Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Dec 25, 2015 11:02:44 GMT -5
Me and jamesp had been discussing what to use as a pan to rinse/wash rocks off in during clean outs. <abbr>It dawned on me that we have an old mortar mixing pan that we've had for years (I'm talking pushing 10 years!)...it's been used to mix cement in, wash dogs in, haul dirt in, etc., etc., and it's seems to still be going strong. It's really a bargain in that it's less than $6 plus taxes...not bad. Lowes sales them, maybe Home Depot does, too. They are rather roomy at 26"x20" and probably are a good 6", probably closer to 8", deep. Here's a link to Lowes listing of the pan: www.lowes.com/pd_19251-1569-AT2606_1z13cih__?productId=1054711&pl=1&Ntt=panOf course, they're not perforated. My thought is to use a heated nail to melt small holes into the bottom. The trick is that's a lot of holes. I figure I could possibly either rig up some type of multi-pronged tool with multiple nails attached so that at each hole-melt maybe a half dozen holes get made. With his welding abilities jamesp wouldn't have a problem rigging something like that up...for me, though, I've gotta be a bit more creative....that creativity is yet to be found, but I'm working on it and have a couple of ideas! The melting seems important (as opposed to drilling) so that there is no tears in the plastic, but rather thick, tough edges to the melted holes. How this perofrated plastic tub will hold up is yet to be seen, but for $6 and some time I figure it's worth a try. Once the holes have been made the pan could be placed on some uneven ground, on a gravel bed, or maybe placed on some 2x4's spaced beneath it to lift it up so that it will drain well. To carry it a bit further... Another pan could be placed below the perforated one. with some 4x4 pieces of wood in it. Holes could be made in this pan up an inch or two from the bottom on the sides. This way, if you're using small garnets or have some really small rocks that you want to save they would catch in the bottom pan for later retrieval but wash water could still drain out once it got up to the level of the holes in the sides. Anyhow, that's the line I'm thinking along at the moment. What do you use for a pan or tub for clean-out? Ed
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Intheswamp
Cave Dweller
Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Dec 25, 2015 12:16:21 GMT -5
I should've known that James has used those mortar pans I'm talking about. Here's a post where he's washing rocks from a clean-out using one of the pans...no peforated, but you get a good idea of the toughness of the pans. James, how'd your pan hold up for washing the rocks? James washing rocks in a mortar tub
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rastageezer
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 169
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Post by rastageezer on Dec 25, 2015 13:11:33 GMT -5
I use oil drain pans from the Dollar store......work great!
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
Posts: 1,910
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Post by Intheswamp on Dec 25, 2015 13:23:37 GMT -5
The round plastic type with the spout or the metal crinkled ones? I hadn't thought of those!!! Great info!
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rastageezer
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 169
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Post by rastageezer on Dec 25, 2015 14:39:27 GMT -5
black plastic w/spout......the white dish pans work too but are less durable.
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
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Post by Intheswamp on Dec 25, 2015 15:07:53 GMT -5
Yeah, I was thinking the plastic ones would work better and be more "rock friendly". I can't remember...do they have some type of screen over the entry to the spout? I simple "something" shoved down in there would stop any tumble-sized rocks from falling through if you got too ambitious. I tend to over-think things sometimes...
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rastageezer
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since December 2013
Posts: 169
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Post by rastageezer on Dec 25, 2015 15:15:20 GMT -5
Just a flat black oil pan (no actual "spout") wash outside w/hose.
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
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Post by Intheswamp on Dec 25, 2015 15:19:58 GMT -5
Oh, ok...it wasn't what I had envisioned. I was thinking along the lines of this...
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Mark K
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Post by Mark K on Dec 25, 2015 15:54:34 GMT -5
I use a classifier to wash my rocks off. It is meant for it, it will last a long time and if you have different meshes, you can use them for getting the filler out.
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Post by manofglass on Dec 25, 2015 17:18:14 GMT -5
I use a milkcan funnel
walt
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jamesp
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Member since October 2012
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Post by jamesp on Dec 25, 2015 18:25:50 GMT -5
The 12" X 20" perforated pan locks in nicely on top of the Lowes mortar tub.
Dump rocks in perforated pan.
Wash the slurry into the mortar pan below, let sit a bit, pour liquid off, then analyze/scavenge grit. Like to inspect the tiny solids in the slurry. Making sure the grit is done. The big flat bottom of the mortar pan lets you spread out any leftovers for inspection.
The perforated restaurant pans have 3/16 or 1/4 holes.
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unclesoska
freely admits to licking rocks
All those jade boulders tossed in search of gold!
Member since February 2011
Posts: 934
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Post by unclesoska on Dec 25, 2015 19:51:34 GMT -5
plastic kitchen colanders from the dollar store or yard sales- set in a classifier screen, set inside a 5gal. bucket. Hose 'em down!
