Range diving. 186lbs

[High Lord Gomer]

HighLordGomer
When you say OVERbuild, you're not wrong. Your frame tubing appears to be about an inch square. Also I see that your angle iron frame appears to be 3/32 or maybe 1/8 structural angle iron.

Very good eyes! The screen is 1/4", the angle is 3/32"x1" and the tubing I used for the handles and the positioning tabs along the bottom (to keep it in place on the wheelbarrow) is 1/4"x1".

My decisions on the size were based on the width of the wheelbarrow and the diameter of the 5 gallon buckets into which I planned on dumping it. What I found was that my flat bladed shovels fit nicely inside it so that I don't shake it at all, I rake the contents from one side to the other using the shovel and then shovel it out, also. I'm hoping that with dry dirt it will prove to be much more productive.

Also, I use a leaf rake on the berm to roll the bulk of the loose boolits down into a pile (mine is bamboo so it's stiffer than the typical metal leaf rakes and drags more boolits down)

Thank you! I will try that next time.

I could ask you for royalties since you used my design but we're in this to further our hobby so I'm entirely happy that you found my design helpful.

Very helpful! Should I fax or email the cash?

What part of Central Ohio? I will likely be in Columbus the first full week of February and like to hit a weeknight match when I travel. Last time I was in the area I hit a USPSA match in Miamisburg but I'm hoping for something closer to Columbus.

[RoGrrr]

High Lord Gomer

I understand your theory and while I had been thinking of something like that, I wanted it to be completely portable. I built mine "bite size" so I could easily shake, rattle and roll it by hand. Being 5'8" and tipping the scales at under 150 Lbs, I need something I can handle. Yours would be manageable if I were the size of a New York Jets linebacker. And, yes, I saw the "stops" to align and stabilize yours on the barrow. Made me shudder, especially if you happen to get it off balance and your wheel barrow tops over.
Your method is ok but I would bet if you build one my size and weight and use it like I do (shaking it), your results will be far more satisfying and probably faster, too. Moving the basket will remove the dirt and do it more quickly than moving the ore in the basket. It's overly labor intensive to rake the dirt and boolits inside the basket with a shovel or hoe. DukeInMaine has an idea like yours with power to sift - post #18. However, it looks like you hauled almost 300 Lbs home. While I carry 300 Lbs home, most of mine is lead. I don't like to haul dirt, especially in the trunk of my BMW. Again, I want equipment portability.

As far as raking, many of the metal leaf rakes are so flimsy that they might not be good enough for our purpose. If you do use metal, you might want to bend the tines so they are shaped like mine, to grab the boolits. The streamlined tines will just slide over them without moving them; you're not going to be standing right over them like you would when raking leaves. You will be below them on the berm. My rake is bamboo and is a bit larger than the average leaf rake and the second pic shows a closeup of the tines with a penny for scale. Being bamboo, the tines are fairly thick but serve my purpose well for raking the heavier bounty down the slope.
And, yes, dry dirt is what you want. I go several days after a hard rain so the sun has dried out the berm. I also wear a dust mask if there's no breeze.

And all my time put into the design, research and my PERSONAL consultation is going to cost you big time. Fax the cash to BR-549 at your earliest convenience.

I'm about 50 miles east of Columbus

my rake
http://imgur.com/kpNJN

closeup
http://i.imgur.com/BQCwx.jpg

Very good eyes! The screen is 1/4", the angle is 3/32"x1" and the tubing is 1/4"x1".

size width of the wheelbarrow and 5 gallon buckets flat bladed shovels fit nicely inside it so that I don't shake it at all, . I'm hoping that with dry dirt it will prove to be much more productive.

Very helpful! Should I fax or email the cash?

[High Lord Gomer]

I've got some plastic rakes but will look for something a little more sturdy like yours.

Junior, it says your number has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Should I just fax the money to the phone company for you?

Know of any weeknight matches we might be able to make the week of Feb 4th?

[RoGrrr]

I sent an email to the fone company to either apply the money to my cell fone bill or have some primers delivered to the address as shown on my bill.

