Dry Blower refurb

[kurrajong]

We have scored an old dryblower and are in the process of refurbishing it.
It is a six tray blower type and the trays are completely shot.
I can find or figure out all the mechanical issues and will have no problems wiith any of that but the design and building of the trays/riffle box whatevers is still a mystery.
The originals were steel framed with 12 mm ply bases, baffle plates for the air vents and approx 2inch gap to the tops. The tops had slots routered out presumably all the way down and were covered in cloth. What went over this is unknown.
Perhaps we should be using mesh instead of ply for the tops and then something like miners moss with metal grills over it?
Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

We will be feeding the material through a trommel first to get rid of some of the larger trash which is there so the feedstock will be partially classified.
The trommelalso needs a birthday but that is an easy task.

 

[Nightjar]

Have a look here Kurrajong, you may get a few ideas.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...LAhUk5qYKHRT7DZQQsAQIGg#imgrc=CMALdUpi14OfVM:

 

[AtomRat]

Six tray as in a big unit? Love to see a photo if you have one, it will help if you can post a photo of the original riffles as well ( if something is left to show )

Like Nightjar has suggested, dry blowers are pretty all similar and the way the riffle and mesh systen works is all similar too.

By 'tops'..if you flipped the tray upside down would the mesh / cloth be on the bottom then?

 

[kurrajong]

Here are two pics oft he remains of the trays. One has zilch left of the "top" and t'other has about half.

At present my thoughts are to rebuild the lower parts of the trays and then cover with mesh followed by keene matting and some DIY version of the Keene riffle system.
Tomorrow though will be a detecting day.

Thanks

 

[AtomRat]

I see now, if you have a look at most dry blowers online they are all the same principle. On top of the routered slots and holes, a cloth layed over the top, and then a set of riffles would have been on this clamped down. Any sign of the riffles at all to copy? they could be steel or wood slats in a frame.

If you used mesh, material and gold would fall through into the blower compartment and why you use cloth. The gusts of air blow the dirt over each riffle every pulse, the gold gets caught behind the riffles, resting on an area where no slots are routered into the board. The holes and routered slots are merely where the air blows through and upwards

 

[AtomRat]

Check that old gravel stuck inside them too..don't tip it on the ground, you never know

 

[kurrajong]

There would be no gusts as this is a constant air type. Do the Keene ones have slots as well or are they just sitting on mesh? I thought their matting was designed to stop stuff falling through. Either way it will be no big deal to place cloth down first and the matting on top.
The riffles are long gone and there are no traces of what they may have been or where they were placed.
I have a chance to see a machine in working order this weekend so that should help in the final decision.

Thanks

 

[AtomRat]

Once you see it on the weekend everything will be explained. Make sure you keep us posted with progress as it sounds interesting and big