Bellows puffer style drywasher plans

[AtomRat]

Seems to be coming along nicely there gcause Cant wait to see it in action if you get the chance to get a vid online later on. What is the material like that you are putting through the blower up there? Is it rather sandy? I find pulley's all over the place, mostly on the rubbish or at garage sales attached to old motors. Also they can be found in many antique stores. Im on the way to being able to make wheels, but need someone with a bigger lathe to be able to clean them up after casting.

 

[gcause]

Thanks Golddig, I am building all this on the balcony of my unit as I don't have a shed so its a bit rough and ready but she'll do. It's probably the first time she has been back on legs in over 30 years, lets hope she still has enough puff left in her to do the job.

AtomRat, I am not sure about the material I am hoping to get it complete before my first trip to the Palmer Goldfields next week. All I know is it will be very dry as theres no water out there.

I am working on building the hopper at the moment.
I now just need the motor, pulley and v-belt and I will have all the materials for it.
I still need to source a 12" - 14" pulley. I think I will try a local mower repair shop as the ride on motor mowers use them and I may get the v-belt there also.
Also saw a car windscreen wiper motor going for $20 on gumtree so have to investigate that.

Cheers,

Grant

 

[MJB]

Hi Grant,

That blower is looking good mate and look forward to hearing about its success.

Pulleys and belts can be got from any bearing supply company if you have no luck with the mower shop.

Palmer river is one place I would love to visit one day and have a fossick. Such a huge goldfield there has to be plenty of gold left

Cheers

 

[gcause]

Added cross brace to help stabilise the unit:

Using threaded rod to provide a basic support structure for the hopper:

There will be two boxes on top.
The first will be a screen. It will be hinged at the rear and
The hinge will attach the screen box to the second hopper box. This will allow the screen to be cleaned out. It will also provide direct access to the hopper if theres a blockage of some sort.
The clean out of the screen will go towards the front of the unit into the front tailings pile (the softer classified materials).
The second box will be the hopper assembly itself. I am using a canvas bag as the hopper and it will feed into a flow control system at its base.
The second box will also have a slick plate on the end so the tailings can run off easily to the rear tailings pile (the courser material that didn't go through the screen).

Heres the start of the second box.

 

[dwt]

Nice going mate, looking the goods

 

[Nightjar]

Using a windscreen wiper motor.

 

[thedigger]

Glad to see you are getting ready for next year

The Digger

 

[Kawit]

Saw you were looking to buy pulleys for your new build. Found this site for pulleys it may help.
Cheers
Dave

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aluminiu...U_Building_Materials&var=&hash=item19edcfce41

 

[gcause]

Saw you were looking to buy pulleys for your new build. Found this site for pulleys it may help.
Cheers
Dave

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aluminiu...U_Building_Materials&var=&hash=item19edcfce41

Thanks for that Dave.

 

[gcause]

Using a windscreen wiper motor.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s122/nightjar3/Prospecting060.jpg

Hey Nightjar, nice looking bit of kit.

Would you have a photo of how the wiper motor joins up to the bellows arm?

 

[gcause]

Hmmm that Laundry bag looks perfect for my drywasher.

Added the slick plate and the hopper aka Laundry bag :8

Found the bag in Bunnings a while ago. It is heavy canvas and has three layers two outer canvas layers with an internal thick rubber layer in between. It also has a reinforcing rod down the middle of both sides.

The round handle at the end should direct the flow of material nicely into the box.

Wondering if I actually need to add a flow control mechanism now?

Heres the slick plate just some marine ply, will look at lining it with checker plate or similar later, but for now it will do.
Will also put some light steel plating on the sides later to protect the wood.

I have the reinforcing rod in the bag underneath it going down the centre at the base of the hopper. Should help direct the flow of material nicely.

Its starting to look like a drywasher

Now I just have to work on the top box with the screen on it and direct the tailings down the slick plate.

 

[aushunter]

Hey Grant,
Was talking to your brother today, I live across the road from the lawnmower shop.
Got talking about this whodiggy thingy dryblower you are working on.
At the beginning of the post is a dryblower plan or diagram, are there anymore diagrams beside those to build one or is that it?
Cheers
Brad....

 

[Nightjar]

I'll get a pic for you tomorrow.
It doesn't join up to an arm it is free wheeling.

 

[gcause]

I'll get a pic for you tomorrow.
It doesn't join up to an arm it is free wheeling.

Thanks mate, greatly appreciated.

 

[aushunter]

Using a windscreen wiper motor.

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s122/nightjar3/Prospecting060.jpg

Hey nightjar,
Any chance of a cuppla photos of the green beast as in close ups and drive design, maybe even a photo of the lower riffle box removed just to show the inards.
Cheers
Brad....

 

[gcause]

Hey Grant,
Was talking to your brother today, I live across the road from the lawnmower shop.
Got talking about this whodiggy thingy dryblower you are working on.
At the beginning of the post is a dryblower plan or diagram, are there anymore diagrams beside those to build one or is that it?
Cheers
Brad....

Hey Brad, hope you are doing good.

Yeah my brother was the one who told me about the ride on mowers using the 12" pulleys on their base.

If you have a look there are plans throughout the thread. Here are the specific post numbers 3, 64, 71 (Chris provided a detailed set of plans).

Best of luck with your build, would work great out at Warwick

Cheers,

Grant

 

[Nightjar]

Here you go, you should be able to get a fair idea about how this little 12V Dryblower works.

 

[gcause]

Thanks NightJar she is a nice compact unit. Did you make it yourself?

 

[Nightjar]

No, It is my mates, he bought it years ago, am building one for myself this summer.
Below is an engine driven one I built, works a treat.













One my mate built.

 

[gcause]

Nice solid unit Nitejar.
I am thinking my screen might be a bit large its 1" mesh. Any recommendations on mesh size based on your experience?