Making the Ultimate Ball Mill & Rotary Tumbler Jar! ELEMENTALMAKER
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 พ.ค. 2024
- Today were putting together a ball mill, also called a rotary tumbler, jar. This is one of the most used tools in my home shop, useful for everything from wet tumbling brass, making black powder, or even making your own aluminum powder.
Supplies:
4" SCH40 PVC Pipe
3" SCH40 PVC
4" to 3" Flush Busing
4" Coupler
4" End Cap
3" Quick Cap - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
![[Vowel]물고기는 물에서 살아야 해🐟🤣Fish have to live in the water #funny](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3G9MH063Cx4/mqdefault.jpg)
Hell of a deal!!
Much simpler way of making a brass tumbler. Thank you!
Just one small tweak, glue on both pieces and then give a twist on assembly, that's what we did for water and sewer lines, the glue (solvent) actually dissolves the surface and both sides fuse together, but for your usage here your parts are plenty strong, love your channel
Anytime I'm gluing two surfaces together, I always put it on both sides. Sure way to get 100% adhesion.
yes its a weld
You are a bona fide Star...just what I wanted as well as the forge/kiln thingy. I just thought I'd have to buy a tumbler but you have probably saved me a fair bit of money there. Plus you're very entertaining to listen to. You take double entendre to a new level lol!
Thanks for sharing. Like the idea of the lifters.
That’s freaking great! Well done!
Nick Corbin appreciate it! Thanks for checking out my channel!
I did something similar last year for making black powder. Unfortunately mine was underdeveloped whereas yours is overdeveloped. I was ghetto and used drill bits and bb's for my medium. Great job man!
"This is where having a fence would be really nice." I was thinking, "This is where having a push stick would be really nice".
Brilliant! I just used my homemade tumbler jar for the last time and I didn't want to make another one like it (only lasted about a dozen uses) but can't afford manufacturer made stuff. Just have to pick up the end fittings in the morning and I'll be back in business by tomorrow afternoon. Thanks!
I love this tutorial video. you are blunt and humorous at the same time. awesome video. I am making several of these and will gear them to run simultaneously from an electric motor. thanks very much for this channel.
Jay T glad you enjoyed! Thanks for checking out my channel!
Nice barrel your right your a geek when it comes to pvc
I almost could've sworn I was watching AVE...
Nice work on the ball mill jar.
I will certainly take that as a compliment! I love AVE's stuff! Thanks for checking out my channel!
That crossed my mind as well. AVE has a brilliant and artful command of the English (and French) language along with one of the sharpest wits and intellects on the internet. A bit crude in his content from time to time if that stuff bothers you.
me too ! great video and subbed ........ thanks for sharing :)
This is AvE's pyro channel. :P
You know, +ElementalMaker, if you start doing hilarious AvE impersonations it might get you some exposure. You two have the same voice and accent.
I was thinking the same thing, came to ask if he's AvE's long lost brother?! 😂😂
Loving the channel!
Definitely going to build a couple.
Thank You, I now realize I have most of the parts. I have a large lyman roller case tumbler and I just need to build that will fit across the two rollers. Thanks
nice! You got the whole mill already there to use. Should make for a nice simple project that will save you some $
Definitely headed to get the stuff to make.
Just got one idea for you.
Instead of using a collar and a reduced insert, you can use a 4” to 3” reducer. By doing the reducer you will significantly reduce the cost of construction and make the jug easier to clean out.
I've made a couple that way, but given the size of my ball mill cabinet this method makes more effective use of space and gives more lifter surface area. Definitely can just use a reducer though
How easy is it to get say black powder out of it as it has a thick ledge where the reduction is and how long does it last? Nice job, thumbs up.
Great trick for cutting PVC with a chop saw: Turn the blade around so the teeth don’t chip the PVC. Works pretty well for a plumber’s trick.
My boss had me do that trick. Half of the teeth flew off some sticking in people nearby.
I had some teeth fly off a Carbide Tip Sawblade running it backwards. Might try a Fine Tooth Steel Plywood Saw Blade. Getting harder to find them as everyone wants Carbide.
Great video, built one almost the same. Used an old skate board truck and rollers instead of a conveyor roller and a red, 4" soil line test plug to close it up. Just tighten the wing nut and you're ready to go.