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 26, 2015 4:26:29 GMT -5
I should've known that James has used those mortar pans I'm talking about. Here's a post where he's washing rocks from a clean-out using one of the pans...no peforated, but you get a good idea of the toughness of the pans. James, how'd your pan hold up for washing the rocks? James washing rocks in a mortar tubThey make several of those mortar pans. I use them in my plant biz. There is a smaller one about 20 X 26 that is made out of polyethylene and it is bulletproof. The same plastic nursery pots are made out of. Many of the others and a harder plastic that cracks when tilted when full of water and are rip-offs. pretty sure it is this one, not sure who the manufacturer is, could be Rubbermaid. figured it is the tough one since a concrete supplier sells it and dims are correct buyonline.advancedconcreteshop.com/MORTAR-TUB-POLY-26%22X20%22-%23BC217-765139335705/
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jamesp
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Post by jamesp on Dec 26, 2015 4:52:59 GMT -5
Small corals make a big mess. I have a 70 pound barrel that I use to grind the thick rind off them. Sometimes the white rind is an inch thick on a 4 inch coral. After 3 or 4 days most of the rind is gone just rolling them w/out grit. I have to add more coral about every other day to keep the barrel 50-60% full. So it makes a ton of white slurry, and clean out is a big deal. So the stainless pan and mortar tub. And tumble a lot of heavy rusted steel parts w/same barrel and need a strong metal tray with holes. PS A barrel 3/4 full of 4 inch steel washers will test a tumbling barrel. A 12 pound Lortone did not fare well with the heavy steel. Pasco County coral before and after
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Post by captbob on Dec 26, 2015 9:41:29 GMT -5
I tend to over-think things sometimes... Ya think?
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Intheswamp
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Post by Intheswamp on Dec 26, 2015 10:20:14 GMT -5
Thanks for all the feedback!!! Some great ideas!!! I will most likely require two different setups. One for my rough tumbls, 20# barrels and another setup for the smaller fine/polish tumbles that will come out of a Loto vibe. Mark K, the classifiers are really nice for the small loads, and lasting a long time is a plus, but they're still a bit $$$. I may opt for a plastic kitchen colander for the refined loads...gotta keep cost down where I can! I like the idea of being able to screen out the filler with a couple of different size meshes. What is the screen material made of? manofglass, you made me go look up what a milkcan funnel is. Looks good to me, though I think I'd rather have a larger screen area. For a small, Loto load it should work fine. Good re-purpose of a vintage item!!! unclesoska, I'm leaning heavily towards the plastic colander for the Loto loads. I'm just having a bit of trouble springing the $$$ for one of the classifiers. Maybe a homebrew version is possible. jamesp Looks like several options on the big plastic tubs. HD and Lowes appear to have some minor "review war skirmishes" going on...tainted jury. I'll check the one I got and see if it has any markings on it. It either came from Lowes or HD and it's been a good one. I noticed that the one from the cement company that you linked to is about twice the price as the one from Lowes, BUT...it shows as being free USPS priority shipping....Huh? From a financial viewpoint that doesn't make sense. Years ago there was a tech company (Outpost.com) I believe it was at the time. They bragged about getting anything delivered to you *next day* and for *FREE*. Well, they came out with a sale on a little camera lens cleaning kit, $3 and change. I ordered one. By George, they delivered that sucker the very next day!!!! I asked the delivery guy how much that probably cost them...he said $12-$13. That company ultimately folded and was gobbled up by one of their competitors (frys.com). Anyhow, I'm going down the road of the mortar tubs for the large, rough clean outs and down the road of plastic colanders for the smaller Loto clean outs. I like the idea of non-metal containers, though until the final polish stages it doesn't appear to really matter. Thanks again for all the feedback!!! Feel free to add more!!!!
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Intheswamp
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Member since September 2015
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Post by Intheswamp on Dec 26, 2015 10:22:29 GMT -5
I tend to over-think things sometimes... Ya think? <grin> Ok Gibbs, did I mention that the Hardee's cup held something like 37.5 ounces of water if filled to the top ring?
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Fossilman
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Post by Fossilman on Dec 26, 2015 11:15:31 GMT -5
I have small tumblers (1 and 3 pounders),so just use two five gallon buckets,one huge colander,small holes (steel),that fits over the mouth of the buckets... Plus two one gallon buckets,(one for fresh clean water,one for Dawn dish soap and hot water....) I save my slurry for using again and again,just adding a bit of grit each time to the same slurry...(for each stag).. I dump the rocks into the colander,rinse off really good,than put in hot water with Dawn dish soap,let soak for a bit,return to big bucket,rinse rocks off with water hose,than transfer to fresh hot water(Rinse off rocks),than back into the barrels,add slurry and water (if needed)....
I save the slurry grits in marked huge Ketchup bottles...
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Mark K
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Post by Mark K on Dec 26, 2015 15:26:48 GMT -5
The good ones are made of stainless. They might be a little spendy, but they are worth it. I have found that the colanders do work, but the classifiers seem to work better.
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Post by Rockoonz on Dec 26, 2015 15:34:39 GMT -5
I use a classifier to wash my rocks off. It is meant for it, it will last a long time and if you have different meshes, you can use them for getting the filler out. Where were you 6 months ago when they were selling off an old USACOE concrete analysis facility near me, probably from the hydroelectric projects on the columbia. They had an entire room full of industrial strength old school classifiers, one of the few items that didn't seem too overpriced, but I guess I went brain dead and didn't think of the potential use.
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