Aussie Lapidary Forum
Fossicking and Rockhounding => Tips, Gadgets & Brag Board. => Topic started by: JBK on April 19, 2012, 11:13:38 AM
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Found on other forum - for those who are handy and want to make one :) $50 ???
How to make it:
http://mlaine.homeip.net/Trom/Trom (http://mlaine.homeip.net/Trom/Trom)
In action:
Mike's Hand Trommel Upgrade (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7yJ6k_6pJs#)
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Looks good .... I guess you could have 2 of them so that you could sort the wash into small, medium & large. If I only used one then I'd probably use a fairly fine mesh to get rid of the sand & smalls .... and wash what falls out the end?
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Brilliant Idea, Woofa- fine sand is always a pest so finer mesh agree, and for those who use sluice the fine stuff would be ideal (gold) I think. :)
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Looks good .... I guess you could have 2 of them so that you could sort the wash into small, medium & large. If I only used one then I'd probably use a fairly fine mesh to get rid of the sand & smalls .... and wash what falls out the end?
That was my thinking too - he was keeping the wrong bits!
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Yes calxoddity , he is a gold fossiker/prospector from his youtube videos and not a gem hunter but this unit could work for both.
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Now that is a great idea. :) :)
Now how to fit it in the car ::)
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well you could take it a part them put the bits in the car
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Looks good .... I guess you could have 2 of them so that you could sort the wash into small, medium & large. If I only used one then I'd probably use a fairly fine mesh to get rid of the sand & smalls .... and wash what falls out the end?
That was my thinking too - he was keeping the wrong bits!
"Gold prospectors!?" ... keeping the wrong bits. They are a unique breed those gold prospectors!!! But they do teach us how to make a great trommel!!! ;D
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You’re a cracker Jamo , just coughed and spilled my coffee reading your response beers
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You’re a cracker Jamo , just coughed and spilled my coffee reading your response beers
You're welcome! ;D
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Great idea....!! I guess you could use different grade mesh along the barrel itself with flues to direct the materials into different buckets.
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Is the reversing beeper a safety feature ? ;D
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(http://mlaine.net/Trom/Ergtrom2.JPG)
You, my Aussie friends, are hilarious! I had such a great time reading your posts. My name is Mike from Mike's Trommel and have tried to get on this forum for years. Finally, having a pressing reason to follow though, thought I would introduce myself. I'm a recreational prospector in the Southern California desert and it is usually very hot in the foothills where my claim is hidden and can only imagine that it is much like that in your area. I use the trommel primarily for gold but it has many uses as people from all over the world have posted Youtube videos and websites to attest. Thinking it will work well for finding gems ...... archaeologists, arrowhead hunters, compost gardeners, fossickers, chicken farmers, worm ranchers, aggregate classifiers and the like have built it for their own special needs all around the world. My trommel can have separate wrap around screens of different mesh to further classify and remove superfluous overburden.
I have recently lost my server due to a water leak so have changed the address permanently and thought to give you a heads up as thousands have read this site and deserve more than a dead link. I hope that those of you who have built this beast will have great luck in finding gems. My trommel has been in use for over 6 years now and I haven't had to repair it other than replacing a screen.
Cheers to you all ..... Mike Laine
PS. Please take note of the new address where you can find directions for the build:
http://mlaine.net/Trom (http://mlaine.net/Trom)
(http://mlaine.net/Trom/Trom001_0022.jpg)
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Thank you for the link to your new site Mike . beers
Have considered building one of your trommels a number of times but space on a 6600 km round trip is limited so tend to take a shaker and throw screen along instead with the rest of my camping gear. Maybe one day.
A big well welcome ALF. :) beers :)
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Jimnyjerry,
Interesting you should say anything about a long trip. Being a retired teacher I spend 6 months every year on the road in the 5th wheel with my wife. Usually about a 6K mile trip as well. I hide my trommel in the back seat of the truck and pile everything around it. I ran across a fellow on the road who built the same design but used all thread instead of pipe strap for the barrel axle. I wish I had a picture for you but he built his out of small 1 gallon buckets and made it about 1/2 as long. It was amazing! Tiny but a work beast none the less. I originally designed the trommel after an outing where I got so sore from rotating a bucket screen classifier that I could hardly drive home. The trommel reduces that soreness to zero. Give some thought to it ...... I guarantee you will appreciate the time well spent.
Cheers,
Mike
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Great work Mike,
I had seen this trammel before but I thought it looked a bit light duty.
If you have been using it for 6 years it is a lot sturdier than it looks.
Very thorough instructions you have on your site.
All ideas are appreciated & when backed up with great instructions & photo's even better.
Again Well Done beers
Thanks
Brett
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welcome to the forum mike :D 8) :D beers