One advantage to the Harbor Freight jars is that they are quiet. I built this jar and it is noisy. Sounds like rocks is a water pump; but it does do the job! I am going to build a box for it to muffle the noise. Thanks for the design!
Absolutely agreed. These are noisy as hell but work incredibly fast. The hardcore fright jars are super quiet, but take much longer for the same level of milling.
Might be viable to wrap some thick rubber around the center drum... Maybe a bunch of rubber bands?
Paint the outside with rubberized pool paint. It might block some of the sound and provide some traction on the rollers.
This works great on my small rock and polisher tumbler. Well done on both of us bud. I sure hear you on clamps. I have over 2 hundred and still run out, LOL. The agitators are perfect and I don't get any chemical reactions to the rubber barrels. I save them for rocks now and do my silver in this.
Nice! It definitely makes for a great tumbler barrel!
great work..could you show me how you fixed that ball mill with motor please
been a plumber for 40 years. The only reason we use primer is because we usually have to put a 10 foot of water head pressure test for the inspection. You could more than likely leave the primer off. just be sure the pipe is clean. Plus the primer does no good if it been on the pipe for more than a couple of minutes. If you put the primer on and right after it dries you can feel the tackiness for the pipe. That's what makes the primer work for welding the pvc together. He did a good job. Really good videos.
What did you use with the aluminium powder in your flash powder mix?
It was VERY lively.
Keep 'em coming. Very nice videos.
Just made a version of this today but think I may redo mine to what you got it’s a little more thought out
Having been in construction it brings to mind a question. Wont PVC build up a static charge possibly endangering the user on some compounds like BP?
Do you have a video on the drive unit for the ball mill. I love you mill. would make a great rock polisher also.
I read about how to make an industrial tumbler out of a rear axle of a big semi truck with the rims and tires in place. You want to cut an opening in the highest part of the rim to load rocks. The article said a cover is not needed but I always thought if I was going to do one I would have a hinged door sealed with inner tube rubber. The idea is to set up a motor geared down so the tires rotates slowly and all the rocks stay in the lowest part of the tire at all times tumbling over each other. Each tire can hold about 100 lbs of rocks and you have 4 tires going at all times each one with a different grit. Always use same tire for the same grit. You rotate the rocks once a week and you have a 100 lbs of polished tumbled stones each week. I have been wondering if you could use quartz sand as grit for the first stage to do the rough rounding off? I am posting this on all videos about rock hounding to spread the idea, if this is you channel and you do not like that let me know.
The fact that the tumbling will all take place in a rubber tire should help keep the noise down. The rocks should never touch the rim. I have suggested to people that they make a sound proof shed just big enough to be practical so the noise will be minimized. Plus the rubber in a tire is thick and should absorb a lot of the noise. Also you should have a small fan on the motor to keep it cool. A high quality motor will be a must as it will run 24 hours a day. I am no expert but with the proper gearing the motor should not be under too much stress.
I would sell the tumbled stones. Once tumbled, you grade them by quality and type. Some would be really valuable. I bet you could average $10 usd per pound with just good found material and more if you have high grade material. Definitely not for the weekend rock hound but if you sell stones or want to, what a cheap way to start. You could tumble other people's rocks for a fee or shares too. You could make one with car tires for a smaller scale operation. There has to be a lot of people with a 30 year in the making, 3 ton pile of rocks out behind their house. With this they could see results from all that collecting.
Hello. Had you ever tried a metallic tumbler? I have 4 inches pipes, and accesories... but I´m afraid about contamination. Any suggestion? Thanks. Great video.
thanks I just finished my ball jars , I have a brand new 1/4 hp 110 electric motor i plan on using but ? what size pulleys and what do i need to control the speed ?? thank you Gary
Gracias por compartir tus vídeos un abrazo grande desde Argentina
What an exceptionally good "how to" video that you have made here. This is better than some of your others and I've noticed you've increased the viewing time of this video because that's what a lot of TH-camrs are doing lately, which apparently is the latest trend by you tube channel owners, which is fine by me. But anyway I love how you have really good camera angles showing every step of the way just an overall excellent job you have done thank you so much for this great "how to make a rotary tumbler video".666
Much appreciated Steve! Sorry to just reply, TH-cam hasn't been giving me notifications on video comments.
