16" TROMMEL BUILD INSPIRED BY AZVIPER

[Doitlaynstyle]

So I have started gathering supplies to begin my trommel build. I'll post a link to AZ's thread which is my inspiration for this build but I'm also planning a different style. I'll be using easily obtainable parts so that rebuilding in the event of failure is possible without fabricating new parts. I'm thinking that at eight foot long I'm going to just turn this thing into a small trailer or build it on a small trailer so that I can also haul the extra gear and make the weekend trips a little more do-able. I will be using one of the two roto-tillers for the gear reduction and I am contemplating using a tubed rubber tire as a drive wheel instead of running a full gear ring on the beast. I will probably still use roller blade wheels for the cylinder rotation but I am probably going to use four on bottom and four on top to lock the cylinder into place so the tire doesn't knock the cylinder up off the bearing wheels.

I'm also hoping that I can get my hands on a claim soon and I'll also be using my father's back-hoe to stockpile dirt, move tailing piles, and create a reclamation pond. Anyway this is the start of a long slow winter because money is tight. We just bought a new house and I'm scrimping more than usual. I'm hoping to build a new 12" sluice box but I might just have to extend my current 10" box. Like AZ I'm hoping to use gold hog mating but that's only if I can afford it. Most likely I'll run my rifles and miners moss first followed by another 3' of box with the gold hog mat I currently have. So enough of this for now. I'll add photos here and link AZ's thread.

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/gold-prospecting/364420-12-inch-trommel-build.html

 

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[Doitlaynstyle]

I wanted to avoid the issue AZ had with the welding of the tube and it not wanting to stay round. He was able to get it back to round but had to use stiffeners. My trommel is 10 gauge steel and I doubt the exhaust is any thicker than 20gauge. I need this bad boy to last because I don't want to build another one unless I go pro. The trommel is 16 inches in diameter and six foot long so it won't fit in any drill press I know of not even the big ones we have at work. I am using a step bit and it seems to be doing the job nicely. I am hoping to get the bit too last through the project.

So I have been thinking in depth about how this thing is going to funnel into the sluice once it comes out of the trommel. I am thinking that I am going to make it funnel down into a fluid bed diffuser box and flow out into the sluice box with the gold hog matting. I want to incorporate this in a bad bad way because of the way fluid beds trap gold never to let it out. I have to break the trommel down during transport anyway by removing the sluice so a couple bolts aught to hold the bed on there too for easy clean-out. I have the design in my head. I'll try to draw it for you guys sometime so you can understand it too. I'll be using a header bar for water distribution so getting water to the fluid bed should be a piece of cake.

 

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[KevinInColorado]

This sounds really interesting. Once you get the fluid bed tuned, I wonder how much gold will land in the sluice...you may end up tossing out the sluice!

 

[Justbent]

I wanted to avoid the issue AZ had with the welding of the tube and it not wanting to stay round. He was able to get it back to round but had to use stiffeners. My trommel is 10 gauge steel and I doubt the exhaust is any thicker than 20gauge. I need this bad boy to last because I don't want to build another one unless I go pro. The trommel is 16 inches in diameter and six foot long so it won't fit in any drill press I know of not even the big ones we have at work. I am using a step bit and it seems to be doing the job nicely. I am hoping to get the bit too last through the project. So I have been thinking in depth about how this thing is going to funnel into the sluice once it comes out of the trommel. I am thinking that I am going to make it funnel down into a fluid bed diffuser box and flow out into the sluice box with the gold hog matting. I want to incorporate this in a bad bad way because of the way fluid beds trap gold never to let it out. I have to break the trommel down during transport anyway by removing the sluice so a couple bolts aught to hold the bed on there too for easy clean-out. I have the design in my head. I'll try to draw it for you guys sometime so you can understand it too. I'll be using a header bar for water distribution so getting water to the fluid bed should be a piece of cake.

If it 6' long, 16" dia, I think I could cut those holes in 4-5 hours. I have a 10'x5" cnc plasma table. I've done something similar in the past.

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

523 holes done as of tonight....

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Here's a peek....

