2023...

[Moneybox]

I just put on the scales and it weighs in a 19kg without the electrics so that's about the weight of a full jerry can. Supporting won't be a problem.

 

[Moneybox]

I figured if I tension between the two cables then I only need one tensioner.



I added a spring into the cable in case somebody gives it a shove.



The end result is pretty good.




I got the cables off the floor but now I have them on the table but I shouldn't trip over them there

 

[Mackka]

Well Done Phil, excellent work and the Boss looks pleased too! Cheers Mackka

 

[Simmo]

Phil, that is an awesome job mate!
If I could possibly critise something, without actually seeing it in person....
That tensioner block needs more turns on it before you lock it off mate??

 

[Moneybox]

Phil, that is an awesome job mate!
If I could possibly critise something, without actually seeing it in person....
That tensioner block needs more turns on it before you lock it off mate??

Yes Simmo, I guessed the cable length and a few more inches would have been good however I started it with the cable doing a double pass through the drum so it is secure

I just looked at the photo and it looks bad but there are a few turns there all on one side but crossing over the spot where the cable enters the drum. It's all good.

 

[Moneybox]

I put these Delta Touch Series switches in for lights and powerpoint.



I'm still trying to work it out but they seem to be quite nice with the little blue circle around the switch sometimes staying illuminated in the dark.

Ps: I've since wiped those dirty finger marks of the light and its surrounds

 

[Moneybox]

I got out early but the morning was dead still, not a hint of a breeze so it was not worth firing up the dryblower.



However I noticed a gum tree that had been blown down in the storm the other night so it sparked an idea.



I ducked down with the battery powered AEG chainsaw and brought it home but that used up all of my four batteries. The little McCuloch chainsaw has been in the shed for years so I revived it. The bar and chair are stuffed but it still cuts a lot quicker than the battery powered machine.



I cut a piece from the fork of the tree.



Then I inserted a insulator bolt from an old power pole so that I had a spindle to go in the lathe.



I cut the corners off on the circular saw to get a bit more rounded shape to start with.



Before long I had the basic shape although it ended up smaller that I'd planned due to the odd shape I started with.



Then I turned it around and attacked it from the inside.



Then just as I was finishing off it came out of the chuck and destroyed my first attempt at turning a wood bowl it was a beautiful piece of wood too.

 

[Manpa]

Was always going to be an issue with that huge flaw down the side, for future reference you can help to stabilise those flaws by flooding them with superglue. Definitely a “gently does it piece”

 

[Moneybox]

Was always going to be an issue with that huge flaw down the side, for future reference you can help to stabilise those flaws by flooding them with superglue. Definitely a “gently does it piece”

It looks like I can get back to the dryblower this morning but I might give it another go while the wood is fresh, perhaps after I come in if its not too hot by then. When I do I'm going to make up a better system to attach and drive it and run between centres until right at the end.

 

[Nightjar]

It looks like I can get back to the dryblower this morning but I might give it another go while the wood is fresh, perhaps after I come in if its not too hot by then. When I do I'm going to make up a better system to attach and drive it and run between centres until right at the end.

Never a dull moment in your life MB, enjoy your posts greatly.

 

[Moneybox]

Never a dull moment in your life MB, enjoy your posts greatly.

I think that's what retirement should be. You can't stop or you just wither and die but you can do all those things that you always wanted to do but could never find the time. I don't have the time now but I have a lot more time.

 

[Moneybox]

I did go dryblowing this morning but a slept in for a bit. The breeze was a pretty pleasant 12 km/h from the south and it stayed that way until I packed it in at 9:30 and went home. I got distracted when I walked past my damaged wooden bowl from yesterday so I fired up the chainsaw again.

View attachment First good bowl.mp4

I was pretty careful this time. I used the junction of the other branch from the same part of the tree so it has a continuation of the flaw running through it but that only add to the charm

 

[Bora68]

I got out early but the morning was dead still, not a hint of a breeze so it was not worth firing up the dryblower.

View attachment 8322

However I noticed a gum tree that had been blown down in the storm the other night so it sparked an idea.

View attachment 8323

I ducked down with the battery powered AEG chainsaw and brought it home but that used up all of my four batteries. The little McCuloch chainsaw has been in the shed for years so I revived it. The bar and chair are stuffed but it still cuts a lot quicker than the battery powered machine.

View attachment 8321

I cut a piece from the fork of the tree.

View attachment 8324

Then I inserted a insulator bolt from an old power pole so that I had a spindle to go in the lathe.

View attachment 8325

I cut the corners off on the circular saw to get a bit more rounded shape to start with.

View attachment 8326

Before long I had the basic shape although it ended up smaller that I'd planned due to the odd shape I started with.

View attachment 8327

Then I turned it around and attacked it from the inside.

View attachment 8328

Then just as I was finishing off it came out of the chuck and destroyed my first attempt at turning a wood bowl it was a beautiful piece of wood too.

