have determined that the frame will have a few "through" holes for bolting to the trailer so in these spots I will oversize the holes and weld short pieces of pipe into the frame for the bolts to pass through and still be able to maintain water tightness. I'll be reposting this on my thread also.

 

[jair]

Are you feeding a drywasher?

I installed the vibrato on the hopper of the trommel.
And I biult a conveyor to feed the dry washers . I still have to finish dialing it in but if I can get it set up I believe I can turn some dirt . The more you move the more you can find . But it's still a hobbie until I find that one spot every one is looking for .
I'm sure all of us feel that way or we wouldn't be on here .

 

[AzViper]

I installed the vibrato on the hopper of the trommel.

Because your using your trommel as a dry classifier I can understand why you need to vibrate your hopper.

 

[jair]

Because your using your trommel as a dry classifier I can understand why you need to vibrate your hopper.

yes I'm in the desert with dry washers and I can move more dirt through my trommel and dry washer by the trommel as a classifier .

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Looks like you're moving at a good pace AZ. Well that one hole you missed just gives a rock a chance to rest for a tenth of a second. lol.
I'm thinking that no matter what ya use to coat the inside of the trammel, it'll be gone in no time. So is it cost effective to put that much into it? I know we've got to keep it from rusting. Is there an epoxy coat that could last a couple outings and then touch up spray it after an outing or two. Just seems cheaper and easier to do that.
Just curious. Plus I like the idea of using one motor/pump to operate a trammel, vibrator, and sluice. I think I need to investigate using a trammel. Sure would be nice to move more material in the field instead of taking it home. Just take cons home.
Keep up the work. Hopefully soon we can get this boy moving and finding some color.

 

[AzViper]

Looks like you're moving at a good pace AZ. Well that one hole you missed just gives a rock a chance to rest for a tenth of a second. lol.
I'm thinking that no matter what ya use to coat the inside of the trammel, it'll be gone in no time. So is it cost effective to put that much into it? I know we've got to keep it from rusting. Is there an epoxy coat that could last a couple outings and then touch up spray it after an outing or two. Just seems cheaper and easier to do that.
Just curious. Plus I like the idea of using one motor/pump to operate a trammel, vibrator, and sluice. I think I need to investigate using a trammel. Sure would be nice to move more material in the field instead of taking it home. Just take cons home.
Keep up the work. Hopefully soon we can get this boy moving and finding some color.

The rusting of the inside of the cylinder does not concern me as there is nothing that can be coated on the inside that is not going to wear off in a matter of a few uses. To keep the rust at bay on the inside is simple, at the end of the day run dry dirt and the dirt will polish off any rust and dry out the entire cylinder. The frame will be powder coated as its a tough finish. I posted a few weeks ago of a trommel made of 6" PVC as the cylinder. The trommel was small and compact and moved a lot of dirt.

Garret here is the link to the PVC trommel. Go near the bottom of the page. I post four videos... PVC Trommel

 

[DizzyDigger]

Have you considered using a bed liner spray? Don't know
how well it would take the constant pounding, but it's
definitely tougher than any painted surface would be.

Truck Bed Coating Liner Spray On | eBay

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

I think a bed liner spray would be too coarse and could hold the fine gold. I thought about that as well.
Keith, yeah I was thinking about creating a PVC type Tramel as well. Cost is a factor for me of coarse. Even though I think I might do mine as a manually driven one. Then possibly do a lightweight frame. That way I could take out and use in field even to just classify material. Lol. My son broke my 1/4" classifier on last outing. So this would be a lot more durable. Lol. Still just a thought in my head though. Meantime, I'll just drool over yours.

 

[russau]

Truck bedliner spray will wear off just as fast as anything.at the end of the day itll be long gone! why worry about rust on the inside of the trommel?? so what if it rusts! run it a little and all of that rust will be gone!now i can see painting or something to the outside of this. this looks real good so far!

 

[AzViper]

Truck bedliner spray will wear off just as fast as anything.at the end of the day itll be long gone! why worry about rust on the inside of the trommel?? so what if it rusts! run it a little and all of that rust will be gone!now i can see painting or something to the outside of this. this looks real good so far!

Russau,

I am not concern with rust, heat treating, etc. but this thread took off in both of these directions. Like you I don't care what happens to the inside of the cylinder as there is no product that will stay put. I have access to have the cylinder cad plated for next to nothing. The entire frame will be power coated.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Keith.
Did you see the Tramel that a guy used by making it with buckets and he had his legs bungied together through the legs. So he just put legs together and stood it up and then dumped in dirt. Made it so it was all one piece so it could be carried and assembled. Only drawback was no water. So I got an idea of doing a PVC one with legs and wash plant incorporated into one unit. Then it could go into my sluice. May be manual till I can figure out how to hook up to motor. I found one at HF for 70. So then I'd have to figure out gears and all that. So Tramel will get started on hopefully this week. Woohoo.

 

[russau]

Goodguy built a nice ABS tube trommel and i was all ready to make one myself(i have all the parts needed) but then i thought about how-2-operate this device useing a shovel and i decided im NOT into shovels so the parts just sit there in the way!

 

[AzViper]

May be manual till I can figure out how to hook up to motor. I found one at HF for 70. So then I'd have to figure out gears and all that. So Tramel will get started on hopefully this week. Woohoo.

Garret I emailed you my drilling template if you plan to drill holes. Here is an idea for a speed controller. Not sure what size trommel you are planning but this controller is rated at 30amps. The Dayton geared drive motor is rated at 18RPM / 2.1Amps / 1/30HP. / 50 lbs. torque.

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[Goodyguy]

Goodguy built a nice ABS tube trommel and i was all ready to make one myself(i have all the parts needed) but then i thought about how-2-operate this device useing a shovel and i decided im NOT into shovels so the parts just sit there in the way!

I hear you on the shoveling, and that's not to mention the loading and unloading plus after you unload getting it to and from the creek.

GG~