I checked around and I can't find any matches in the Columbus (CMH - that's pilot talk for Columbus Ohio) area. There is a gun show ($8 admission) on the west side of CMH Feb 2 and 3 (9am-4pm) if you're interested. And if you look around you can find a dollar off coupon. But Wait, BUT WAIT ! I made it easy for you, (and any others who might want to join in) - I posted that VALUABLE coupon at : http://rogrrr.imgur.com/all/ Not only is this dollar coupon good at CMH but at any other C&E gun show in the country, from south carolina up thru penna. So any of youse who downloads my free coupon, you, too can fax your $$$$ to me (or my cell fone company)

BTW, for anyone interested

NO THERE IS NO PIN SHOOT THIS SUNDAY ! IT'S JANUARY 13 ! I SCREWED UP. DON'T EXPECT TO SHOOT PINS THIS WEEKEND.
AND IN FEB IT'S FEB 10 !

I've got some plastic rakes but will look for something a little more sturdy like yours.
Junior, it says your number has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Should I just fax the money to the phone company for you?
Know of any weeknight matches we might be able to make the week of Feb 4th?

[High Lord Gomer]

Thanks! I printed out 8 of them and I'm getting in FREE!

(Actually, it said your images weren't publicly available)

[RoGrrr]

Thanks! I printed out 8 of them and I'm getting in FREE!

(Actually, it said your images weren't publicly available)

HLG
I saw that note when I tried to look without signing in. Since I don't know how to turn it off, I opened a new account at imgur.
You all can sign in as BOOLITCASTER
password - 123456789
Then you can view all my images.

The only reason I use imgur is that it was recommended in the FAQ. I don't like the other sites since they seem to be unfriendly (to me, anyway). Maybe I'll figger out what I'm doing wrong.
Seems to me that I was able to post pics directly onto this forum board but I disremember how I did it then.


I don't know if they will let you into the show free but they used to let womens in free. I put a bunch of the coupons in the glove compartment in my cars so I never have to worry about remembering to take them with me. I've done that before. I also have a spare in my wallet so I can give it to a friend as incentive for him to take in the show, too.

Also, when they put those tie wraps in my guns, I tell them not to pull them tight and don't cut it off. Just as soon as the little latch starts to catch, I tell them to STOP. They ask why I don't want it tight. It's easier for me to stick a pin in on the underside and push the ratchet latch out of the way and remove it without having to cut it off. Full length tie wraps come in handy. I collect several of them each show and put them in the trunk when I leave. I keep a safety pin in the car specifically for removing them.

[Smokepole50]

I am thinking a cross between a shaker box and a wheel barrel would be about perfect. Just roll it up to the base of the berm, added the lead filled dirt and shake the wheel barrel handles. No heavy box to pick up while shaking and with a little planning you could make a bench across the top to hold you buckets full of lead and dirt. I think I just might built one this weekend. Now I need to find a tire to use.

[RoGrrr]

I am thinking a cross between a shaker box and a wheel barrel would be about perfect. Just roll it up to the base of the berm, added the lead filled dirt and shake the wheel barrel handles. No heavy box to pick up while shaking and with a little planning you could make a bench across the top to hold you buckets full of lead and dirt. I think I just might built one this weekend. Now I need to find a tire to use.