Wow that was months ago!!
That it was!
Interesting concept! You do want to be careful when cutting plastic. I know a guy who had a kickback on a tablesaw. It broke the plastic into shards when it kicked back and instantly removed some fingers.
That's terrible! Hope they were able to be reattached. That would be a crappy one to explain to the wife!
Someday I hope to do this when I get more $. For now, I've simply used a dollar store HDPE 5.5x5" round container. Does the job with lead media, but of course doesn't last and I really had to watch it... but for $1 and some spare foam wrapped around the outside to help with grip, it did the job. Thanks for your videos. I wish I could find a cheap source for PVC. All I have nearby are the big hardware chains and they only want to sell 10 foot sections.
Yeah definitely try to find a local PVC supplier. They will be MUCH cheaper than the big box stores. Even smaller family owned hardware shops should have PVC at much better prices.
Craigslist man....Look under the materials section. People post the scrap pieces they have left over from jobs for cheap. I've even seen scrap pieces posted in the free section, as well as a lot of scrap lumber.
Dude! I found a new use for the old lady's treadmill. Doesn't work for her but it'll damn sure work for me😁.
Using fast drying cement will mean not having to leave over night. Great idea!
It probably is! And as a solvent its strong.
THANKS FOR THAT VID . gives me some great points for mine I can finaly ditch my 2 rolling stones tumblers, which require 5 runs to make one kilo of bp which then I have to wet and rice ,which is a pain, since I don't have room for a large press . but it is what it is.
Tony Semenuk my old email buddy! How are you Tony?!
doin ok I guess still kickin , and lighting shit on fire as usual, love the uploads btw shoot me a pm plz
Haha same here buddy. Ill send you one now.
This is a bit embarassing, but I have no idea how to PM on youtube.
I was thinking about making four 6-in barrels for my ball mill out of 4 in pvc, then I read somewhere that somebody was concerned about the buildup of static electricity inside the barrel. Have you ever heard of that do you think it's an issue.
SAFETY NOTE: DANGER ******* From my personal experience, I was doing the same thing you are, cutting the PVC. What happened was the pipe must have rotated a bit and the blade caught the pipe. The PVC literally exploded sending shrapnel all over the shop. One piece caught me just below my eye and one on my cheek. Some blood. So make sure to clamp the pipe so it doesn’t move.
Now, not having tried this and basically stumbling over it while looking for a diy forge/kiln (only for melting small amounts of silver/gold and perhaps enamelling) I found this. I take it that I can use this as a tumbler to clean up metal I'm working on? I guess I better watch til the end before the daft questions (I know, women think differently from men and I sometimes approach things from a completely different angle to what would make sense to the average guy...but I kinda know what I'm aiming at and there's often method in my backwards approach (lol if you can't baffle em with brilliance, then confuse em with lots of words lmfao!) Seriously though you seem to have a lot of videos that interest me. I really just want a small kiln/forge for silver/gold, precious metal clay and enamelling. I have a cabin (its just about ready) with a small workshop beside it where I will be doing most of my metal work and anything hot or noisy that my neighbours in London wouldn't like. I also work in copper and bronze but these are usually confined to the precious metal clay. I need something where I can do lost wax casting and similar.
What a good design. The lifter do the job I am running 1 in. lead balls that I cast. I have for 25 years had bad performance with my black powder using the same size jar but no lifter in there. My 2FA is now shooting 6 and 8 in. shells 600 to 700 feet. The mixing that I never had BIG THANK.
Glad to hear it worked well for you Peter! The lifters definitely improve performance dramatically in my experience as well. Keep on launching those shells 👍
Also would love to see some videos of your shells. I never made any larger than 3". 8" shells must be unbelievable!
Not all the technical jargon talk just straight this is what you do, and this is how you do it nice job and keep up the good work but I do agree with some of these other people and what they suggested for a static electricity inhibitor or some type of ground device to keep from having a substance unintentionally detonating or flashing depending on what you're working with
Bobbie Kincaid I appreciate it. And yes if milling a Pyrotechnic composition it might not be a bad idea to use an anti static spray, although I have never had any issues.
that appeared so good... are you sure you can split alluminium untill get a fine dust? do you use alluminium foils? . Where did you get your steel balls?
Thank you!
