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 do fab everything in my garage. I just bought this house so I haven't fabbed anything up in it yet. The trommel is my first project. My garage is fully insulated and has a welder outlet. I had that installed when it was being built so that I could use my garage all winter without freezing my butt off. I barely use it during the summer cuz I'm either out riding or mining. I still need to put up some shelves, set up a work bench, and install the sink but I will have every weekend through Christmas/New year to do all of that. I'm right on schedule as far as the build goes so I can spare some time for setting up the garage now that the "beast" of the work is done. All in all it took about 50 hours to mark, center punch, pilot drill, and step drill those 1300 holes. If you count the pilot and each step on the step bit I drilled 10,400 total holes all by hand. Yikes. Lol. I'm glad it's done and I'm excited to move forward on this build.

 

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[AzViper]

Layn, I think your original plan was to have a larger classification area (15"). You would still be drilling. I know its s lot of holes that's why I saved the drilling near the end of my build. Having the cylinder at waist height helped in being comfortable to drill. Now lets see where this build goes from here. We all have idea's during the builds but changes are always in our minds. Nice job on drilling!!!

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Layn, I think your original plan was to have a larger classification area (15"). You would still be drilling. I know its s lot of holes that's why I saved the drilling near the end of my build. Having the cylinder at waist height helped in being comfortable to drill. Now lets see where this build goes from here. We all have a idea's during the builds but changes are always in our minds. Nice job on drilling!!!

Keith,
I am so glad I researched the flow rates on those holes because I would still be drilling. Three more inches may be in the cards still and I will build the funnel to accommodate but I think it is going to work just fine like this.

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

This discussion is going on in AZ'S thread so I am adding this to give insight to my final plans.

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 will be coating the exterior of the cylinder then painting or sticking on the graphic that best names this beast. Remember folks I still haven't chosen a name for it yet so you could still win it... I need more names.

 

[supafly136]

This discussion is going on in AZ'S thread so I am adding this to give insight to my final plans.

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 will be coating the exterior of the cylinder then painting or sticking on the graphic that best names this beast. Remember folks I still haven't chosen a name for it yet so you could still win it... I need more names.

That thing is going to look sweet, slick like a gorgeous jet boat. Your gold pouring out of it will be dizzying. Theres only one name...
" Hypnotic"

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

I am getting back into trommel mode. Found the casters that I'm going to use, decided on the frame style and what the hopperwill be made from.... I'll post links when I'm at a computer. I'm on my phone now.

https://m.grainger.com/mobile/product/ALBION-Caster-Wheel-2LU25

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Determining the distance between the casters so that I can keep the hopper as low as possible....

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Got 2 of these, one for each end. They will keep the cylinder from traveling. Now it's time to go get some steel for the frame.

 

[SLNugget]

Got 2 of these, one for each end. They will keep the cylinder from traveling. Now it's time to go get some steel for the frame.

Cool, but careful you do not "out trick" yourself........
:-)

 

[KevinInColorado]

Have you thought about one more set of roller wheels just upstream of the perforated section? Better support for the barrel may be important when it's fully loaded with material and those existing rollers will last longer with less tangential load on their bearings.

PS that barrel is looking great, it's gonna be a beast!

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Have you thought about one more set of roller wheels just upstream of the perforated section? Better support for the barrel may be important when it's fully loaded with material and those existing rollers will last longer with less tangential load on their bearings.

PS that barrel is looking great, it's gonna be a beast!

I thought about that so I went with 750lb rated casters. That equals 3000 lbs load rating. The cylinder weighs 120ish pounds since I drilled out seventeen pounds of material, and the trommel should only hold around maybe four buckets worth of slurry and rocks at a time so around 160 lbs through the cylinder at a time. I think I went overboard. The cylinder will crush from center weight at 5000 lbs. Beast will be it's middle name lol. Starting to think I'm going to need a conveyor to move the rocks away. It will be small enough to hand feed buckets but if we want I'll be able to use a small backhoe I have available too. Hoping to see a lot of gold this year....

 

[KevinInColorado]

Well thought out, very much looking forward to seeing it in action...and the gold you get from it!!

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

Got 2 of these, one for each end. They will keep the cylinder from traveling. Now it's time to go get some steel for the frame.

From everything I've read, you need a dam at the hopper end otherwise you'll lose water and material off the front. Not sure how that impacts the Vwheel design.

 

[AzViper]

Layn,

Jcazgold is speaking of a backflow ring such as these. I cut these out with my plasma cutter by hand using a template. These rings are 1" wide. I cut enough to cut them in quarters and used inside the cylinder.

​

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

Yup, I figured. I just haven't gotten that far yet. Mine will have several rings in it, and one at the top end for sure. The welding will start next week. I have a shop here locally that will be cutting my rings out for me

 

[jcazgoldchaser]

Layn,

Jcazgold is speaking of a backflow ring such as these. I cut these out with my plasma cutter by hand using a template. These rings are 1" wide. I cut enough to cut them in quarters and used inside the cylinder.

View attachment 949952​

1 more and you too can get it wrong...

 

[Bob_T2]

Layn, that craigslist trommel is the one we saw a few weeks ago and could not understand the second photo why he has the flow ring on the discharge end of the cylinder.

I'm a little late responding to a post from November 2013. Here's a picture of an old and proven trommel in the Mother Lode area. It has a ring near the discharge end and I think it's to hold the material a little longer to help insure that all clinging clay material is removed, basically like your design is intended to do. Plus keep large heavy nuggets from going out into the tailings pile.

The engine is just being temporarily stored inside the trommel, it doesn't normally live there.

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

That reminds me, I picked up some steel yesterday and I started working on the rototiller to get it prepped for install. I also cut some aluminum hubs for the wheels but I didn't take any pictures yet. More to come!

 

[hvacker]

I got a catalog from this company that specializes in perforated metal and mesh, expanded metals. I don't know if it's cost effective in terms of labor saving but here ya go. Perforated material punched with round holes

 

[AzViper]

I got a catalog from this company that specializes in perforated metal and mesh, expanded metals. I don't know if it's cost effective in terms of labor saving but here ya go. Perforated material punched with round holes

The problem of using perforated metal then rolling it into a cylinder the holes will no longer be round. Yes we both know first hand the labor involved in drilling 1400 plus holes, but we both have a cylinder that's strong and will last over those made using expanded metal.