Expanded mesh & Perforated sheet.

[ozziii]

Looking into trying a couple things & wondering what sizes are best to use in a highbanker.
I looked on ebay & it seems 3.25 & 4.75 holes in the Perforated sheet would be a good size but wanted to make sure, I was thinking 4mm first but couldn't find any in tat size, & the expanded mesh (angled) in the highbanker is the small hole stuff so thinking there might be a better size to try out, with & without riffles, but most likely with a catch tray/cage under the grizzly's.
Whats everyones thought on this stuff & does anyone know any good places to get it from around Ballarat.
Thanks.

 

[AtomRat]

Mornin ozziii, some can be hard to get so find what's usable or closest to you to get. I just can't pull myself throigh buying floppy expanded mesh on ebay for the fear of damage. Just to confuse you though, some highbankers work awesome with zero classification and zero mesh / matting / carpet. Pure flat bottom alloy sluice. Give it a try sometime, riffles need to be clamped down tight so no gap under them.
I'm attempting to make expanded mesh with HDPE plastics one day...

I've only really seen the perforated stuff on dredges to protect the riffles but I recon its a great screen. You want the strength or height of your mesh to be as strong as the grade which flows over or through it. If its classified sands and pebbles it would be fine, if you were shovelling rocka onto it..probably get a bit lumpy bumpy and tear

 

[ozziii]

Yeah getting the mesh through the mail was something I didn't really want because it could be damages, I guess it would depend on size & thickness of steel sheet used to make it but buying local would be better if possible.
The banker has the small expanded mesh but I just wanted to try some slightly bigger stuff & as I'm working on getting new riffles & a catch tray with perforated steel sheet on top I thought it would be good to test a few other ideas as well.

Plastic type mesh would be ok if it could be made strong enough but might be better just to use the finer gravels with it.

 

[Wooly#1]

G'day Ozzii & Atomrat, Wooly here again with what might be a solution to your mesh problem. I watched a video on home made sluices and one fellow used a large bread crate cut out one the angle to make a light weight screen that was quite tough for his gravel and still had a good riffle effect.

Happy building & sluicing

 

[AtomRat]

Gday Wooley, yeah your talking about the Walbanket bread crate configuration. Expanded mesh is a hard thing to come by unless you live central city by the looks of it though.. its annoying, in your car you see 4x4s, trucks, bobcats..etc..all with expanded mesh everywhere

 

[ozziii]

Yeah have seen a few bankers using the plastic bread crate, its something I will try one day but for now I have some things to try so want to get the gear for them first then after that I will try some other stuff like bread crate.

 

[AtomRat]

You can see the way I'm trying to make expanded mesh if you get A4 paper and cut horizontal ascending and alternating lines about 1" wide down the page with a blade. After the slits are cut, pull evenly from the top and bottom of paper and you will see it expand. I'll be attempting this with hdpe from a wheely bin thickness of plastic and use a hand jack / hydrolic to stretch it in a frame. Hopefully a cheap solution for some in the future

 

[blisters]

Don't they use a guillotine that cuts and pushes each row down vertically from the horizontal sheet? Might be simpler to copy that way with the hydraulics doing the cutting and expanding in one action.
Jon

 

[ozziii]

Be interesting to see how it works out AR.

 

[Wooly#1]

AR try and locate the bits your looking for at the local Tip, now days with recycling you can almost find any thing you need, Or try metal recyclers, Savage yards, or the local heavy machinery wreckers. If you have any old Industry around most of the walk ways where expanded mesh if you were ever up this way I could get you any size and type you need,

Happy building & Sluicing,

 

[AtomRat]

Don't they use a guillotine that cuts and pushes each row down vertically from the horizontal sheet? Might be simpler to copy that way with the hydraulics doing the cutting and expanding in one action.
Jon

I havnt seen one in action blisters so had to use my noggin to get the above idea. It would be much easier if you have any photo or vid bcause Iccan't find any

 

[AtomRat]

AR try and locate the bits your looking for at the local Tip, now days with recycling you can almost find any thing you need, Or try metal recyclers, Savage yards, or the local heavy machinery wreckers. If you have any old Industry around most of the walk ways where expanded mesh if you were ever up this way I could get you any size and type you need,

Happy building & Sluicing,

I'm a big scavenger / recycler / scrapper with lots sitting around at home, but short a few things of need.. its been a while since I checked the alloy bin at the tip, ill have a peek.

Local tip has a brick & concrete crusher... think thed let me use it..course not 8.(

 

[blisters]

Don't they use a guillotine that cuts and pushes each row down vertically from the horizontal sheet? Might be simpler to copy that way with the hydraulics doing the cutting and expanding in one action.
Jon

I havnt seen one in action blisters so had to use my noggin to get the above idea. It would be much easier if you have any photo or vid bcause Iccan't find any

I recall seeing a description of the process in a manufacturers brochure somewhere and there's an animation here:

http://www.metaldeploye.com/en-us/products/manufacturing-processes.aspx

You'll need flash to view it.

EDIT: also www.expandedsolutions.com/process

Jon