Check out my other video on making aluminum powder and you'll see the whole process.
I have this built now what did you use the tumbler
I was making on very similar to that and I decided it was too much. So what I did was just cut the PVC and put two test and plugs in them they're more expensive than the caps but they work awesome so all you really have to do is cut the PVC to size and you're done. I don't use any lifters and my aluminum comes out just fine so I don't know why I would do that but I digress
Just a idea: The balls are round, the lifters are cut square. On each lifter there is a dead corner where the balls do not have any chance to hit the material. Material falling into this corners at the lifters will not be milled. One can get your mill way more effective if the lifters edges having the same radius as the balls. In effect there will be no "dead space" where material can hide from beeing milled. Taking this to the top of no "dead spaces" within the mill, the lifters need to be round even at the ends where they touch the sidewalls of the container. How about that? In the end one need to have a container what does not have a single place where the milling-balls cannot get in direct contact with the container wall at all. ;-)
stollifa you are absolutely correct! The dead spots can build up aluminum shreds and slow the process. Great suggestions!
Thank you.
so are you saying that the edges of the lifters should also be round?
@@hunkti Or just chamfered
You could angle the lifters in alternate directions, that way everything will move from side to side all the time, less chance of hiding in the corners.
Where do you find those little clamps?
THIS information is hard to get and this video is a good starting place. I found a book that contained about a dozen pages on milling with this type of mill in London England(only 3 other copies available that I found 2 in U.S., 1 in Canada). I built a ball mill about 5 years ago. The mediums that I grind are not limited to alumina and iron, but also include Flint, Kaolin's, and feldspars. My craft is pottery. I am starting with 50 to 325 mesh and need about 450 mesh products. The PVC pipe did not offer enough rigidity(too flexible as built in this and other videos). I cut the pipe and added enough couplers to get a double wall pipe. This cut my mill time by two thirds. The tumbler vanes inside did not work for my project, they kept grinding off round and became ineffective. I soon found the RPM on the mill and volume to fill the mill jar made all the difference in the quality of the finished product(no vanes needed). The ratio that I am using is one third each medium, product and (yes someone asked), one third air! The most critical factor is the inches per minute you are turning the jar. 60 RPM on a 4" and 44 RPM for a 6" jar works very well for me and you will need to experiment with your products(with some math you can come up with 1 speed drive that will turn both 4" and 6" at the same inches per minute or above RPM). Faster speeds work too slow and slower speeds did not grind at all. I never used the rubber PSI testing cap/cover. I used the screw on cap. If you do the screw on cap, make sure to put it on the mill so threads are turning in the clockwise direction(I had one that came open). For liquid products use Teflon tape to seal the screw on lid. I have jars from 8 ounces up to 2 gallons grinding volumes. The 6" 2 gallon(product, medium and jar) weighs in at 65 pounds when properly filled. I priced the 8 inch PVC and it became to expensive to build(6 inch end cap approx. $15.00, 8 inch cap was $55.00) OUCH!! One comment below brought up static discharge, YES it will happen. Make sure you are grounded!! If in question, ask an Electrician who is certified to take a look. Mine is grounded thru the electrical hookup. Just seem the easiest. Best of luck out there and always SAFTY first. Mickey
Thanks for the info Mickey I appreciate it
They make a 4" test cap that fits inside the pipe itself and tightens up by turning a wingnut. It works by squeezing a rubber disc between two plates. Bill of materials might be lower cost depending on your area. I'm going that route but haven't actually tested it.
That's a really great suggestion! I will have to give it a try!
I like this idea because it's quicker, easier, and less area for the material to hang out where it won't get crushed.
@@mrt9749 It works well, I've tried it in the meantime. I also have a simpler design with less vibration, using 3d printed sheaves slipped over the top of the container. The container then is suspended by the belts as it rotates.
@@mrt9749that’s what I’ve been grappling with: a neck when no lifters or balls are, but powder certainly could accumulate. The jar is clever and well constructed: that one area has me perplexed
I made ball mill using a jar and electric drill, is it safe?
ElementalMaker doesn't give a FUCK about hand shoes!
Dope video man, I've been wanting to build a tumbler and after seeing this. Building one.
Hand Shoes LOL. They are seriously great tools, you will be happy you built one!
