Our new range scrap miner at work.

[websterz]

We're getting a bit more dirt coming out the discharge side than we'd like. This is mainly due to the moisture in the soil, plus the high clay content which we can do nothing about. We're modifying the feed auger to run off the rotation of the barrels so we can eliminate the little 2hp engine. It's a work in progress. Click the image below and it will take you to my photobucket to view the video.

[bhop]

That's awesome would you share the specifics on how you made it?

[websterz]

It is three barrels banded together, with internal paddles and baffles that break up the dirt and allow the bullets to pass through. The discharge end of the machine is lower than the entrance so that gravity helps move the lead through. Large panels are cut from the barrels and 1/4" hardware cloth provides the sifting action. 3" diameter grain augers move material in one end and out the other. The machine is powered by a 9hp horizontal shaft engine that is coupled to the transmission from a riding mower. One end of the tranny output has a triple pulley that powers the rotation of the barrels. The other end supplies power to the discharge auger by way of a drive shaft and two rag joints. The feed auger is currently powered by a separate 2hp engine but we are making changes that will allow it to be powered directly by the barrels, running the entire system with just the 9hp. Leveling legs on the rear and a jack in the front allow us to vary the angle of the machine thus adjusting the rate at which material moves through. My partner in this behemoth is seen in the video. He designed the machine and did nearly all of the fabrication. I am the machinist for the project, making the necessary pulleys and odd bits and pieces as needed. Once the bullets are in the truck my real contribution begins. I do all of the hot work and turn the dirty bullets into shiny ingots.

[GoodOlBoy]

I dunno whether to compliment ya on how awesome that is, or chew ya out for cheatin! How's a hand's and knees bullet picker supposed to keep up with that

Seriously great work.

GoodOlBoy

[websterz]

The berm we're mining was put out of commission by a housing development so the gun club moved to a new location. This old hill saw 40+ years of use and is now sitting idle.

[bhop]

How much lead % do you think it actually collects

[bigjake]

Very cool Websterz and partner! very inventive. there will be a huge sifted dirt pile under the trailer, how do you plan to move the trailer? how deep are you finding bullets/lead fragments? How did get permission to do this on the property without the owner worrying about lawsuits? sorry about all the ?? but this kinda stuff is what I like!

[websterz]

We spread the sifted dirt around as we go so there's not a huge pile under the rig when it's time to move.

The property owner was very keen on getting this berm leveled. All we had to do to convince him was tell him the price (free to him and we keep all the lead) and give him signed liability waivers.

We're recovering 90-95% of the lead, possibly more. The soil is relatively free of rocks and has a lot of clay in it. This kept the spent bullets intact so there aren't a lot of fragments like you find on a steel silhouette range. This was a paper punching range.

Over the years more and more dirt was pushed up onto the berm. We are nearly two feet deep now and the bullets are just as concentrated as they were at six inches. I believe we are going to find lead pretty much all the way through. Standing on top and looking down the back side you can see bullets peeking out by the thousands. It's nearly impossible to get to them now because it's about a 40 foot drop down a very steep slope. Were going to work completely thru one section and see what comes out.

[bigjake]

Wow! sounds like a huge mound of dirt and bullets! While your machine is very cool, im not sure it will last processing that giant berm. what about some sort of large simple sifter? as far as the clay hunks, soak your finished product in water and agitate. that's what I did when I mined 100's of lbs of shot that was stuck in clay gobs. What state are you in?

[websterz]

I have another barrel that I'm building a bullet washer with. It will do a good job of dissolving any clods that still have lead in them. I'm in northern Oklahoma, famous for its red clay soil unfortunately. We are changing out many of the proof of concept parts like the rag joint drive shaft. The hardware cloth will be replaced by expanded metal screens. The rest of the machine is much more rugged than it looks. I'm betting it will survive the protect just fine.

[lightman]

If that berm is that old and used for Bullseye type shooting you should get a lot of good alloy. Stuff like older WW, lino and Lyman #2. Thats quite a machine, by the way. I would be thinking about how I could get a tractor/loader or a mini-trackhoe in there. Good Job and Good Score!

[imashooter2]

That's an innovative and impressive machine!

Unfortunately, I'd have to buy the materials to make it and that money could buy an awful lot of scrap lead. Then there's the whole club having me arrested for vandalizing their berms issue...

[Handloader109]

Sweet. I'm kind of surprised at the dirt coming thru also. Been wet this year, guess the clay is sticking to the bullets. Looks like there is a lot of dirt to move!

[websterz]

There's more there to move than I want to think about.

[CastingFool]

that is quite a contraption. Kudos to you and your partner! It would be quite interesting to see how much lead you get out of the berm.

[GoodOlBoy]

yeah I would be very interested at the end to know how much was recovered. I was thinking about your rig last night, and it dawned on me (as I am sure it has on you) that with settling of dirt over the years you may have to dig that berm down several feet below "ground level" to get all the lead. Still that's going to be a danged impressive haul.

GoodOlBoy

[websterz]

There is quite a depression in the ground in front of the berm. That coupled with all of the bullets on the top and back side of the berm lead me to believe that they occasionally pushed more dirt up on the face of the hill. That should have helped keep a lot of the lead above ground level. The berm has always had a healthy crop of Johnson grass growing on it to help with erosion control so we're not seeing a lot of lead washed down the face. In some areas you can grab a handful of dirt with 20 or more bullets in it. This place is loaded!!

[websterz]

I'll have a two day total weight to report later this week after I get everything weighed. I'm estimating 300-350#.

[MaryB]

Add wash bars in the drums... but you would need a water source and a way to recycle the water from a settle pond...