Ral123 - 30-4-2013 at 15:56
I don't understand why people use these big iron set ups, with chains, motors from drills, washing machines and other crude stuff to power a 1L drum.
All the noise and parts wear. Here's how I mill my powders for years. Only difference in my set up is the part where cap is fixed is stronger in what
I've used so far. Only problem is you have to change the rubber band from time to time(1-5 hours)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58PBInYuJWU
CaliusOptimus - 30-4-2013 at 17:28
Awwww that's cuuute!
If you just want to give the whole concept a try, then yeah, cool idea! But if you want several pounds of powder in 6 hours, you need to build a top
notch mill.
My mill will spin any barrel up to 18" by 18", quietly without ever replacing parts. It will run for a year solid without so much as a new belt. You
get what you pay for, and a $150 mill with bronze bearings and ground shafting will last decades.
binaryclock - 30-4-2013 at 19:18
That's awesome. I've tooled around with the idea of making a ball mill but never could make it cheaper than I could buy one. Your design is pretty
cool for the home hobbiest on a budget!
Good idea putting the chlorate/sulfur warning in your description.
Ral123 - 30-4-2013 at 21:41
I didn't know they can be bought. There are certainly a lot of guys with sane mills, but how long do you think a mill powered by battery drill can
last? My small mill is more like for a lab, then it is for reasonable scale pyro preparations.
confused - 30-4-2013 at 22:34
won't the motor burn out after prolonged use?
also, where did you get the motor from?
Ral123 - 30-4-2013 at 23:04
It's from an old Russian toy. It worked for many hours on my old ball mill. It needed adjustment of the brushes. The crappiest toy motors can last
tens of hours. Specially if it's not one of the smallest. If it's a component of something commercial, hundreds of hours.
zed - 2-5-2013 at 12:59
Such motors might be expensive if you bought them new. But, they are readily available in old tape cassette deck and VCRs.
Usually, they have a little pulley on them already, because they were designed to drive a rubber band.
Actually, stretched or worn out "rubber" bands are a common cause of VCR or Tape Cassette Deck failure. If you could easily replace the bands, the
machines would live on and on.
chemcam - 3-5-2013 at 14:11
When I need to buy electrical related items I use jameco the motors are only couple dollars. Everything's very cheap there.
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreCatalog...
Ral123 - 6-5-2013 at 06:47
Everything with good brushes will give many hours of service.
Finnnicus - 6-5-2013 at 15:13
With a quick bit of woodwork, I will have a ball mill soon. Mine runs on a extremely geared 1,400:1 brushless motor. Is this good?
Ral123 - 6-5-2013 at 21:25
Why waste a super high speed motor. Use a generic toy motor. If they are the smallest, put two if you want.
Finnnicus - 6-5-2013 at 21:27
I have so many high speed brushless motors its crazy (in excess of 35). This one just came with an awesome gearbox.
Ral123 - 6-5-2013 at 21:43
To use them on a ball mill is like a long life test. If they are worthless for other great stuff, why not. My focus is to make the mill quiet and
reliable, so I can go shopping, come back mill another batch and all that in an apartment.