Awesome video! 1st let me just say I'm clueless about these things. I want to make a rock tumbler on a very tight budget using a furnace motor I already have. Will that be too much/large of a motor? You mentioned static in a recent comment. How does one ground themselves? And is there another affordable way to make a drum where static isn't an issue? Last... what is the weight capacity of your drums? Sorry for so many questions. I really am clueless. LOL! 🤣 I'm now retired and recently became interested in making jewelry from rocks/gemstones and need a tumbler. Thanks again for a great video! 👍
Static wont be an issue at all for you if your just tumbling gemstones. That was only an issue here because aluminum powder is flammable. I would need to know the specs on your furnace motor, can you see what RPM and HP rating the motor has? Weight capacity of each drum is probably around 15 lbs, which is way more than you'll probably ever need. I use mine with lead and steel media for they need to handle the weight.
Old video but use a bell reducer in place of the coupling and bushing. That gives you a funnel to completely empty the contents much easier. Also the fernco coupling makes it easy to seal and keep the mess down.
I've made jars with the bell reducers before, but just dont like the look of them as much.
I was thinking of a similar setup with a similar motor for or the purpose of making antique muzzleloading propellant. My concern, some mill for up to 24 hours and was wondering if that motor would start to overheat when running for such an extended period of time. What is your experience with this setup so far?
I used a motor rated for continuous duty. It does still get pretty hot to the touch, but it has plenty of air flow and distance from the mill jar that the heat isn't a concern. I've let it run for days on end without issue. As long as your motor is continuous duty rated you should be okay
I have a choice of media between stainless 1/8 in. balls or ceramic 15mm balls. Which would be better for milling black powder? Thanks a million for sharing.
I'd go with stainless given its additional heft HOWEVER, the stainless steel must be spark-resistant, non-magnetic steel in the 300-series. Alloys 304 and 316 are the most common stainless steels of this type. Proceed at your own risk.
Great video in a "boltr ave kinda way"..
Hmmmm I made a homemade tumbler thing this summer, but this looks much more efficient (and looks less like a paint can with rubber bands strapped around for grip)
Would pvc build a static spark?
Nice build would like to have seen the tumbler a little more but can always rewind. Next time use your pliers in the right direction they work even better.
PVC glue works best if put on both sides of the joint
Stick on a sheet of contact paper shelf liner, with lines on it , to the band saw table, it to help line up fence
Great Video, Just a quick question, how do you deal with static build up in the PVC while tumbling?
I occasionally give them a spray with antistatic, but theoretically if your milling conductive materials such as aluminum or charcoal, the internal contents will all remain at equal charge. I just ensure I'm grounded and let the jar sit some time before opening its a pyrotechnic mixture
Put a grounding wire from the roller to ground. If there’s not a place to attach that makes good contact you could use a carbon brush to the roller.
Is the gluing necessary, or could you use a threaded rod through the middle and plates on either side to prevent the barrel from separating on the tumbler? Being able to separate at least once end of the barrel makes cleaning it out significantly easier and faster, particularly if you want to use one drum for multiple projects, especially when you don't want cross-contamination.
Very cool idea, I'm sure that's possible. If you try let me know how it works! Very clever idea, would be great if you dont want to store multiple jars. I have a collection of about 10 right now lol
Cool video. Noob here, but could this be done with ABS instead of PVC?
Older video I know, but I've watched it a few times and have finally made a PVC jar. It looks like you have the low pressure cellular core pipes. This is what I used seeing as the solid core is difficult for me to find (I don't know why.) I guess if you have a jar for each chemical it isn't a big deal, but don't you have a difficult time cleaning those edges? I ended up sealing off the edges by loading it with primer (seems to partially dissolve it) and added a coat of cement over it. As a matter of fact, I actually ended up loading the whole damn inside with primer and cement to fill inevitable gaps between lifters / pipe fitting edges. Don't know if that was a bad idea. I think the PVC in the cement has other plasticizers in it making the final product a littler softer than the pipe / fitting PVC. I hope it doesn't wear off in a pinch. It does however seem to be very durable as it takes a bit of sanding to remove it (yes I made a mess.)
Stupid
@@Kirt44 Actually works good for blocking out compounds from areas that would otherwise be difficult to clean. Byby.
