gold cube trommel

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
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All Treasure Hunting
new to gold prospecting but not to fabrication. i just finished my custom trommel that feeds my gold cube. i was wondering about rpm of the trommel. it is an 8in tommel that flairs to 10 in over about a foot of run. i have an electric motor that turns 33 rpm's. is that enough speed? i will post some pics here soon. i still need to test it. i have a pond / gravel pit on my property that i have discovered holds a lot of flour gold hoping this makes classifing easier. this being the only draw back of the hold cube i have noticed.
 

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AzViper

Bronze Member
Sep 30, 2012
2,038
2,250
Arizona - Is there any other state worth visiting
Detector(s) used
Fisher Gold Bug Pro, Nokta FORS Gold, Garrett ATX, Sun Ray Gold Pro Headphones, Royal Pick, Etc.
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Well I would invest in a GFI outlet that plugs into and outlet and then plug your extension cord into the GFI. I then would rubber tape not vinyl tape but rubber tape all connection out over the water. Your playing Russian Roulette buddy... Can't imagine any gold worth placing your life on the line, but...

02841-88-02-2.jpg
 

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stephenhansen2

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i know this. and it is all plugged into a gfi at the end of cord. im fond of electricity. but not when it runs thru me. thanks for lookin out. always appreciate some one looking out for my well being.
 

Gold Cube

Jr. Member
Feb 20, 2011
53
97
Midwest City, Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT
Nice Job! Might be interested in looking at it closer but it is difficult to justify the cost on something like that. In your garage it costs more time than it does supplies. If you had to stay in business selling them and be able to make a living, how much do you think the GC Trommel would be worth?
On another note, Here is an easy way to tell if you have too much water,
About 1500 GPH is max. If you are using a trash pump or some other water source, use this method to make sure you are not over watering the system.

1. cut a 5/8" dowel rod to 10 inches.
2. roll the dowel down the water tray slick plate and it will jamb and dam up the water all but an inch on either side.
3. With the water on, you will see the water getting deep above the dowel.
4. Watch the scooped out section of the plastic that forms the Cube side openings, the water should not overflow out those sides. If it stays contained, you are good, if it overflows, you need to dial back the water.

Hope this helps, let me know if there are any questions

Mike
 

Justbent

Full Member
Mar 23, 2013
241
153
North Phoenix
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Tryin to make a livin sellin something you make is not easy. All the stuff I make is mostly out of scrap. The only real cost I have is paint and if I paint with other stuff it's cheap. Obviously, this project wasn't intended to sell, but to use so his time is paid for with the enjoyment you get when you build something, and it works.
Good job man!
 

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stephenhansen2

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have helped run a few machine shops. I definently know this. You are correct in the satisfaction achieved in creating something yourself. The same though is relative on doing it for someone else. Everybody likes an 'atta-boy' no matter the age. I thank you as well for encouragement on a job well done. You speak kind words.
 

Gold Cube

Jr. Member
Feb 20, 2011
53
97
Midwest City, Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT
Watching people squeeze the thoughts from their minds out through there hands is one of my biggest joys. This project is at the top of the list. Keep up the inspirations, keep up the attitude, "if I think it, I can make it" That is what makes our country great!
Mike
 

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stephenhansen2

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i will post a couple of pictures on the breakdown of it. in comes apart in four pieces two bolts and four wing nuts. i wanted to be able to have interchangable screens. works out real well.
 

KevinInColorado

Gold Member
Jan 9, 2012
7,037
11,370
Summit County, Colorado
Detector(s) used
Grizzly Goldtrap Explorer & Motherlode, Gold Cube with trommel or Banker on top, Angus Mackirk Expedition, Gold-n-Sand Xtream Hand pump
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
Watching people squeeze the thoughts from their minds out through there hands is one of my biggest joys. This project is at the top of the list. Keep up the inspirations, keep up the attitude, "if I think it, I can make it" That is what makes our country great! Mike
+100!
 

Sick4gold

Sr. Member
Jun 11, 2013
252
175
Indiana/Ohio
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Proline!!!
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First off I'd like to say excellent job.
I do have a few questions/concerns as I built a cheapo trommel to feed my gold cube last year.
My trommel was a hand crank bucket trommel inspired by "mikes trommel".
I processed the pay into a large tub under the trommel and then shoveled it into the cube.
I found I always had a few rocks bigger than 1/8 sneak by and I found that although it helped me process more material I eventually abandoned the trommel.
I found shoveling from what came out of the trommel into the gold cube inefficient.
My main issue was I was processing a lot of material and building up large tailing piles which was nearly impossible to search by hand. I found that the rocks came out quite clean but 1/8 inch material and smaller will eventually migrate out of the end of the trommel when processing a lot of pay. I was very concerned with blowing a nugget out and not even knowing it.
My thoughts to counteract this would be a sluice on the outlet of the trommel designed specifically for oversize but details of this setup are beyond me. If there is any other ideas out there let me know because I will build another unit ( nicer this time) based on Stephens idea.
Btw, thanks for sharing
 

Reed Lukens

Silver Member
Jan 1, 2013
2,653
5,418
Congres, AZ/ former California Outlawed Gold Miner
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I would do a couple of things, first tilt it back a little more to get rid of the water coming out the front. You could just cut some poly tube and glue it around the hopper but just a little more tilt should do the trick as well. Is your motor 110vac? If so I would just run a converter to a battery and this way run the whole system on a nice portable 12vdc system that could all be mounted into the frame.
You know what I mean :)
Nice job Steve :notworthy:
 

Teenagegoldminer

Jr. Member
Jan 28, 2014
55
31
georgia
Detector(s) used
Garrett gold panning kit
Jobe 36 in drop riffle sluice
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
the trommel looks awesome

but I saw the part 2 of your trammel on a field run, from the material you where running I don't
think you found much gold

try some more hard packed gravel with larger smooth eroded rocks, that's where the good stuff is

btw what state are you in
 

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stephenhansen2

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i was runing material on my property for test purposes. its an old gravel pit. i reside in washington state.
 

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stephenhansen2

stephenhansen2

Jr. Member
Mar 10, 2014
41
35
Ferndale, WA
Detector(s) used
Falcon MD-20
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Some assembly pics. Very simple. Three Allen heads and four wing-nuts. 1st slide drum on to top frame. 2nd put top frame on lower frame and secure with 2 Allen heads and two wing-nuts. 3rd put motor on and secure with one Allen head. 4th put collector bin on win two wing nuts. After that I just hand it and put the cube underneath. Pretty simple.
 

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