Suggestions for cement mixer media separation

[OnceFired]

Hi guys

I'm asking this on a few forums to get as many ideas as possible.

I have a cement mixer I now use to tumble. Currently using walnut, and need to separate a lot of media from a lot of brass at once. I have a 27-gallon tote, and a 2x4 hardware cloth screen that I dump through.

The problem is that the 4,500 5.56mm cases that the cement mixer barely notices completely fills the tray. I need to find something that can handle a LOT of media separation in one shot, and still be manageable underneath the mixer. 4,500 doesn't shake well, and is HEAVY.


080 by ZombieApoc, on Flickr

I have thought about building a door on the mixer. Something removable & easily replaced - but secure and capable of handling the weight without scratching the brass. I am thinking about using the mixer as my rotary separator, and if I put a bit of hardware cloth (sprayed with bed liner material, and properly mounted/secured) that would allow me to run the mixer, pour out the media, and continue to tumble the brass until it all comes out into the tote waiting eagerly below.

Mixer mouth is 15.5" across, and the lip of it is not big enough to really clamp anything on there very well. Adding a plastic sheet is no problem. Supporting weight is, so I'd have to drill the mixer, or weld something on. Drilling is preferable, so I am seeing some brackets in my future.

Thoughts?

ZA

[ELB]

I have no idea what the solution to your problem is, but I am in awe of anyone who reloads so much they use a cement mixer to do it.

Ok, here's my 15 sec brainstorm: Coat inside of mixer body with bedliner or whatever so cases won't ding against the sides when all the media is gone. Drill a bunch of holes in the main body of the mixer, big enough for the media to flow out, but small enough to keep the cases inside. Rig a cover to go around the mixer body for when you don't want the media to leak out. When you are done cleaning the cases, put a big tote or basin underneath, pull the cover of, and start the mixer turning again.

Like I said, that's only 15 seconds of thought....

[RX8er]

I currently use Enkamat over a 5 gallon Homer bucket. Brass stays on top and media falls to the bottom of the bucket. I glued a rim to the inside of the bucket to hold the Enkamat.

[OnceFired]

I was thinking about a vibrating table, angled downward as described. My problem is right now I can't build anything permanent. I need a shop before I do that.

The cover for the mixer is a good basic idea, but two problems crop up. One is that it makes the cement mixer custom from that point forward (not really watertight any more) and the other is that it's messy. I would have to periodically clean under the mixer instead of catching the vast majority of the media in a tote under it.

ZA

[Don2]

This is what Jerry Miculek does.
Pretty much same idea.

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Don2

[OnceFired]

Learned something new again today. I had never considered washing either my corn cob or walnut media. Clearly washing corn cob works based on his statements in the video.

I'll have to try washing my walnut, too.

ZA

[Don2]

Learned something new again today. I had never considered washing either my corn cob or walnut media. Clearly washing corn cob works based on his statements in the video.

I'll have to try washing my walnut, too.

ZA

I have washed mine several times and put into sun to dry.
Remember: The same bad contaminants will be in the wash water as in the media dust.
Be careful,wear rubber gloves and dispose of it in a responsible way.
I know the media is not that expensive, but every dollar I save goes into more reloading components, And that makes me HAPPY...

Oh yea, I use walnut media myself with Nu-finish. Just my preference.
I've used corn cob, and corn/walnut combo, but mainly use walnut media for everything these dayZ.

Don2

[Target1911]

Tag

[discoqueen]

Replying to watch further replies...(subscribe didn't work for some reason)

[hawk44]

You might try 2 or 3 screen boxes stacked on top of each other. When one fills you just pull it out and let them fall into the next.

[Don2]

I was just studying your original picture with the cement mixer and your wood frame screen.
I started to think about what I would do.

With what you have shown, I would attach a small electric motor to one corner with a one sided weight like the vibrating tumblers use. Then hang the framed screen with some cable overhead to where you can still dump from your mixer into the frame/screen.
Make a larger frame with no screen to catch the media when it drops from the top screen/frame.

If you had a large plastic barrel, you could make a GIANT turning media separator like the rcbs or others???

Maybe one of them would work.
I'd try the motor screen/frame first.

I have a large commercial vibrating tumbler and had thought about the idea of the motor screen/frame idea a while back for my setup.
Hope you come up with something. Let us know what you end up with. I may want to copy YOUR idea

Don2

[Don2]

And a tiny bit more thinking.....

I remember seeing a TV show I think was called Gold Fever. On one segment they had a "Shaker" they used to separate sand/soil/rocks etc. ( Hopefully GOLD )
It was a frame with hardware cloth on the bottom with a motor to shake it.
Depends on how mechanically inclined someone is, and what "stuff" you have laying around.

I have a small 1/5 hp motor I was tinkering with, installed a 3"x 1"x 1/4" cold roll steel bar on the shaft and it would shake like crazy. That should work pretty well.
I think this is the direction I'm going in for myself. Problem is I am so backlogged with other stuff, it may be a long time until I get around to it.

The 2 wheel, wheel barrow may be great to keep it mobile. I looked all over the Internet, even on youtube and found nothing large to separate media from brass. Looks like we/you are on your own on this one.....


Don2

[Don2]

I have another strange idea.

What about an old clothes dryer?
Maybe just the inside drum with the holes like a giant rotary media separator????
Motor and belt could be used so its motorized. maybe on a 2x4 frame??
Maybe hinged in some way to pour brass out?

Still thinking and trying to help.
Don2