clarkie752 Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Hi everyone. I have recently built a new ball mill and I am using the thumbler tumbler hexagonal mill jar. I filled it half way full of hardened lead media from Caleb (thanks cal) the lead itself weighs 35 pounds. So my question is how do you all empty your mill jars that are this size? I am also on fireworking.com and read neds article about the 5 gallon bucket screen he made. I am looking for other ideas that may be used to empty my jar. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurritoBandito Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Check out Ned's article on remotely emptying the jar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odan56 Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I watched Ned's mousetrap setup and noticed it all ended up in a bucket with a screen in it. Why not, if you have a tumbler tumbler, make a screen that can be screwed to the mill itself? Brass screen, 3-4 mesh, notch around the screws, trim to fit, and some kind of protection on the treads to keep dust off.To empty. just flip over, grab it by the ears, and shake and twist back'n'forth. For a hoot watch Harry G.'s vid on him using a ball mill. That bucket he has looked like it was run over by a tractor. It's in the blog on Skylighter. Had the same mill as Ned's. Media was copper pipe with poured lead inside. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeee Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 The screen attached to the mill jar itself would be a good design along with another container that attaches to the mesh screen lid on the mill jar. Kind of like the shaker jar screen lids. That would keep the charcoal dust contained in the jars while you separate the mill balls from the powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkie752 Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 That sounds like a good idea putting the screen right on the jar. I will try that when I get home from vacation and let you know how I make out. Thanks for the great idea. I could actually attach my 4 mesh screen right to my jar and empty it into a bucket. Like mikeee said though that will make a ton of dust so I might have to get creative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkie752 Posted April 26, 2015 Author Share Posted April 26, 2015 well i tried useing my 4 mesh screen and attaching it to the end of my mill jar and it would not fit over the screws on the jar. I did find a temporary solution though. i got a minow trap at walmart and i put it in a 5 gallon bucket. then emptied my jar into the minow trap, then shook off the lead media dumped it back into my mill jar and the lead balls that went through the hole in the middle of the minow trap were then sifted out with my trusty kitchen colender i use for seperating my bp grades after granulation. As Ned would say thats one way to skin the cat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaMtnBkr Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 I mentioned it on Ned's thread on his site a while back. But I have 2 five gallon buckets that I use, one solid and one with a bunch of holes drilled in it. I then put the jar in on it's side and then slowly tip upright so everything slowly dumps out and doesn't fall. I then roll the buckets around and tilt some to separate the media. I then put the mill jar back on it's side and pour the media back in the jar and it only requires a few degrees tilt of the bucket and the media rolls right into the jar. This way nothing falls very far and is no more rough than what happens inside the mill. It just seems safer than dumping everything. Plus I have big 3/4" lead media that is heavy and is loud and sounds like it's breaking the mill jar when dumping it back in the jar. Just how I do it. Maybe it's how others do it to but the few times I've watched other people they just dump things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 When you get to that size you either develop muscles or use ceramic media, (reputedly there was a bigger mill in the UK (35kilo powder load) ceramic balls though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaMtnBkr Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Well it's heavy and it helps with that but that isn't why I do it that way. I do it to try and minimize shock and friction on the comp and equipment. There has been some concern lately about the dangers of emptying a mill jar. Where Ned went so far as making a contraption to remotely dump a jar. I was just trying to explain how I have always done it which in my mind is no more rough on things as the actual milling, and probably less so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkie752 Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 How many holes do you have in the 5 gallon bucket? I would think the 35 pounds of lead would go through the bottom if i drilled holes in it. I did think of trying that though. Maybe if you get time you could take a pic and post it. I am on fireworking to if you want to get ahold of me on there. thanks Flam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlaMtnBkr Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 It's actually slots I cut with a drill and jig saw. One 'web' cracked that I cut a little too thin. I think holes would be stronger and plenty strong enough. I'm using over 30 lbs of lead and it's still holding up even with the crack. The gentle tipping I described above probably helps and it might not hold up if I were to just dump it in from above the bucket. But if I were to do it again I think I would do holes. In fact I got some new great looking 1/2" spheres from Caleb and will probably need to make a new one as I think this new stuff will fall through. I actually thought holes would be stronger than screen that is mechanically attached. I can go snap a picture later but it's nothing pretty. I also haven't renewed at Fireworking so have to stay here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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