Water powered drive

[kawman]

I see some guys scriffing about with trommels ect and I think that they could be water driven using some very old low tech ideas.. this link shows some old water drives to power things with water pressure/flow.. http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/09/power-from-the-tap-water-motors.html

 

[TenOunce Tone]

Looks good, now to figure out the logistics of it all, and find a creek with running water near the gold!! I guess if you are using a pump to put water through the trommel, it would not be hard to rig up a jet of water to push a wheel, just getting the gearing right would be the trick

Cheers, Tone

 

[charlie123]

I like the idea, but you would need a realy good amount of water pressure to produce an amount of torque to turn your fully loaded trommel, plus the spray bars. If you need to use a trommel, you are obviously using machinery to help the fossicking process. I would say trommel are only good if your feeding a huge amount of pay dirt. Also if i was to use a trommel for small scale purposes, i would never be able to check all the rocks i am throwing into it. I have found some extremely nice terminated quartz using the forward classified banker

 

[Ramjet]

Cool idea. A modern version could be useful.
The one in thepicture below would have the torque. Not very convenient to lug up a creek though.

 

[dwt]

I am working on the design of such a thing at the moment,its not going to be small but i find the easiest way to design and build something is to start at a size thats easy to work with..the principle is simple but the construction can be difficult,water powerd part im having no trouble with on paper,but i can see issues arising from the construction phase.I have 4 different trommel designs on the shed floor at the moment, alluvial x3 /clay x2,i find the biggest problem is expense on trommel in particular one has allready set me back over 3k the others around 1-2500k each,(includes mind bending work hours) pretty tough to earn a quid when your pumping this much money into something that has not given you any returns,the machine that is not a trommel i just call a wash plant its my main work horse at the moment,and now i have started on a water powerd trommel on paper the mrs is going to kill me......

wont be long now and i'll have one off the deck,i'll do some testing and then i might organize a PA day with some members and we'll give her a real bash... 8)

 

[Goldagettin]

WOW dwt......
You can go ahead and get rid of your tinfoil hat thats for sure..lol

The idea I have for a hydro powered trommel suits units about 300mm-400mm in diameter. No way would it ever move a trommel like those you are building (and very well) by the look of it mate.

I'd kill for a workshop like yours, it's fantastic.

I cant wait to see the videos of them working

 

[hardyakka]

looking good dwt, what's the diameter of that drum?

 

[kawman]

I think this is not DIY.. It is heavy engineering. I know that the guys working together could solve some serious engineering problems and make almost anything work......

 

[ChrisM]

All I can say is......wow.
Very nice dwt

 

[Beagleboy]

Nice shed. Very envious.

 

[G0lddigg@]

workshop envy....bigtime

 

[backcreek]

I remember reading some time ago about a guy who was using the turbine section of a turbo to power a trommel and then directing the water from the turbo to the spray bars. Very ingenious.

 

[kawman]

that sounds like the sort of thing I am thinking about.. I have been wondering how a automotive engine water pump would go.. they already have waterproof bearings , shaft and pully and are very cheap/free.... a simple bypass valve would adjust the speed .. all the used water will go to the spray bars.. a turbine would be better but much more expensive..

I remember reading some time ago about a guy who was using the turbine section of a turbo to power a trommel and then directing the water from the turbo to the spray bars. Very ingenious.

 

[ChrisM]

that sounds like the sort of thing I am thinking about.. I have been wondering how a automotive engine water pump would go.. they already have waterproof bearings , shaft and pully and are very cheap/free.... a simple bypass valve would adjust the speed .. all the used water will go to the spray bars.. a turbine would be better but much more expensive..

I remember reading some time ago about a guy who was using the turbine section of a turbo to power a trommel and then directing the water from the turbo to the spray bars. Very ingenious.

There's a video on utube done by some uni students in Anerica using the term turbine concept. It was a while ago. Off memory they were promoting the turbine application.worked well. Just need to find the video again.

 

[Goldtarget]

Jaw drop moment dwt. Something about this says "claim" to me. I can see a tear in the eyes of the old timers. Something tells me your sense of scale is a wee bit different to mine. I'd love to see the expression on the (insert authority figure here) face if they drove up and saw this bad boy beside a gold hill. To you sir, my hat is off.

 

[dwt]

looking good dwt, what's the diameter of that drum?

Howdy hardyakka the drums are all 500mm that way i can neatly fit around a 24" pulley running that down to a 100mm pulley through a speed reducer and the 5.5hp engine ticking away at 1750-1830rpms i get the barrels to rotate nicely at 19-21rpm,much larger than your compact units mate,and in the words of a wise man (GOLDTARGET) "my hat is off to you sir" they are very impressive trommels you are making

 

[dwt]

Jaw drop moment dwt. Something about this says "claim" to me. I can see a tear in the eyes of the old timers. Something tells me your sense of scale is a wee bit different to mine. I'd love to see the expression on the (insert authority figure here) face if they drove up and saw this bad boy beside a gold hill. To you sir, my hat is off.

And to you kind sir i bid good tidings in the most of gentlemanly natures. 8)

 

[rc62burke]

Hi All
This mob make a water driven trommel, it uses a "Turgo water wheel" for the drive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IScObc0vo_s

http://www.honcoophighbanker.com/trommel.php

cheers
Lee

 

[Tige]

Aww man I really want one of those 8)

 

[hardyakka]

Thanks for that dwt, sounds like you have your drum speeds worked out perfectly, will the incline on your drum be adjustable?
For example, if you want to keep the clay material tumbling longer you can level out the drum and if your processing river wash, increase the incline to run it through quicker as it breaks up and washes faster.