I know its old post but for anyone making one of these I found instead of using the outer rubber cap they make a "test plug" that goes inside the pipe that has a large wing nut, so no tools needed and keeps media in the drum and not in the opening. The cost was nearly the same. Also if you are creative you can split a piece of pipe then heat (just oven 220F for 10 min) and flatten it....cut the circle (I have a lathe) so you have a flush end cap and doesn't take up capacity. Then you don't have a bulky ends from the factory fittings.
2:30 "...Whatever this thing's called."
**rips out label which describes the part**
"Get rid of that!"
LOL
Where do you get brass balls at ???
Wondering if activated willow would work?
I have got a 1l container for building a ball mill, and I am going to use it for grinding aluminium to powder. For 100g of aluminium, what size lead balls would I need, and how many?
Oliver Robinson you may be better off with ceramic balls. They will grind more effectively and not contaminate your aluminum with lead. Use enough to fill the jar 1/4 to 1/2 way with media. Make sure you read up on the hazards of making aluminum powder. It's very prone to spontaneous ignition if you don't do it correctly.
Elemental maker thank you for the reply so quickly. Do you think it would be possible to use ceramic baking beads?
Oliver Robinson that's an awesome idea. Never even thought to use those! I wish I could give you an answer but I have no idea. If you use them definitely let us know if they worked! The worst that I could see happening is the balls breaking apart
Thank you for the advice elemental maker, it has been very helpful.
May want to try Daisy POWERLINE 1/2" GLASS SLINGSHOT AMMO. They are an almost undistructable ceramic that looks like white marbles, I've shot then at trees and even brick with about a 30-45 pound draw slingshot and never found one broke or even chipped. They come in about a cup of 100 at sports section at Walmart, etc.
Cool 😎
How do you keep stuff out of the entrance hole since there's a space there between the lid and the cavity where everything is milled??? When you are Milling for black powder how do you keep the static down? PVC is known for creating static or at least holding static. Just curious. Have a great day and stay safe and keep your powder dry! I know this was four years ago but I certainly hope you read it.
Great questions! For the first, gravity simply keeps the powder in the main barrel. There will sometimes be a bit in there im sure, but it won't remain there long enough to cause any issue and will quickly make its way back into the main body. Static is an interesting issue that I can't speak of 100% confidently, but the conductivity of the charcoal essentially keeps the entire contents of the barrel at equilibrium. I'd think the biggest spark risk would be when emptying the jar. Some people will add a bit of water or isopropyl alcohol to keep the powder damp until final drying, definitely not a bad idea in my opinion.
@@ElementalMaker thank you so much for your reply that makes a lot of sense. So now I got to get the stuff together and try my hand at it. Have a great day stay safe and oh by the way happy Easter!
A piece of construction string pulled back and forth with some force cuts PVC pipe without making a mess of PVC shavings.
You don't need to clamp the ribs in place, just apply hand pressure for a couple minutes until the glue sets up, literally, 2 minutes.
The plastic will soften and the glue mixes with the melted PVC and it cures in a couple minutes.
what type of webcam or camera are you using? it seems you have zoom how does it work? ever thought of a video on it. were did you get the bearings? how many do i use but i suspect you will say that in anther video. this is very interesting.
Hi Charles, this was filmed with an old Samsung hmx-h100 camcorder. It does have optical zoom, but it's pretty old and not a great camera. Check out the video making aluminum powder for the ball bearing info
i spend most of my time reviewing videos lots of them from every type of question and i can tell you that certain things have personalities, making food your generally talking to grandma! it can drive you crazy! most of the time these people need to be institutionalized! and it gets to you! the top are lockpickers and computers your like them.
Will my rotary tumbler I use for cleaning brass work for making aluminum powder?
No
Accipiter Nisus why wouldn't it it is basically the same thing he used
Itd work well with a lathe. Do a 5lb batch, no worries really. Static will be controlled when everyhting is grounded with a grounding rod in this case, you would go out of your way and run a wire direct
Can I use a screw cap and not the rubber cap you used?
Would static buildup be an issue with using PVC? I'd be a little leery of combustible chemicals being ground in the mill if sparks might be a problem.
I've never had an issue, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.
How much black powder will this mill make?
Nice ball mill. Do you think a fan motor would work with this type ball mill?
