Anyone need/want anything from Stuart today?

[Tel]

Guess so Jesse - as you & I know, them 'S' cams lift the rods which have heavy dies on the lower ends, when they drop, the dies fall onto the gold bearing ore in the hopper, crushing it, there is a flow of water going through and the 'fines are washed through a screen & down an inclined plate that has been treated with mercury, which picks up the fine gold particles. Those that know tell me that the optimum rate for a five head 'bucket' like that was 90 beats per minute - ie the crankshaft running at 9rpm. Bit of a 'nutshell' explanation, but I"ll be happy to take it up with anyone who wants to know more.

No plans Jesse, but I spent a bit of time running around photographing old ones in the district, also Ion Idress' book 'Prospecting for Gold' which was re-released a few years back, has a full chapter devoted to erecting a set 'in the bush'. Think it was written around the 1920's.

I'll try & hunt out some of the pics for you (& the book)

[UnkaJesse]

TEL, I think I told you a while back, that I have a photo somewhere of a stamp mill that is in Sumter, OR, but it is air (or steam) operated and not mechanical. Looks about the same as your little mill except that there is no cam shaft. Gotta build one before July! Just gotta!

Unka Jesse [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif"%20alt="[/img]

[Tel]

Jesse - I think there was an article in Model Engineer a few years back on building a three head set of 'Cornish' stamps - pretty well covers the basics, I see if I can fin it among the huge piles of mags here.