Cheap Ballmill Jars

[killforfood]

Has anybody tried using inexpensive food jars to ball mill comps in? I would like to have dedicated jars for specific comps but that gets expensive real fast. I only have one jar right now and it's homemade out of some 8" steel pipe that I added ends to. I need to find something that's less likely to spark and doesn't break the bank. Since I'll only do a few pounds at a time, I'm considering these cheap restaurant food jars. The big question is if they will stand the abuse.

I like the color coded lids. Never mind... I,m not allowed to choose the lid color.

4 jars shipped to my door, about $14.

 

ttp://www.webstaurantstore.com/carlisle-ps802-1-gallon-jar-lid-unit/271PS802.html

 

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/carlisle-ps702-1-2-gallon-plastic-jar-lid/271PS702.html

Edited January 21, 2011 by killforfood

[Algenco]

they would work how long? I don't know.

Make jars from 6" PVC with wooden ends, wouldn't cost much more than the jars you listed but would last a long time

[killforfood]

That's doable... Are you concerned that the wooden ends will get ground up with the comp and cause contamination?

[killforfood]

Some 8” Schedule 80 would be sweet but exponentially more expensive. I think the higher drop grinds faster.

 

Hmmm… Something to add to the scrounge list. I’m always looking for freebies. I’ll drop a hint with the contractors that do the plant plumbing. The trick is how to attach the ends in a way that insures no spillage while grinding??? I need to think on this. Store bought ends would be nice but way to expensive. Cut a groove… add a big o-ring… All-Thread through the middle to pull the ends together… It could work. I’ll sleep on it.

 

 

[oldguy]

I recently scavenged a couple free 12 inch wide 3 ft long ½ inch wall plastic sewer pipes to use as ball mill jars. Plan is to cut to desired length, plane the ends perfectly flat. Then use epoxy & screws to hold ½ inch plywood as the ends. But, will laminate the jars interior & the ends with ½ inch thick fiber reinforced tough ass conveyor belting (also scavenged free).

 

At least that’s the plan to date.

 

 

 

[Bonny]

Has anybody tried using inexpensive food jars to ball mill comps in? I would like to have dedicated jars for specific comps but that gets expensive real fast. I only have one jar right now and it's homemade out of some 8" steel pipe that I added ends to. I need to find something that's less likely to spark and doesn't break the bank. Since I'll only do a few pounds at a time, I'm considering these cheap restaurant food jars. The big question is if they will stand the abuse.

I like the color coded lids. Never mind... I,m not allowed to choose the lid color.

4 jars shipped to my door, about $14.

 

I hope you aren't milling any BP or similar in a steel jar! If so, stop and get rid of it right now. It's a potential risk to yourself and anyone around, especially "a few lbs" at a time.

 

As for the plastic, they will work but won't last too long as the walls/ends are thin. That being said, I've used plastic peanut jars for years. They do last quite a few batches before they fail.

 

they would work how long? I don't know.

Make jars from 6" PVC with wooden ends, wouldn't cost much more than the jars you listed but would last a long time

 

PVC jars are the norm. Personally, I would't bother with making ends. Add a PVC end cap (they aren't very expensive)to one end. On the other end put a PVC reducer and a rubber test cap (with a hose clamp to hold it on).

[oldguy]

4 inch pvc caps run about $5, 6 inch caps about $13, 8 inch caps about $36. Reducer ends add about 30% more.

I checked 12 inch plugs & caps & they are rare, plus insane prices, plus shipping.

That is why I am building ends for the 12 inch jars.

Edited February 14, 2011 by oldguy

[dagabu]

I have sold over 100 of these 6" jars. I even have some in stock that I can box and ship Tuesday morning, lower 48- $40.00 delivered.

http://www.pyrobin.com/files/100_1932.jpg

[Mumbles]

Trying to find fittings for the larger sizes will be cost prohibitive. In these cases wood is perfectly acceptable. Some drill through the wall into the disks to secure them but I've never really liked that method. There are typically 1 circle the ID of the jar inside of it, and one the OD of the jar on the outside, with a vacuum cleaner belt or O-ring of some sort to seal the jar. With very thick walls, you can easily sink threaded rod into the plastic and secure the disks with wing nuts. If I ever were to make larger jars that I can't sink threaded rods into, I'd make the outside wooden disk larger and use 2 or 3 longer threaded rods to connect the two end caps to one another. I like the convenience of wing nuts or those rubber caps.

[oldguy]

I have a really nice old school large metal table saw table, minus the saw that I never put to use. Plus several thermally protected electric motors, a bunch of press on type bearings, long steel rod to fit them, pulleys & a couple swing type idler arms & a few real nice conveyor belt rollers. It's a ball mill project waiting to happen. I'm just not there yet. I have decide if I should go with a 2 jar mill or a single jar mill, then sketch it on paper, then put it together.

 

It may be ass backwards, but I'm building a few jars first, so I can set the drive & rollers to match the jars.

 

Edit to add:

20 second sketch of how I think I will lay a 2 jar ball mill out.

Will throw in an swing type idler arm for adjusting belt tension.

Anything wrong with this toilet flush simple design?

 

Edit again:

 

Belt turning clockwise would turn the jar on the left up, the jar on the right down.

Is that a critical fault, as I am reading for optimal.... they should both turn up.

 

Edited February 14, 2011 by oldguy

[Bonny]

 

Edit to add:

20 second sketch of how I think I will lay a 2 jar ball mill out.

Belt turning clockwise would turn the jar on the left up, the jar on the right down.

Is that a critical fault, as I am reading for optimal.... they should both turn up.

 

Yeah sure 20 seconds

 

IIRC, the "turning up" (lifting) is more to prevent the jar from slipping. I've run my mill both ways (my motor is reversable), and haven't really noticed much difference, in sound anyway.

[oldguy]

Bonny,

 

Okay, not 20 seconds.

 

It is a quick rough eyeballed sketch using MS “paint”. It’s neither to scale, accurate or dimensional. It don’t take much longer than a minute or 2. MS “paint” is quick & easy to use, once you get the hang of it. On something this simple it wasn’t worth the time or effort to break out the Cad software & do it to scale & dimensional.

 

Reality is, using a 2 deck metal stand as the platform, simply mount the motor on the bottom deck with the pulley out over the edge about an inch. Place the free wheeling rollers near the outer edges of the top deck, center the 2 drive rollers near the middle, with the pulleys in line with the pulley on the motor. Set the jars on the rollers to insure everything is square, has adequate space & clearance.

 

Use a piece of string to estimate the length of belt required, then go to an auto parts store & get one close. Install the belt to the pulleys to insure its close. Mark where drill holes are necessary, drill them & install nuts & bolts. If the belt happens to be a bit short, simply mount the motor on a block to elevate it to the necessary height. Make sure you have a little slack in the belt, then mount a swing arm type idler pulley in a good spot, so you can easily adjust the belts tension with a wrench.

 

Should be an easy task & take only a part of an afternoon. I built my 100 gallon BBQ + interior grates in a day, not counting painting it & mounting it in place.