Do you have any specs on the motor? I'd need to know hp, rpm, and duty rating
@@ElementalMaker No specs I will have to check it out to see what the specs is Thanks
@@ElementalMaker No horse power 120V 0.37 amps 60 hz
Are glass marbles a good type of milling media?
I've heard of some folks using them. I never have personally though, so I can't recommend.
How do you get all the material out of the jar? You glued in the reducers and created a wide shelf for the stuff to sit on when you try to dump it out.
You tap it.
how do you turn it?
How many RPM you run it to have a decent efficiency?
I forget the exact rpm, but if you can find Lloyd Sponenburgh's book "ball milling theory and practice" I used the same 1725 rpm motor and reduction he suggests in that book. It's a great resource if your building a ball mill
Hahaha you know what happened here lol thanks for the laugh new sub now
Coke or Pepsi works amazing for cleaning as well.
some of the fittings you show I can only find in what is called 4 " pvc drain fittings. Is it ok to use sched 40 pipe and then use lower pressure 4 inch pvc drain fittings for the cap and coupler?
Yes this isn't an actual pressure vessel, as long as they are a nice fit you should be good to go!
@@ElementalMaker BTW I really like your channel.
@@kurttaylor863 thank you 👍
Does actually the lifters improve the grinding performance? Does also lifters change the optimum ball mill speed or it should be the same?
The lifters dramatically improve performance. Milling time would probably be increased by 25x without them.
@@ElementalMaker Wow that is impressive, i will follow your design then thanks a lot. The Opt Sp should be the same i guess right ? (Opt Sp = Crit Sp x 0,65)
I wish you would have shown the completed mill in action how the tumbler worked with the motor. Do yoy have a video that shows the complete setup?
Of course, check out my aluminum powder video
what's the use of the balls or marbles or whatsoever?? is it the one used to powder the material?? can I use this improvised ball mill to powder wood??
The balls are to crush the material being milled. Wood would not be a good candidate for crushing since its not brittle. Your better off with a belt sander if you want to make wood powder.
With the ball mill being made of PVC, do you see any concern of static buildup on the pipe that could spark something inside while it is tumbling? Do you think it would be wise to put maybe some grounded feathered wires that rest on the pipe as it spins to pull the charge off of it? Would hate to be grinding something down to a fine powder like and something cause a spark inside and blow it up, know what I mean?
no no grounding is necessary only that he ground the pvc pipe prior to opening it.
Static spray
What do you do to negate static electricity in the PVC?
Spray the inside with pam and wipe it off with paper towel or clean rag.
Where you from man Chicago?.... Accent sounds sorta like Chicago.
Does the pvc conduct static? :o
Yes, spray the inside with pam and wipe it off with clean dry rag.
Did you have any sucess without heating the aluminum? Mine doesnt really seem to get finer no matter how long I Grind it...
It should work without heating, as aluminum work hardens and should break into smaller and smaller particles. What milling media are you using? And what kind of ball mill?
@@ElementalMaker Ball mill is a diy PVC pipe one, Milling medium is ceramic balls (tried 6mm and 15mm ones) made from Al2O3.
Flip the saw blade, so it's spinning the opposite way. It will cut plastics and metal like a champ. No more chippy chip chip!
Never would have thought to try that! I'll give it a shot
👍👍
It works very well. That's how we cut all of our pvc.
Works great with holesaws in plastic too.
I wonder if angling the lifter bars would help even more, maybe even angling in alternating directions?
Definitely worth a shot! 👍 If you try it let me know your results. These ball mill jars are incredibly efficient, you'll be amazed how quickly they pulverize whatever you put in there.
Hey! Will you show us how to make the mill itself? 😬
I bought a harbor freight one and can I use the motor and system that they gave me
absolutely NOT.....it is totally illegal due to explosion hazard.
How you glean your media from aluminium to put other stuff inside?
Media really cannot be effectively cleaned. I have mill jars for each specific chemical I grind, and media specifically for that jar.
@@ElementalMaker so I've heard haha because i have the same problem! Where can i ask you a few questions about ball mill instead of here ?
Wouldn't those ribs/lifters get smoothed as the unit was tumbling?
The edges do get a little fillet after some use but overall they hold up shockingly well. That being said I only use these occasionally, if it were running every day it would wear way faster.