I had thought of something like that but considering you have to haul the wheel barrow to the range, off load it, fill your sifter, shake, etc. it's actually too labor-intensive.
I shake/sift at the berm (I used this strategy to sell my procedure to the manager. I don't remove any of their berm, which they liked) so I don't have to haul any more dirt home than necessary. Post 57 in this thread - High Lord Gomer built something like you describe and as he said - doesn't work well when the berms are clay. My berms are clay and it does take plenty of shaking to sift the dirt out. I learned from experience is that it takes a LOT of HARD/HEAVY shaking to sift the dirt out, especially if your berm is not sand. And the bigger your basket is, the heaviier it willl be and you will not be able to shake it as much as necessary to sift the dirt out.
I started out with a fairly large sifter (15x15x6), went to a small one and then my medium size box. What I settled on is small enough (8x8x15) that I can man-handle/vigorously shake it while getting enough ore. 8 inches deep is pretty close to optimum, considering how much I have to shake sideways and flip the crep to get the dirt out (like eggs or pancakes to get what's on top down to where it falls out the bottom). Yeah, the 22s sift out thru the screen but I don't care about those slugs less than 40 grains. Larger box and I would have to be a professional footballer to work it. Smaller and I didn't get enough ore, which wastes tooo much time. Remember this - Get in, GET IT, get out. I consistently get over 100 pounds in a half hour.
The wheel barrow is ok after you collect so much that it's inconvenient carrying the 5 gallon buckets back to the car. I either use the range 2-wheeler or drive my car out to the berm (if nobody has come to shoot yet) so I don't have to carry it.
My basket size and amount of fill seems to work well FOR ME. Yes, I'd like to have a power power trommel sifter and might eventually build one if my circumstances change but for the time being, I'm satisfied with what I built. Well, I do have a design in mind for a modified box which I will build soon tho it will be the same size as I have now. I plan to curve one long side out an inch or so and curve the other long side inward the same amount. I'm thinking this bcuz many of the curves/bumps in the berm allow some of the ore to slide under the side of the basket rather than into it. I know this is a minor thing but I still want to improve my efficinency. Remember this - LEAD IS GETTING SCARCER due to govt regulations. Screw the govt !

[Tx reloader72]

RoGrr if you have any questions about the machine in post #52 just send me a pm. I have cleaned over 5000# of range lead with it. The pipe is 8 in, the pulley is a bike rim, the screen is stucco lath, spent more on bolts than anything else lol.

[High Lord Gomer]

Mine turned out to be WAY too heavy to shake. Instead I use a flat shovel to rake the boolits from one side to the other while the dirt hopefully falls out. Then I lift the whole thing to dump it into a bucket.

[jlchucker]

Got off work a little earlier than usual last night and decided since it was so close to dark I'd run out to the range and see what kind of scrap I could pick up. Took a little 1 gallon bucket and picked up all the easy stuff, filled the bucket but it took about two hours. Got tired, not to mention cold (temps in the upper teens) and decided to call it a night.
Stopped by a convenience store to grab a drink and the clerks were talking about their cats. Cats?! What does that have to do with lead you ask... Well I headed straight to wally world, strolled to the pet department and purchased 2 cat litter scoops then grabbed a 5gal bucket and headed straight back to the range.
Two more hours work yielded a grand total of 186lbs (first small bucket included).


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Great Idea. I never thought about using a litter box scooper. The ones you find in Wallyworld and most supermarket pet sections though are made out of plastic and eventually break. A few weeks ago, when that happened to me, I looked for a replacement at a Petsmart store I happened to see on my way to Wallyworld. When I stopped in, I noticed that they carried a steel one in the cat section, right next to the usual plastic ones. I bought it, albeit for 11 bucks instead of the usual 3 or 4 for the plastic ones. It's heavy duty and should scoop cat poop forever. Now that I've read your post, I'm going back there and get another one of those steel scoopers expressly for range mining.

[RoGrrr]

Mine turned out to be WAY too heavy to shake. Instead I use a flat shovel to rake the boolits from one side to the other while the dirt hopefully falls out. Then I lift the whole thing to dump it into a bucket.

portability/shake-ability is something I had considered, especially after my first episode with the shaker. Made me decide to downsize mine

[RoGrrr]

Great Idea. I never thought about using a litter box scooper. The ones you find in Wallyworld and most supermarket pet sections though are made out of plastic and eventually break. A few weeks ago, when that happened to me, I looked for a replacement at a Petsmart store I happened to see on my way to Wallyworld. When I stopped in, I noticed that they carried a steel one in the cat section, right next to the usual plastic ones. I bought it, albeit for 11 bucks instead of the usual 3 or 4 for the plastic ones. It's heavy duty and should scoop cat poop forever. Now that I've read your post, I'm going back there and get another one of those steel scoopers expressly for range mining.

I use my steel pooper scooper to lift the jackets out of my furnace when I smelt. Works very well for that. Not big enough for range work, tho.
I then use a stainless spoon (25 cents at the goodwill store) to scoop out the dross after I remove the jackets.