Bugger. Cut another hunk n start again Phil.
Your wood story reminded me of mine.
We were down south near Denmark the other day taking in some nice lush bush scenery before the next more desolate looking NE goldfields trip, when i came across a bloke loading up his 4wd with sawn round logs. He said help yourself to one so grabbed one and took it home to make a chopping block for cutting the chops dtc when i next knockover a lamb
.I mounted it on steel legs for height and it should be good. The only problem is it could all split up. The wood is bluegum i believe.

 

[user 22230]

I figured if I tension between the two cables then I only need one tensioner.

View attachment 8250

I added a spring into the cable in case somebody gives it a shove.

View attachment 8251

The end result is pretty good.

View attachment 8252

View attachment 8253
I got the cables off the floor but now I have them on the table but I shouldn't trip over them there

MB than in itself is bonus points for a year Well done and excellent job

 

[Moneybox]

Bugger. Cut another hunk n start again Phil.
Your wood story reminded me of mine.
We were down south near Denmark the other day taking in some nice lush bush scenery before the next more desolate looking NE goldfields trip, when i came across a bloke loading up his 4wd with sawn round logs. He said help yourself to one so grabbed one and took it home to make a chopping block for cutting the chops dtc when i next knockover a lamb
.I mounted it on steel legs for height and it should be good. The only problem is it could all split up. The wood is bluegum i believe.View attachment 8342

Try giving it a generous coat of lanolin and you may have to recoat it again once it soaks in. That's what I put on the wooden bowl and I'll coat it again when it looks dry. If you put too much on it'll buff off to a polished finish.

 

[Bora68]

I did go dryblowing this morning but a slept in for a bit. The breeze was a pretty pleasant 12 km/h from the south and it stayed that way until I packed it in at 9:30 and went home. I got distracted when I walked past my damaged wooden bowl from yesterday so I fired up the chainsaw again.

View attachment 8339

I was pretty careful this time. I used the junction of the other branch from the same part of the tree so it has a continuation of the flaw running through it but that only add to the charm

Pretty impressive list of what you can turn your hand to Phil. I will try your lanolin idea as small cracks already beginning to appear on the chopping block.

 

[Mackka]

Not sure about using lanolin on the cutting surface Bora as it may contaminate the meat or food stuffs you are processing. I did hear from a reliable source that Walnut Oil it a good treatment for cutting boards and should be fine for chopping blocks also. Mackka

 

[Moneybox]

The end of summer is near so we have to start thinking about wet weather projects.



I'm not sure what to aim for but I'm sure it'll work its self out.

 

[Moneybox]

Mrs M had to shoot off to Perth this morning. Her Mum has given up the will to live and is not expected to last much longer.

Before she left she wanted me to take a look at the old Chef. He's grown fat over the years and is probably about 90 now so I guess he doesn't have to watch his figure any more.



She said He was looking stuffed so I performed an operation to see what was going on inside.



It looks like he's been swallowing the takings for years, just as well he has a cast iron gut

 

[Moneybox]

Mrs M could be away for a while so I decided to take on a new project to keep me occupied while she's away.



I've been playing with the new/old Knudson concentrator and I find that it can only handle dirt that's been classified down to about 3mm. Anything much larger can get wedged in the riffles and prevent it clearing on unwanted material while hanging on to the very fine gold.

View attachment Goldilocks this morning.mp4

I accumulated many hundreds of tonnes of this fine dirt but even after passing through Goldilocks it is still only classified down to 7mm. That leaves me with the problem of classifying it further of possibly crushing it down to size. I don't even know what gold is left in it but I know the dryblower would have missed a lot of small gold and everything that I've processed has had gold.

The difficulty with working the Knudson is that it needs water and we don't have any without buying it so that means I'll have to be careful to try and recycle it.



I've been keeping my eyes pealed for a large piece of pipe so that I can make an impact crusher along the lines of the little prototype I made earlier. It's very simple with a vertical tube, the material feeds in the top, passes the hammers as it falls through and escapes through the adjustable gap between the end housing and the outer tube. No mesh is required to classify the material. I had a little brainwave the other day when I spotted this old brake drum. It has a 420mm internal diameter so the size is spot on and it's tough enough to handle the impact.

I found this 50mm shaft and the perfect sized endplate bolted to the back of an air cooled Deutz engine. I can utilize the heavy roller bearing and add an internal seal as well as a bearing to the other end. The shaft flange was inside the orange cover but I'll reverse it and use the flange as a flywheel to help with the impact.



I'm finding it difficult to get data but as far as I can calculate I'm after an impact speed of about 38 m/second. Because of the large diameter I'll need to keep the spindle speed quite a bit less than engine revs depending of what I find to drive it.

To start with I decided to cut an A-section belt pulley into the flange so it could double as a flywheel and a drive pulley. I don't know what it's made from but the steel is too hard for my lathe tools to cut. I'd need tungsten tipped tools but I don't have anything suitable.

That left me with Plan-B, perhaps I'll get to that tomorrow.