 

[kazcoro]

Here's a peek....

That looks sick. Hard to believe you did that by hand.

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

This sounds really interesting. Once you get the fluid bed tuned, I wonder how much gold will land in the sluice...you may end up tossing out the sluice!

Actually I had met with Justbent earlier to pick up the hopper. As I was driving home I was thinking about his hopper/shaker he was showing me. Quite impressive. So I was wondering if it's possible to put a fluid bed into the hopper or possibly an under flow as a nugget trap. The sluice could catch the rest that gets possibly blown out if pressure is too high. Or for those of us not using a hopper, incorporating it into first stage after skid plate.

 

[AzViper]

523 holes done as of tonight....

Layn, and you have the lucky numbers of 777 more holes to drill. The two photos of the drilling look like copies of each other.

Layn's Cylinder Keith's Cylinder​

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Layn, and you have the lucky numbers of 777 more holes to drill. The two photos of the drilling look like copies of each other

Lol. I didn't even notice that. Lol. Pretty cool. Your holes are a little tighter together. I noticed if you look at them in the direction of rotation the rows slightly overlap. I set mine up that way too but only if I decide to increase my hole size to 5/8. Which I just might do because the one nugget we found last year wouldn't fit through a half inch hole but first I want to see how it runs with half inch holes. I've also been thinking of rigging a flat plastic slide for the rocks to come off the end of the trommel onto and rigging a metal detector on a bullhorn under it. If we get any hot signals coming out the tailing slide the detector could be heard over the two motors that will be running.....

 

[AzViper]

Yeah I can't imagine due to how tight the arrangement of holes on my cylinder I even needed the 12.5" I have allowed for the classification area. I believe everything will sling out within the first six to eight inches, I may be wrong in that thinking and will not know until paydirt is run. I have 1434 holes on a 12" diameter cylinder compared to 1300 holes on your 16" cylinder. It would have been much easier to have the holes punched or plasma cut, but at the end I know we both busted or butts to produce a cylinder unlike what everyone else is using. Design not to break!!!

 

[russau]

you guys do nice work! and thanks for shareing!

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

As you finish a hole, does that song run through your head....?

... I finished a hole, and take a sip,... seven hundred and seventy six more holes to drill
seven hundred and seventy six more holes to drill
seven hundred and seventy six more holessssssss

Well, if you didn't, you will now. Sorry, I'm such a *******.

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Lol. That is funny. I probably will. So now I have 658 holes drilled.... over halfway there... Ugh

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Heads up guys! I should be done drilling TODAY. Finally!! AHHH I want to scream. This is a lot of holes to drill. Anyway I shot a little video and I thought I might invite you into my garage for a visit. Oh I also included a bit about something special I found while out hunting. If you know more about it than I do please feel free to share with the rest of us!

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Update... 1,011 holes done. In between battery charges right now so I'm watching a show called Alaska Frontier.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Yay, you crossed the 1K mark, you're getting close...well sorta anyway ;-)

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Ok. Finally done with the holes. 1300 half inch holes... The rest is a cake walk. A little fabrication, some mechanic work, and some welding. I would say maybe 40-50 hrs worth of work left and around $300 more dollars....

Hoping to be done by May.

 

[AzViper]

Ok. Finally done with the holes. 1300 half inch holes... The rest is a cake walk. A little fabrication, some mechanic work, and some welding. I would say maybe 40-50 hrs worth of work left and around $300 more dollars....

Hoping to be done by May.

So how many four letter words were directed at me?

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

Congrats on finishing the holes. What a relief that must be. Now finish the rest of it and get some color through that baby. Let's see it purr.

 

[Justbent]

Heads up guys! I should be done drilling TODAY. Finally!! AHHH I want to scream. This is a lot of holes to drill. Anyway I shot a little video and I thought I might invite you into my garage for a visit. Oh I also included a bit about something special I found while out hunting. If you know more about it than I do please feel free to share with the rest of us! Video Link: http://youtu.be/Bw-I04yVCbo

Nice find! Nice job on the holes also.
So where do you fab everything, in your garage?