Trommel Rebuild Project

[chickenminer]

Last Spring I bought this trommel washplant off a guy. It's smaller than I wanted but the price was right and I figured I would rebuild it to suit my needs better. It was quite the contraption looking plant when he pulled into my yard with it! They had a homemade grizzly mounted over this incredibly steep pitched hopper and chutes coming off for oversize material.
Here's the original plant.


I could see everything was going to have to come off! The major changes I wanted was adding another screen section, reworking the hopper setup and changing the drive system. Originally the plant was powered by a small 3/4 HP electric motor/reduction box that drove an axle on one side. The axle connected two rollers that drove the drum. I knew from past experience that this was not an optimal drive system!
So I started cutting things apart . Sorry, I didn't take any photos of the ongoing project.
I cut out sections of the drum to add another 24" of 1" woven wire screen. Of course I then had to modify and add to the catch pan below the drum.
I also removed the electric motor/gearbox and cut the long axle out between the rollers. In its place for a drive system I mounted a 20:1 gear reducer coupled to a small 5 HP gas engine. I then welded #80 chain sprocket segments around the drum.
Project turned out quite well.


Drum ended up rotating around 13 RPM when the gas motor was 1/4 throttle. I was able to move between 25-30 cu/yds hour through the plant with no problems.



I used the plant all last summer. Little over 140 hours of operation. Mostly pleased with the setup. The drive system worked flawless and never had a moments trouble. Did have a few issues with the hopper feed but that was because of big rocks. I really do not like grizzly's but with this size of a plant I may need to add something for next season.



Sorry I don't have more in progress photos but just never think about it at the time.

[Jim_Alaska]

Good looking modifications Dick, I can see you are used to doing "work arounds". I agree that the original slope of the original set up was incredibly steep. The new drum and flattening out the chute were good modifications and it looks like good quality work.

Grizzlies are sometimes problematic, but then again, "the alternative" (continually pulling oversize out of the hopper is not only frustrating, but also costly in time lost.)

Thanks for posting about your operation, it is always nice to see what others are doing and how.

[easy goer]

I am always jealous of people who can document their projects with picture timelines! Over 36 years in the restaurant business we have pulled off some renovations in as little as 72 hours that would take most people weeks to accomplish, pictures taken ZERO! After the fact we lament that we should have taken pictures and documented everything. Maybe one of these times I will get it done.
Excellent work on the trommel!

Easygoer

[Slatco]

Great job! If I can get the photo posting thing figured out I will share what I have on the go which includes a new trommel build, a shaker deck build and a retrofit of a neat old washplant.

[gabbie]

great job where in the world did you come up with the sprocket segments i have been looking for no 80 also we currently have number 80 chain with bolt every 3 inches that the chain grabs but segment would work better
thanks doug

[chickenminer]

Doug,
The segments are just a #80 sprocket cut into segments of 3 teeth each. Use the largest dia sprocket you can find to cut into segments.

[chickenminer]

Slatco,
Looking forward to seeing those projects. Always nice to have more than one washplant available.

[waveaction]

Like we say in the Navy "A Job Well Done"!

[Slatco]

Hey Chickenminer what do you think the slope degrees were that you ended up with on the hopper? I am reminded of a post I saw about plumbing and if the slope is too steep the water flows too fast to move the solids....

[chickenminer]

Slatco...
I'd have to look at my notes but I believe it is about 3.5/12 pitch.
So I think it is close to 15-16 degrees. Of course it all depends on a number of factors like
if you had a grizzly over it, type of material and amount of water in the hopper.

This pitch worked well for my material, no grizzly and a good amount of water pushing material.